How late in the season can you boat at Lake Powell

I believe Jody on Voyager has been to Powell in winter. I'm not sure there's any time you "can't" boat there, but I imagine services would be sparser in winter. I've been as late as the end of October, and while the crowds were thinning out, Dangling Rope was still open (which makes me think the road-serviced marinas likely were too, although, for example, at Wahweap one of the ramps closes [State Line] but the other is still open). There were still houseboats out and about as well.

Does the houseboat rental outfit have a specific ending date? That might make a difference as opposed to when we take our own boats. It'd also be coldish in winter, if that matters.
 
Hmmm. Hope I don't end up with multiple posts, if so, I'm having some comp trouble.

Quick answer is that November through April you pays yer money and you takes yer chances. It can and does get below freezing at night. The statistics of your having a sunny and warm week on the lake is much lower in those months. Best chance of warm and sunny and no wind will be in September and early October. June 15th through August will be hot and afternoon often brings winds and thunderstorms.

And as the other poster suggested, the NPS and their contractor can be very flaky from year to year on what services are open and where and when during those off months of November through April. So, call ahead close to the time you are heading to the Lake.

My personal favorite is September anytime. I've yet to be blown out or weathered out in September. After September statistics for nice weather start working against you. However, for the Lake Powell fisherman, there is no bad day on the lake anytime of the year.
 
We went to Lake Powell last year (2015) in late September and early October.

First, the lake was down enough that it was a problem getting the boat off the trailer. I backed the truck in until the exhaust pipe was under water and it was still a struggle. Same problem retrieving. I am aware that different trailers have different minimum depths, but it's a point to consider.

Second, it was hot, really, really hot. Then on the next to last day we had a thunderstorm. Worst (for 1/2 hr) I've seen. I did not appreciate the weather and thought boating in the spring would be better.

Third, there were a lot of big house boats around. The implication is that they're there for year round boating. I don't know if the rental business ever tapers off, but the personal house-boating doesn't appear to.

Boris
 
Thanks for the input, we often houseboat Shasta just before Memorial Day and just after to Labor Day to get to a $1050 weekly rate for a 34' houseboat. We have it down to a science as we tie up at the best cove available fairly close to the marina and then rent a small boat for another $200 for the week and use it for a water taxi. We have used as little s $38.00 in fuel for the whole week. We are frugal with fresh water and the holding tank and so do not need to go back to the marina like many seem to do during the week. We have never used the heater or the AC over our many trips but then Lake Shasta is much warmer than Powell.
We live four minutes from the Lake Mead entry but there are no houseboats in our budget range. C-Brats are always welcome to come see us and enjoy Mead and Boulder City with us.
PS: I an still on the hunt for the right boat, we have both a 25'x 44' side yard space and a 12' x 50' RV garage waiting!!
Bob and Kyung
 
journey on":3h27k204 said:
We went to Lake Powell last year (2015) in late September and early October.... on the next to last day we had a thunderstorm. Worst (for 1/2 hr) I've seen. I did not appreciate the weather and thought boating in the spring would be better.
Click to expand...

I'm no Powell expert, but I believe that spring weather would (statistically) be worse. Powell (and other areas in the SW) seem to typically be rather windy and unpredictable in spring, while early fall (September) are less windy and more predictably nice (of course there can always be an exception). I think there used to be a spring CBGT on Powell as well as a fall one. Chris mentioned to me that one reason the spring one went by the wayside was the weather.
 
Listen to potter water! Certainly boating is do-able at Powell in the winter, but I doubt that rental houseboats are to be out past the end of November or before the first of March. We have only boated May thru Oct. Had bad weather in the
Summer, but usual short duration. Usually we spend a month, and at least once or twice see 40 to 50 knots of wind and some rain during our stay in thunder squalls.
We enjoy the Sept thru Oct weather the best; The water is warmer than the Spring. The evenings tend to be cooler in Sept on, and we have never needed air-conditioning, but do use a fan at night.

We have several sources of weather--VHF Marine Radio weather bands are available in most coves. We get satellite weather from Phoenix--and that gives you a good idea of what is coming. AM radio stations are available, and again they can give weather conditions in nearby towns. Temperatures at Page, AZ are pretty close to those at Shasta in the summer--the "official lake" temps are cooler. But on land, in the shade in the mid to high 90's is not unusual.

Frequent Sea (C Dory 25,) was sold to a gentleman who keeps her in the Marina year around. She was still there last Oct.

Dangling Rope officially:
Seasonal staff are here from March through October. A couple of these hearty souls live here year-round to ensure that Dangling Rope Marina is open every day.
Click to expand...

We talked to a "Caretaker" lady who said she was the only person there during the months of Dec thru Feb. So I would suspect that any services were minimal.
 
I'm not there, but on Champlain, in Northern NYS.

After Halloween, no on-water services...meaning no gas, no Sea Tow, despite often 2 more months of pleasant boating weather, and some years, the lake doesn't freeze at all.

Creates a hardship...USCG has a station, but they don't even have any air assets for S&R. Hypothermia will find you before they even muster...

Something to think about.
 
The lake never freezes over, just a little ice around the edges some years. Always temporary. We have been there for Striper fishing into mid November, but coveralls are the norm then. Our Son-In-Law goes on New Years and Striper fishes off the Bullfrog house boat docks.
 
Been there every month except August. The only thing that is bad about the lake are the winds. they are more prevalent in the spring. During the winter you can buy gas from 9-5 everywhere except Dangling Rope Marina. The park contract says everything is to stay open year round, but when the lake started going low they some how got around that. If you are 50 miles out on the lake in the winter you better be able to self rescue because the chances of someone coming along are slim. At a minimum I would have a Spot or and Inreach with you to get help. Radios don't work to well even with the repeaters they have.
 
Back
Top