#1 on Bucket List...Lake Powell

[txav8r]

I know that September is probably not the month for families. But it is the only time we can make the trek. I'm game for anything that happens inside the second and third week of September! I'll bring the guacamole!

 

[sysinu]

September is the best time for Powell. October is dicey because weather can change on a dime. A lot of people like the middle of the summer because weather ends up being more mild (less "bad w!&|)"). September is awesome, water is warm, weather isn't ridiculously hot. If I were going to change my peak times on the houseboat, I would move it to September if it wasn't the last month of one of my busiest quarters.

 

[PEARCE]

If we were to go it would be June\July because we have kids going back to school in August. Is that a bad time to be out there? When is the risk of these crazy thunderstorms the highest? I know it'll be hot, but it's the desert and we'll be on a lake.

 

[sysinu]

If we were to go it would be June\July because we have kids going back to school in August. Is that a bad time to be out there? When is the risk of these crazy thunderstorms the highest? I know it'll be hot, but it's the desert and we'll be on a lake.

Late June and all of July is minimal risk for crazy storms. There will always be storms, but what you want to avoid is the times where you exhibit the "changing of the seasons" as you will get very strong fronts that just sit on the lake for hours at a time making the lake a nightmare to be on (50-60MPH winds, 3' swells that have a really short period, etc) .

 

[PEARCE]

Late June and all of July is minimal risk for crazy storms. There will always be storms, but what you want to avoid is the times where you exhibit the "changing of the seasons" as you will get very strong fronts that just sit on the lake for hours at a time making the lake a nightmare to be on (50-60MPH winds, 3' swells that have a really short period, etc) .

Ok that sounds good like that, other then being hot, it wouldn't be a bad time to be there then. Thanks.

 

[txav8r]

Even the hot heat is definitely drier than Texas PEARCE. But, I can tell you September is dang nice. No 104° days, which is an issue when you're hiking every where you go to see things. But we all have specific times we can get away to do things. Ours is September or the middle of winter. I know you guys have the kids, so it's summertime for you! @utard mentioned to me back when I was planning the first trip, that if winds were even forecast over 18 mph, it was a good idea not to get too far out on the lake. The thunderstorms add to that, because they're high base. That means they have cold microburst air that certainly exceeds 50 miles an hour when it hits the lake. I found that even on the 2025 30 mph days, you may be able to deal with the like. Ironically, the open like is better than the canyons, because the wind gets funneled in those canyons and it can be a bear in there. Beaches are not everywhere. If you have to turn tail and beach the boat you could be miles and slow-paced miles with that, away from someplace that doesn't have a sheer drop. I found about a 6 to 8 foot wide sand edge, really a ledge, to nose the boat onto, and I beautiful narrow winding Cove, that went back miles . But my Stern was in 285 feet of water! Our boats are quite capable on that like. But, it can get dangerous out there, just like on Texoma @PEARCE . Plan more days seeing the area, then you spend on the lake. There is much to see and do. The box anchor works perfect, however, it is impossible to set an anchor straight down 200+ feet. So in narrow channels you must beach the boat. Don't get me wrong, there are beaches galore, beautiful beaches. But, when you're running the lake they may not be where you want them. Another excursion there for us would be great if we saw more people that we know or know of! But for us, will be there for several weeks, and know that any gathering would only be two or three days of getting together. No matter how you do it, like Powell is an absolutely amazing place, along with all the other fascinations around it.

 

[AZDANSX230HO]

We have gone during all the Summer Months, May the weather is good, but water is a bit chilly. The Monsoon Season in Arizona typically goes from Mid-June to September, the storms are typically worst and most active during July & August. You have to watch for them forming and be prepared to haul ass back to the launch ramp or find a beach to wait out the storm, anchor the bow facing towards the lake and a shore stake on the beach to tie off the stern, if big waves are coming you want them to hit the bow of the boat vs. swamping the rear of the boat, many boats have sank by not following this procedure at Lake Powell. As @txav8r mentioned you do not want to be back in the canyons unless you are beached, turns into a huge wave pool.

Overall the weather can be hit or miss, just have to keep an eye on the sky and check the weather forecast each day.

 

[txav8r]

Our last day, it rained almost all day. It wasn't gusty or thunderstorms most of the day, but there were some cells that produced lightening. I had to clean, leave the Marina, load on the trailer, and cover the boat wet for the night. It continued to rain most of the night, but although overcast, we didn't have any rain on the fist leg from Powell to Albuquerque , except for a brief shower in grants, nm.