Hite Marina 1993 (USGS aerial)

Status
Not open for further replies.
BarzArz

BarzArz

Well-Known Member
GoogleEarth_Image.jpg

Reading the thread on the long gone San Juan Marina was really interesting and made me start thinking about the Hite Marina. My family really enjoys the North end and have been fortunate to camp and launch out of Hite a few times in 2017 and again this year. We always talk about how great it must have been when the lake was higher and the marina was in service. I was there in the late 70's or early 80's but really can't recall much about it.
I struck out in looking for some aerials of the San Juan Marina, but really enjoyed the mid 80's pictures that Powellbride shared. In looking for those I happened upon the above aerial in the historic images on Google Earth, so thought I would post this one. Its neat to see the concrete ramp "in the water" and also the Marina itself down near what I know as the "primitive ramp". The houseboats out on the Buoy field are neat too, I did not realize that was where the marina actually was, nor recall how it was laid out. I though some of you might enjoy this, my wife and I did...

I have included a few pictures looking down on Hite from the Hite Overlook Area across the lake, off of State Highway 95 (Bicentennial Highway) and a picture or two of more recent activity at the primitive ramp!
I look forward to any Hite information anyone may provide...
Thanks for looking...

2015 June
IMG_0046.JPG


2016 - June
IMG_2564.JPG

2017- Oct. (Hite Primitive Ramp from the Water)
IMG_9802.JPG

2019 - March
IMG_9276.JPG



2019 - June
IMG_2720.JPG

2019 - September - Hite Primitive Ramp
Hite Prim Ramp.jpg
 
Nice thread and thanks for the pictures.
I fished out of Hite in 87 with some friends, it was a big bay then. The marina as I recall was as good as bullfrog at the time. There are many People on this site that would really like to see the lake that full again, I feel lucky to have seen it fill and crest in the early 80’s. In those days you didn’t want to set your tent too close to the water, I have seen several friends have to dry things out and move up the beach when it was rising. I don’t have any pictures of Hite that I know of but I will look in my “old” albums.
 
We had a few friends that together we hit a lot of different lakes and places on the circuit of CO, NE,WY,UT and AZ. I think we were up there a few times in the early to mid 90's, when the Marina was still operating. We did a few Labor Days up there and could run up lake past the Bridge and even up the Dirty Devil, which was Really a rush, twisting and turning through what seemed almost like a jungle river...Can't remember the year, but saw pics of the houseboats on the Bouy Field, that were being pulled under by the river current I think it was the demise of the Marina , soon after.
 
botnb said:
We had a few friends that together we hit a lot of different lakes and places on the circuit of CO, NE,WY,UT and AZ. I think we were up there a few times in the early to mid 90's, when the Marina was still operating. We did a few Labor Days up there and could run up lake past the Bridge and even up the Dirty Devil, which was Really a rush, twisting and turning through what seemed almost like a jungle river...Can't remember the year, but saw pics of the houseboats on the Bouy Field, that were being pulled under by the river current I think it was the demise of the Marina , soon after.
Click to expand...
I'm pretty sure it was low water that shut down the marina
 
Great picture's, I had fished Powell three or four times in the upper 80's, but got addicted, and really fishing it hard, in 1997 with some friend's that had fished it from the time it started filling. In 97 you could launch in Farley's, and have your own private ramp, if I recall the lake was 3672, and there would be 200 people in Farley's, on a good weekend. In July of 97, I went from Farley's, and chased boil's in the muddy water's of HIte, and have loved the North end every since. It was'nt very many year's later, they moved Hite to Bullfrog, low water year's had taken it's toll.
I started reading Wayne's word's I think in 2001, and have been hooked on it every since. What ever year it was, Wayne had guaranteed, if you went to Striper city you would see boil's. We took a 14 ft boat, with an 8 hp Honda, and packed it all to the water in Farley and chased boil's all by our selves, until some fish and game guy's showed up, and checked us, we talked them into selling us a Zara spook, because we had lost most of our's.

Great time's, that have just got better over the year's.
Thank's for the post BarzArz.
 
Any of you old timers remember Doc that worked at Hite Marina? I camped and fished with him on numerous trips to the San Juan in the early 80s. I lost touch with him many moons ago.
 
Anybody remember Art, he was the camp tender in Farley's in 97, would love to know if he's still around, he was from the SLC, area.
 
Scrounged up a couple pics and I know I have more.
6C1038F1-822F-437F-B201-50CCBF6CA533.jpeg
one of my favorite pictures of all time, me and my dad at the Hite overlook, gotta be 92ish...?

Then another one I found, my dad (standing) and uncle. Looks like they’re on one of the fueling docks maybe? Picture is looking into north wash. Late 80’s on this one.
Sorry for the picture of the pictures.
-Preston
12BF4503-096C-404D-BCB2-5650888B2DD3.jpeg
 
Preston,
Really neat pictures of you, your Dad and Uncle... thanks for putting them on!
Looking at yours and my more recent pictures, interesting looking at the Lake level in the picture from Hite overlook, looking up lake toward the bridge.
And I would agree, looking toward the "gunsight" at North Wash would put your Dad and Uncle down about the current Hite Primitive ramp...about 1000' down lake from where I took this from.

