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<br />~hicago Tribune I The return of Glen .yon e <br /> <br /> <br />These obstacles away from the main channel can cause problems for unwary <br />navigators. First timers, for whom everything is new, should have no problems, <br />but veteran houseboaters, who think they know the area like the Titanic's captain <br />knew the North Atlantic, must exercise caution. <br /> <br />''There's no safe level of the lake," says Ward. "Every time the water goes up a <br />couple of feet, it covers up rocks that were barely out of the water. Every time it <br />goes down a couple, it exposes things that were barely under. It's always <br />changing." <br /> <br />While old shortcuts now stand dry, the lake's still over 130 miles long and the <br />buoy-marked main channel is still 400 feet deep at the dam. There is plenty of <br />water to entice even the most intrepid houseboater. <br /> <br />The lowered waterline has increased the number of lakeside beaches available to <br />houseboaters for anchorage. Because they have been freshly formed or sat <br />immersed for years, the newest remain clean and unchoked by vegetation. <br />Overnighters can relax on the sand and watch as burning sunsets turn vermilion <br />buttes into fiery conflagrations of color. Those who bring their own wood can <br />follow with weenie-roasting blazes of their own. <br /> <br />By day, lake Powell still offers its usual array of diversions that includes <br />swimming, sunbathing, paddling, waterskiing, personal watercrafting and of <br />course, fishing. For those hoping to hook a whopper, the reduced reservoir <br />promises some of the best angling in its history. <br /> <br />"Fill a bathtub with water, stuff it full of fish, then drain it halfway down. It just <br />condenses the fish," points out Mike Stickler, owner of Stix Bait and Tackle in <br />Page. <br /> <br />For those content to let Mrs. Paul furnish dinner, lake Powell offers endless <br />opportunities to explore side canyons with a kayak or motorboat. Every inlet, <br />notch, slot or arm offers a chance to see something new. <br /> <br />"These are the canyons we used to see in the early days as the water was <br />coming up," says Ward. "It's like exploring back into the '60s." <br /> <br />Many wind through the cliffs like a drunken sidewinder, progressively narrowing <br />until the enclosing walls shut out all but a sliver of sky. With 13 stories of <br />additional depth, these cool and unworldly slots can feel like the lair of Gollum <br />from "lord of the Rings." Even the porous sandstone appears dark. Saturated by <br />40 years of inundation, it oozes water like a wet sponge. In these hidden haunts, <br />even the bathtub ring effect seems minimized. <br /> <br />Scourge of artificial lakes, receding water exposes a white scum of calcium <br />carbonate that stretches up to the high water mark. At lake Powell, it is most <br />noticeable on sun-baked faces, but it seems to be quickly disappearing. Ruddy <br />runoff has begun to restain the whitewashed cliffs with streaks of reddish brown, <br />and constant sloughing has eroded the coating from less vertical surfaces. <br /> <br />At canyon's end, boaters have a choice of turning around or going for an <br />exploratory stroll up terrain few have ever hiked. Another benefit of lower water is <br />easier hiking. Over time, sand and silt have been washed down from above until <br />they reached the lake level where they settled. As the water has dropped, so has <br />the sediment, leaving canyon floors flat and sandy. These water-saturated <br />deposits often form a slow version of quicksand. Hikers can move quickly and <br />stay on top, or they can dig their feet in and slowly sink into ankle-clenching muck. <br />Kids love it. <br /> <br />A favorite quicksand-free hiking destination is Rainbow Bridge, world's largest <br />sandstone span. Not long ago, water lapped beneath this towering ring of rust- <br />colored rock, and a floating dock stood within eyesight. Now, it's a pleasant 1Y<&- <br />mile stroll. Walking the trail, hikers can savor the region's remoteness, feel the <br />desert's aura and appreciate why this once lonely spot is sacred to the native <br />Navajo. <br /> <br />http://www.chicagotribune.comltravellchi-gpe 1 r2klO.2OmayO 1,1 ,3121440.story?coll=chi-travel-hed <br /> <br />Page 2 of3 <br /> <br /> <br />RetYW~~ <br /> <br /> <br />. Explore more <br />of Minnesota here <br /> <br />HOW MANY <br />VACATION DAYS 00 <br />YOU HAVE LEFT? <br /> <br />---... <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />How to advertise <br /> <br />5/2/2005 <br />