Re: Lake Isabella/Pyramid/Piro/Havasu -- Wakeboarding/Skiing/Camping
Sorry I missed this . . . Well to start off, I am kinda anti local lake . . . I am not excited about Isabella, but I have never boated there but have driven by. I've been on Pyramid and Piru. They're nice for an hour or so, and then I am completely bored, Perris is a little more fun. Silverwood is very pretty but small and a tough tow. Big Bear is awesome, gorgeous, but . . . even tougher tow and a lake level of 6400ish ft. requires a prop change etc. I hear that Nacimiento and San Antonio are awesome, but I can get to my favorite places on the Colorado just as fast, and they will be a waaay worse tow for you (also Isabella).
Lake Havasu (Parker too) is nuts on Memorial weekend, a serious bunch of fun, but you cannot even breath in the channel there are so many boats. I went a few years ago for my niece's HS grad. We decided before we went that we would just make the best of it and enjoy the crowd etc. It was a lot of fun simply sitting on the boat in the dark on the beach watching a line of boats retrieve at LH Marina. It went until after 10:30 . . .
We avoid Mohave almost completely, not as pretty as the others with only a few exceptions. The best part is Willow beach so you can make the run to the Dam (my avatar), we do that when the wind blows at Lake Mead . . .
We go to Mead now, especially on big weekends, as it is sooo big that the crowd is a non-issue except at the ramp. We launch early the first day (Friday) and get a slip. The ramps are not as bad as Havasu, but I will not wait to pull my boat out and especially to launch
What's your boat like? The risk early season (any time really) at Mead is big wind and nasty thunder storms. They happen south too (Havasu) but Mead is sooo big it can be seriously unsafe when it gets bad
See Willow Beach note above.
Camping at the "River" is pretty miserable any later than Memorial Day, and may be tough then too, due to the heat. Mead has some great coves and some beaches for camping. The coves have limited places to beach and/or put up tents though. There are campgrounds at the Marinas etc. though at all of these lakes. Parker is a great place to camp, but Midweek is really the ticket there. Very unsafe place to boat. Shoal water, current, narrow and maniacs. We love it!!! I recommend River Lodge on the CA side for camping. Full hookups to tent sites.
Water is waaay down first thing in the morning so you won't see it your first day, put her out deeper than you think you should!
Not me, no need to go there . . .
The best place to consistently ski and wakeboard is probably Parker too. The width of the river and the current knock wakes down fast. You can get periods of glass over and over on the same day. The best glass I ever skied though was at Mead, but we were houseboating and just hit it right. Early is pretty good anywhere. Mead has a stretch right near the West end called the Hemenway Wall. It blocks the wind and stays pretty reasonable all day, but it is too close to what traffic there actually is . . .
Have fun, we'll be on Mead.
