Lake Powell

K

knewlin

New member
Are any Brats going to attempt Lake Powell this fall? We are thinking about mid September if any ramps are open. Any intel or thoughts?
 
Hi,
The Park Service has had to close lots of ramps but the Hemenway ramp is open, Boulder is closed - shoaled up at the exit. They are using pipe ramps as the concrete is long gone from the water. If you want a last minute report, I suggest you call Las Vegas Boat Harbor (https://boatinglakemead.com/) or Hemenway Harbor (https://www.nps.gov/lake/planyourvisit/ ... harbor.htm). Here is the info site for the Park Service (https://www.nps.gov/lake/learn/news/lakeconditions.htm).
May I suggest you boat out of Willow Beach below the dam? Always plenty of water, not Lake Mead but it is Lake Mojave. Here is their info site (https://willowbeachharbor.com/). Better to have water than coves that are rock bound, also much safer as you do not get the fetch of wind. They usually have gas here and you can always get a slip. Good parking, much cleaner than the Mead launch and park areas. Water is cool below the dam from low outfall elevation. 235 miles of shoreline, moderate current for a C-Dory, fair fishing, often a nice up-stream wind in the afternoon, here is a weather site (https://www.wrh.noaa.gov/vef/rec/index.php?loc=MO) plus you can come see us, we are 8 minutes to the Mead ramps and about 30 minutes or so to Willow Beach/Black Canyon.
Bob and Kyung 714 686-2728
 
Bob, thanks for this info on Willow Beach, looks like a good alternative to Lake Powell. I assume one could go South all the way to BullHead City? Have you done it yourself? Any good places along the way to drop the hook for the night?,Side channels etc..? Any Charts or maps of that stretch you would know about? I'm looking at an AZ road map, Coming up from Tucson it looks like a straight shot up 93 once North of Phoenix.
 
Hi,
You can go part way up river towards the dam form Willow Beach, a boat permit for both Mead and Havasu is just one permit. See at:
https://www.nps.gov/lake/planyourvisit/boating.htm
You also need an AIS mussel tag, best to call on that one, I get mine online
Two Mohave River Trail maps are here (N and S) at https://www.nps.gov/lake/planyourvisit/ ... -trail.htm
This is more river drifting than lake exploring. There are tons of places to stop, lots of folks use a sandbar in the day time with chairs and an EZ-up in the water and then beach more at might (watch the water levels, better to wade a bit than have to fight you way off the bank)
Willow Beach Marina and the next is Cottonwood then Catherine's Landing. If you had ours you could float most of this till the up stream wind starts!!!
Cheaper to put in at Willow after you shop either in Boulder City or in Henderson (only 15 minutes east towards LV - 20 min to a Costco, 40 cents cheaper for fuel), there are five stations in Boulder City and an Albertson's plus a 99 Cents Only (we love this place - the big grocery is more expensive). Arizona may have low cost gas but not on the highway.
You can paddle a canoe (our Scouts do it all the time) up river from Willow Beach to the Dam (current speed looks like less than a knot to me) as at:
https://backshortly.com/2010/10/02/the- ... oover-dam/
We always just power back uphill rather than attempt a shuttle. If there is a service I do not know who does it or what it costs. We do the West side on the way downhill and the East side on the way back up. The water just below the dam is not only crystal clear but burrrrr cold near 50! Here is some Lake info on several of the boatable waters at:
https://www.desertusa.com/riverinfo/c_river.html
There are HP limits certain days and months on the upper Black Canyon as at:
https://www.nps.gov/lake/planyourvisit/ ... -trail.htm
We would be glad to help out. If you can park tight, we have a 40' plus fenced concrete side yard, lots of street parking, a swimming pool, RV dump, shore power, water tap, and of course - WIFi.
If you boat both Mead and Mohave (or most any lake or river out west), be ready to maybe have your boat power washed by appointment. The main thing is no drain plugs in place, all compartments open, nothing including anchor gear wet, no live/dead mussels visible and best is to have had the boat out of the water for 5-7 days in the hot sun. Here is the link for the sticker at:
http://www.ndow.org/Boat/Aquatic_Invasi ... formation/
Here is a map link (you can zoom this map) of Boulder City, Lake Mead, the Dam, and the Mohave including Black Canyon and Willow Beach which when zoomed in shows the coves and other good stuff at:
https://bcnv.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webap ... 98913aac84
Hope to see ya!!! Bob and Kyung
 
Route,
Up the 93 is likely shortest, we go to California on the other side of the River on the 95. The 93 and the 95 join here in Boulder City and become the first segment of the newest interstate, I 11 which crosses the River just below the Dam on the Tillotson Bridge, then swings wide around Boulder City 100% (no offramps - we are bit insular) on the 11 or take the Business 93 to our house in town on the Lake side. You could spend a day here in Boulder City, we never hit the Strip but it is less than 30-45 minutes away. There are three local hotels, we like the Boulder Dam Inn at $99 with breakfast if there are rooms and the El Rancho Boulder which has pretty good boat parking for under $100 and the same for the Best Western. Some folks like the Hoover Dam Lodge right near the Bridge just before you get into Boulder City. By the way, we are the only town in Nevada that does not allow gambling. We were dry until the Town incorporated and do not speed, it will cost you $$$$$$$$$$$$$ Bob J.
 
Hit 3554.90 today new record low since filling. Last time it was close to this was May 1969 while being filled. All ramps are listed as unusable. Pretty much beach launching now. There working on a few old legacy ramps. Will see what happens.
 
