Lake Powell Advice

I am planning a Lake Powell trip for Memorial Day and am hoping some of you veterans could provide some advice. Right now there are 24 people (late 20's, early 30's) in our group and we have two 54' Adventurer houseboats reserved out of Wahweap. We have the houseboats from 8AM on Friday, May 25th until 2PM Monday, May 28th (I wish we had more time there but it was the only way to make it work for such a large group). We're driving up from San Diego with two wake boats in tow (X-Star and Wakesetter). Here's some issue I need advice on – any help is greatly appreciated.

1. Considering our short stay (3-1/2 days) and that we're launching from Wahweap, in what areas should we consider setting up camp? We'd like to have the good water for wakeboarding and good scenery too. How long will it take to get there from Wahweap?

2. How crowded will it be for Memorial Day? Will it be a zoo or will we be able to find an area with some decent water?

3. What will the weather/water be like during that time of year (late May)? From what I've read it seems the highs should be in the mid 80's and the water will be upper 60's, is that pretty accurate? How likely is it to storm? Will people be able to camp outside comfortably?

4. Currently the lake level is very low. Assuming it doesn't rise 20 feet between now and then, I understand we will have to go through the narrows. I've read horror stories of boats sinking in this area due to rollers. Is this something I need to be concerned with? If so, what precautions should I take?

5. Gas – we'll need a lot of it. The wake boats will probably use around 60 gallons each per day. Seems like we'll need to go to a marina (which marina?) once a day to fill them up and fill up around 12 portable cans (5 gallons each). Does that sound right? I have no idea what the fuel capacity is on the houseboats. If we find a spot to camp and don't move around too much will I need refuel them at any time?

6. Will we need a GPS? I have the Lake Powell Magazine maps, is that sufficient? Do cell phones work out there?

7. How often do you have to empty the poo tanks on those houseboats? Can we make it for 3-1/2 days or will we need to go to a station?

8. We were planning on staying in Kanab, UT (1-1/2 hours from Wahweap) the night before picking up the houseboats. I've read that you can get the houseboats the night before and stay on them. Is that true? Seems like that would save a lot of time the next day.

9. Any other recommendations?

Thanks for the help!

1. Wahweap or Warm Creek Bay will be closest with "decent" riding. But it can be hit and miss because it's one of the 3 busiest weekends of the year.

2. Silly question. It will be VERY crowded.

3. HOT during the day, cool at night. Bring 1 pair of boardshorts, a t-shirt, a sweatshirt, and flip flops.

4. No, drive slow and watch for rollers.

5. Bring (hide) gas cans or drive to Antelope to fill up. (within 15-20 minutes).

6. No, maps are fine.

7. Not at all in 3 days.

8. Yes, stay on the boats the night before and pay the $300-$500 bucks for each boat.

9. Bring lots of water.

for the amount of time that you will be staying steve answered the questions pretty well. good luck and have fun! 1 other piece of advice, what ever you think you will drink bring double, there is not a whole lot to due during the middle of the day when the water is crappy.

Like Mike said, do not under estimate what you guys can drink during the trip. Another suggestion is bring coolers for extra ice. The ice machines cannot keep up with the demand. As far as gas, most of the larger houseboats have toy tanks. We were out for the same amount of time you are planning, had 2 boats and never ran short of gas. But.....we brought at least 15 filled gas cans. Enjoy your trip.

AGREE 100%, pay the money, load and stay on the houseboats the night before. If you wait, check in and load the day you plan on leaving.....well....you are going to waste close to an entire day doing that, then in travel. You will not get out at 8:00 AM. Going through the back way(now the only way with the lake down) is going to take a lot of time and if you are doing it mid day, is going to be a MUCH rougher(slower) go. Earlier you can get moving towards your destination the better. Houseboats move SLOW.

With that, once you get close....I would send the boats ahead and find somewhere to beach, camp.... The less travel with the houseboats the better.

The boats you are renting do not have toy tanks.

Bring less food than you think you will eat, bring more of whatever you think you will drink.

FIREWOOD.

Leave at the crack of dawn. When we did this the water in the channel is smooth and you will be able to set up camp and still have most of the day. We used to go up navajo canyon which doesn't have many beaches but if you find one the canyon is less crowded than others mentioned. Plus it is a very long canyon. Good Luck.

Here's my take.

Yes, pre-board. I think you need to get to the marina by a certain tim, 5:30 PM sticks in my head but maybe I am wrong.

Don't tow any boats behind the house boat while in the narrows.

Camp near dangling rope marina (if open). Face canyon is 1/2 between wahweap and dangling rope. It was a great place to camp a few years ago, and about 20 min ski boat ride to either.

Cell phones actually worked sometimes. Maps are good when you use the buoy markers. GPS is even beter.

this site has great info, but may not be too current due to the water levels.

http://elakepowell.com/freds/bays.htm


Scan the areas you want to ride in a lot before. Find any shallow spots to avoid and repeat those patterns.

