Opinions on a couple CA lakes

[Pow-Wake]

I'm starting the task of planning and deciding where we'll spend our summer vacation in 2015. The low water levels in the west and California make this more difficult than in past years. Because all of us on TO are spread out and have different home lakes, I was hoping to come across someone who calls one of the following their home lake:

- Don Pedro
- New Melones
- Lake Almanor
- Lake Berryessa
- Bass Lake


I was hoping to get information about water levels (I know I can find this online, but sometimes the locals have better insight on projections, etc.), crowds, water conditions (glass vs. chop), jet ski restrictions and any other nuggets of information you might have about it.

I appreciate it, thanks!

[JohnnieMo]

Come to Canada! We have more water than we know what to do with.

Sent from my Passport

[shawndoggy]

almanor is the wrong pick for smooth water. It's usually "just OK" on its best day and can be very rough on the regular. The upside is no need to whip your tubers.... they will have a hard enough time just hanging on at 20mph.

[Pow-Wake]

Canada does seem to have plenty of water......and snow......and ice....hahaha. The longest trip with the boat in tow was from Southern California to Spokane, Washington (a couple hours from the Canadian border). Travel time was about 24 hours. Not sure I can convince the family to push much further past that. The only reason we made that trek last summer (other than the awesome lakes and beautiful scenery) was because we have family in Spokane. Plus, how is the water temp up there? Not sure us sissy-fied southern Californians could handle water under 75 degrees!

Almanor - your description seems to be inline with my research. Their own website mentions sailing, wind surfing, etc. Far to many "wind" related activities. It looks to be a big, somewhat round, exposed lake.

[bsreid]

if you can't handle water under 75 don't bother coming to BC.
Vancouver island BC

[talltigeguy]

Dude, if you are willing to drive 24 hours, you royally missed out by not going to Lake Powell. I think that would be about an 8 hour drive for you, IIUC. It is like a trip to the Grand Canyon, just full of water. You indicated the lakes in California, so I don't want to hijack the thread too much if you mean within a shorter drive of your home. Please clarify if you are willing to go farther than the lakes you mentioned.

[jimidemo]

Dude, if you are willing to drive 24 hours, you royally missed out by not going to Lake Powell. I think that would be about an 8 hour drive for you, IIUC. It is like a trip to the Grand Canyon, just full of water. You indicated the lakes in California, so I don't want to hijack the thread too much if you mean within a shorter drive of your home. Please clarify if you are willing to go farther than the lakes you mentioned.

Or Havasu?!

[JohnnieMo]

I boat in Shuswap Lake every summer. It tops out around 85 in early August. However it is such a deep lake that inclement weather can 'turn over' the lake and get you back in to the 70's. The water temp has more to do with sunshine and wind speed than it does with time of year.

Washington state should have similar types of lakes as interior BC.

I haven't been everywhere but I'm hard pressed to say there is a nicer lake on the planet than Shuswap Lake.

I'd love to get my boat down to northern CA or Lake Mead, but it's hard to justify when this is a mere 5 hours away.







Sent from my Passport

[EricU]

It takes me about 30 minutes from my house to launch at Berryessa, but prefer to go 2 1/2 hours to get to Lake Oroville - If there is water! Last season Oroville started way down and just got worse, so I ended up at Berryessa most of the time.

Berryessa usually doesn't have that great of water until sunset and there is usually either tubers or idiots parked in the middle of the one "Skier's cove". Except last season I ended up with some of the most spectacular days on Berryessa with a complete glass lake, more than once, but that is definitely not the norm.

Berryessa does not have many amenities as our government shut them all down a few years back and has screwed up the "redevelopment" of the lake's facilities.

Berryessa's level is pretty good right now and should be fine by next season if the weather forecasters are close. Oroville should be ok if we get some more decent rains, enough to get the launch ramps back open, and the camping facilities are very good.

Other Nor-Cal boating to check out is our Delta (before SoCal screws that up) and Camp Far West (a privately owned lake)

Good luck

[talltigeguy]

Shuswap is beautiful!!!! I can see where going anywhere farther than that would be difficult. That is exactly what Lake Powell feels like to those of us who live nearby. Mead has nothing to offer over Powell, except it is a bit warmer in the off-season.

Since Pow wow has not come back yet, I will show what Lake Powell looks like:

[shawndoggy]

Almanor - your description seems to be inline with my research. Their own website mentions sailing, wind surfing, etc. Far to many "wind" related activities. It looks to be a big, somewhat round, exposed lake.

From southern california I'd have to think that your drive time to shasta would be within an hour of almanor. Why not go there? There are plenty of nearby houses to rent if you don't want to do the houseboat thing.

[teachercop]

We live in SoCal....
After numerous visits to many Cali lakes and Mead...we've limited it to pretty much just 2, Powell and Havasu....
Powell RULES!!!
Absolutely worth the drive from SoCal.....

[Pow-Wake]

Thanks, sorry for the absence. We have been all over when it comes to lakes. We've rented houseboats on Shasta 4 times, Lake Powell 3 times, camped at Shaver Lake (early season, cold water), rented a lake house on Nacimiento, and spent a number of long weekends in Laughlin over on Lake Mohave. My neighbor used to have a place on Havasu when I was younger. We used to go quite a bit. Now that I have 2 kids, that place just makes me a bit nervous.

Tall, Powell is definitely in the discussion, but I was not sure what the water level projections are like. Powell has been far and away my favorite trips in the past. Although, one year the cut was closed and we had to go around. A little sketchy when the big tour boats went flying through. We also have a large group this year (18-20 people) and all the rental companies on Powell limit to 12 people while underway.

Wow, Shuswap is incredible. I love a big lake surrounded by trees.

I'm doing my best to keep my travel time to a minimum this year. My son will be 9 months old and if the first 1/3 of his life is any indication, he's not a huge fan of riding in the car. But, as evidenced by our 24 hour drive to Washington, we're not afraid to put the tires to the asphalt for the right trip. Below was the reward for making that drive (Lake Roosevelt).
P1070939.jpg

[JohnnieMo]

Shuswap is beautiful!!!! I can see where going anywhere farther than that would be difficult. That is exactly what Lake Powell feels like to those of us who live nearby. Mead has nothing to offer over Powell, except it is a bit warmer in the off-season.

Since Pow wow has not come back yet, I will show what Lake Powell looks like:

I'd love to visit Powell. It is just so radically different than anything we have here. Sadly it is 2000km from my house. I'm willing to trade a ride on Shuswap for any Tigé owners and you trade me rides on Powell

Sent from my Passport

[gwhite94]

I'd love to visit Powell. It is just so radically different than anything we have here. Sadly it is 2000km from my house. I'm willing to trade a ride on Shuswap for any Tigé owners and you trade me rides on Powell

Sent from my Passport

JohnnieMo, Powell is absolutly worth the drive. My brother and sister inlaw make the trip down from Lacombe every 3 years or so and meet us at Powell.