Lake Powell September Cruise

Discovery · Posted: Sun Sep 02, 2007 3:23 pm Post subject:

Chris,

We've been to the mountain the last few days in the 5th wheel, parked in the hunting area. We have spotted several trophy elk, but haven't been able to tie one up so Brent can shoot it opening morning. I will encourage him to get one close to the road so we can expedite the process-- don't want to miss Lake Powell. It will be so cool to meet new C-Brats and see you and Bob and Marie again. I sure hope everything works out to meet you at Oak on Sept. 23rd. Will bring meat if possible.

Dixie

thataway · Posted: Fri Sep 07, 2007 11:47 pm Post subject: Powell

Hi Chris,
It is possiable that we will see you at launch--we are probably going to get there on the 19th or 20th. If it has been a hard drive, we may not launch until the AM..

I E mailed my cousins who do clean up on Lake Powell in Sept--and they are going to BullFrog on the 23rd--and then on the lake on the 24th (don't have an itiniary for them yet--hoping that they come on down toward Oak Canyon. Plus several friends, who include Eric and Susan on E ticket, are also going to be on the Lake starting around the 22 or 23rd--but maybe not with the C brats....

So other than the 23rd--what in general are your plans (if you have formulated any), so that if we happen to miss the "group" on Sunday, we can hookup before or later? We are hoping that our cousins are flexiable and we can meet with them on the 25 or so--sure don't want to run up to Bull Frog just for one evening--and miss the "goings on" at Oak Canyon on the 23rd.

Looking foreward to seeing you all,

Bob and Marie,

"Frequent Sea"--

Chris · Posted: Sat Sep 08, 2007 3:19 pm Post subject:

Bob...really don't have plans...as usual. I'm thinking I might run up the San Juan...probably before the 23rd. After the 23rd...maybe up the Escalante...see all the sights up there...maybe stay in Fiftymile. Then on up lake. Tough to make plans as you know...sometimes you pull into a canyon with your mind set on a nice sand bar you know...only to find it already occupied. Then it's off to find another canyon...another sand bar. Makes it tough if you've made plans to meet. That's why I suggested Oak for the meet...it's big enough that you are likely to always find a spot.

JamesTXSD · Posted: Sun Sep 09, 2007 6:47 pm Post subject:

Wish we could join you again for the September gathering. We are on Lake Powell right now, and it is spectacular. I expected big crowds and melting heat, but we've had no problem finding great places to stay for the night. And picking a good spot with the boat facing west has provided great shade in the late afternoon.

By the time you gather, we will be back in Texas... but we'll be thinking of you!

Best wishes,
Jim & Joan

For anyone considering this gathering who has not done Lake Powell before, do your best to make it. The lake is like no other we've cruised... simply breath-taking. And Chris, Brent and Dixie know the lake and will make your first time here easy and memorable.

Casey · Posted: Mon Sep 10, 2007 10:42 am Post subject: Lake Powell map

It is certainly not a navigational map/chart, but here is a link to the map the National Park Service uses on its informational folder:

http://www.nps.gov/carto/PDF/GLCAmap1.pdf

Oak Bay/Oak Canyon is just uplake from Forbidding Canyon (Rainbow Bridge), at approximately Mile 51.

Casey
C-Dory Naknek
Lake Montezuma, AZ

jlastofka · Posted: Tue Sep 11, 2007 10:04 am Post subject: HAM radio at Powell

Bob (from Thataway),

I notice you're a HAM and you mentioned using it at Powell. I'm an inactive HAM (AC6QI) and I have an HT lying around, plus a 2meter car unit or two in a closet somewhere. What works at Powell? Are there repeaters? Anyone else in the group likely to be a HAM? I dabbled in HF and CW some, but now it's all just one more past hobby, more or less.

I was there a couple times years ago on houseboats and wakeboarding, but now I'm really looking forward to the C-Dory there. Should be MUCH better for exploring and camping.

I believe I'll show up around Sunday or Monday the 24th and head up the lake from the Page area. I think I can spend pretty much the entire week there and leave Friday or Saturday. Probably I'll aim for the Oak Canyon gathering idea that seems to be forming.

Jeff

jlastofka · Posted: Tue Sep 11, 2007 10:12 am Post subject: Wahweap or Antelope?

I haven't been to Powell in years. I've gone out of Wahweap in the past and stayed there the night before launching. Is Antelope a better choice if you're just going to drive into town, buy some supplies, launch and head up the lake?

Any considerations for current lake conditions or parking or other ideas that would favor one over the the other these days?

Thanks for any tips or recent knowledge.

