Trailblazers gather by Canyon Lake. [photo by Eileen]

Ron, Barbara, Anna, Lee, Norma, Mimi, Chuck, Eva.

Trailblazers at Canyon Lake. [photo by Ron]

Barbara, Eileen, Anna, Lee, Norma, Mimi, Chuck, Eva.

When we start arriving at the Boulder Recreation Area & Picnic Site on Canyon Lake by 8:40 a.m., it is already windy and cold with the air temperature in the low-50s. Most of us are beginning to wonder if we brought along enough layers to keep warm today, especially on the water, and do not even care to guess the wind chill factor. Although it is already mid-December, temperatures across the desert, especially in the Phoenix metro area, have been averaging 10 to 15 degrees above normal for the past few weeks. The month of December is on track to go down in the record books as the warmest December ever over the past 130 years. But that is certainly not the case this morning on Canyon Lake. Anyone got a spare sweater or jacket to loan out? A flannel shirt? Anything at all?

Mimi, Chuck, and Eileen are ready to move out. [photo by Ron]

Lee, Chuck, Norma, and Anna are in a dead heat! [photo by Ron]

Anna, Norma, and Chuck are enjoying the scenery. [photo by Ron]

This Great Blue Heron is stalking the shoreline for a meal. [photo by Ron]

Typical landscape around Canyon Lake. [photo by Ron]

Thankfully, by the time we get all our gear loaded and our kayaks ready to push off from shore by 9:30, the wind has calmed down, and the sun has burned thru the light cirrus cloud cover. This looks to be the beginning of another beautiful day on the lake and near perfect kayaking conditions. From our location, just a few hundred yards southeast of the Canyon Lake Marina, we slowly begin paddling southeast in Labarge Cove. The deeper we paddle into the cove, the narrower it becomes. Before too long we hit full shade, and the temperature feels like its dropped 15 degrees or more. When we were here last spring a small waterfall was running at the end of the cove, and we can still hear water running today although there is no waterfall. We hang out here for a short time, before heading back out.

Mimi is watching a Blue Heron perched high above the water on a rock pillar. [photo by Eileen]

Norma with her Christmas mascot, Santa Bear. [photo by Eileen]

Barbara takes a short break from paddling. [photo by Ron]

Anna is keeping close to the shore. [photo by Ron]

Lee in his Acadia 12.5 kayak. [photo by Ron]

This glassy-smooth lake surface is ideal for a beautiful reflection shot. [photo by Ron]

Paddling deeper into Labarge Cove. [photo by Ron]

The end of the cove is a tight space for five kayakers. [photo by Ron]

As we paddle back out of Labarge Cove and around the large Canyon Lake Marina at the cove entrance, some of us discuss the scheduled lake drawdown in the fall of 2026. SRP is planning to lower Canyon Lake by about 54 feet beginning in September for a total of 16 weeks for necessary dam safety inspections and equipment maintenance and repairs on both Mormon Flat and Horse Mesa Dams on opposite ends of the lake. During that period, the lake will be closed to all recreation, including boating and hiking, to ensure public safety. The marina has 312 covered boat slips, and most are occupied with cabin cruisers, yachts, and houseboats up to 45 feet long. Our main question is what is going to happen to all these watercrafts while the lake is being drawn down. Where will they be moved to?

A stream flows over some large boulders into the lake. [photo by Eileen]

Chuck and Rudolph reindeer paddle deeper into the cove. [photo by Ron]

The endlessly rugged landscape surrounding Canyon Lake. [photo by Ron]

Fall colors are peaking for many of the trees around the lake. [photo by Ron]

Once past the marina, we start following the south shore of the lake as we paddle toward Tortilla Cove at the far southeast end of the lake. At about a mile and a quarter in length, Tortilla is the longest of the three major coves on the south end of Canyon Lake, the other two being First Water at the far southwest end and Labarge. When we finally reach the cove, tall reeds line both sides, some as high as twelve feet or more. These reeds seem to be taking over more and more of the shoreline on both Saguaro and Canyon lakes. Apparently, they’ve found an ideal environment to grow and thrive in. We paddle to the far end of the cove until the water becomes too shallow to go any further. And like Labarge, we’re in deep shade and much cooler temperatures. The perfect place to be on a hot summer day.

Lee and Chuck paddle by a dense thicket of tall reeds. [photo by Eileen]

This wind-carved and sculpted rock structure stands near the entrance to Labarge Cove. [photo by Ron]

A line of colorful kayaks along the launch area of Labarge Cove. [photo by Ron]

Now we begin the long paddle back to Labarge Cove and the Boulder Recreation Area & Picnic Site. The sun is higher in the sky and a little more intense, especially for mid-December. We paddle by the Tortilla Campground, the Laguna area, the long-closed Canyon Lake Restaurant, the large Dolly sightseeing paddle-wheeler, and finally around the Canyon Lake Marina, before beaching our kayaks at the picnic site. After paddling for two and a half hours and burning off countless calories, we’re all famished for a good potluck spread! We settle down to deviled eggs, baked beans, a cheese and cold-cuts assortment, crackers, chips, pretzels, fresh pears, and several desserts. After a relaxing lunch break, four of us go back out for a second paddle to the end of Labarge Cove while the rest of the group heads for home. We’ve been blessed with nearly ideal weather conditions for almost all of our monthly kayaks this year, both in the desert and in the high country. How much longer will our luck hold out? Only time will tell, as we all head into a brand new year in 2026.

Norma is the winner with the most highly decorated Christmas kayak. [photo by Ron]

Making final preparations for the December Potluck Extravaganza. [photo by Ron]

Now its time to dig in and chow down. [photo by Ron]

Trailblazers enjoying a scrumptious potluck lunch. [photo by Ron]