Travelogue

Captain Herb entering Reflection CanyonNot knowing yet that this would be our last day on the lake, we decided to try to catch the morning light in Reflection Canyon. Surprisingly, it was not as good as it had been at noon time when we were here a few days ago. Much of the canyon walls were still in the shade. Still, it was quite beautiful.

We cruised back out to the main channel and thought about where to go. It was 60 miles back to Wahweap, so we figured we would head south covering some of that distance today and the rest tomorrow morning.

There was definitely a shift in the weather. Every day so far had been still, with clear blue cloudless skies. Today the wind was picking up and there was sort of a gray haze blocking out that bright sun we had gotten used to.

Then we realized that it wasn’t smoke, but smoke from one of the many fires in California, and that wind was blowing it right to us.

One last cruise into Reflection CanyonAs we continued down the lake, the water was getting really choppy, both from the increasing winds, as well as from the greatly increased boat traffic - it was Labor Day Weekend. This was not good - crowds, winds, and smoke. We decided to pull the boat today.

The roughest part of our 70-mile cruise back to Wahweap was going through the narrows by Antelope Island, where the wakes from all the boats were bouncing off the canyon walls, churning up the water. We later learned that two boats actually capsized going through this section.

The boats lingering around the Stateline Ramp to pull their boats was fairly sizable, but it went pretty efficiently. The way it worked was, someone from a boat would get off at the dock and go retrieve their truck and trailer from the parking lot up the hill. Whoever got down to the water first with their trailer would get to pull out next. It probably took us less than a half hour.

Back to Wahweap Campground before the long drive homeFortunately, we got a campsite at the Wahweap Resort and Marina Campground, so we didn’t have to start driving home tonight. It was really, really windy now and getting to be quite unpleasant.

I am so glad we pulled today.

It took the next two days to drive the long 900 miles back to Santa Rosa. The drive was surreal. When we stopped in Barstow to get sandwiches, we couldn't open our doors because the wind was blowing so hard. We didn't feel comfortable driving through the Tehachapi Pass with these winds, so we just sat in the truck and waited for awhile for it to die down a little.

As if that wasn't crazy enough, our entire drive the following day up I5 felt like we were on Mars. It seemed like most of California was on fire and the winds were blowing ash and coloring the sky with a dark orange haze. Our son said that in San Francisco, it was completely dark (orange) at noon. It was both beautiful and frightening.

It was so good to be back home, even if everything was orange and smoky. Hopefully, the fires would stay away from us.

P.S. The fires did come to us and we were evacuated from our home for 10 days just 3 weeks later. Three homes in our development burnt down, but our house was unscathed.

Travelogue

Our campsite in Chuckwalla Springs CoveLast time we were to Lake Powell, we had found a lovely anchorage in Chuckwalla Springs Cove, where we were able to take a decent hike up a wash to some beautiful red rock formations. But try as we might, we couldn’t find the spot. Maybe the changing water levels since then made everything look different.

We pulled into another cove, where a spring flowed right down to the lake. Hmm...Maybe this was the real Chuckwalla Springs and the other one was an imposter.

There was no sandy beach here, just rock and an old dead tree, so Herb had to spend a lot of time anchoring us securely. One anchor went from the stern and was wrapped around the dead tree. A second one went from the stern to the nearby rocky promontory, where he secured it around a large rock. I thought he was done, but then Herb got his face mask and snorkel out and dove down with a third anchor (I didn’t even know we had three anchors) to place at the edge of a rocky shelf on the lake bottom. I was exhausted watching him.

Sunrise by Chuckwalla SpringsLater that afternoon, we took a walk, but there really wasn’t too far where we could go. We did find the source of the spring atop the hill. We felt a cool rush of air emanating from it even before we saw it. When we got back down to the boat, we even moved it slightly, without upsetting the anchor setup), to get out of the way of the cool draft.

It was a lovely spot, but not as nice as most of our other campsites - no expansive views, no hiking opportunities, and a challenging anchorage. We were definitely getting jaded. If this was our first night, we would have thought it was awesome, and we would have been right.

The next morning the sunrise was pretty red and dramatic. Living in California where wildfires are a way of life, this was not a very good sign. The wind was picking up, most likely blowing smoke from any one of the fires currently burning in California our way.

