Lake Powell Feb 25

The weather was nice so me and a couple of buddies decided to head out on the Lake and go explore some canyons. We got to Bullfrog in 2 hours and 50 minutes from Orem at 2am Friday night. We crashed on his parents houseboat which floating there in a slip. Saturday we headed down stream to explore. We headed up the Escalante River arm and went up clear creek and saw Cathedral in the Desert. I took pictures, but I still haven't figured out how to resize them so I can post them. We climbed up the waterfall and hiked aup canyon a bit. It is really cool up there. We then went all the way to where the Escalante flows in, which happened to be right at the mouth of Explorer canyon. Not a whole lot of water coming down this time of year. We will probably head upstream next time and maybe do Sevenmile creek. Does anybody know of any other technical slot canyons that are accessible by boat on Powell? I know Shane probably knows of a few, but he probably won't tell due to my helmet attitude. Anybody care to join us for a weekend and share the gas expense for the boat?

Reedus

I'd post pictures if I knew how to resize

P.S- we didn't pull the boat down from Orem in 2 hrs 50 min. It is already down there.

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Originally Posted by Reedus

I'd post pictures if I knew how to resize

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Here's an excellent method in my opinion. It's really easy too. The easiest method I know. Click the link below:
http://uutah.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1718

Once you've installed that PowerToy, you just right click on your picture and it's done.

BTW, ask your question about canyons in the canyoneering section. Some of those guys don't ever leave that forum.

I wonder if you could help me with beta about the mouth of the Escelante.

Did you see any barriers that would prevent a hiker/inflatable kayaker from going down the Escelante into Powell?

That would be a dream trip, float the Escelante into Powell, and get picked up from there...

Every trip report I've read of floating the Escelante includes hiking out at Forty Mile, I keep wondering if there is some physical barrier that prevents access to Powell or if it's just the logistics of a pickup that drive people out at that point.

Anyway, sounds like you had a fun trip, figure out those pics, we wanna' see 'em!

The problem with floating out on to Lake Powell is the freakin remoteness of where you are. If I remember correctly, it was damn near 30 miles to bullfrog and that was on water that was glass. If you decided to paddle it, you would be fine until you got to the main channel. The water in the main channel can get extremely choppy with wind and boat traffic. Added to the distance, I would say that unless you want to spend a good two days paddling, then hike out forty mile. Or you can schedule a pick-up from Aramark at the marina as Shane suggests. I don't know what they charge, but I bet it isn't cheap. We went through 35 gallons of gas getting to the Escalante and back with the added side canyon exploring. One other thing, I don't think you will get away with floating it this year. There is no snow in the Escalante drainage. The water coming down it on Saturday wouldn't even sustain an inflatable. And that was at the end after all the confluences have come in. I wanted to do it too, but I don't think it will happen this year.

Reedus

Sorry, I didn't realize that the pictures are so close. I should have floated back 50 feet from the boat and snapped a few. There is running water coming down the chute and it is damn cold. We climbed up and rappeled back into the boat. The video I took of it is ten times better than the pictures. Any ideas on how to post video?

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Originally Posted by Reedus

I know Shane probably knows of a few, but he probably won't tell due to my helmet attitude.

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You got the wrong guy..... I'm not one of the helmet Nazi's.... I could care less what others do....

:cool2:

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Originally Posted by Iceaxe

.... I could care less what others do....

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As long as they are not placing bolts on your routes in the North Wash. :nono:

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Originally Posted by Reedus

The video I took of it is ten times better than the pictures. Any ideas on how to post video?

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What size is it? If it's under 2MB, you can upload it directly to your post, just like a picture.

If it is bigger, which is usually the case, do what I did on my Mtn Bike Helmet Cam videos. Go to www.putfile.com. Sign up for a free account, just like you did here. Then you can start uploading your video, up to 25MB per clip.

I would suggest Google Video, but after you submit, it takes DAYS to get it approved, when you can immediately have it posted on putfile.com.

For example, here's my submission, then I just paste the link here:
http://media.putfile.com/JEM-Trail-helmet-cam

Reed,
Whats the dude in white's name? Last name Duffin? Looks like a mish comp I had in Veracruz (MX). After a second look, I'm doubt it, its a little blurry, and he looks like a lot of people, but just in case.

One thing with Powell Canyon trips is a lot of approach routes are not very close to the mouth of the canyon so you either have to have some one thats happy to chill on the lake all day to drop you off and come pick you up, be comfortable swimming for a long long ways (drop a life jacket) if its not to far like a quarter mile or something, or something else. I thought about bringing some sort of kayak and stashing it at canyon exits, but some times theres no place to moor your boat at the approach and you have another problem. Tricky logistics some time. Having a couple fellars that are happy to fish or ski on the lake while you and a few others canyoneer and then come pick you up at the end of the day can make for a well balanced group.

