Number 1: (Picture above) Canyon is by far the most beautiful lake I have ever skied. The main bowl of the lake is approximately a couple of miles across, with a large dam at one end, and a marina housing several hundred boats at the other end. There is even a paddle boat they use to give cruises of the lake. By far, the best part is the long meandering canyon (probably more than five miles long!) at the East end of the lake. Large sloping rock walls, and sandy beaches make this lake really stand out!
Number 2: Saguaro lake is the smallest lake I have ever skied, but it is probably only second in beauty to Canyon. Saguaro has a half mile stretch where it is enclosed by canyon walls. Go back into some of the coves, and you will find sparkling white sand. Careful, though, some of the coves are deceptively shallow. This is the best lake for shredding shore line, by far. Don't get too carried away, I have hit the cliff walls at this lake. Ooops.
Number 3: I have only skied the Colorado from Parker, AZ. The river is lush, fast and smooth. For those of you that have never skied a large river, the experience cannot be beat! The water moves along at five to six miles per hour, making for a very interesting ride!
Number 4: By far, the largest lake I have skied. I went through an entire tank of gas getting from one end to the other and back, and we still had to return before we reached the other side! This lake is simply HUGE! Skiing to the damn alone can take thirty minutes! There is so much to explore here, but there is no way you can do it all in one weekend. Beach life here is average sand and dirt.
Number 5: I rate Apache at number 5 only due to its hard to reach location. If you are ever near this lake, I do recommend skiing its wonderful waters. Not very wide, by lake standards, (probably only a mile or two across at its widest) but it is very long. The best part is where the buoys end at the top of the lake. Here on up, its all smooth sailing through majestic desert canyons! But, like I said, its one hell of a drive!
Now that I have mentioned all the necessary lakes, let me explain the chain. Roosevelt is the main reservoir nearest the mountains. The spring melt and rains help keep this lake very full. Beneath this is Apache, which can only be reached via 11 to 12 miles of dirt road. Underneath Apache is Canyon lake, which in turn fills Saguaro. These are the best chain of lakes to ski in the Phoenix area, and they are all free!
Number 6: Bartlett Lake is free. Bartlett lake NEVER fills up. The beach is composed of soft dirt and coarse sand. There is no shade. And you can only ski the front half of the lake. So, why is Bartlett not dead last? Well, check those front two reasons again. If you can't get into one of those restricted access lakes because they fill up at six in the morning, try here. The scenery isn't half bad, but I have skied this lake to death!
Number 7: Here is what's good about Pleasent. Its LARGE. They recently built a new dam for this lake, and it has grown. I hear that this lake is 10 miles across, with ten times that in shore line. There is plenty to explore here, and they are improving the lake every year. The lake never fills, and it is the closest lake to Phoenix. However, there is no beach here, just rocks. There is no shade, and it will cost you four dollars, plus two dollars a boat just to set foot in this place. For the simple matter that it costs, and that the beach is made up of large rocks the size of a computer monitor, I rate this lake in last place.
If you have any favorite places to ski that I should try out, let me know! (NO, I will never take my ski into salt water!)
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