Lake Powell/Glen Canyon Library

JFRCalifornia

JFRCalifornia

Keeper of San Juan Secrets
A common question people have is what maps, guidebooks or just information in general there is for planning a trip to Lake Powell or learning more about the area. I'm always looking for new sources of information too. So I thought I'd start a thread that identifies a "library" for Lake Powell info. I'm just going to start this by listing the books and maps I have at home, with the idea that there are undoubtedly many other sources that other people on this forum have that would be interesting to read. As for the list below, I've read them all, and some of these many times, or use them as constant references. A few of these are "must haves" if you're at all interested in the area, but all of them provide great insights of one sort or another. And as for the listed websites at the end, this is just the tip of the iceberg but all of these are ones I check out routinely (including this site!)... looking forward to seeing what others have to add to this list...

Guidebooks

Boaters Guide to Lake Powell, 2nd edition. Michael Kelsey. 1996.
Boaters Guide to Lake Powell, 4th edition. Michael Kelsey. 2001.
Boaters Guide to Lake Powell, 5th edition. Michael Kelsey. 2008.
Boaters Guide to Lake Powell, 6th edition. Michael Kelsey. 2016.
The Lake Powell Boaters Guide. Dennis Netoff, et al. 1989.
Hiking Grand Staircase-Escalante and the Glen Canyon Region. Ron Adkison. 1998.
Hiking and Exploring the Paria River, 3rd edition. Michael Kelsey. 1998.
Hiking and Exploring the Paria River, 6th edition. Michael Kelsey. 2017.

Maps

Lake Powell Boating Charts. Steve and Gail Brown. 1989.
Glen Canyon National Recreation Area (map). National Geographic. 2018.
Upper Lake Powell Slots, 2015 Canyon Atlas. Joe Beradi. 2014.
Boating and Exploring Map. Stan Jones.
Indian Country Guide Map. AAA.
Lake Powell North. Fish N Map Co.
Lake Powell South. Fish N Map Co.
Guide Map to Lake Powell. North Star Mapping.
Navigating Lake Powell Map. Dave Tate. 1996.
Page-Lake Powell Official Visitors Guide. 2004.

Journals – Travel – Description – Photos

The Exploration of the Colorado River and the High Plateaus of Utah by the Second Powell Expedition of 1871-1872. Herbert Gregory. 1949.
The Exploration of the Colorado River and Its Canyons. J. W. Powell. 1895.
A Canyon Voyage—The Narrative of the Second Powell Expedition. Frederick Dellenbaugh. 1908.
First Through Grand Canyon. Michael Ghiglieri. 2003.
The Place No One Knew. Eliot Porter. 1963.
A Wild Redhead Tamed. Pete Klocki and Tiffany Mapel. 2013.
The Colorado River Through Glen Canyon Before Lake Powell—Historic Photo Journal 1872-1964. Eleanor Inskip. 1995.
The Emerald Mile. Kevin Fedarko. 2014.

History – Sociology – Science

Glen Canyon Dammed. Jared Farmer. 1999.
Dead Pool. James Lawrence Powell. 2008.
Beyond the Hundredth Meridian. Wallace Stegner. 1953.
Down the Great Unknown. Edward Dolnick. 2001.
Hole in the Rock. David Miller. 1959.
White Canyon. Tom McCourt. 2003.
Encounters with the Archdruid. John McPhee. 1971.
Singing Stone—A Natural History of the Escalante Canyons. Thomas Lowe Feischner. 1999.
Floating Hogans in Monument Valley. Wanda Morlan Ellis. 2007.
New Courses for the Colorado River. Gary Weatherford and F. Lee Brown. 1986.
Grand Canyon – Solving Earth’s Grandest Puzzle. James Lawrence Powell. 2005.
Standing Up County. C. Gregory Crampton. 1964.
Ghosts of Glen Canyon. C. Gregory Crampton. 1988.
A River No More: The Colorado River and the West. Philip L. Fradkin. 1968 (1996 editiion).
A Story That Stands Like a Dam: Glen Canyon and the Struggle for the Soul of the West. Russell Martin. 1989.