Travelogue

Defiance House kivaAfter a morning hike up to the ridge overlooking the Waterpocket Fold, we pulled up anchor and headed out of Halls Creek Bay and then north on the main channel to Forgotten Canyon (Buoy 106), at the end of which was a hike to the Defiance House Ruin, an Anasazi dwelling more than 700 years old.

We continued up Forgotten Canyon until the water ran out. There were already four boats parked there, with anchors buried in the sand. One boat had an interesting anchor set up. He used a ski rope with a stick put through the handle into the sand. As expected, the stick had tipped over, basically meaning that this boat was not secured at all, but it was boxed in by other boats and probably wouldn’t go anywhere. Just in case, Herb put the stick back in.

Lolo sitting beneath an anatomically correct pictographFrom there we trudged through some muck before getting to the main trail, eventually coming to a series of switchbacks that led up to the ruins on a shelf on the canyon wall. The site consisted of two dwellings, a ceremonial kiva, and several kitchen pits, which have been restored by the National Park Service. However, by far my favorite was the large pictograph of three warriors “defiantly” (hence the name) waving their clubs and shields in an apparent duel. They were even anatomically correct.

That was as far north as we planned to go, so after leaving Forgotten Canyon, we headed back south passing right by Halls Creek Bay, and started looking for good anchorages for the night. We came upon one promising one, right across from Annie’s Canyon, but were concerned that there might be too much wake, being that it was along the main channel - although it did have a bit of a place to tuck in behind a rocky outcrop.

Cocktail hour at our campsite across from Annie's CreekWe continued on for about another mile, and after finding nothing more appealing, we turned back and Herb did his anchor management magic, making us feel that we were secure. Surprisingly, there was very little boat traffic the rest of the day.

The views were great, as always, so we set our camping chairs up on a rock overlooking the main channel and sipped wine and watched the sunset.

Travelogue

Our campsite in Halls Creek BayAfter leaving Register Rock, without ever getting to sign the register, we cruised on up the main channel, bypassing the left turn which would have taken us up the Escalante Arm. We cruised into Iceberg Canyon to look for an inviting campsite, but found nothing great.

We figured we would try Halls Creek Bay, where we had a terrific campsite last visit along the west side of the Bay that was set against the Waterpocket Fold. Camping along here would allow us to take a pretty decent hike.

But first, time to gas up at Halls Creek Marina and pick up some ice. While Herb handled the fuel, I went into the store to get ice. I was pretty appalled. We have been so careful wearing masks and social distancing during Covid - after all, we are in the vulnerable age group now and Herb has asthma.

Swimming to the caves (?) from our Halls Creek campsiteApparently here, Covid was a hoax. The girl checking people at the door had a mask haphazardly below her nose (I hate that) and she just kept waving people in. There were probably well over 30 maskless, 20-somethings in that store acting like life was totally normal. Their attire definitely gave away their political affiliation and covid denial. I grabbed a bag of ice and got out of there as fast as I could.

From there we crossed back over to Halls Creek (Buoy 93), a large bay barely noticeable from the main channel because of its narrow opening. Along its 12 miles, there are innumerable coves that cut into the southernmost toe of 100-mile long Waterpocket Fold, many of which have sandy beaches for camping.

View from the ridge above our campsite in Halls Creek BayWe managed to find a nice quiet home for the night in a shallow cove, hopefully too small for houseboats to join us. The scenery was incredible and there was much more opportunity to hike for longer distances than we had been able to so far at our previous camping spots - good, because I was beginning to feel a little confined on the boat, and then I get cranky.

We were getting in a groove now - cruise in the morning, find camping early afternoon, swim / float, and then hike when the sun got low.

This particular cove had a rocky promontory jutting out into the lake with what looked like a series of caves in them. I swam out to them, smeared my way up the rock, and tried to enter. No cave, just a deep cutout. Still, very cool.

Gazing out at the Waterpocket Fold from the ridge above our campsiteWhen I got back, Herb went for a swim. He’s a much stronger swimmer than me, so he continued on and around the promontory where I couldn’t see him any more. He was gone pretty long, but as I was just starting to get nervous, I spotted his head coming around the bend.

That evening, we took a lovely hike up to the ridge that looked out over the bay on one side, and the Waterpocket Fold on the other. Another evening of breathtaking views. For us, the best campsites were those with expansive views and the opportunity to hike at least a mile.

