Best Houseboat Lake? Shasta? (west)

(mikeski) · (mikeski) **Join Date: Aug 2003** 12-11-2007, 4:34 PM

Considering other lakes this year. Anybody have a suggestion for lake in the west that is nicer than Shasta for houseboating?

(mtpockets) · (mtpockets) **Join Date: Aug 2007** 12-11-2007, 4:36 PM

New Melonies,Trinity, or Bullards Bar

mendo247 12-11-2007, 4:37 PM

Trinity

walt 12-11-2007, 5:02 PM

Bullards Bar is pretty nice.

(greatdane) · (greatdane) **Join Date: Feb 2001** 12-11-2007, 5:11 PM

Why are those places "nicer" than Shasta?

(26lacefield) · (26lacefield) **Join Date: Aug 2006** 12-11-2007, 5:35 PM

Trinity is a sick lake. i've been there 4 years in a row now.

(rio_sanger) · (rio_sanger) **Join Date: Apr 2007** 12-11-2007, 5:35 PM

I agree with mtpockets, but not in that order.
We houseboated every summer for about ten straight years, Bullards is for sure our fav, and trinity second. I would put Powell probably before New Melones or Pedro... Mead is nice also.

(Message edited by rio_sanger on December 11, 2007)

(socalwakepunk) · (socalwakepunk) **Join Date: Dec 2002** 12-11-2007, 5:37 PM

Powell.

(westsidarider) · (westsidarider) **Join Date: Feb 2003** 12-11-2007, 5:39 PM

all those lakes are nice, but i wouldnt really say nicer than shasta. to me they are all equal. basically same scenery just different shapes and sizes (cant say ive ever been to trinity so i cant speak for that place). if you really want a change make the trek to powell

(eargasm) · (eargasm) **Join Date: May 2007** 12-11-2007, 6:35 PM

Bullards!

(bill_airjunky) · (bill_airjunky) **Join Date: Apr 2002** 12-11-2007, 6:42 PM

After years of hitting Shasta, Havasu, Dale Hollow & recently Roosevelt, we're thinking about doing Powell sometime soon. The scenery looks pretty exceptional. Also considering Billy Chinook too.

(Message edited by bill_airjunky on December 11, 2007)

(poser007) · (poser007) **Join Date: Nov 2004** 12-11-2007, 7:09 PM

I houseboated at Trinity 2 years in a row...just a smaller Shasta but the lake got really really choppy all the time. Also near where we launched the water was really shallow and we had to be very careful. Shasta is still my favorite lake so far.

(mikeski) · (mikeski) **Join Date: Aug 2003** 12-11-2007, 7:22 PM

Keep them coming.

I have been doing houseboats for too many years to list. I have done probably 10 at Shasta, 8 at McClure, 4 at New Melones, 4 at Don Pedro, plus camping at Trinity, Bullards, and probably others that don't come to mind.

Shasta - Big, usually somewhere with smooth water, activities available by boat on the water

Pedro/McClure/New Melones/Don Pedro - All nice lakes, all tend to get blown out most of the day, not much available by boat

Trinity - all the negatives of Shasta (distance/cost) without the water options and no other activities but nice for camping

Bullards - great lake one of my favorites, relatively poor houseboat value compared to others, no activities on the lake for blown out times (or when the river gets to be wallyville)

This year I might consider a bigger trip, maybe Powell. I believe it's probably a 12-14 hour tow from Nor Cal? The wife would like to see some different scenery.

(rio_sanger) · (rio_sanger) **Join Date: Apr 2007** 12-11-2007, 7:40 PM

Mikeski, IMO everyone should do Powell at least once in their life.
If you go, I recommend launching out of Bullfrog, this starts you well away from Wahweep, and the major crowds. To me, it's well worth the extra driving time to get more quality water time in. In fact from Nor Cal, it may even be closer for you.

(epic1) · (epic1) **Join Date: Oct 2006** 12-11-2007, 10:05 PM

powell is west of alot. and it is the best, so...

(norcalmalibu) · (norcalmalibu) **Join Date: Jun 2004** 12-11-2007, 10:21 PM

from the pictures I've seen from the net Powell looks amazing.

