The Dammed Colorado – Scenic Lake Powell

Yá’át’ééh.  “Welcome”  in Navajo.

I say the traditional greeting out of the great respect I hold for our native American Navajo upon whose traditional lands these photographs and this trip represent.  Many years ago, I had the honor of working for two years alongside some of the Navajo people in one of our national parks, the Petrified Forest in Northern Arizona.  Although I attempted to learn the Navajo native tongue, it was very difficult for me and all I honestly know is this greeting. Yá’át’ééh.

Years later I was again intrigued with the land of the Navajo and decided to travel to Northern Arizona to experience the beauty of the Navajo lands – again.  My close friend, who became my husband about 7 years later, invited himself on a journey I had planned to Lake Powell to camp in and explore the Escalante Canyon. This year we returned with family and good friends in tow and spent a week on a 70 foot houseboat re-visiting the first half of the lake from the Glen Canyon Dam to the Escalante River that joins the mighty Colorado River.

Of particular interest is that the lake is fully 50 feet lower now than it was 25 years ago. Where previously only the Cretaceous Period layers (65 Million years ago) were visible, now the lower lake levels have exposed the Triassic Period (250 Million years ago) layers previously affected by the completion of the dam in 1963. Geologists are ecstatic!

Please join us as we travel up the Colorado viewing the most incredible vistas you can possibly imagine!  Everywhere I looked I was astounded by the unending peaceful beauty surrounding us and the images my soul urged me to record.