Show Lake Lale Powell To Be Se Dedicated One hundred years have passed since John Wesley Powell and eight companions sailed three wooden boats through the cOI confluence luence of the Green and Colorado rivers into the churning waters of oC Cataract Canyon and on to what is now the Glen Canyon Recreation Area and Lake Powell ON JUNE 19 mile long Lake Powell will be dedicated by the Bureau of Reclamation in honor of this great American explorer who first mapped and surveyed Glen Canyon Also to be bo dedicated is a aJohn aJohn aJohn John Wesley Powell Historic Museum near Glen CanyonDam CanyonDam Canyon CanyonDam Dam in Page Arizona WHEN MAJOR Powell first saw the area it was a frightening frightening display of high impregnable impregnable impregnable im im- im- im pregnable canyon walls with mazes of side canyons The main gorge was filled with the murky brown water of the mighty Colorado Now the main gorge is a adeep adeep adeep deep blue lake and the side canyons are intriguing recreational recreational recreational rec rec- rec- rec areas for thousands of boaters and campers who visit the Utah Arizona lake BUT years before Powell and even earlier explorers explorers explorers ex ex- ex- ex entered the region the ancient Moki Indians built their civilization within the canyons of the Colorado Stone houses and storage bins lined the walls along the upper cliffs and small steps etched into the sheer walls below were the only access THE CLIFF CUFF Dwellings were invincible Sheer red sandstone walls gave protection protection protection pro pro- from marauding bands of hunters mountain lions and coyotes that wandered the riverbanks Lake Powell has nearly 1900 miles of shoreline and is still growing Each mile holds some mystery worth exploring The ancient dwellings are part of that mystery and many boaters become hikers to get a better look at the area LOCATED near the middle of the lake close to Bullfrog Basin Marina and Halls Hall's Crossing Ferry Service are side canyons where ruins of the ancient Indians can still be seen Above the winding waters of Moki Mold Canyon many of the slab rock-slab dwellings are nestled close to the cliff in nearly the same condition they were in before Columbus was born The ruins blend with the sandstone gorge and it takes sharp eyes or a good guide to note the difference between natural rock and man made dwellings NEAR MANY of the ruins are Indian writings or pet- pet drawn on the walls Pictures of oC deer bows and arrows circular figures and strange man manlike man like gods with decorative triangular heads line the smooth walls The pictographs never have been fully interpreted and it itis itis itis is still debatable if U they were simply ornamental iI informational informational orma- orma or part of oC the Moki's religion SOUTH OF the two marinas is Lost Eden Canyon one of the most scenic areas on Lake Powell Dwellings line the walls of this canyon where the Indians Indian once farmed the sandbars of the rivers and streams Metates corn grinders have been found below the houses along with bowl shaped holes scraped out of the sandstone by the ancients ancients ancients an who sat for hours grinding the corn BOTH BULLFROG Basin and Halls Hall's Crossing rent boats and equipment for visitors who want to explore the mystery of Lake Powell and enjoy the history of the rugged canyon country of the Colorado |