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Lake Powell and Lake Mead in March
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Mike_J



Joined: 26 Mar 2012
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PostPosted: Thu Nov 03, 2016 12:09 am    Post subject: Lake Powell and Lake Mead in March Reply with quote

Does anyone have any experience of boating on these lakes in March? Monica and I are thinking of taking Natural C-lection down there during our Spring break (March 9-26) and wondered if that seems like a reasonable plan.
I went kayaking on lake Mead last year at that time and the lake seemed pretty empty!

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jkidd



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PostPosted: Thu Nov 03, 2016 8:38 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Lake Powell is great in March as long as you don't catch a wind storm. If you go be prepared for the Wind. I haven't been on Lake Mead. Now that both lakes are infected with Mussels I don't know what they will do If you try to do both lakes in a short period of time. You might have to pay to have your boat decontaminated before you can launch in the second lake. If your just planing on one lake or the other then you OK.
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potter water



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PostPosted: Thu Nov 03, 2016 11:04 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

The down side to Meade is that the shore lines at these water levels are just plain grungy and often smelly. Powell would win my March trip contest every time. It will be prettier, cleaner, and more fun. Maybe a bit colder than Meade though. Yes, watch for spring winds, they can ruin your whole day, but then Meade has its own spring winds problem.
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ssobol



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PostPosted: Thu Nov 03, 2016 2:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

At Lake Mead you have to drain and dry your boat before you leave the ramp. If they see you towing a boat that is dripping water, they can confiscate it.

There is one place at Boulder Harbor that will decontaminate your boat but it seems to operate on limited hours (I have never seen it open).

They suggest a minimum of 5 days drying time between lakes.

At Lake George NY your boat has to be inspected and possibly decontaminated before launching in that lake. Decontamination is done with a power washer and hot water. They will spray any part of your boat that can trap water. My guess is that the cleaning a Lake Mead is similar.
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thataway



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PostPosted: Thu Nov 03, 2016 5:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote


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Bob Austin
Thataway
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jkidd



Joined: 23 Oct 2006
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PostPosted: Fri Nov 04, 2016 9:06 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Dry times in the summer are 7 days. Dry times in the spring and fall are 18 days. Winter is 30 days. If it is below freezing it's 3 days. The problem is in most of the western states it is illegal to transport a boat through a state that is contaminated. If you get stopped in Utah and they have you put your outdrive or outboard down and they get more than a cup of water out your going to get a $500 fine. If you trailer with your drain plug in that could be $5000 fine. So far the only ones that have been confiscated are covered with mussels. They aren't trying to hard they seem to think it can be taken care of during the day shift. Decontamination stations aren't always maned so you might get to the next lake and not be able to get decontaminated. Here is the std link http://stdofthesea.com/
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thataway



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PostPosted: Fri Nov 04, 2016 2:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hmm, the disappearing post...
Basically I was noting that the earliest we visited was early April. March will be cool: climatology shows 52 as average high and 29 as average low. Water temp is 50. More recent years it tends to be slightly warmer. The water level will often not be quite at its lowest, but most likely Castle Rock Cutoff will be closed, with the level somewhere in the 359X' pool level.

Fishing will find most Bass and Stripers being deep, but catchable. Carppie is a good fish for this time of the year. Probably best month of Walleye--which we have never caught at Powell. Check Wayne's World for fishing reports and tips.

http://www.wayneswords.com


There will be few boats on the lake--good I believe. Probably few if any wake boarders and PWCers. Although there probably will be some employees at Dangling Robe, supplies will be very limited. Water and fuel should be available, but double check. There may be less Park Service Personal available--so if there is an emergency--it may take longer for a response.

It can snow that time of the year. As mentioned wind can be an issue. Average rain fall is slightly over an inch.

I think it is a good time of the year, to explore the lake. Have a great time!
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Larry Patrick



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PostPosted: Fri Nov 04, 2016 7:20 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

When we finally get there someday,is there also a lot of camping or BLM land for dry camping? After enjoying boating and sleeping on the boat a week or two,just wondering the camping that's available. Wonder where you could leave truck camper for the time were on the Lake that's safe? When pulling boat that far will most likely tow behind truck camper.
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thataway



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PostPosted: Fri Nov 04, 2016 9:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

There is one dry camp in Utah near Lone Rock--this is beach or near beach desert camping. Be careful or get stuck in sand--some of the good ole boys will pull you out.

There are a number of formal campsites at Wahweep. This is run by the Concessionaire. There are sites with full hookups, and dry camping sites. Reversions are necessary in "season"--best from April thru Oct. Pay for showers. Many of the rental campers out of the Major West Coast cities go there, as part of their standard route.

There is also camping by BullFrog.

There are many campsites around the lake. A number of open boats and PWC camp every night. There can be snakes, scorpions, coons, river otters, beavers and coyotes. (These are critters we have seen). I don't see any major issues with these critters, just be aware.
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Sea Wolf



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PostPosted: Sat Nov 05, 2016 12:30 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Also, I have read that mice & rats frequently come aboard near shore moored boats, including some via stern lines to the shore.

To prevent this, boaters put slotted discs on lines to prevent the critters from visiting the newly arrived C-Dory Floating Hotel, just like on big ships in dock. Wink



Good Luck!