Lot's of folks beach launch/camp at Sandy Beach at the end of Lone Rock Road which faces, you get it, Lone Rock which is West of Wahweap. I have small boat launched there but you need a 4x4 and a tongue extension would be a good idea, not sure about a C-22 but that is what adventure is all about. If you get stuck, Matt's Off Road Recovery (or Casey's), both out of Hurricane, have pulled folks off the sand. Here is a link of Matt pulling a full on bus out of the sand at Sandy Beach. It is worth your while to watch the post and put his name and number in your phone and subscribe to his site. So the link is at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8R2ihKKAMX0
Here is the latest KSL news feed (7-17-2021) on launching at Powell:
https://www.ksl.com/article/50206706/wa ... houseboats
And here is the web cam on the Wahweap main ramp (you gotta look in the daytime - no lights!) at:
https://www.nps.gov/media/webcam/view.h ... 02ED38EEA5
I think the safest idea is launching from the Jarrard house into either/or Lake Mead and Lake Mohave (you may be on your own for Havasu - too wild for an old man like me and I like to swim with my shorts on and not off).
See ya,
Bob and Kyung Jarrard, The C-Doryless Brats
 
I have first hand knowledge of the sand at Lone Rock....got my 42 foot RV stuck there. I didn't run my 4 x 4 Yukon along the route first... Some of the guys there with they high rise 4 x 4 pulled me out. I had a locking differential , which helped. They dug out around the rear wheels and wet the sand down. Once I was back up on top--I was able to make way--and parked well off the sand...

My current F250 is the off road version--with lockers on both axles, Raised, skid plates etc, and I would still be reluctant to launch there, unless there was another 4x4 standing by with a winch or good length tow strap.
 
All other methods of getting unstuck are out the window.
Yankum Rope
Matt's Off Road Recovery Rope
ASR Ropes
Bubba Ropes
Plus good attachment points on both ends, 2-4 soft shackles, 1"/7/8" recovery rope at 30' and the rich can buy two, pintle hitch or better yet, a 2" receiver snatch point all direction round end adapter at 10K (only $14 at HF - you hitch will not take even 10K in strait pull), two front and two rear frame mounted recovery points you can reach even if axle deep in sand (or carry a small army shovel - paint it a bright color so the next can who comes along can find the shovel you leave behind), a 30,000 lb bridle so you can connect the two frame recovery points, a big piece of plastic sheet to lay on, good gloves, a use once and maybe toss Tyvek painters head to toe suit from HD, several large trash bags (leave it clean please), and don't anyone stand even close to the rope when the rodeo starts.
I would take an two wheel drive six cylinder 30 year old pickup off-roading if I had this gear and a buddy with four wheel drive and good tires. Lockers are nice but watch out when you hit the pavement and turn, the axles may go,
Hope this is interesting, Bob Jarrard
PS: Take me to Powell with you, I will help if I get to ride and camp with your. If you buy the rope(s), I got the rest. We can make a tow extension before we leave, a slide over your front frame with bolts is best but we can MacGyver with a 2" ball on one end and hitch at the other - may a brace to keep it strait but not needed if you can back up. BJ
 
Water continues to go down at Lake Powell. Sounds like the Lake may be shut down for any launching at all if the water continues to go down.

Multiple Lake Powell Launch Ramps Closed Due to Low Water
Date Posted: 12/16/2021
Alert 1 , Severity ,closure ,,Multiple Lake Powell Launch Ramps Closed Due to Low Water
Closed to all access: Wahweap Stateline, Wahweap Auxiliary. Closed to motorized vessel: Hite, Halls Crossing, Bullfrog North(closing Jan 3 2022), Antelope Point Public, Wahweap Main. Open: Stateline Auxiliary, Bullfrog Main Spur, Antelope Point Business.

Dangling Rope Marina Closed Until Further Notice
Date Posted: 7/20/2021
Alert 1 , Severity ,closure ,,Dangling Rope Marina Closed Until Further Notice
Due to significant wind damage and low water conditions, Dangling Rope Marina is closed until further notice. The damaged docks are not safe for visitors or employees.

No Dock Access to Rainbow Bridge
Date Posted: 10/21/2021
Alert 1 , Severity ,closure ,,No Dock Access to Rainbow Bridge
No dock access to the shoreline at Rainbow Bridge due to low water. Boats and small vessels beach at your own risk. While no longer connected to the shoreline, the docks will still be accessible with restroom facilities. Winter trail crews will rebuild.
 
I've been to Lake Powell twice, 2007 - 10 days by canoe and 2018 - 14 days in a C-Dory. My next trip will likely be in my sea kayak. It might prove to be interesting with the low waters that more canyon hiking might open up. Maybe in 2022. The question would be where would the best launching spot be. We have always launched at Bull Frog. I'm glad I did it my C-Dory. The lesson here is that you should take opportunities to do things when you can, because you never know what will happen tomorrow.
 
The lesson here is that you should take opportunities to do things when you can, because you never know what will happen tomorrow.
Click to expand...

Life is short. Thus why my wife is so ok with me going on many of my solo trips. With our 10 year age difference, she knows once she retires, I may not be able to enjoy the boating I'm able to do now. Also why I am so happy that my first (late) wife and I purchased and traveled in our motorhome so much at a younger age. Do what you can now, as there may not be a tomorrow! Colby
 
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