Lake Powell July 2015

colbysmith

colbysmith

Active member
Searched and reviewed a few old forums on Lake Powell, but decided to start this new one anyway. Very good possibility I'll be towing Midnight Flyer out to Bullfrog Bay after schools out in June around the 15th or so. And while it's early, thought now would still be ok to start thinking about my summer plans. I have been to Bullfrog before in a Houseboat rental maybe 10-15 years ago. At that time we visited during Father's day, and I remember it being a good weather time to visit. With the house boat we sandanchored bow into the shores at The Rincon and Sheepshead (somewhere near Dangling Rope and Rainbow Bridge). We had the house boat for 4 days, and pretty much stayed on the main channel between Dangling Rope and Bullfrog, going up Escalante just a little ways.
This time, plans would be to spend a day or two at Arches, and a day at Canyonlands coming and going. (Thinking of hoteling it in Moab and renting a jeep for a day at Canyonlands, and Camping on the boat at one of the campgrounds in the Arches. Spending maybe 5-7 days on the water in our own boat. What I'm looking for is any current recommendations for boating/camping on our CD-22. Things like what is available for boat launching at Bullfrog and car/trailer parking for the week. Most folks anchor, or beach at night? I'm assuming Bullfrog and Dangling Rope are the only fuel stops besides Wahweep. Still toying with the idea of getting a portable a/c to place in the forward center window at night, otherwise I do have a fan in the berth. I know the weather is fickle, but again I remember June not being so hot yet. How about the water levels? Altho I know that can change before June. I still have my old charts (3 fairly nice ones, but without depths...), but are there any recommended boating books on Lake Powell? Anyway, just looking for some advice or suggestions from those that are familiar with Lake Powell as of recent. Thanks in advance. Colby
 
No way to know the June/July water levels for next year, but it does not really make any difference, esp from Bull Frog. 70+% of boats anchor with stern to the beach, easy step off. (see the piece on anchoring at Powell, with illustrations) The majority of others go bow to beach, like the house boats. It is easier to get off the boat over the stern, especially if you have dogs. Fresbee's are recommended on anchor lines to keep critters off the boat.

June/July the water is cooler than in Sept/Oct (our favorite time) but we have been as early as May. Never really wanted the AC at night, even when the temp was 105 in Phoenix. Have carried the AC for use when camping, but not at night. The V bunk can get hot. Insullation, wind scoop and fans can "cure" that.

The more you get to the school holiday, the more houseboats and idiots on wake board boats/jet skis. Try and get well back up the canyons. Shade is very good if you spend time on the beach as we do. We prefer areas where there will be shade from the canyon walls.

You have to search out the best spot for your boat. Use the shoal draft and narrow beam to your advantage.

Only fuel between is Dangling Rope--and it is expensive. See the various threads on refer's vs ice.

Have fun!
 
Thanks Bob. The critter thing I've read about in some other posts. Is it really that bad? I do like the idea of stern into shore. Guess I should get me a few old frisbees :-). I understand about the idiots on jet skis. During our houseboat cruise I was getting ready to back out of Dangling Rope after fueling. Some yahoo with a bandana wrapped to tightly around his head was goofing around near us. (He was associated with a very large expensive private owned houseboat next to us!) I layed on one long blast and started backing. He stopped a bit behind us and just sat there staring. He finally realized I wasn't stopping and moved out of the way! :xnaughty
 
You are coming a long way. But Powell is well worth it. Visit some of the C-Brat gathering pix and videos...you can see vids on you-tube by searching c-dory lake powell. you will see some great c-dorys in great places. Anchoring etc. Bull Frog is my least favorite marina. Bull frog is a great place to start from as you have access to the upper lake and the better parts below BF mid lake. BUT, make sure you start your trip from BF with a full pantry of whatever you like to eat and drink. Meaning you are going to want to load up all the stuff you need in a real town before you get anywhere near BF. There are simply no decent stores in or around BF proper. Other than ice and beer and sodas and a few emergency supplies you'd better bring everything else. We seldom launch at BF. We go to Wahweep and spend a few days at the marina. put some hours on the boat to make sure all is running really well, and then load up the pantry and take a week going up lake past dangling rope, and past BF and on up the lake as we wish. Making a slow full transit of the lake up and back to Wahweep is my idea of fun. Sitting in one anchorage isn't. But different strokes as they say. I like a different anchorage every night. There is generally much less congestion on the upper half of the lake. Yes, there are idiots, just not quite so many.
 
My first time at Powell was this September. It is truly magnificent. But, as many idiots as I experienced on jet skis and water skis in Sept., I can't imagine how bad it must be in the summer. Also, I can't imagine you could spend the night without someone parking "next door" or serenading you all night with the latest RAP melody.