Biography – Memoir

My Lake My Life. Wayne Gustaveson. 2015.
Glen Canyon Betrayed. Katie Lee. 2006. (updated version of "All My Rivers Are Gone")
Ramblings by Boat and by Boot. Stan Jones. 1998.
Everett Ruess: A Vagabond for Beauty. W. L. Rusho. 1983.
The Very Hard Way—Bert Loper and the Colorado River. Brad Dimock. 2007.

Literature – Anthology

The Monkey Wrench Gang. Edward Abbey. 1975.
The Glen Canyon Reader. Mathew Barrett Gross. 2003.
Desert Solitaire. Edward Abbey. 1968.
Beyond the Wall. Edward Abbey. 1971.

Websites

I could list dozens here, but these are among the ones I find the most useful or have some sort of unique insight about the lake or region:

https://wayneswords.net
https://silgro.com
http://lakepowell.water-data.com
Glen Canyon Dam | Water Operations | UC Region | Bureau of Reclamation
https://www.lakepowell.com
https://antelopepointlakepowell.com
http://www.fredsliquorstore.com
https://www.glencanyon.org
http://www.lakepowell.org
http://www.lakepowell.org/documents/Lake Powell Chronology - 1960's.pdf
 
Last edited:
wayne gustaveson said:
When are we going to see the Lake Powell Boating, Camping and Hiking Guide written by:

JFRCalifornia​


Once that book is available we will only need one reference to become familiar with all the canyons in Lake Powell and beyond! Can't Wait!!!
Click to expand...
working...working... the dilemma is what not to include, and how to manage my time with a day job that keeps getting in the way...
 
JFRCalifornia said:
A common question people have is what maps, guidebooks or just information in general there is for planning a trip to Lake Powell or learning more about the area. I'm always looking for new sources of information too. So I thought I'd start a thread that identifies a "library" for Lake Powell info. I'm just going to start this by listing the books and maps I have at home, with the idea that there are undoubtedly many other sources that other people on this forum have that would be interesting to read. As for the list below, I've read them all, and some of these many times, or use them as constant references. A few of these are "must haves" if you're at all interested in the area, but all of them provide great insights of one sort or another. And as for the listed websites at the end, this is just the tip of the iceberg but all of these are ones I check out routinely (including this site!)... looking forward to seeing what others have to add to this list...

Guidebooks

Boaters Guide to Lake Powell, 2nd edition. Michael Kelsey. 1996.
Boaters Guide to Lake Powell, 4th edition. Michael Kelsey. 2001.
Boaters Guide to Lake Powell, 5th edition. Michael Kelsey. 2008.
Boaters Guide to Lake Powell, 6th edition. Michael Kelsey. 2016.
The Lake Powell Boaters Guide. Dennis Netoff, et al. 1989.
Hiking Grand Staircase-Escalante and the Glen Canyon Region. Ron Adkison. 1998.
Hiking and Exploring the Paria River, 3rd edition. Michael Kelsey. 1998.
Hiking and Exploring the Paria River, 6th edition. Michael Kelsey. 2017.

Maps

Lake Powell Boating Charts. Steve and Gail Brown. 1989.
Glen Canyon National Recreation Area (map). National Geographic. 2018.
Upper Lake Powell Slots, 2015 Canyon Atlas. Joe Beradi. 2014.
Boating and Exploring Map. Stan Jones.
Indian Country Guide Map. AAA.
Lake Powell North. Fish N Map Co.
Lake Powell South. Fish N Map Co.
Guide Map to Lake Powell. North Star Mapping.
Navigating Lake Powell Map. Dave Tate. 1996.
Page-Lake Powell Official Visitors Guide. 2004.

Journals – Travel – Description – Photos

The Exploration of the Colorado River and the High Plateaus of Utah by the Second Powell Expedition of 1871-1872. Herbert Gregory. 1949.
The Exploration of the Colorado River and Its Canyons. J. W. Powell. 1895.
A Canyon Voyage—The Narrative of the Second Powell Expedition. Frederick Dellenbaugh. 1908.
First Through Grand Canyon. Michael Ghiglieri. 2003.
The Place No One Knew. Eliot Porter. 1963.
A Wild Redhead Tamed. Pete Klocki and Tiffany Mapel. 2013.
The Colorado River Through Glen Canyon Before Lake Powell—Historic Photo Journal 1872-1964. Eleanor Inskip. 1995.
The Emerald Mile. Kevin Fedarko. 2014.

