KAYAK LAKE POWELL TRIP

Day 1 – Our trip begins on the 14th, however, folks should fly into Salt Lake City a day early to avoid any delays or in case luggage is lost. At 8am on the 14th You will be picked up and we will leave Salt Lake and drive five-hours through southern Utah towards the Bullfrog Marina on Lake Powell’s north shore. The further south we travel, the more dramatic and colorful the scenery becomes, as the rugged and remote Henry Mountains loom to our west. Dinner and our Houseboat await us at the Bull Frog Marina. We will load up, get some instructions on houseboat manners then find a nice canyon to play and spend the night.

Day 2 – After breakfast we’ll load up our waiting houseboat and set out for the main channel of the Colorado River. As we make our way southwest along the river, we leave civilization behind and are greeted by the splendor and solitude of our wilderness home for the next five days. Our first backcountry anchorage will be along the shores of the Colorado where our guides will serve dinner and conduct a brief orientation providing some additional insight into week’s itinerary, the history of Glen Canyon and the creation of Lake Powell.

Day 3 – In the morning we will fire up the houseboat for the cruise to our main anchorage near Pollywog Bench, located in Lake Powell’s Escalante Arm. Upon reaching our destination we’ll unload our kayaks and, after a safety briefing and paddling demonstration, begin our exploration of Clear Creek where we’ll be awed by the soaring walls and arching roof of the Cathedral in the Desert. The warm, reflected desert light is especially vibrant in this deep, narrow canyon and hints at the many fantastic geological phenomena that we’ll encounter during the week. After visiting the Cathedral we paddle a short distance back to the Escalante Arm to explore a number of additional side canyons before heading back to the houseboat for dinner, cocktails, and an exploding sunset.

Day 4 – After a morning swim and some hotcakes, we paddle into Davis Gulch, exploring deep alcoves and caves where ancient rainwater drips from porous sandstone ceilings. The canyon gets narrower, and the towering sandstone walls get higher, as we make our way deeper into the gulch. At lake’s end we leave our kayaks behind and hike along the sandy creek bottom to LaGorce Arch, high on the canyon wall in the middle of an enormous alcove. We’ll break for lunch above a nearby waterfall and continue hiking in search of a series of ancient petroglyphs before  returning to our kayaks for the paddle back.

Day 5 – We swap our oars for hiking boots today and explore the colorful world above the lake. We’ll hike right from camp and follow an old miner’s trail up to the rim of Pollywog Bench. Walking where few have passed before, we’ll play on the sandstone hills filled with Moqui Marbles and yucca plants en route to a scenic overlook on the far side of the bench. Upon reaching our destination, the mirage-like beauty of the surrounding landscape, considered sacred to the Navajos, unfolds before our eyes in a 360-degree panorama. After lunch, we’ll make our way back to camp arriving in time for a late afternoon swim in the cooling waters. Another fabulous dinner this evening under a canopy of twinkling stars.

Day 6 – Awaken to the smell of fresh-brewed coffee waiting on the deck of our houseboat, and watch the morning sun paint the canyon in shades of yellow, orange and red. Today we’ll kayak deeper in the Escalante and wind our way into Fiftymile Canyon, where we’ll portage our kayaks a short distance over a small sand dune to a trapped lake that has been cut off from the main pool of Lake Powell. We’ll paddle in silence, out of reach of any other boat, parting the glassy waters of this private canyon with our sleek craft. A mile or so in from the sand dam we’ll begin a hike through the serpentine narrows of Fiftymile Canyon, wading in and out of the clear waters of Fiftymile Creek.

Day 7 – We enjoy a relaxing breakfast in the superb silence before a final morning of exploration and fun in the Powell backcountry. After motoring out of Pollywog, we’ll return to the main channel of the Colorado, gliding past 300-foot-high canyon walls covered with desert varnish. After dropping the houseboat off at the marina we will begin making our way back to Salt Lake City.

A stop in Goblin Valley State Park provides the perfect spot for a picnic lunch and an opportunity to hike amongst the fantastic sandstone “goblins” that have formed here. We’ll encounter hundreds of these intricately carved rock formations during our visit and are sure to leave with renewed appreciation for the forces of erosion that contributed to the creation of this unforgettable region. We drive back to Salt Lake City this afternoon, with a scheduled arrival time around of 7 p.m. I will drop off everyone at their hotel so long as its close to the airport or downtown.

Kayaking experience is not needed. However, like most water-based outdoor activities, participants should be in good shape and strong swimmers.