Lake Chelan, WA

Hey I am looking for some info on this lake as I am thinking about a small family get together next summer. Ohhhh Yes I will be bringing my boat so this is why I need info.. Thanks

Straight lake, no fingers. Gets windy and choppy fast and crowded quickly on the w/e. Water is COLD even in the hottest part of summer as the lake is deep and mountain snow fed (bring a wetsuit/shorty). Lots of PWCs. Not the best place to ride. Try 20 farther east to Entiat. Much better water.

Just got back from there 2 weekends ago. Stayed for 5 days and notidad nailed it on the head. Lake was cold but I boarded in a heater top and board shorts with no problem. There was alot of sticks and small logs this time of year as the lake rises. I found that mornings until about 1-2 pm the water was good, then again from about 5 or 6pm on was good. Between those times I would have sworn I was in the open seas. I rented a 5 bedroom house for cheap let me know if you want some info on the place.

I have time share with trendwest so I am just looking for somplace we have not been to yet but boarding is a big part of the vacation.
how much father is Entiat?

So basically from bout 1-5pm the water is for tubing only other than that its good boarding water?

Entiat is in Wenatchee, about an hour I would say from Chelan. I would agree on going there vs. Chelan.

Entiat is in Wenatchee, about an hour I would say from Chelan. I would agree on going there vs. Chelan.

Kenny-was your picture taken on Lake Roosevelt, possibly Keller Ferry?

Entiat is an awesome spot. we launch at Lincoln Rock State Park($5). water last 2 weekends has been premo! Check this out-http://www.campbellsresort.com and click on webcam. This is from the famous cambells resort on the far east end of the lake.
They have an article in the new august issue of wakeboarding mag. w/the northwest riders from Bellingham. when on entiat you can go right up close to that log house. very nice!
I'm here in Wenatchee so if your down here give me a buzz or im me. later!

i have been to chelan every year since i was about 6. its pretty choppy most of the time. not a huge wakeboarding trip for me. mainly just snorkeling and stuff. im surprised i actually enjoy it. but you can find good water at the right times. im not so sure as far as the temperature goes. i dont remember it being as cold as everyone is saying. its good fishing there. i stay at wapato point. my family owns a timeshare. i love it there. i just wish there was better wakeboarding...

Chelan is a great family vacation destination. The water isn't that cold. I trunk it with a warm top in the middle of the summer. There is alot to do around town. The waterslides entertain the kids and the beaches. You can rent PWCs and kayaks. Not alot of evening activities. But last time I was there, they had a trampoline and air thing setup in a park for the kids to play on (and the adults did go on the trampoline).

Plan on wakeboarding in the morning and the evenings. Pretty much from 10am-7pm, the lake is pretty choppy. You can surf and find some places that are almost like coves if you know the lake. Especially if you head north of the State Park.

I will see if I can find some pictures.

If you want to wakeboard, just plan on driving the 15-20 minutes down to the river if you want to do a full day of wakeboarding.

Also if you do go out on Chelan, if they have had fires, be sure to be careful of driftwood. The more fires, the more driftwood that appears in the lake.

Have fun, I enjoy Chelan. I have two friends with houses on the lake and both of them wakeboard and keep their boats there.

Entiat is better for riding but Chelan is better for more activities.

Chelan has the clearest water I think I've ever seen. You can see 15ft-20ft easily (well 3 years ago you could)

I've never actually boarded up there, but a friend does a family trip up there every year. He claims either 6am, or run 20-25 miles up the lake to get smooth water.

At chelan, the farther north you go the rougher and colder it gets. Entiat is almost always nice.

Nick the pic was taken on Folsom Lake back home in Sacramento.

Entiat is almost always nice

How long towing a boat would you say it takes?
How are the ramops, water temp etc?

Kenny, you're on Whidbey Island right? Towing to Lake Entiat is probably 3.5 hours from there I'd guess. All the launch ramps are good over there. Lincoln Rock was my usual launch ramp, but Entiat park or Orondo park have good launches and good water nearby. The sand bar at Entiat is a pretty popular place to spend the day as well. Daroga is a good bet too. You can almost always count on wind in the afternoon over there but depending on direction you can hug one side of the river and usually get ridable water. Water temp is probably high 60s right now. A little on the chilly but the air temp makes up for it. Lake Roosevelt is a little warmer and is in the low 70s right now. If you want to enjoy Chelan's nightlife, and get some good riding in you can tow your boat just down the hill 10 mins to Beebe Bridge on Lake Entiat and get some butter.

I was still thinking about staying at Chelan and towing to Entiat..

any pics of either lake?

I was at Chelan over the 4th. Rough until sunset everyday, wood debris in huge bands, the water was not cold, 68. Go elsewhere if you want to wakeboard a bunch, or head up the lake through the narrows towards Stehiken (not sure on spelling) and you can get some better water.