History – Sociology – Science

Glen Canyon Dammed. Jared Farmer. 1999.
Dead Pool. James Lawrence Powell. 2008.
Beyond the Hundredth Meridian. Wallace Stegner. 1953.
Down the Great Unknown. Edward Dolnick. 2001.
Hole in the Rock. David Miller. 1959.
White Canyon. Tom McCourt. 2003.
Encounters with the Archdruid. John McPhee. 1971.
Singing Stone—A Natural History of the Escalante Canyons. Thomas Lowe Feischner. 1999.
Floating Hogans in Monument Valley. Wanda Morlan Ellis. 2007.
New Courses for the Colorado River. Gary Weatherford and F. Lee Brown. 1986.
Grand Canyon – Solving Earth’s Grandest Puzzle. James Lawrence Powell. 2005.
Standing Up County. C. Gregory Crampton. 1964.
Ghosts of Glen Canyon. C. Gregory Crampton. 1988.
A River No More: The Colorado River and the West. Philip L. Fradkin. 1968 (1996 editiion).
A Story That Stands Like a Dam: Glen Canyon and the Struggle for the Soul of the West. Russell Martin. 1989.

Biography – Memoir

My Lake My Life. Wayne Gustaveson. 2015.
Glen Canyon Betrayed. Katie Lee. 2006. (updated version of "All My Rivers Are Gone")
Ramblings by Boat and by Boot. Stan Jones. 1998.
Everett Ruess: A Vagabond for Beauty. W. L. Rusho. 1983.
The Very Hard Way—Bert Loper and the Colorado River. Brad Dimock. 2007.

Literature – Anthology

The Monkey Wrench Gang. Edward Abbey. 1975.
The Glen Canyon Reader. Mathew Barrett Gross. 2003.
Desert Solitaire. Edward Abbey. 1968.
Beyond the Wall. Edward Abbey. 1971.

Websites

I could list dozens here, but these are among the ones I find the most useful or have some sort of unique insight about the lake or region:

https://wayneswords.net
https://silgro.com
http://lakepowell.water-data.com
Glen Canyon Dam | Water Operations | UC Region | Bureau of Reclamation
https://www.lakepowell.com
https://antelopepointlakepowell.com
http://www.fredsliquorstore.com
https://www.glencanyon.org
http://www.lakepowell.org
http://www.lakepowell.org/documents/Lake Powell Chronology - 1960's.pdf
Click to expand...
How about "Lake Powell Tales an Anthology of Adventure" edited by our own Tiffany Maple 2007 also "The Lost Tracks a Journey of Discovery" by Andre Delgalvis 2015
 
Hmmm... when do you kiss and tell, and when do you just enjoy the kiss in silence.

All the info that JR has access to, you also have access to. JR just has a higher passion for it and seeks it and is rewarded with treasures for his efforts.

There are a lot of hints of treasures at Powell, as one who values these treasures I am scared to see them published as destruction in todays selfish society is immenient, as there are just too many people lacking respect.

Kelsey - now there is an interesting discussion... hint - research Kelsey.

Folks - do the same thing that JR has done - self educate - he has given you a bounty of sources. If you are not lazy you will put forth the effort and join those who want to protect these treasure. If you do not put forth the effort maybe those treasures are best not seen. If access is easy there is a diminished value.
 
Jim Arndt said:
The best Lake Powell "Fiction" book and a must read for anyone fond of the lake, "Wet Desert" by Gary Hansen. I'm fond of the main character... :)
Click to expand...
Just finished reading Wet Desert. Loved it, and was impressed with the author's detailed knowledge of Lake Powell... a page turner for sure...

Here's my full book review:

A more serious version of The Monkey Wrench Gang, this time with a Bureau of Reclamation engineer as the lead character. It reads like a cross between a Tom Clancy thriller and Edward Abbey’s fantasy about removing Glen Canyon Dam, only with less humor and more technical details. But it’s an exciting page turner, structured with short cliff-hanging chapters, leading the reader through three fateful days in the desert along the length of the Colorado River from Glen Canyon Dam to the Gulf of California. Well-researched and packed with geek-worthy information about water, dams, and flow rates, it works best in the scenes following the fates of boaters on Lake Powell and rafters in the Grand Canyon while disaster unfolds. Some of the plot points are a little too easily tied up, but the characters are engaging and well-drawn, even if the motives of “environmentalists” are standard clichés and not as nuanced as the portraits of the engineers, which is saying something. Still, the descriptions of Lake Powell are fantastic for anyone who knows it well, even if some of the details are slightly fudged in places to move the plot along. A great read.
 
