Annual 'Let's look at the Lake Powell Snowpack' thread

[sandm]

oh man you totally should have brought the boat. So much fun to cruise lake Powell right now when its calm. Great time to explore! I thought about heading up this weekend too with the boat because was supposed to be in the 70s.

If you needed a 5th and 6th we're here... haha

[Zackdogg]

We keep saying we’re going to do a week on Powell, it’s just too damn cool not to. How sketch is that lake, if you don’t know it, when it’s that low?


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[culrich77]

We keep saying we’re going to do a week on Powell, it’s just too damn cool not to. How sketch is that lake, if you don’t know it, when it’s that low?


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Even when the Powell is low there is still a ton of usable water area, you just really need to stay in the middle of the lake, if you go down canyons just be hyper aware for low areas around the edges and when you get close to the shore, the main channel areas are all still around 200-300 feet deep. I've been to the lake my whole life and it is always safe to boat there whether it's high or low, but when it's low you just have to be more cautious.

[Zackdogg]

Even when the Powell is low there is still a ton of usable water area, you just really need to stay in the middle of the lake, if you go down canyons just be hyper aware for low areas around the edges and when you get close to the shore, the main channel areas are all still around 200-300 feet deep. I've been to the lake my whole life and it is always safe to boat there whether it's high or low, but when it's low you just have to be more cautious.

I’m excited to get down to see it. Hoping we can make this fall work, or next spring if not. Sounds pretty similar to some of our lakes. There’s definitely something to being able to read the terrain around the water. I hear horror stories of people hitting stuff down there, but we get the same thing, I guess.


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[UNSTUCK]

I think the danger is the same with low or high water. It’s not like other lakes where there is a defined waters edge. As this lake rises it just covers up the next rock. So no matter how full it is there will always be rocks just under the water.
last time there we thought we were in a deep safe area then out of nowhere I just noticed waves coming together from four sides. Turned out a large flat rock was an inch or so out of the water and the waves were breaking on it. I quickly changed our course and got back out to the middle of the channel. Hitting that at 25mph would have been no fun. And it if wasn’t for the waves breaking we would have.
the weirdest thing to me is the underwater cliffs. You can go from 30 feet deep to 400 in a matter of a couple of feet. That also means you can go the other way. And just because its 100 feet deep right now doesn’t mean there won’t be a rock an inch under water right in front of you.

stay in the main channel. Go directly from buoy to buoy and you’ll be fine. When we are unsure about an area we go wakeless speeds and have people looking over the bow.

[sandm]

Lone rock campground was pretty badass but bet its a $hitshow in the summer.......
Several boats out and 1 surfing. Likely with wetsuits.

[UNSTUCK]

Looks like you had nice time. Glad the weather was good. As beautiful as that area is, it gets so much better when you get back into the canyons.

Rainbow Bridge Canyon.jpg

That would be a tight fit for two boats to pass each other. I love the tight canyons with the tall walls. I'd really like to explore some time on a jet ski. Anyways, go through a tight canyon then have it open up to a large area. These are pretty cool.

Rainbow Bridge Canyon 2.jpg

I still think we need to get a large Tige group out there sometime.

[sandm]

if the stars aligned we would be totally down for a meet there. we are going back again with boat in tow IF the area opens back up this year.
since the navajo nation is locked down completely, none of the tours were open and a lot of the other things to do were not able to happen if navajo people or land were involved. couple in the restaurants said was supposed to be mar1 for them to open(didn't happen) but several told us it wouldn't be until may31 at a minimum. those with boats at antelope are lucky they are open to access.
heli and plane tours were running and canyon tours west and south of lees ferry through the actual grand canyon were running but nothing else was open. all slot canyon, horseback and boat tours were closed with no eta.

[david.osborne24]

if the stars aligned we would be totally down for a meet there. we are going back again with boat in tow IF the area opens back up this year.
since the navajo nation is locked down completely, none of the tours were open and a lot of the other things to do were not able to happen if navajo people or land were involved. couple in the restaurants said was supposed to be mar1 for them to open(didn't happen) but several told us it wouldn't be until may31 at a minimum. those with boats at antelope are lucky they are open to access.
heli and plane tours were running and canyon tours west and south of lees ferry through the actual grand canyon were running but nothing else was open. all slot canyon, horseback and boat tours were closed with no eta.

I’m making the trip again from TN this year. July 19th - 25th. Let’s do a Tige meetup then!


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[UNSTUCK]

We are planning our first trip right now. Looks like it will either be the first or second (long) weekend in June.

We'll be just up the road that week of July 19 for a family reunion. Sadly we wont have the boat with us.

[boonecragun]

I think we are officially on the downhill slope now for snowpack. In the last 20 years, only 2005 was lower (at an elevation of 3555 on this date) than we are now. In 2019 elevation was 3568 on this date, but that was a good snowpack year at nearly double where we are now. With last year’s runoff only giving us a net of about 12’ of gain in elevation, and this year’s snowpack already coming in less than last year, the cut will most likely not be open this year and Antelope point will probably stay high and dry...

[UNSTUCK]

While I don't like these numbers, I still think it's just one more item to add to the "new normal". With priority going to keeping Mead full(er) and lakes south of there, it makes sense that we see Powell drop a bit. Hopefully they will take the opportunity to dredge out the cut and extend ramps.

[boonecragun]

Here is a recent post on Instagram showing how crazy it is in Warm Creek bay.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CNBarEDLmZ_/

[sandm]

Bummer. I still keep hearing the reservation is still shut down due to COVID restrictions.

we were there a month ago and nothing on the reservations are open. no trails, no tours and most of the hiking is shut down. couple of the waitresses we spoke to told us they heard that they might not open tours/land/hiking until late summer.

[talltigeguy]

Runoff is not looking great. It would not surprise me if the castle rock cut does not open this year, as someone noted. Traversing the long way around during a COVID year does not seem like much fun. There would already be excessive traffic even without the low water levels.

I was there for Easter and it is clear that because the Native American community has taken such a beating from the virus that they will be one of the last places to open up.