Got to love fall boating

Joint Custody

Well-Known Member
Sep 20, 2017
1,242
Lake Powell Utah
Boat Info
2001 460 Sundancer
Engines
Twin Cummins 6CTA8
Perfect fall weekend.

Got in a couple hikes and even found some dinosaur prints. I am told these are 1.2 million years old.
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Very cool. JC, one of these days, when you least expect it, I may be knocking on your door. I definitely want to see that beautiful country you boat in.

The only thing I think is better than fall boating would be boating in a snow storm. There's nothing like slow cruising through a snow storm with huge, slowly falling snow flakes. The quiet is amazing.
 
Very cool. JC, one of these days, when you least expect it, I may be knocking on your door. I definitely want to see that beautiful country you boat in.

The only thing I think is better than fall boating would be boating in a snow storm. There's nothing like slow cruising through a snow storm with huge, slowly falling snow flakes. The quiet is amazing.

Damn it, now you have me wanting to move to Washington instead of Florida.....Wait, maybe not. The Washington politicians suck. Ok, Florida it is.
 
Very cool. JC, one of these days, when you least expect it, I may be knocking on your door. I definitely want to see that beautiful country you boat in.

The only thing I think is better than fall boating would be boating in a snow storm. There's nothing like slow cruising through a snow storm with huge, slowly falling snow flakes. The quiet is amazing.


When you do ... you know how to find me.
 
Nice!!!!
 
I didn't think there was much water until the 3rd pic with the houseboat put it into perspective!! Beautiful country!
 
I didn't think there was much water until the 3rd pic with the houseboat put it into perspective!! Beautiful country!

There is still plenty of water.

If you look at the 2nd and 3rd pic. The white bathtub ring was high water in 1983 to around 1985. The lake will never hit that level again as they have to send water down stream.
The 2nd gray looking line is where we like the level to be but I dont think we will get there again unless we have at least four really good back to back winters on the western slope of Colorado and in Utah/ Wyoming. We are all hoping that we get at least 25 to 30 feet up from the level now.

Both ends of the lake it is pretty critical at the marinas as the level around them are at 45 to 50 feet. If we get the same winter we had last year even with the run off in the spring we will still be down another 25 to 30 feet from the level today. One of the big issues are the launch ramps at both ends of the lake. Right now at Bull Frog we only have one usable ramp today the average depth at the ramp is around 5 to 8 feet . They did dig a new ramp at the page AZ end of the lake so they are good for now. The issue with the Bull Frog end of the lake is they wont spend the money to dig the current ramp deeper because by next spring you wont be able to get across the bay.

They are looking at relocating the whole Bull Frog marina by moving it three miles into the main channel where the depth is 80 to 125 feet. They are working on the overall plan on how to relocate the water , power, sewer and build a road and parking lot. This project would be completed in 2023. The contingency plan for 2022 would be to move the Bull Frog marina over to the Halls Crossing marina and for us Bull Frog people that adds 1.5 hours to the drive.

AirMark is committed and ready to do all this however Park Service is the hold up on many things that are needing to get done at the lake at both ends and the overall plans they are waiting to see what December and January brings for snow pack.
 
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Wow, that water level was quite high in the 90s.
 
Here is the water level by year.
Lake Powell is 154.65 feet below Full Pool (Elevation 3,700) and 50 feet down from this time last year. In 1983 the lake was 7 feet from going over the top of the dam at a level of 3693.
They will never let it go to full pool again and the sweet spot we like to see is 3600 to 3620. As I said in the above post to get to that level again will take back to back multiple years of winter snow pack in Wyoming,Utah,Colorado and it needs to be on the right mountain ranges.

Those of you that like audio books down load :

https://www.amazon.com/Emerald-Mile-Fastest-History-Through/dp/1439159866

This tells a great story of the high water of 83 and great history of the Colorado river.

