Powell's Legacy: a concise history and camping primer for Glen Canyon
Last week I introduced some information for planning a relaxing float trip along the 15-mile ribbon of red sandstone below Glen Canyon Dam. The stretch is all that remains of the Glen Canyon explorer Major John Wesley Powell saw and recorded in 1869.
Here's a bit of background on the rich history of the Glen Canyon to enrich your own expedition.
A one-armed Civil War vet, Major Powell demanded to be tied to a chair in the center of his dory (that's a small wooden oar boat) so he wouldn't fall out when he and his crew crashed down the unknown rapids he was responsible for mapping.
He wrote and published detailed notes of his seminal 1869 and 1871 explorations down the Green and Colorado Rivers. He named canyons and major formations freely as he went, including Glen Canyon.
In Glen Canyon, he found respite from the pounding rapids from Cataract Canyon above and the Marble and Grand Canyons below.
Powell describes the 6000 square mile canyon as a "curious ensemble of wonderful features - carved walls, royal arches, glens, alcove gulches, mounds and monuments...we decide to call it Glen Canyon."
Powell's 1869 river journey is considered by historians the last great exploration in the continental United States, placing him in the company of Lewis and Clarke and other famous adventurers.
In his later years, Powell became head of both the United States Geological Survey and the Bureau of American Ethnology.
One hundred years from Powell's historic expedition of discovery, the canyon he admired so greatly was effectively drowned. By 1969,recaptured waters of the Colorado nearly filled the new basin, hiding hundreds of side canyons and thousands of ancient Anasazi historical sites. Interestingly, the new lake was named Powell, in honor of the colorful explorer.
Today Lake Powell is a National Recreation Area - and love it or hate it - the area receives high use: 3 million visitors boat and camp here every year. The lake is undeniably beautiful in its red walls, sandy beaches, and tempting twists and bends.
The Glen Canyon Dam itself is widely considered a marvel of engineering: completed in 1963, the dam took 10 million tons of concrete and seven years to built. The wall rises 587 feet from the riverbed and contains 26,214,861 acre-feet of water.
Free dam tours are available for those wishing more history on the engineering of this controversial concrete plug.
The John Wesley Powell Memorial Museum in Page also offers much more information about the exploration, Native American and local history of the area. A full-scale replica of Powell's original dory is on display. The museum is open daily (closed from mid-Dec to mid-Feb). Call 928-645-9496 for more information, or explore http://museum@page-lakepowell.com.
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