Lake Mead Questions

[rsjtmann]

We are planning a week long trip to Lake Mead next summer. We are going to rent a houseboat and tow our Tige behind it. Any input or ideas for planning this trip from the guys on here who go o Lake Mead?

[boatwakes]

Many awesome times. The best shelter we had was in the cove surrounding the campanille or mushroom rock in the temple arm, epic days...

[dingleberry]

I've never done a houseboat trip, but if you search on here for "Lake Powell houseboat" you will find lots of good suggestions for weeklong houseboat adventures from guys who do it regularly.

[talltigeguy]

And if you are coming all the way from Texas, you should go to Lake Powell...it is like the grand canyon, but full of water. I would never go on a houseboating trip to Mead, once I have been to Powell.

Is there a reason to choose Mead over Powell?

[Dan and Christy]

I would agree with BoatWakes. Stay out of the 'lower' channel. I would launch out of Temple Bar or Echo Bay.

[rsjtmann]

I really wanted to just get some good pics on Mead with Hoover Dam in the background. We showed about 14 hours to Mead going thru Flagstaff on I40. What are the pros and cons for Powell and Mead? I have looked at the houseboat rental websites and it seems as though several companies have boats at both places. It will be 4 adults and 5 kids from 17 to 6 years of age.

[G-MONEY]

If you want good pix of Hoover dam your not going to get the from lake Mead. You need to go lake Mohave go up the gorge and look up at the dam.

[dingleberry]

If you want good pix of Hoover dam your not going to get the from lake Mead. You need to go lake Mohave go up the gorge and look up at the dam.

Although, you can get some nice shots of the dam with the new concrete arch bridge beyond it from the water behind the dam. I'd be happy to give anyone a ride in my boat to get that picture if they want.

But, yeah, the dam isn't nearly as impressive from the lake side as from the river below it.

[talltigeguy]

I really wanted to just get some good pics on Mead with Hoover Dam in the background. We showed about 14 hours to Mead going thru Flagstaff on I40. What are the pros and cons for Powell and Mead? I have looked at the houseboat rental websites and it seems as though several companies have boats at both places. It will be 4 adults and 5 kids from 17 to 6 years of age.

Isn't Powell even a little closer for you then?

Only disadvantage I can imagine is that Powell's houseboats are going to cost more. But it is chump change compared to the cost of that entire trip for you.

The long and short of it is the scenery. Lake Powell is like nothing you have ever experienced. Mead is sort of the desert that is flooded with water. I am sure there are a few nice rocks, but Powell will make you go ooh and aahh over and over.

BTW, Hoover Dam is a whopping 16 feet taller than Glen Canyon Dam (lake Powell), so you can get a nice fix of awesome human engineering if you want to. Both Dams are over 700 feet.

Mead looks sort of like this:



Powell looks like this:



And, yup, that is my Tige 24V in that picture. You cannot imagine the size of these cliffs we are talking about.

[dingleberry]

Mead looks sort of like this:

Hey, now! That's a little harsh. Not a lot, but a little.

[talltigeguy]

Hey, now! That's a little harsh. Not a lot, but a little.

HAHA. I admit, I exaggerate to make a point. That is actually from another place I have been to, called craters of the moon in Idaho. Mostly a bunch of lava rock that makes some pretty cool tunnels and rock formations, but it is desolate.

[Billua]

I would choose Powell over Mead in a heartbeat!

I boat Mead, it is my local lake, but Tall has it right. The scenery at Powell is AMAZING. The scenery around MEAD is somewhat mundane in comparison.

Also, the houseboats on Mead are no bargain.

[lohe]

I would choose Powell over Mead in a heartbeat!

I boat Mead, it is my local lake, but Tall has it right. The scenery at Powell is AMAZING. The scenery around MEAD is somewhat mundane in comparison.

Also, the houseboats on Mead are no bargain.

Neither is Powell I was going to do a House boat trip this year until I checked into the price for a rental.

Maybe next year

[rsjtmann]

Thanks guys! We will look into Powell then. The pic with your boat under that rock formation is unreal. Can you always find a nice smooth cove on Powell for pulling kids on stuff and are there nice spots to anchor for the night? The houseboats look nicer on Powell websites too.

[TeamAllen]

There are a lot of threads on the subject. Just try a search for Lake Powell. Here is one I found easily.
http://www.tigeowners.com/forum/show...ght=lake+powel