Sorry Man, my last name isn't Duffin, but I get that a lot. I am the guy in the white hoodie with the white hat. I served in Kiev Ukraine. I am trying to figure out what you mean with the logistics of the trip. From Shane's sight, sevenmile creek is possible to access the trailhead from the bottom on the lake. I know some canyons down there that isn't possible due to the fact that you can't gain the rim of the canyon to get to the drop in point. I would imagine that alot of them are that way down there. You can go down, but you can't go up. What do you mean by dropping a person off at the mouth of the canyon for the approach? My thinking was to motor up to the end of any promising canyon, anchor the boat out 20 feet or so, or like you mentioned have them drop you off and return in 5 hours; and then, if possible, find a route up to the rim and back to the start of the drainage. I don't know what Davis gulch or Clear creek are like as far as technicallity, but there is a killer camp sight just around the corner at Fifty mile canyon. Set up camp there and let everybody else choose there poison for the day or weekend. The guys canyoneering would just need a simple two way radio to radio the boat when they got to the bottom. I just wish I knew if it was possible to gain the rim around the escalante river arm.

Just to add to that last post: One of the guys I used to work with docked his brand new Xstar in the back of a canyon down by Wahweap. (i think it was in Navajo Canyon somewhere) They hiked up the canyon exploring and it started to pour. In the half hour it took them to wait out the storm and wait for the pour off to subside, the water had come down the canyon and sunk the boat. They returned only to find seat cushions floating on top of the water. Hard lesson learned heh?

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Originally Posted by Reedus

Sorry Man, my last name isn't Duffin, but I get that a lot. I am the guy in the white hoodie with the white hat.

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Lol. I don't know why i didn't assume that was u :haha:

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I am trying to figure out what you mean with the logistics of the trip.

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Organizational/planning requirements "The management of the details of an operation." Just that Powell trips take a little more work to get off the ground than drive up canyons.

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From Shane's sight, sevenmile creek is possible to access the trailhead from the bottom on the lake. I know some canyons down there that isn't possible due to the fact that you can't gain the rim of the canyon to get to the drop in point. I would imagine that alot of them are that way down there. You can go down, but you can't go up. What do you mean by dropping a person off at the mouth of the canyon for the approach?

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Yes getting to the rim so you can come down the canyons is a significant issue. Sometimes. Sometimes not.
What I meantersay is that your boat buddies drop you off some where not at the mouth of the canyon where you can get to the rim (sometimes a mile or more away or in the next drainage over, etc.) and then pick you up at the mouth of the canyon. Some times there is no way to get to the rim anywhere near the canyon you wish to descend.

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Originally Posted by Reedus

Just to add to that last post: One of the guys I used to work with docked his brand new Xstar in the back of a canyon down by Wahweap. (i think it was in Navajo Canyon somewhere) They hiked up the canyon exploring and it started to pour. In the half hour it took them to wait out the storm and wait for the pour off to subside, the water had come down the canyon and sunk the boat. They returned only to find seat cushions floating on top of the water. Hard lesson learned heh?

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I've read a post or two somewhere where Scott P. mentions that he and Mr. Kelsey had a bad experience accessing a Powell slot by boat. Seams like they had a small boat that they left moored at the base of the canyon, and when they returned it was overturned and their gear was floating or sunk. Seems like they suspect it was wake from passing ski boats. Maybe he'll post more details, but I doubt he checks this area of the forums. Defintiley thing to consider when leaving a boat tied up lakeside though.

The way the big boys do it is to face the bow of the boat out towards lake side and anchor it. This works extremely well if you have two anchors to go out at 45 degrees from the bow of the boat to the left and the right. The bow of the boat will break the impact of the waves, whereas if it is turned inland, big waves can break over the stern and even swamp the boat. (happened to me before at Wahweap when the Rainbow bridge tour boat came by) The key to this method being effective is having an anchor that will flip out and grab. Big blunt objects just don't anchor it as well. Also, remember to lift the outdrive up, or it will destroy a prop really fast

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Originally Posted by Reedus

the water had come down the canyon and sunk the boat. They returned only to find seat cushions floating on top of the water. Hard lesson learned heh?

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OUCH!! :eek2: Oh man, that really sucks. Brand new? Were they able to retrieve it?

Well the insurance covered the boat, but I guess word got out to the Park service and the brought out there big......?????? I don't know what the hell it is called, but it is a flat boat that is fairly long and has a crane jib on it. The boat was in about 20 feet of water and they pulled it up no sweat. Once they got it to the top, they fired up the big sump pump and started pumping water out until it was floatable. It was still considered a total loss do to the fact that the flash flood had left quite a bit of silt everywhere on it. That and all the electronic equipment was shot to hell.

Which reminds me.... has anybody ever scuba dived Lake Powell? My old man is certified and took me down there quite a bit. It is amazing what you can find on the bottom of that Lake. Golf clubs, fishing poles, lawn chairs, beach towels, CD cases, mermaid prostitutes.....oh wait, didn't find any of those. The funnest thing to do by far though was shoot large mouth bass with a spear gun. The strippers were to scared to swim up to you, but those friggin' large mouth had no qualms about swimming right up to your face to check things out. Same with the bluegill, but they are harder to hit.

Reedus

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Originally Posted by Reedus

Which reminds me.... has anybody ever scuba dived Lake Powell?

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That would be frickin' awesome. Although, I'd probably be pretty creeped out in the murky deep.