Maps

Lake Powell Boating Charts. Steve and Gail Brown. 1989.
Glen Canyon National Recreation Area (map). National Geographic. 2018.
Upper Lake Powell Slots, 2015 Canyon Atlas. Joe Beradi. 2014.
Boating and Exploring Map. Stan Jones.
Indian Country Guide Map. AAA.
Lake Powell North. Fish N Map Co.
Lake Powell South. Fish N Map Co.
Guide Map to Lake Powell. North Star Mapping.
Navigating Lake Powell Map. Dave Tate. 1996.
Page-Lake Powell Official Visitors Guide. 2004.
Click to expand...
Please add:
Lake Powell GPS Maps

Websites

I could list dozens here, but these are among the ones I find the most useful or have some sort of unique insight about the lake or region:

https://wayneswords.net
https://silgro.com
http://lakepowell.water-data.com
Glen Canyon Dam | Water Operations | UC Region | Bureau of Reclamation
https://www.lakepowell.com
https://antelopepointlakepowell.com
http://www.fredsliquorstore.com
https://www.glencanyon.org
http://www.lakepowell.org
http://www.lakepowell.org/documents/Lake Powell Chronology - 1960's.pdf
Click to expand...
and
Lake Powell Map Coverage

Thanks
 
Long time reader, infrequent poster. I am in Phoenix and my buddy and I spend a couple weeks a year on LP. He read me something that I want to verify. Does Utah require me (I bring my boat) to take a quagga "class" in order to put in at LP now. Never did before. I Always decontaminate. Is the class BS true??
 
Hooooo boy, do I have some books for you that I've found helpful in my research.

Slickrock by Edward Abbey
The Colorado Plateau by Donald Baars (geology)
Rainbow Bridge by Charles Bernheimer (exploration in the 1920s, focused on RB)
the University of Utah Anthropological Papers, Glen Canyon Series (anthropology and history from before the lake, generally pretty difficult to find)
Powell of the Colorado by William Culp Darrah
The Romance of the Colorado River by Frederick S. Dellenbaugh (history, by a member of Powell's second expedition)
The Glen Canyon Country by Don Fowler (general history of the area, by an anthropologist who got his start excavating Anasazi sites in Glen Canyon)
Downriver by Heather Hansman (not necessarily about Lake Powell but covers many of the relevant water issues)
Cass Hite by James Knipmeyer
The Life and Times of Denis Julien by Knipmeyer (both biographies of canyon country residents)
The Powell Expedition by Don Lago (only useful for those who want to get into the weeds of John Wesley Powell like I have)
The Ghosts of Dandy Crossing by Katie Lee (semi-autobiographical novel about the people who loved Glen Canyon and the river)
Exploring Desert Stone by Steven Madsen (history of the 1859 Macomb expedition that paved the way for John Wesley Powell)
Navajo Mountain and Rainbow Bridge Religion by Karl Luckert (Navajo beliefs and religious ceremonies about RB)
From Powell to Power by Otis 'Dock' Marston (history of the first 100 people to go through the Grand Canyon)
King of the Colorado by Tom McCourt (historical novel about Cass Hite)
Lake Powell by Loren Potter and Charles Drake (science and natural history)
Dead Pool by James Lawrence Powell (history and climatology)
Cadillac Desert by Marc Reisner (history of Reclamation)
Colorado River Controversies by Robert Brewster Stanton (John Wesley Powell's dirty laundry)
Glen Canyon and the San Juan Country by Gary Topping (general history)
The Dominguez-Escalante Journal edited by Ted Warner and translated by Angelico Chavez
The Colorado by Frank Waters (beautifully written about the whole river)
A River Running West by Donald Worster (the longest and most recent John Wesley Powell biography)
Rivers of Empire by Donald Worster (history of Reclamation, disclaimer: not recommended for light reading)

These are the books I've read that I figured people on this forum would be interested in. I have more but they're less relevant to Lake Powell itself. And then of course, there's mine but we'll all have to wait a little while for that.
 
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