As an example, Dangling Rope Marina, (there was one other boat there when we gassed up) told me that they sold a gazillion, or close to it, gallons of gas on the forth of July weekend. That's a lot of boats on the lake.

Bob and others have had more experience and at different seasons, so use their advise, but when we return next year it will be in the off season.
 
We get to the lake at many different seasonal times over the years. The beauty of the C-dory is that there are many many small coves and out of the way places that most of the houseboats cant get into. We've never had to share space with a neighbor because of the 22's size and draft. So, high season or off, we have a piece of the lake to ourselves. BUT, before June and after Labor day is the best overall time to be at the lake for many reasons, but no reason is good enough to stay off the lake any time of year.
 
I'm locked into either late June or July with what time we have available, and I figure late June is going to be better than July, or even August, for temps. (And crowds.) As I said in my first post, I have been to Powell before, but it's been a few years. 1998 to be exact. I'm imagining the house boats have gotten bigger, and the whole lake is maybe a bit more crowded. But I remember it being a big place and I imagine one can still find plenty of quiet coves to tuck in to. Coming from the Madison area, Bullfrog works best for us to launch. But sounds like we need to provision in Denver on the way through. (I don't remember too much being available at BF as you point out.) My wife has never been to the area, so that's why I also plan to spend some time with her at the Arches and Canyonlands. So much else to see relatively close by, but there's that time constraint again! Still wondering about parking for my car and trailer for a week. Also, any information on invasive species checks. Last summer with my trip to the San Juans, I ran into a real prick near Cody, Wy. The other states were pretty non-event (Montana, Idaho, Washington.) This time I'll be passing through Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, Colorado and Utah. I don't believe I'll have any problem with the first few states, but not sure what Kansas, Colorado and Utah are doing now days.
 
I have never driven in the way you are going, but I would consider provisioning at Grand Junction--it will probably be easier than Denver, and about the same price.

How bad is the critter issue? We had kangaroo Rats run between our legs several times while eating dinner, so I suspect that they come aboard easily. We have heard of ring tail cats doing a lot of damage. Personally we have never had a problem--about a dozen trips to Powell. But we usually use the Fresbees. You can get cheap imitations--don't have to use the glow in the dark ultimate…but then again, that might be a good idea!

For your type of trip--I agree with a different camp every night. Some times we have spent days, or a week at one spot, but that was also when we were on the lake for a month or more. There are times, when it is hard to find really good beaches. We have had to use rock ledges, and "muck/mud" at times. Often the house boats sit on the best places.
 
Don't think I'll let my wife see that last post :shock: , but think I'll definitely fix up some frisbees! Yeah, Grand Junction probably the last good place to provision up on the way out. Actually, Moab might be better, as we'll spend a day there first, before heading over t Bullfrog.
 
Last March we did Mesa Verde, Canyonlands, and Arches National Parks and Dead Horse Point State Park with Bill and El, and it was all simply spectacular! But if time is an issue, which it sounds like it is, and Lake Powell is the main destination, you have some choices to make! Get thee retired as soon as possible, we can tell you it really helps not to be under time constraints!

We have done Powell four times now, in 2008, 2009 and 2010, and again in 2013. We started out for Powell in 2011 but that turned into "the vacation from hell" that we spend mostly in the parking lot of a Nissan dealer in Yakima. The first three times we were in a different spot every night. In 2013 R&R was our main goal, and I think over two weeks we stayed in a total of three different spots, swimming, kayaking and fishing. While they all were great, what we did in 2013 is what we would really want to do again the next time we come. It was an unexpected bonus to get to spend time with Dr. Bob and Marie, and of course Angel, who is worlds smarter than Baxter.

It really is a shame that you cannot go in September for the Lake Powell CBGT and do at least one tour with Chris on Rana Verde, because there are "must see" places at Powell, and seeing them with Chris and other C-Dorys is really the best way to do that. Everyone should do that at least once!
 
I hear yah Pat. I actually am retired. (Early from the airlines) But chose to drive school bus now to pad my pension and stay out of trouble! :-) (It's the perfect "retirement" job for me, and while I wish my summers were extended at both ends, no such luck.) Also I'm married to a younger wife that has a while to go yet before she can retire. Choices we make in life I suppose, but it gives me the whole summer to do what I want, but I like sharing it with my wife, so I live within the time constraints.... I get kind of bored sitting in one place anyway. In a previous life with my late wife, we were fortunate to do a lot of travel via Motorhome at a younger age. Most everywhere I'm going now, I've been before, but not with my C-Dory, or with this wife. (I always tell others that have the opportunity, travel with your family now. Life is short!) So while others may like to pick a place and stay a while, I enjoy staying just long enuf (or driving through) to see the scenery, get some rest and relaxation, and then move on. :wink: Colby
 
