Good luck! We got to a fax machine 12/1, very shortly after midnight Az. time. We had our reply back within 4 days. It was a Sunday so that may have helped. If you can find a fax machine you can use New Year's morning, you should get what you want. They accept faxes at any time. It would give you a real leg up, just as it did for us having access to a fax on a Sun. Our trip actually included Bright Angel and Indian Garden Cmgds., on one of the most heavily requested weeks of the year, so I think it would help you to do the early as possible application.