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Lake Mead instead of Powell
I know I've shared this before but I also know some of you guys just can't ever consider breaking away from Powell. Not surprising given the beauty. Not even a close competition in that area. Powell wins hands down! Let me say upfront that I do think that, all things being equal, Powell is far better. However, they are not equal. Powell has much better scenery and if that is what one goes for then that is the place. But I am here to tell you that you need to try Mead sometime. What Mead does have is solitude and better water. If that is what you are going for you need to try Mead. Solitude is the biggest factor for me. Mead is divided into sections; the Overton arm, the Virgin basin, The Temple and Gregg basins, and the Boulder basin. You can see these on a map. The Boulder basin is the one next to Vegas and it is where everyone goes. If one avoids that basin then it is great. I had never been in the Boulder Basin until our trip this year and decided to try it one of the days and confirmed the obvious.....that is where all the people are. We have been to the Overton arm and Virgin basin dozens of times. One can boat straight out from the Marina and camp right on the other side and have solitude. Go a few miles either direction and the solitude almost become dangerous. The invasive mussel has devastated the Marina industry at Mead. No one wants to keep a boat in a wet slip now. Because of that, and a slow economy, Forever Resorts did not re-up their lease with the Park Service. So, Echo bay Marina now has no commercial services. The ramp is there, but you aren't buying ice cream. That arm has solitude and then some. But, wanting some services we tried Temple Bar Marina this year. We lucked out to go on no wind days with flat water all the time. Occasional wakes from a passerby, but they were far enough away that I had to look through binoculars to try and see what kind of boat and how many aboard. In other words, the full time chop did not form that I seem to have experienced nearly every afternoon on Lake Powell. Also, miles and miles of great beaches and camping locations. No need to set up right around the corner from someone else or to have their houseboat within "crappy music earshot". Once again this is not the case in Boulder basin, but is for the rest of the lake. And, Mead always has warmer water and far better water clarity than Powell. Not to mention never having a high fecal coloform count and floating pooh barnacles which keep plaguing Powell. Yuk on that. Just saying that I know Bogley members treasure solitude and you should consider going straight through St G and right on down to the Overton NV exit some time. But don't expect to see boat loads of bikinis there on the lake with you if that is the view you are seeking. In fact, just don't expect to see anyone. And yes I know that those of you with Powell water in your veins are bristling that I would even suggest a better destination. I'm just saying it is worth putting on the planning table. Lake Mead is certainly no secret, but for some reason most people North of Cedar City Utah seem to know little about it or have never heard of it at all.
Pics from this year. 117 degrees and we loved it! I selected a couple just to show some water and the type of desert there so they are not particularly great shots but they tell what they need to tell. All shots in afternoon. We actually had times with water that truly was glass, but I wasn't taking pictures then.
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This one below is from crowded, Boulder Basin which has the ever present chop on the water. This photo doesn't show that for some reason but the clarity can be seen as even this busy basin has perfectly clear water.
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