In the morning, before setting out, we took another, longer 2.5-mile hike up to the ridge towards the Waterpocket Fold. So, so beautiful.

Travelogue

Incredible reflections in Reflection CanyonI love just cruising in the boat, watching the scenery go by, and what breathtaking scenery there was. We cruised up the San Juan Arm for about 18 miles, dipping into Desha and Deep Canyons before turning around and returning to the main channel where we took a side trip into Reflection Canyon.

It was easy to see how this beautiful winding gorge got its name. The reflections of the sandstone cliffs in the crystal clear water were astounding. It was actually confusing to look at because the reflections were so real, that you couldn't distinguish them from their source - like twin extensions of the reality.

Lolo swimming amongst the reflectionsIt was so beautiful, I had to jump in and try to touch them. That’s what’s so nice about Lake Powell in summer. The water is a balmy 80 degrees, making it very easy just to dip in and out all day.

We were here at noon time, which is usually not the best time of day to photograph, but apparently not with these reflections. My very favorite was of a rather non-distinct rock, which when paired with its reflection took on the appearance of a torpedo.

Our campsite by Register RockOnce back in the main channel, we continued north looking for a place to camp for the night.

We tried to find the spot near Chuckwalla Springs where we camped last time, but we couldn’t find it. Everything can look different when the water levels change. We went a little further north and found a nice little cove by Register Rock, just across the lake from Hole-in-the-Rock, of tenacious Mormon fame.

Register Rock where Mormons signed their namesBack in 1879, the San Juan Mission of Mormons was traveling from Escalante to Bluff, Utah, when they came to the edge of a precipitous 1,200-foot cliff above what was then the Colorado River. The only way to continue on was to lower the wagons down the natural crevice to the river level, where it could be forded.

After months of blasting and hand chiseling to widen the crevice, they successfully lowered 83 full-sized wagons, 1,000 head of livestock, and 250 people to the river. I’m sure the livestock were very happy with that.

Evening reflections by Register RockAfter fording the river, they stopped to briefly to memorialize their treacherous descent to the river by carving their names on a rock, before continuing on their difficult journey, which was far from over. Unfortunately, those names are now under water.

Well that rock, now known as Register Rock, was the one we were camping by. However, we had a much easier time of getting to it - no oxen had to be lowered no rivers had to be forded, no months of chiseling away at rock. I felt a little wimpy as I sipped my glass of wine at the base of Register Rock.

Travelogue

Lolo approaching Jack's ArchEarly the next morning, we head out, continuing up the main channel of the lake, hoping to find a more secluded anchorage for tonight’s camping. Not all coves and canyons are equal in terms of good overnight anchoring, and we definitely preferred one that had a beach of sorts that we could get out on to hike or at least stretch our legs.

We relied heavily on the “Lake Powell and its 96 Canyons Boating and Exploring Map” that we had ordered on Amazon before leaving on this trip. We ordered the laminated version because our paper one got torn to pieces in the wind on our last trip here. It provides a description of every canyon along the lake and how good the camping options are. It’s difficult for any map or guidebook to stay current because lake levels are always changing, often making navigability and camping very different.

Our campsite in the San Juan ArmAfter cruising a few miles up West Canyon and not finding anything that excited us enough to stop for the day, we continued up the lake, stopping first at the Dangling Rope Marina to get gas. After this, our next opportunity to fill up wouldn’t be until Halls Crossing, 50 miles further on, and even more if we decided to do a side trip up either the Escalante or San Juan River arms.

We decided to head to what was probably our favorite camping spot from our last visit, just at the entrance to the San Juan River arm. However, this time we pulled into the cove on the nearer side of the bluff we camped by before. From this spot, we could hike to Jack’s Arch, a 48-foot high, 56-foot wide arch in a cave, in a low cliff, a little less than a mile away.

View from the ridge above our campsite in the San Juan ArmThere was no real trail along the sandstone, but I was actually able to find Jack’s Arch on google maps, so I could easily see the general direction we wanted to go. Sure enough, we found it easily, and it was quite impressive and best of all, there was not another soul in sight.

When we got back to the boat, we decided to move it to the other side of the bluff, to our previous camping spot, because it had a much more open expanse with incredible views of the sandstone cliffs.