We really need to get a picture of you and Nixon at the same spot at Hite Overlook with the bridge behind you...I'll be happy to do it if we can get there at the same time...here's hoping for high water next summer, We'll meet you at Hite!:)

IMG_9270-Dungee.jpg


IMG_3655 rev-Dungee 2.jpg
 
Great photos!! Really good sequence over time... Interesting to compare them in terms of lake levels... Assuming the photos were from the middle of each month you took them (I could be wrong), the lake levels in your photos from lowest to highest were:

March 2019 - 3571
June 2019 - 3598
June 2015 - 3606
June 2016 - 3613
Sept 2019 - 3617
Oct 2017 - 3628
 
Alright, scrounged up a few more pics. Sorry for the picture of the picture again but that was easy.
551E8F60-2386-438A-A0DB-53DFDF8C1B23.jpeg
Can kind of see how the Marina was set up. This is my sister, Peter and I.
3D845833-9403-4B17-A4F9-18B2D66AF7A0.jpeg
Another one of my dad and I. I think this might actually be a year prior than the first one like this. I thought it was interesting that the mud line was at the confluence of the Colorado and Dirty Devil, now we stress about how far into Good Hope it goes...
9F9D0D73-5A06-4B92-AEC7-13E1FEBD6D0F.jpeg
Fish cleaning station. Note the actual water in the background lol.
257E1C6B-D981-4D0B-B995-533BAB15F40F.jpeg
Another fish cleaning one, lots of campers and people in general up behind.
AA07711E-B0D4-4E14-A0BB-16CAA68BB247.jpeg
Last one I wanted to include, people were mentioning the huge crowds back in the day in Farley. It literally was a small town at times. We of course were right in there as well. My cousin Amanda with the fish and Peter and I on the right at our camp table. Our usual Farley spot was one of the first spots there to the right just as your able to open up from the dirt road in.

So many more pictures and so many great memories growing up fishing the north end. And @wayne gustaveson you’re 100% right, I vividly remember sitting in school, and especially days before trips daydreaming about slowly putting out of Farley, smelling the two stroke smoke and not being able to wait to catch fish. I could hardly sleep the night before trips. I miss those days, I miss the north being the way it was. Miss listening to the camp next to us put “swingtown” on repeat and kill their battery as they slowly passed out. I miss my grandpa not being able to come (he will be 97 in February). Maybe someday the north can be like that again. But until then Powell is just as special, no matter how many times I go it feels like the first time. Very few places can make you feel like that. I love Lake Powell, I’m glad I can pass that on.
 
Great pictures and memories. Thanks for sharing them. I did not discover Lake Powell until I was 28 years old. I am jealous (in a good way) that you got to experience it at a young age. I got my son involved in Lake Powell at 15 years old and now 29 years later his love for the lake is strong.
 
Dungee Fishing said:
Alright, scrounged up a few more pics. Sorry for the picture of the picture again but that was easy.
View attachment 6551
Can kind of see how the Marina was set up. This is my sister, Peter and I.
View attachment 6552
Another one of my dad and I. I think this might actually be a year prior than the first one like this. I thought it was interesting that the mud line was at the confluence of the Colorado and Dirty Devil, now we stress about how far into Good Hope it goes...
View attachment 6553
Fish cleaning station. Note the actual water in the background lol.
View attachment 6554
Another fish cleaning one, lots of campers and people in general up behind.
View attachment 6555
Last one I wanted to include, people were mentioning the huge crowds back in the day in Farley. It literally was a small town at times. We of course were right in there as well. My cousin Amanda with the fish and Peter and I on the right at our camp table. Our usual Farley spot was one of the first spots there to the right just as your able to open up from the dirt road in.

So many more pictures and so many great memories growing up fishing the north end. And @wayne gustaveson you’re 100% right, I vividly remember sitting in school, and especially days before trips daydreaming about slowly putting out of Farley, smelling the two stroke smoke and not being able to wait to catch fish. I could hardly sleep the night before trips. I miss those days, I miss the north being the way it was. Miss listening to the camp next to us put “swingtown” on repeat and kill their battery as they slowly passed out. I miss my grandpa not being able to come (he will be 97 in February). Maybe someday the north can be like that again. But until then Powell is just as special, no matter how many times I go it feels like the first time. Very few places can make you feel like that. I love Lake Powell, I’m glad I can pass that on.
Click to expand...
For you to miss it means you experienced it. I don't think it could get much better for a kid. You're a lucky man.
 
My first experience with Lake Powell was August 1983, we rented a houseboat out of Hite. Don't remember much about the trip other than there weren't very many beaches and a lot of debris in the water, bent up a few props on logs in the water. I think the next year we went out of Bullfrog.
 
Bill Sampson said:
Great pictures and memories. Thanks for sharing them. I did not discover Lake Powell until I was 28 years old. I am jealous (in a good way) that you got to experience it at a young age. I got my son involved in Lake Powell at 15 years old and now 29 years later his love for the lake is strong.
Click to expand...
Bill, I have the same deal. Drove past Powell many times in my late teens/ 20s and only stopped to cliff jump on shoreline drive. (Early 70's-80s) It was free to get in back then, if I remember right. Wish I knew then what I know now. Probably couldn't afford a boat back then but could have come up with something. No wonder Dungee is a go to guy for fishing Powell
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top