I posted this in another Lake Powell thread, but thought I'd post here also, since I started this thread specifically for my planned trip. This is a copy of what I posted in the other thread:

Hi All, Just came back from 6 nights/ days on Lake Powell. Had a great time. The geological guide that was mentioned earlier was nice to have along and read about the geology of the area. (I majored in Earth Science in college, so while I enjoyed it, maybe not so interesting to all, but my wife, a nurse, enjoyed it also. I had an old Stan Jones chart that was great. Also, with my Garmin GPSMAP 840, I run Garmin charts. The latest I had on there, gave depth readings about 95 feet less than actual depth. (IOW, if the chart showed a depth of 94 feet, we saw about 1 foot of rock above the water!) The locals say the lake is at about 51%. The worse situation of the entire trip, was getting the boat off the trailer at the Bullfrog Ramp. We have the standard two axle EZloader trailer. While the ramp seemed steep enough driving down it, I suspect it shallows out where it's hitting the water right now. We were not the only ones having to back the entire tow vehicle in the water. But the Highlander doesn't sit quite as high as a 4wd pickup! With our Highlander's rear bumper touching the water, and all 4 tires backed in, with full reverse on my Merc 115hp EFI 4-stroke, and my wife and another beefy male bystander pushing the front of the boat we finally got it off the trailer. (That was after several attempts at a pretty good backing speed and slamming on the brakes, which only dislodge the boat about 4"...) And I tried most the ramp looking for any deeper spots. Loading out was much easier, with a powerload then winching. Took the boat all the way down to Wahweep Marina. I had never been on that end of the lake, but decided I had not missed much. Dangling Rope Marina (and Bullfrog) are much better marinas for friendly service and knowledge! (The couple of guys servicing at Wahweep didn't seem to know much, and reminded me more of some of the help I've gotten at the local big box hardware stores. (Sometimes they can figure out the material by reading the box... :-( Anyway, went down by the narrows but back up by the Castle Rock cut, which was 30' deep. Only saw one other C-Dory. On the way back up, ran into Ken and his wife on the Lochsa. Chatted for a few minutes while floating close to each other. They were on their way down to Oak Canyon, where we had just spent the night. Hope you guys had a great time also if you are reading this. Forgot to ask you if you had any problems launching! BTW, if you get a chance, I'd love to have some photos of your screen set up on the front center window and entry door. (I'll have to check to see if you already have any photos loaded.) Leaving Bullfrog, we stopped first at the Visitor Center, and had a very nice chat with the NPS gal working there. I was surprised the center wasn't opened when we arrived 7 days earlier, but she explained with cost cutting, it is only open 2 half days a week. She was happy to report that next year she was being given two more employees and it would be open more! (She was also very excited about the C-dory, and very aware of the annual C-brat migration in the area...she is also a safe boating instructor. Anyway, next few days are hotelling it in Moab while we visit the Arches. I will say again I have been thoroughly impressed with not only the towing capabilities of the Highlander now (as we had no problems coming thru the Rockies), that it also does well as a AWD SUV. (If you are familiar with the Canyon lands, you will understand when I say we drove the Shafer and Long Canyon trails with out problem. (Of course, without the boat in tow!) Long Canyon was a little dicey in a few spots, but we had the necessary clearance and just pressed on, very slowly!) Colby

P.s., while I did make some Frisbees to place on our stern beach lines, we didn't have any problems with critters coming aboard at night...other than the zillions of pesky nats!
 
Oh yeah. Ice at Moab, $2.50 for a 18 pound bag. Ice at Dangling Rope $10 for a 20 lb bag. Gas at Dangling Rope, $4.82/gallon, Taboo (just north of Bullfrog) $3.40 gal (85 octane) , Moab $2.84/gal (85 octane). :|
 
Apparently due to the extreme drought in the west there is renewed talk of eliminating Lake Powell. It seems that it is a "leaky" lake which wastes a lot of water and the country would be better served if Lake Powell were eliminated and all the water allowed to flow into and collect in Lake Mead.

There was a lot of resistance to creating the lake in the first place.
 
ssobol":3pm46jyy said:
Apparently due to the extreme drought in the west there is renewed talk of eliminating Lake Powell. It seems that it is a "leaky" lake which wastes a lot of water and the country would be better served if Lake Powell were eliminated and all the water allowed to flow into and collect in Lake Mead.

There was a lot of resistance to creating the lake in the first place.
Click to expand...


Without Lake Powell Lake Mead would have been empty a long time ago. Lake Powell evaporates half the water that Lake Mead does. what leaks into the aquifer is still in the aquifer. I don't think California or Arizona would like not having their water and electricity. At this point it would be pretty much stupid to remove the dam.
 
I don't think they have ever stopped working on it. Maybe the government should start working on the 2 dams they didn't build and give them something else to think about.
 
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