From a riding perspective, I second staying near dangling rope. If I remember correctly it will be a 4-5 hr housboat trip each way.

The riding will be better in those canyons due to less traffic. The only people that will be around for long are those camping because of the lengthy drive from any marina. Most of the traffic will stay in the main channel. I recommend mountain sheep canyon or Whetherhill. They both have rocks that protect the canyon from the wakes of the main channel.


Last year we started in Face Canyon and moved on up the lake due to water conditions.

Stay that far away and almost half of your 3 night stay at Powell is going to be spent traveling. Even if you stay on the boats and get escorted out at dawn(probably doubtful), you will not even be in camp by noon....

Though it is nice to get away, that is a lot of your short trip you are spending in travel....and $$$ on gas.

Just an opinion.

Fact is, if you get up early or stay up late, you can have GREAT water.....

I'm in agreement with Warm Creek bay, go around Alstrom Point and find some nice beach. On of my favorite trips was just around the point , protected by the giant wall. Then again I have not been in WCB since you couldn't drive straight across to it..... I'm a Bullfrog guy.

P.S. Just came up with my best plan. Send a boat out as soon as you get there(day before, the pre-check-in thing)....with sleeping bags and whatever and send them searching for a place. They can check Navajo and through WCB to Wagon Box.... Find a place, stake it out, go get you guys to follow or radio you in.... Rarely do we do a trip that we don't have someone there a day or even 2 staking out camp.

Thanks for all the good information. I really appreciate it. I just contacted Aramark about pre-boarding the night before. It's $300 for each boat. They told me that although you can load the boat the night before you still have to wait until 8AM the next morning to get instructions. Instructions take about an hour and they only do that in the morning. It seems that the only time we'd save is just loading the boat, which I imagine we could do while getting instructions. It seems like it might be a good idea to get the wake boats in the water at dawn and send them on their way to find a spot.

Both houseboats have marine radios. I'm assuming I'll need two more for the wake boats to communicate with the houseboats and to navigate to the camp sight they pick out. Am I correct?

It seems that Warm Creek or Navajo would be the easiest for us to get to and from considering the short duration of the trip. Which is likely to be better? Would it be worth the extra time and gas to go to Last Chance or Face. If so, which of those is better? Realistically, how long will it take to travel in the houseboats to Warm Creek or Navajo? What about Last Chance or Face?

Thanks again. BTW, the Fred's Guide website is great.

I preboarded the night before in 2003. We had houseboated before and instruction was given to us that night. A few guys got instructions, the others loaded our stuff onto the boat. At the same time we sent in people into town for groceries and Pizza. We had dinner on the boat that night. We were able to get moving first thing in the AM. Big help. That sucks if you can't. Compared to getting a few hotel rooms, it still sounds like a deal.


Yes, you need handled marine radios to communicate. Or just get a few talkabouts.

Send out the ski boats with some gear, pick out spots, set up camps, then play around and ride. After about 2 hours, find the houseboat and transfer people, allowing someone who knows the spot to guide in the houseboat.

Houseboat to face canyon.. about 3-4 hours.

David, check you email I just sent you some notes..

I have found just as smooth water at navajo canyon as last chance, west canyon(used to be our fav)padre bay, or weatherell. It will probably take an hour to two hours to get to warm creek or navajo canyon. I would go somewhere close with the houseboats and if you want to go up the lake take the other boats to go in search of better water. Just my .02.

i worked at the rental docks 2 1/2 years ago. sometimes there would be people who preboarded early enough to get lessons before the next day, but i think most didn't. It has been a while so maybe the system is different.

I worked as a "porter"--> they will take your stuff on the boat for you with ATVs with mini trailers that can hold like 1/3- 1/2 truck bed worth of stuff. Tip is not required but is GREATLY appreciated (also for the instructor too) Instructors sometimes do not like to bring the boat over and load while instructing because it may be distracting, but most will do it anyway if you ask. (im sure a tip to beggin with instead of end with will help too just make sure you pay attention to the instruction and let other family do the organizing of stuff.

Lots of talk was said about EXTRA DRINKS. this is a good idea, afterall it is the dessert. BUT dont put ALL of them in the front with all the coolers. Some people who do this weigh the front of the boat down and when and if they hit a roller it will go over the front. (especially bad if the door is open)

SOME people end up with rats jumping on board. bring up the gang plank at night AND put a small hole in the middle of a paper plateS (size of diameter of anchor lines)with a slit running through the radius of the plate so you can put the plates over the anchor ropes to create a barrier for rats. I think some houseboats come with metal plates designed for this, but if not the home-made paper-plate-rat-barricade works

P.S. if you go into page to eat i would suggest
fiesta mexicana
kens old west
dam bar and grill
Stromboli's
ohh and the Rainbow Room at wahweap is good too
RD's or The Sandwich Place (unique to page, fast foods)

If you have time and you have never seen it, the upper portion of antelope canyon (accessable by dry land only) is a very popular picturesque place