Ryan is right,Chelan gets rough... either hit the lake at sunrise or sunset or tow the boat 10 minutes to Beebee and launch there. Go down river twords Wenatchee and you will usually find nice water somewhere... even in the wind. You will find more boats the closer you get to Lincoln Rock
park.

I have never been there, so how's beebee, is it a lake or river?

I'm in Chelan now and for the weekend. It's great place for the family with lots of fun stuff to do. The water early this morning was excellent and we had a good session. Midday it's crowded and choppy, better for surfing than boarding. If you want to ride all day, Chelan's not the place but if you want to ride early or late, and enjoy the midday doing other activities with friends or family, it's a great place.

(Message edited by eaglejackson on July 14, 2006)

Entiat = Endless butter!

Steve - That looks cold. Everyone's bundled. ?

Eagle - We were in Pateros. You should've called one of us. We were going to go into Chelan Friday night but were too tired from riding. Pics coming soon.....

Ya steve that looks to cold for the little ones that will be coming, me on the otherhand ..theory cold keeps tubers off the water...

I think if you read the latest wakeboard magazine you will see why Steve's pic looks cold.

Steve-it was great to see you guys cover the B-ham guys, those guys all rip and are pretty down to earth.

First of all that is in April. To get a full 8 pages in the August issue we had to shoot in the Spring. It was freezing! It warms up quite a bit in the summer.

Thanks Nick, they deserve some coverage.

(Message edited by solo on July 17, 2006)

(Message edited by solo on July 17, 2006)

bsflower....did you say you cant rent pwc's? because my family always rents a sea-doo at wapato point....so they dont do that anymore? or can you just not find where?

Say what you want about Cali., Texas, and Florida, riders don't get any better than those in the Great Northwest. Not to mention, Washington is home to some of the most beautiful, absolutely perfect water riding locations in the world. You don't see many NW guys transplanting to Florida.

I would be spending time on the lake in June -July next summer with the family before I deploy.
How long does it take to drive from Lake Chalen to Lake Ent.?

30 minutes at most.

Kenny - About 45 min +/- depending on where you're going. Water last week was reading 68. Trunks and a long sleeve top were all that was needed. Little ones will probably need a shorty. Last year in Sept water was 74.

I was just harrassing Hahn. The mag spread was awesome. I think I read through it 5 times resting between sets last week.

I don't know about Wapato Point, but I was just in Chelan this past weekend and you can rent jetskis in Chelan.

do any of you have more pics, yes if your asking I did go back through my Aug issue WBM and pics were scarce..

Here.... Don't say I never gave you anything....

sweet... Thanks I'm using the pics to show my wife cause she wants to go back to New Melones/Don Pedro next summer even though we would have to use a friends/families boat, I do not, I want to do something different.

More from Entiat from an old mag spread.

whoooops forgot these........

Thanks Noti, I like the new pics in your profile by the way.

The drysuit on the intertube, was the returned to Wiley's at the end of April? I was out with Grant from there at that times and I wore one just like it....

Yes I returned that lovely drysuit to it's rightful owner.

anymore pics?

I loked at mapquest and Lake Ent runs right by Lake Chelan so what about getting on the lake right by there only driving like 15 mins or so?

You can drop your boat about 20 mins outside of Chelan into Entiat.

could you guys give me good directions since I have never been there?

So which way are you driving over to Chelan? North Cascades or Steven's Highway? Not sure which is quicker coming from the North. (FYI, if you have a tow vehicle and time when you are driving over, take North Cascades, it is some truly amazing Washington Landscape between rivers and mountain lakes. I always stop a couple of times to take some pictures when driving over North Cascades Highway http://www.cascadeloop.com/north_cascades_highway.html http://www.pattersonlakecabins.com/ http://www.sunmountainlodge.com)

But if you go down to Monroe and over Steven's Pass, when you get into Wenatchee and go up the West side of the river...you will see all the possible launches on your way to Chelan so you will know how to get back to them.

(Message edited by tcluv85 on July 19, 2006)

I will be going from Whidbey Island to Lake Chalen(that is were our time share is, and we will be staying). We will be having family from CA coming who also ride so that is why for me it is important to get good water, and warm water for the little ones. Not looking for a night life type thing. So how would I get there from Lake Chalen, and the best dock and how much per day?

Near Chelan Falls on Hwy 97 (NOT Alt 97) there is a public launch.

Kenny, if you're staying in Chelan, cruise down highway 150, cross the bridge over the Columbia (Lake Entiat), and launch at Beebe Bridge park. 10 minute drive tops and the water is awesome in either direction. We camp at Beebe every Memorial Day, nice boat launch with tons of parking.

That's right boys... stay south of Beebe Bridge. The river north of there is horrible.

Isn't there a sand bar to be aware of just south of the bridge as well?

Just south of the bridge on the Chelan side where the falls comes into the river is a sand bar. Easy to spot though. Cliff's right the water gets toxic above Wells Dam.