Hey all,
I'm planning a camping trip to Yellowstone this summer, and am currently planning on taking the hobie 16 with the intent of getting at least a day in on Lake Yellowstone, and / or a day on the lake in Grand Teton NP.

anyone ever sailed either? Just curious if sailing in a National Park lake carries a high PITA factor, or if the're pretty accomodating...

thx.
ab

no idea, but would love to hear what you find out (if its not part of this thread)

Do you have a dry suit. The water temp is a solid 37 degrees. I was thinking the same thing last year and changed my mind big time. However, if you stay in or around the West Yellowstone entrance you are very close to Hebgen Lake which could be a good place to sail.

I actually put in there but didn't have much wind so didn't do much.

There are 2 good spots to put in at Hebgen. A boat ramp at a campground at:

44°44'1.32"N
111°13'50.93"W

Beach launch just up the dirt road a ways. You will drive by some residential beach houses but there is a stretch of beach that is not private just past. Road is dirt and can rough. I pulled my Prindle 18 in there but I had bad tires and had a flat. Beach is easy to launch from but beware of mosquites and you do NOT want to be there at dusk or you won't even be able to inhale without swallowing at least 10. Also there are no facilities there.

44°44'38.99"N
111°14'45.95"W

put those into Google earth and you can see exactly where they are.

There is also Henries lake about and hour away in ID at a town called Island Park. Drove by it but didn't sail there. looks nice.

I think most of the lakes in the park you will find are probably to cold for a cat unless you are very prepared. I really don't have any cold water gear so it was an easy choice for me.

Also assuming you coming via I-80 to SLC and up via I-15 you might consider straying a bit off the Freeway and hitting Bear Lake on the UT/ID border on the way up or home. It has nice Carabean blue waters and lots of good beach spots for a cat. It's one of my favorite spots in Utah to camp and sail.

Rendezvous Beach
41°50'55.74"N
111°21'6.45"W

North beach
42° 6'56.05"N
111°17'43.41"W



edited by: Quarath, Jun 16, 2009 - 12:49 PM

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Dustin Finlinson • Magna, UT
Member: Utah Sailing Association
1982 Prindle 18
1986 Hobie 17
1982 Prindle 16
1980 Prindle 16(mostly)
1976 Prindle 16(mostly)
Check out "Prindle Sailors" on Facebook.
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ditto on the cold water precautions. A few years ago we were kayaking Jenny Lake in the Tetons when one of our group dumped it over and spent~15 min righting his boat, ehough to turn blue and get hypothermic. Luckily, a local told us about a "secret" pond that is a thermal spring (temp 105 deg.) so we warmed up there. Would definitely be a cool, scenic place to sail

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eddiecat

Nacra 5.0 (destroyed in storm)
Hobie 16 (restored)
Nacra 5.5- amalgam "Franken Cat"
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thanks guys. i learned the average end of July temps are 45 at best, so am starting to think i may pass. i'll check the other sites tho.

thx again