 Photo
by Dan Cordsen
ON TOP OF THE WORLD -- Page resident Mike Peterson takes a PWC
break on the ridge high above Duck Creek. Jerry Puckett has come up
with a variation on this publication's theme -- watersports -- and
written his "Outdoors With Bubba" column on a very chilly version of
it: frozen watersports.
Lake Powell s Frozen Assets
By Jerry "Bubba" Puckett
Greetings from the shores of Lake Powell the red rock
repository for the water that flows each spring in liquid form from
the high country in Utah, Colorado, parts of Wyoming, New Mexico,
and portions of various other states west of the continental divide.
On the strength of that watershed, Lake Powell is quite possibly
the greatest place on the planet to engage in watery recreational
pursuits, but it s not the only place to enjoy this particular water
far from it.
In fact, you need not even wait for Lake Powell s water to take
on its familiar watery form and course its way downstream via
Powell s tributaries. It s possible to beat the summertime rush and
play with the giant desert reservoir s water supply today, long
before any pleasure boater or fisherman gets to play in it.
For the sake of this fine publication, let s just call this a
rather chilly form of watersports, really chilly as in "frozen
watersports."
Back in the good old days in northern New Mexico, it was standard
procedure for us to make a weekly migration from our river valley
home near Farmington to the high country near Chama, N.M. or
Durango, Colo., for the express purpose of enjoying the frozen
watersport I mentioned others may choose to call it
"snowmobiling."
That was the late 70s, and snowmobiling was really growing as a
recreational sport, or at least that was the case there in New
Mexico. Horsepower and speed were up as were improved suspensions
and electric-start and water-cooled models.
But, it s been nearly 20 years since I ve been on a sled, so to
catch up on the latest sled scoop I made a call to a buddy of mine
who believes in playing on Lake Powell and Lake Mead s water supply
while it s still in a solid state.
Mark Pollard and his wife Heidi spent years in the extreme high
snow country in northern Colorado before relocating to Lake Powell.
These days, Mark is one of the tour boat pilots for Lake Powell
Resorts and Marinas, and Heidi is the manager of the Dangling Rope
Marina for the same company.
Bubba Mark, how long have you been a snowmobile fan, and
what changes have you seen in equipment in the past years?
Mark Heidi and I have been avid snowmobilers for the past
18 years. You mentioned changes with the sleds, and you are right
about that today everyone offers long-track machines with upgraded
suspensions that are really great for blasting the powder, and the
long track is a real blessing for a big guy like me.
Most models feature independent front suspensions that eat up the
moguls and trails and don t forget the horsepower. These days most
all makes offer 800cc to 1000cc machines mucho go-power.
Bubba Where do you snowmobile these days, and what is the
season for sledding?
Mark The closest area to Lake Powell is also one of the
best, so Heidi and I spend a lot of Saturdays over that way during
the off-season here at Lake Powell usually from December through
early April. It s just 116 miles from my house here at Page to Duck
Creek Village in what they call the Strawberry Complex.
That s high country, with some trails topping out at near 10,000
feet above sea level. It s really an amazing area.
You can start from Pinewoods Resort on snowmobiles and visit
Cedar Breaks National Monument, Brianhead, Navajo Lake, Panguitch
Lake, Red Desert, Mammoth Caves, Ice Caves, Strawberry Point
(overlook of Zion) and the Ice Cave.
All in all, there are 225 miles of state-groomed trails there,
and hundreds of miles of ungroomed trails awaiting the more
experienced rider. By the way, for first timers, Pinewood Resort is
located just a mile east of Duck Creek Village and offers everything
for beginners, including bibs, helmets, and rentals on brand-new
machines.
Bubba Any tips for first-time sledders Mark?
Mark Well, it s always best to research the area, have a map
and familiarize yourself with it, carry emergency supplies if you re
headed to the backcountry, and of course, seek training before
venturing forth. Oh, and my wife Heidi always reminds me that when
snowmobiling, tree hugging should be a slow speed sport if all
else fails jump into a snow bank; that s always much softer than a
tree!
For additional info on trips and snowmobile rentals, contact Cory
at Pinewood Resort and Blue Pine Tours, located at Cedar Mountain
Village, just off Utah Highway 14, 31 miles east of Cedar City,
Utah, or 10 miles from U.S. Highway 89 at Long Valley Junction.
More information is available at 1 (800) 848-2525 or (435)
682-2512 or
www.pinewoodsresort.com and
www.bluepinetours.com. |