(newty) · (newty) **Join Date: May 2005** 12-11-2007, 10:34 PM

Grew up on powell and spent a lot of time on shasta, billy chinook, rosevelt, havasu, and NOTHING beats Powell. I would go every year if it weren't 1200 miles away!

(shane97210) · (shane97210) **Join Date: Jan 2007** 12-12-2007, 9:26 AM

Powell is beautiful, and i agree everyone should do a powell trip at least once. But, If you are into riding you can't beat shasta. Scenery=Powell, Good Water=Shasta. Lake Billy Chinook is not even in the same league as these two.

(ss1234) · (ss1234) **Join Date: Jul 2005** 12-12-2007, 11:13 AM

Tough to beat shasta in CA. I didn't see Oroville mentioned above, but we've had good trips there as well.

(shon_g) · (shon_g) **Join Date: Apr 2007** 12-12-2007, 12:49 PM

Iam with Hammond!!

(phunnel) · (phunnel) **Join Date: Aug 2007** 12-12-2007, 12:54 PM

i was in redding a couple weeks ago and wow was the water ever low there...you could also try the Shushwaps up in British Columbia

(mikeski) · (mikeski) **Join Date: Aug 2003** 12-12-2007, 8:23 PM

I hope to make it back up to Shuswaps late summer up to my friends house for a long weekend. Great place with lots of morning glass. I was there in July 2006.

(poser007) · (poser007) **Join Date: Nov 2004** 12-12-2007, 9:50 PM

Jason how low was Shasta?

(bill_airjunky)

We were at Shasta in early Sept & it was over 100' low & dropping over 2' per day.

This site quotes it at 940' elevation, about 122' below full.
http://www.shastalake.com/shastalake/index.html

No question that Powell is better than Chinook. But Chinook is probably 1000' miles closer too. Hopefully a bit less expensive too.

I'd head to Shuswap if I didn't have a DUI from 1991.

(Message edited by bill_airjunky on December 12, 2007)

(rallyart) · (rallyart) **Join Date: Nov 2006** 12-12-2007, 10:14 PM

Try to get that cleared from your record. It's possible.

(bill_airjunky)

Been there. It's not cheap & there are no guarantees.

(phunnel) · (phunnel) **Join Date: Aug 2007** 12-12-2007, 10:52 PM

Hey Daniel, when i was there i think they said it was about 200 feet down or something??? to put the boat in the water we had to drive down a sketch road that seemed to be cut out of the side of the hill, there were house boats all up on a ridge it looked kinda weird. the guys are harrison marine said it was very low since they hadn't had a lot of rain lately

(bstphen24) · (bstphen24) **Join Date: Apr 2006** 12-12-2007, 11:34 PM

Chinook is not worth renting a houseboat on. I grew up on billy chinook, and the only good water is at one end of the lake, and it is also the only area that is not solid cliff walls. If you go to chinook it is way better in my opinion to just camp at Perry south camp ground on the good side of the lake and save the money.

(sulmaxwell) · (sulmaxwell) **Join Date: Dec 2003** 12-13-2007, 12:14 PM

shasta- late april SUCKS..don't go...ever...I am serious...really I mean it...all that calm water gorgeous scenery and sun...you would hate it..I would prefer to go with my crew and suffer with the lake to ourselves..heh heh

(malibupilot) · (malibupilot) **Join Date: Nov 2005** 12-13-2007, 6:15 PM

We try to go somewhere different every year. We've done Naci, Shasta, Havasu, Mojave, Powell, and Mead. They all have nice things about them...

(tp83) · (tp83) **Join Date: Nov 2007** 12-13-2007, 9:48 PM

I like Trinity been going for 17 yrs or so and always go back to camp there but then again we have all our bikes and jeeps up there to do other things when not on the water.

I also went houseboating on powell and nothing beats the senery IMO and after a quick flash flood the whole lake just changes to waterfalls and what not. We go back every couple years but the drive is killer and we always stop in vegas on the way back.

Were getting a houseboat up in shasta end of july as a fun little trip thats closer than powell.

(mtpockets) · (mtpockets) **Join Date: Aug 2007** 12-14-2007, 10:51 AM

I can't believe you guys brought up Shuswap lake. I thought Canadians were the only ones that new about it. I've been going there since I was a kid. My grand parents live in Magna bay-crazy what a small world.