First Lake Mead Trip - Lots of Questions

[AguaSki]

I am planning my first trip to Lake Mead 8/4 - 8/7. Typically I boat the lakes surrounding Phoenix and include an annual trip to Lake Powell. Mead is replacing my Powell trip this year. I am going to miss Powell but look forward to new places to see on Mead.

Are there any good navigation maps that I can pre-order before my trip? The map I have of Powell is waterproof and really easy to use. I am hopeful that I can find something similar for Mead.

We will be staying at the Hacienda Hotel which is near the park entrance. From there I don't really know where to go. What are the must see spots that are within range of my launching point? The primary purpose of the trip is to see a new lake, so I am not afraid of navigating a substantial distance, but I will need to be careful that I don't exceed the range of my fuel, and I need to be able to make it back to the Hacienda Hotel before dark.

At Powell I would top off the gas tank at Dangling Rope marina. Are there similar mid-lake points that can be used to get more fuel? I can carry about 33 gallons of fuel, but my motor is a thirsty 140 hp Johnson.

I am familiar with the afternoon blows that occur on desert lakes and will take the necessary precautions. What kind of cell coverage is typically available on the lake? I have Verizon and I usually had fairly good coverage on most of Powell. I also have a fixed mount VHF on my boat. Does the NPS have a land based VHF station on a nearby mountain that will cover most of the lake? Just want to be sure I have the ability to summon help if needed.

I have a reasonable amount of boating experience but I like to be as prepared as possible. What other Lake Mead information should I be aware of that I have not asked about?

 

[Pierutrus]

Re: First Lake Mead Trip - Lots of Questions

Start Here.......

http://www.nps.gov/lake/planyourvisit/maps.htm#CP_JUMP_64164

Can't believe QC hasn't jump on this yet.

 

[jaxnjil]

Re: First Lake Mead Trip - Lots of Questions

you might want to consider operating out of temple bar and staying there. less people to deal with than the boulder basin.the boulder basin get a lot of use and on a calm day can still be pretty rough from all the wakes and cross wakes.
closer for you coming in from az.
same maps for mead as ones you have for powell. just a matter of finding them (have seen them at the marinas for sale)

plenty of places for gas, las veags bay marina, calvill bay marina, echo bay marina, and temple bar marina.

best scenery; narrows and the north end of the lake. a trip to view the dam, then virgin basin with boulder basin and overton arm being about the same. imho

 

[jaxnjil]

Re: First Lake Mead Trip - Lots of Questions

view out of the lake mead marina with the mouth of black canyon in back ground

 

[12vMan]

Re: First Lake Mead Trip - Lots of Questions

Hey aguaski

Hacienda is a great place if you want to be close to the Hoover Dam part of the lake. After you check out the Dam, check out all the coves on the east side of Boulder Basin from there. There's some interesting scenery. The coves change dramatically as you make your way up through the Narrows where again there's some nice coves to duck into for a while. You should be in great shape if you top off before you depart. If you used to go to Dangeling Rope from Wahweap you obviously know the importance of fuel and to watch the weather for boating long distances.

The afternoon breezes pick up from the south normally that time of year, so when you plan on crossing the big basins, keep that in mind.

Check out the Gypsum Bays on the south side of the Virgin Basin. Some cool formations there.

Echo Bay Marina is up the Overton Arm, as you'll see on your map when you get it. They have full service with a nice little store, restaurant, and fuel. You have to navigate between the former islands as they're shown on the map. They're now peninsulas with the low water level. You can still navigate a few miles past Echo, but the Overton Marina is closed so don't plan fueling there.

When you head south towards Temple Bar Marina, there's more coves and rocky cliff formations to explore on your right as you head down. You'll find some nice sandy beaches on that are worth stopping for also and The Temple is across from the Marina. Its the huge plateau formation not to be confused with Del Mar Butte you'll see to the left.

Temple Bar is a full service marina with good people too .

Past Temple Bar there are no more fueling stops. There is a ramp with no services called South Cove, which is just south of Sandy Point. The lake ends just past Sandy Point these days.

I've heard the fishing is good if you're into that. The water temp will be warm when you're there.

If you plan on driving to sight-see, there's the Valley of Fire on the north end and you can drive into Meadview from the 93 and go to Pierce Ferry, where they have extended the road all the way to the river now to take out the river rafters because of the new waterfall that is now down stream from Pierce Ferry.

The cell coverage is usually decent in the basins with Verizon. The VHF coverage is good. in 30+ years, I've never not been able to at least get a relay message through during the daylight hours.

Like Powell, you can spend years exploring this lake. What I've given you are just a few of the many nooks and crannys that make up a great lake like Mead.

Have a great safe trip!

 

[jaxnjil]

Re: First Lake Mead Trip - Lots of Questions

here is a good sight if you havent found it.
http://www.nps.gov/lake/parknews/rampconditions.htm
you will most likley use Hemenway Harbor,Boulder Harbor
ramps. have used both and have had a little better luck at boulder. both are about the same with hemenway a little closer to the entrance you will use

 

[jaxnjil]

Re: First Lake Mead Trip - Lots of Questions

http://www.nps.gov/PWR/customcf/app...e&parkname=Lake Mead National Recreation Area

 

[AguaSki]

Re: First Lake Mead Trip - Lots of Questions

Resurrecting this thread again. I leave from Phoenix for Lake Mead on Wednesday (8/4), and will be on the water Thursday through Saturday. Looking forward to seeing a new lake. Thanks to all those that contributed advice when I first started this thread. Any final parting words of wisdom before I hit the road?