Evening reflections in the San Juan ArmLast time we were here, it was 105 degrees, and I remember being so hot that I spent the entire afternoon on our float huddled under the bow of the boat in the shade - sort of like a precog in "Minority Report."

Herb, who loves the desert heat, went off by himself for a hike up the ridge. I had to control myself from laughing when he returned holding one of the soles of his chaco sandals that had literally detached when the adhesive holding them on melted.

Lolo waking up in a sea of reflectionsThis time it was a relatively comfortable 90 degrees, so around 6:00 pm we clambered up to the top of the ridge above our anchorage where we could look out at the San Juan Arm on one side and the main Colorado River channel on the other. Our boat looked so cute down below.

That night when the sun got low the sandstone cliffs surrounding us turned an incredible orange-red hue. This would be a hard camping spot to beat.

The next morning when I awoke, Herb was already gone, off to take photos in the morning light. When I finally extracted myself from the cuddy cabin, I found myself and our boat in a sea of reflections. Sure enough, there was Herb atop the ridge above our campsite, looking down on me with his camera.

Travelogue

Big day at the Stateline Boat LaunchLaunching the boat at the Stateline Boat Ramp went off without a hitch, and the motor started up with the first turn of the key.

It felt great to be cruising in the boat again, especially in such spectacular scenery - 186 miles of colorful rock formations, natural arches and bridges, and so many canyons, bays, and coves that there is 1,960 miles of shoreline to explore.

The last time we were here in 2018, the lake levels were just high enough to allow us to take the Castle Rock Cut out to the main channel. The cut becomes impassable at 3613 feet (elevation level), out to the main channel requiring boats to take the longer (just by a few miles) route around Antelope Island.

Gunsight Canyon campsiteLake levels freshly measured today were 3,599 feet, so around Antelope Island we would go. It probably would have been fine, and there were a few boats even bigger than ours going through the Cut, but we had no desire to risk it and possibly screw up this much-needed vacation. Besides, we didn’t mind a few more cruising miles.

We decided to skip popular Warm Creek Bay and continued on to Gunsight Canyon, just shy of Padre Bay, on the northern side of the channel at Buoy 17. The canyon was named by early rivermen who thought the large butte at the mouth of the canyon resembled a giant gunsight.

We hoped this smaller canyon, squeezed between the two larger bays, would have less camping options for houseboats and thus be more secluded.

Lolo strolling from our camp spotSoon we were anchored just a short distance from the shore in a shallow, solitary cove. It was a little bit weedy, but we thought that that might serve as an extra deterrent to anyone trying to join us for the evening. I’m not exactly sure what the etiquette is for how close to anchor near someone, but with so many coves and miles of shoreline, we felt that it would be pretty obnoxious of anyone to come in here.

Well, apparently obnoxiousness is not in short supply on big houseboats, and we were joined not just by a boat, but a flotilla - 50 foot houseboat, 2 ski boats, 4 jet skis, and about 12 people. Oh, and they partially blocked our view as well. It was totally ridiculous and definitely put a damper on our first night on the lake.

A glass or two of wine improved our moods and we positioned ourselves with a good view of Gunsight Butte, rising more than 1,000 feet above the Lake, just across the water from us. Like most of the rock formations surrounding the lake, it is made of Entrada Sandstone and has a lovely rich-red hue, especially at sunset.

Travelogue

Camping at Wahweap before the launchThe next day was just another 420 miles of driving, with a stop at an In-n-Out in St. George, Utah as a treat.

Finally we arrived at the Wahweap Campground, which was just a short distance from the Stateline Boat Ramp where we would launch tomorrow.

I felt very nostalgic that night, as we reminisced about the last time we had camped here. It was 18 years ago, and our then 12 and 14-year old sons spent the entire evening skateboarding down the steep path to the lake. Hmm..maybe I’ll give them a call.

Travelogue

Along the long drive to Lake PowellThe first day we drove 470 miles, fortunately most of it on I5, to a KOA in Barstow, California. We, especially Herb the driver, were exhausted, but spirits were high because we were so excited at the thought of being in Lake Powell in 2 days.

We felt quite luxurious having two bedrooms to choose from - we could sleep in the cuddy cabin of the boat or on the very comfy sleeping platform Herb had created for us in the back of the 4Runner. Both areas were pretty cluttered right now with our stuff, so I slept in the 4Runner and Herb slept in the boat.