This site tells the whole story of water data base of the Colorado river and the lakes it feeds.

https://lakepowell.water-data.com/

Lake Powell is only 13% of the National Recreation Area, but one of the largest man-made lakes in North America. At full pool (3700' elevation) it is 186 miles long, has 1960 miles of shoreline, over 96 major side canyons, and a capacity of 27 million acre-feet.

With the lake down 50 feet from last year I dont even know what that relates too in acre feet of water in just one year.

The level under our slip right now is 42 feet.

These are the launch ramps on the lake. 1st number is Minimum safe elevation to use the ramp 2nd number is Absolute Minimum usable Elevation and last number is the level at those ramps now. At Wahweap they just excavated a new ramp and it is 100% in operation for all size vessels. At Bull Frog " 100 miles up river from the dam" we are launching in the dirt from an auxiliary ramp off of the main ramp.

Wahweap 3553> 3551> - 5.65 Below
Halls Crossing 3556> 3553 > - 7.65 Below
Stateline 3564> 3562> - 16.65 Below
Bullfrog (Main Launch) 3578 >3576> - 30.65 Below
Antelope Point 3588 >3587 > - 41.65 Below
Hite Marina 3650> 3645 >- 99.65 Below



YEAR AVG ELEVATION
2021 3562.34
2020 3600.11
2019 3596.95
2018 3604.11
2017 3616.94
2016 3604.74
2015 3601.47
2014 3593.79
2013 3595.83
2012 3628.87
2011 3635.9
2010 3628.63
2009 3626.56
2008 3612.42
2007 3602.38
2006 3600.83
2005 3585.86
2004 3579.88
2003 3607.89
2002 3637.87
2001 3665.32
2000 3678.11
1999 3685.45
1998 3684.95
1997 3680.55
1996 3679.1
1995 3669.13
1994 3656.76
1993 3644.78
1992 3623.88
1991 3630.32
1990 3646.14
1989 3671.58
1988 3685.41
1987 3687.55
1986 3688.47
1985 3687.18
1984 3688.25
1983 3693.24
1982 3677.34
1981 3676.01
1980 3684.38
1979 3660.79
1978 3635.53
1977 3646.33
1976 3665.36
1975 3659.7
1974 3654.08
1973 3625.13
1972 3610.51
1971 3610.15
1970 3587.02
1969 3563.8
1968 3534.77
1967 3521.68
1966 3534.94
1965 3511.64
1964 3453.47
1963 3409.3
 
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Damn it, now you have me wanting to move to Washington instead of Florida.....Wait, maybe not. The Washington politicians suck. Ok, Florida it is.
Washington State and D.C. Politicians! LOL!!!

I have boated in the snow as well and while it's a worthy experience, walking (or attempting to walk!) around on the deck is a REAL experience!!
 
I pulled my boat on Sept 30th. Normally its after Canadian thanksgiving weekend (which is this weekend). And this has been one of the warmest Sept/Oct in a few years.

This AM I am outside sitting by the pool in our backyard reading the paper and CSR having a couple cups of coffee. A beautiful morning. Temps at night have been around 60 for the past few weeks. Its about 65 now, sunny and no wind (at least by the pool). Supposed to be sunny and low 70’s most of this coming week. The pool is closed now too. Probably would get very little use so we close it before the leaves drop.

Yeah, I wish I was on the boat this AM. So a bit jealous, but life issues dictated the timing this year. Oh well. At least I can have my morning coffee in the back yard for another week at least. Enjoy the time on the water guys.
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Beautiful! Yes I love fall boating as well. Our favorite thing to do is wake up early and head out and have breakfast at one of the restaurants on the river. It's just one of the things that makes boating life so Awesome!
 
Went out this weekend. When it is 88 degrees and sunny, it is hard to call it fall boating. Next weekend will be in the upper 60s to low 70s, much more like fall boating. That will be our last weekend on the water this year due to obligations the 3 weekends after that. Then we will winterize the 2nd weekend in November. Then a long 5 months.
 
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Very nice thread everyone, daughter, twin 2B goes to Western Carolina, so not a boating picture but … View from our hotel room yesterday. Boating pictures this weekend weather permitting.
 

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