lake powell from va

[indo]

Just wondering if anyone had any tips or info on lake powell. after reading the house boat thread i thought i should see if their is anything special we need to bring. we be leaving va. in mid jully towing a san and momba to powell. looks like about a 35 hr drive. we will be on a 75ft house boat for a week and we will be heading out from bullfrog. this is my first house boat trip so im pretty excited. any info would be great.

[Freddo11]

Yeah, get ready to see the most spectacular desert lake in the country. The pictures dont do it justice, its just too bad the water level is so low right now. You could explore that lake for a year and not see half of it. More shoreline than the west coast and so many hidden areas that have glass smooth water and nobody else around for miles. Just be careful of the unexpected late afternoon storms and the wakes from the tour boats. Have fun!

[indo]

cool thanks for the info. are their many shallow spots that u have to watch out for?

[NCH2oSki]

Wow, that is a long way to tow a boat on vacation. Just curious why not a more local lake for a houseboatig trip?

[indo]

i guess its kind of a one time trip. we have always seen powell in all the wakeboard movies and it looks like a unique place. plus we were invited with another family and the house boat is free and comes with a chef and driver. really couldnt pass the chance up. all that we have to cover is the trip out and the gas for our san. should be a pretty awesome trip!

[jasper]

Lake Powell is beautiful. I went two years ago and debated long and hard whether to haul my boat (SN) that distance. I decided not to and was very pleased with the decision. We spent more time exploring different sites than we would have if we had been skiing (not a wakeboarder). Since a lot of the shore is rock, there is a lot of wake kicked back, both your own and other's. It was also nice not to worry about towing the ski boat behind the house boat. There are times when that can get dicey, and it can limit how far in the coves you can go.

The chef and driver is a huge plus on the house boat. We spent a ton of time doing both duties. Perhaps that will give you water time.

Gas is another issue. If you bring your SAN or Moomba, bring lots of 5-gal contaniers. We noticed all the wake board and ski boats had gas cans strapped to the swim decks, and we saw why. There are only four or five marinas on the whole lake where you can purchase fuel and the distance between all but two of them is enough to run out.

Watch for the storms. We went through one with 50mph winds and waves over our heads on the wave runners. Never seen anything like that being a landlocked lizard. Speaking of wave runners, I'd rent one or two of those to take exploring in the area where you beach the house boat.

The water is down now more than when I went, but no matter the water level, the lake has rocks that are in the most unlikely places. Scout the area you plan to board before you do so, especially in the coves.

There is a lot to see around the Lake Powell area, Grand Canyon etc. Since you're out there, take a few days to see as much as you can. You won't be disappointed. Good luck, have fun and be safe.

jasper

[indo]

thanks for all the good info jasper. the house boat is supposed to be equiped with 2 jetskis on the back. i heard that exploring the small canyons on them was prettty cool. do the storms sneak up on u? i might buy one of the gas caddies just to take out with us. if u can think of anything else i may need let me know.
does anyone know what kind of rope to use for a towline behind the house boat or does it matter?

[Freddo11]

I don't have a scanner so i took pictures of pictures from my last trip, so the quality is poor, but look forward to this:

[Freddo11]

And canyons that run for up to a mile that are just wide enough for your boat, then open up into your own personal ski lake:

[Freddo11]

And some that are even narrower, but worth the trip through:

[Freddo11]

Sorry the pictures are so bad, I wish I had a scanner for them. The lake is spectacular and I'm lucky, I only live about five hours away. There are lots of hidden hazards, most of them marked, some of them not. Stay in the main channel and when you find your own little hiding spot to ski, scout the area first then enjoy. The gas docks at the three marinas, Wahweap, Dangling Rope, and Bullfrog are almost exactly 50 miles apart. Most people just carry plenty of spare gas on the houseboat. Most of my trips I just stay in Page and take the boat out every day, houseboats have become outrageous since they became government regulated there. You used to be able to rent one for about $1000 per week, now its five times that. It will be well worth your drive, spend plenty of time exploring, you can wakeboard anywhere. Have fun!!!

[indo]

those pictures are awesome!! thanks!! do u have any more? seeing those have got me stoked? the water looks super clear!! should be a great trip. what is the weather like this time of the year?

[SHREDHEAD]

HOT! Storms can come up very quickly, make sure your boat is very secure every night and anytime you will leave it unattended. Make sure you have an extra prop.
Powell is a magical place. Once we were out in an absolute downpour with very high winds, next second it stopped and we were surrounded by the most spectacular waterfalls I have ever seen. You will all have a great time!

[Freddo11]

I've got more pictures, but I'm gonna get them scanned then post a couple more. It's 115 degrees today where I live so Lake Powell is cool to me. This time of year the late afternoon storms can be deadly, but if you see one coming, just find a shelted cove and you'll be fine.

[jasper]

The storms come quickly at times. The one that hit us was just wind, but it hit instantly. The actual storm cell missed us, but the downbursts came roaring all the way down the lake, and the waves were massive. Houseboats get blown quite easily with their tall, wide profiles. Just keep everything secured (anchored, etc.) properly in the event a storm blows in.