Jeff

thataway · Posted: Tue Sep 11, 2007 9:58 pm Post subject:

jlastofka,
I haven't done a ground system on the CD 25 and am not bringing a dipole, so I am probably going to skip the Ham on the C D 25 this time. (We will have it for our Alaska trip next summer)--time is just running out on us and we will be on the road in a couple of days. I am not sure we will even take our radio (Icom 7000). We will have a 2 meter rig aboard.

There are several repeators on Navajo mountain: 146.960 Mhz Glen Canyon Wireless Association, 224.98 Mhz is supsosed to be active. 448.750 Mhz and 449.925 Mhz have been listed in the past, but at last report were not active.

I have worked 40 meters out of Lake Powell.

Chris, the reason I asked about plans, is because there appears to be the general gathering on Sunday the 23rd at Oak Canyon--but there are folks who are launching on the 24 and 25th and still want to "hook up" with the group. I suggest that we all moniter Channel 16 on the VHF and listen for any general calls to "C Dory". Unfortunaely once one goes up any of the canyons, VHF radio is gone.

Regards,

jlastofka · Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2007 12:47 am Post subject: Linking up at Powell

Two ideas:

1) Perhaps there's a bulletin board at Dangling rope, or perhaps they'd keep a piece of paper at the office where we could leave and read short messages, like "C-Dories going to Oak Canyon on ......, and then ....."

2) Or we can spot a C-Dory wandering about and stop them to ask if they've heard anything. (Or try VHF 16 when you have them in sight.)

I might wander as far up as Hall's Crossing myself, depending. Maybe even a little further. There's a cliff dweller site a ways up there, right?

Jeff

Doryman · Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2007 12:59 am Post subject:

Why not have someone from the group drive out to the nearest pumpout station at a predetermined time toward the end of each day? That could help narrow down the options...

Warren

Casey · Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2007 9:55 am Post subject:

I think Warren has a pretty good overall idea.

It sounds like there may well be C-Dory's strung-out at various places along the lake this time, but they may still want to meet up occasionally, so some communication might be nice.

I have no specific cruising plans, and really don't know how far uplake I'll go ( but plan to be at Oak Bay). That said: I will probably try to be in a VHF reception area (ie. main channel without nearby cliff walls) at High Noon, monitoring Channel 16/68. If a few other Brat's are doing the same thing, they might be able to relay pertinent data/plans up or down lake.

Then there's also cellphone (I seem to recall there is a cell tower somewhere near Navajo Mtn?)

Casey
C-Dory Naknek
CELL: 602-418-8267

sportner · Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2007 11:21 am Post subject:

Casey,
Excellent idea, 12:00 noon (when possible) try to make contact on 16 and 68. We will be on the road this afternoon and on the water Friday morning (hopefully). Hope to meet up at Oak Canyon on the 23rd.

thataway · Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2007 2:47 pm Post subject:

I suspect that the "noon" idea will work better--plus peroidic calls on 16. The pump out stations are not all ways in areas where there is excellent reception. Navajo Mountain does have a cell tower--but again, it has to be line of site--and those canyons get in the way.

Last time we went up the San Juan Arm we had to stop at about 30 miles because of the debris in the water, plugging up the water intake and had to back flush our cooling system.

Consider that most of the clift dwelllings or any other features can be quite difficult to get to, depending on the water level. (of course we can no longer hike, so that rules out a lot of options for us).

We will be underway in 2 days--depending on what these hurricanes are dong...

Guest · Guest

Our current plans are to travel(from Santa Fe) on Friday the 21st and get to Wahaweap Friday night or Sat. morning(22nd), launch, get up lake near Dangling Rope and hook. Sunday(23rd) get gas and go to mile 51 (Oak Canyon). We might make it all the way on Sat. but I'm not counting on that. We will bomb out on the 29th and travel back to Santa Fe on the 30th. Sounds like a fun trip Laughing

See everyone on Lake.
J&P

thataway · Posted: Fri Sep 14, 2007 9:16 pm Post subject:

There is an old sailors mantra which says "never start a voyage on a Friday." We almost violated this rule. I wanted to finish wiring the trailer for a light bar on the top of the aft railing, and wire the PVC light bar, plus put in a charging circuit from the truck to the C Dory, so we would not worry about batteries running down when we were trailering across country. Due to severe weather (Residual of Humberto) we didn't get finished with these projects and get loaded until 4 PM--to late to leave on a Friday! So, first thing in the AM, we will head out for Powell--maybe driving a few more hours a day--but today's conditions were not conducive for trailer towing (high winds, and heavy rain).