Also, I will add some pics to this thread when I return home.

 

[redone4x4]

Re: First Lake Mead Trip - Lots of Questions

have a good trip! we went out 2 weekends ago, and it was so hot and muggy. no wind at all, it was weird. it was too hot, we only stayed about 5 hours. even still, it beats goin to work

for the other lake meaders on here, the road all the way to echo is finished, fresh pave all the way up to the turn off. then about half the turnoff road is re-paved also now. and they are building a new launch ramp like calville did too.

 

[jaxnjil]

Re: First Lake Mead Trip - Lots of Questions

COOL thanks for head up red. we brought the 310 out north shore and it wasnt to bad. the only reason we came out that way was because it was memorial day and we could travel in the park but not on the state hi ways. we were able to sneak into overton and spend the night there getting a jump the next morning.

will be nice when done.

looking to stay a cotton wood cove on mohave this year when i come back down this fall or maybe tempel. any thoughts?

not trying to hijack your thread auga, and hope you have wonder full trip

 

[QC]

Re: First Lake Mead Trip - Lots of Questions

Bummed I missed this first time around. Wish I was going, but looking like 100% Havasu for me this year.

I would just echo some things already said.

Hug the South shore if there is a south blow. A lot of the South shore in the Boulder Basin is very gradual, but still pretty deep close to shore. The water will be much more comfortable over there for the return to Lake Mead/Las Vegas Bay Marinas. The nastiest part of the return is the entrance to Black Canyon which is shown in jax pic above. Stay on the South shore until you are getting the ship kicked out of you and then cross straight to the Hemenway Wall (correct spelling). The wall is that white strip to the right of the Canyon in jax pic. It will go from scary to almost glass against that wall for the last 10 minutes of the ride home

If it is expected to blow much do not head up to the Overton Arm (Echo Bay). I love it up there, and don't throw anything at me redone, buttttt . . . The way the wind blows, just below the Islands is where the nastiest water is as it has the longest fetch on the entire lake.

We always stay at the Hacienda and love that trip. The courtesy slips at Lake Mead Marina are first come first served and you will have no trouble getting a side tie there midweek if you want to leave her in the water. I do. Then I can go down and relax on the boat after I get sick of BlackJack . . . Also makes getting out of there easy. Downside is you have to buy gas at the Marina instead of in Boulder.

Easy to park the boat over night at the Hacienda and there is security in the parking lot. You have to drag her back uphill into Boulder for fuel and groceries if that's your plan.

The trip to Temple Bar/Temple Basin is a must if a) the wind cooperates, and b) you can make 35 miles for fuel. You can extend that range if you refuel at Callville. Do not give up on the Virgin Basin until you take a peak outside of the Narrows. The Narrows is almost always rough as wind funnels through there and there is often boat traffic. It is amazing how glassy the basin can be though as there is nowhere for the wind to get funneled out there, so sometimes it just stops. I call it "poof" . . . However!!!!! Heed that basin when it IS blowing. Will make a man out of you if you aren't already I've crossed it 100 times and I got the ship scared out of me last year!!!!

My last tip is the same thing I say about depth everywhere I go that has good visibility. Find some color on your first day. Go for lighter and lighter greens to almost white. Float over these spots and check the depth. From that point forward, while navigating, similar color should equal similar depth. Especially useful if you are hugging the South Shore. Obviously changes a little with overcast skies and rougher water, but this is my system and I always shoot shallow spots with confidence once I have my eyes reset.

Have fun!! Be safe!! I'm flippin' jealous

 

[QC]

Re: First Lake Mead Trip - Lots of Questions

Oh, oh . . . PM me your email address and I have some very good charts I can send you. BIG FILES . . .

Oh, oh, oh . . . if you go to the Temple Basin check out Mushroom Reef. Good sand and kind of a hangout spot. Midweek there will be a couple of Houseboats in there, but great place for some short glass runs, and good for tubing.

Mushroom:

Wishing Well Cove (On south shore just before the Narrows. Go to the very back and hang a left, don't chicken out!!!):

A little surprise we've found in the bottom of Bonelli Bay (Virgin Basin). 100% wild:

 

[redone4x4]

Re: First Lake Mead Trip - Lots of Questions

QC is right...If the wind is blowing dont go to echo. It will get very choppy in the afternoon. but if theres no wind, there are a ton of great beaches. wishing well cove out of calville is cool, we went all the way to the back one day. definitely a neat little adventure.

 

[jaxnjil]

Re: First Lake Mead Trip - Lots of Questions

dont go to mushroom reef. qc is wrong. that place is bad luck stay away........... kidding that just happened to be where we blew up our last alpha drive.

 

[AguaSki]

Re: First Lake Mead Trip - Lots of Questions

Just got back from Mead. I will try to get some pics posted later. We had a great time and I am glad that we decided to venture out to a new body of water. We had one day of no wind (best water skiing glass I have ever seen) and another day of crazy wind that really tested my abilities. When Mead decides to blow, those big basins can get wild. I still think I prefer Powell over Mead, but that preference did not diminish the great time we just had. Thanks to all those that contributed to this post. Your suggestions kept me safe and allowed my family to have a great time.

 

[QC]

Re: First Lake Mead Trip - Lots of Questions

Yup ^^^^^^^ All of the above Awesome!