Joe. Teeth Thumbs Up

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Larry Patrick



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PostPosted: Sat Nov 05, 2016 10:17 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks Bob for all the info,we look forward to attending some future gatherings . After wife puts in 2 years at new job medical coding,at a hospital or wherever she gets hired,I will be planning all kinds of boating and camping trips. Because she can then work from home ,which will be in camper on the road somewhere. She just submitted her resume in our area.Wish we could hook up boat now to truck camper and leave winter behind,but have to wait a little while longer.
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Sunbeam



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PostPosted: Sat Nov 05, 2016 11:28 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Tow vehicle storage is also something I tend to like to take extra precautions with. Because, like you, I tow with an RV and so I can't just leave an "empty truck" at the launch ramp and hence not worry about it. I do find that part to be a pain, although of course towing with the RV is very nice in other ways. Always wondered how others handle it.

On the mice: Yep, and I have twice gotten mice on board at Powell even with those precautions. The only thing that kept me from going completely nuts about it is that I was able to keep them out of the inside of the boat (drastic measures, tape, etc.). But still, even having them on deck was horrid and I had to keep the cabin door closed until I got rid of them. What a pain.

First year, I used all the normal precautions, and no mice aboard.

Second year, I got "fancy," and instead of just hacking a slit in the frisbees I put on my lines, I drilled a neat hole prior to heading to the lake. Pretty sure they then came aboard by squeezing through the gaps between the strands of the three-strand line and the tidy round hole in the frisbees Cry I couldn't find them aboard - just turds on deck in the morning. Finally (after tearing outside of boat apart at a potty island) we figured out that (at Oak) they were running aboard during the night but then leaving before morning. Scamper, scamper! We anchored out the rest of the trip and no more mice that time.

Third year I thought I might have them licked. Ha, nope. This time, they came aboard while I had my boat tied to the launch ramp dock (when taking tow rig back up). I did notice a HUGE houseboat came in to the same dock and tied up behind me. I didn't have the full regalia with the frisbees and etc. set up since I usually did that when anchoring and one doesn't tend to do a lot of farting around while at the launch ramp. Funny thing was I had them aboard (outside only) for around five days. Then there was a HUGE windstorm, and I came in to the dock intending to take out. Tied to an outer dock with the full catastrophe of lines. But then the ramp got super busy as it was Sunday, and I ended up spending some hours helping others land, after which I decided to go back out for another week or so. No more mice on the boat after that, so I guess they got tired of rocking and rolling at the dock that day and bailed out Mr. Green After that I only anchored out (which I like to do anyway). Ahhhh, finally no mice aboard.

Not sure how I'm going to handle it next time at the launch ramp. Perhaps if I can find a time when the ramp is very sparsely used, I can anchor out and kayak back to the dock to park the tow rig. Or set up the mouse gear at the dock. Or just get lucky and no mouse-infested houseboat shares my dock...? Curious how others handle that time at the dock during launch and tow vehicle stashing.
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Discovery



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PostPosted: Sat Nov 05, 2016 12:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I guess we have just been lucky, but we have boated on Lake Powell for over 40 years and have never had signs of a mouse on board. We have had various boats from a 18' open aluminum skiff, sleeping on shore in a tent, up to the TomCat. I have never put Frisbee's on the lines. Knock on wood, but just saying.
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thataway



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PostPosted: Sat Nov 05, 2016 12:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Parking rigs at Lake Powell. For the most part your truck and trailer is safe at the ramp's huge parking lots. There are rangers who sporadically patrol these. I asked permission to leave my truck and trailer parked there for a month--no problem--I was told to just leave a note with the approving ranger's name on it in front of the reflective foil on inside of the windshield. (Foils cut for the side windows also. (Leave a little air space between the foil and glass).

The RV we parked at Big Water boat Storage and rentals. We had stored our C Dory a number of times in the past, and had gotten to know the folks who own it. They allowed us to put the big RV in back of the enclosed storage, plugged into power so our refrigeration would continue to run. If they had room (and they usually do) you may be able to store the RV indoors, in one of their large sheds.

We have never had a mouse problem on the boat at Lake Powell--but have always had at least one dog aboard. We did get mice in the RV in storage, so the next times we put mouse baits near where they had entered the RV..

One trick to keep the mice out of the cabin is to put SS scrub pads into the any areas which are open from the cockpit to the cabin. In the 22, this includes the area under the deck were the aft bulkhead is located--and cables, steering hoses, and wires run through. One needs to put two ties on the Frisbee's--one in the middle of the cut, and one on the outer edge. (I don't thread the Frisbee on, just press it over the rope. Most of the rats we see up there on shore are the Kangaroo rats, they seem bolder than smaller rodents.
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Sunbeam



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PostPosted: Sat Nov 05, 2016 12:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Discovery wrote:
I guess we have just been lucky, but we have boated on Lake Powell for over 40 years and have never had signs of a mouse on board. ... Knock on wood, but just saying.


So that's why the ones that came aboard my boat were twice as hungry/determined Mr. Green

Not that they got anything to eat on my boat, since they didn't get into the cabin, but they did scamper around and poop on deck. Plus I had to seal the cabin off like Fort Knox to keep them only on deck. Ugh.

I have read that Powell is notorious for this though, and I've had people come around to my boat fairly desperately asking if I had any traps to spare.
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