Our Kingly Expedition: Glen Canyon Dam Tour

The first two times we wanted to do the tour of Glen Canyon Dam, the elevator to the bottom of the dam was not working so we opted to wait. I mean, who wouldn't want the chance to go inside a massive dam if given the chance. Side note, if both elevators went out, workers need to use the 53 flights of steps to get up and down! Their other option is to drive about 5 miles around and come in the 2 mile tunnel, which is what most of the guys that work in the powerhouse do anyhow. There's just no quick way up to the top!

We showed up for the 9:15 tour and were delighted to beat the crowds and only have 2 other couples join us. Tickets only cost $5 each and seven and under are free so we only needed three tickets. The children were SO excited to go through security and thought it hilarious that Eldon had to be wanded down because of his steel toe boots :).

On top of the dam.

Our guide first took us 80 feet down from the visitors center to the top of the dam. He shared so many interesting history facts as well as current information that my head was soon swimming trying to remember it all.

One of the 8 original turbines in the dam.

One of the buckets used to pour concrete in the dam. These were suspended on cables so they could quickly get concrete in whatever section they needed.

A closer look at the turbine.

A rock bolt.

A rock bolt is a......well, a bolt that they put in the canyon walls to hold rocks up. When the dam was built in the 1950s, "high-scalers" were hired to go down the canyon walls with ropes and use jack hammers or dynamite to knock the loose rocks down. Next, they pre-drilled a hole and inserted a rock bolt 40-75 feet into the wall at places where cracking was likely. Since this was such a dangerous job, high-scalers were paid the large sum of..........$3.25 an hour!

Lake Powell

The lake has been full several times and the high water mark can be clearly seen here. Currently it's at about 50% full.

Looking up at the bridge from the top of the dam.

We walked half-way across the dam then took the elevator down. It took over a minute and was Ethan's favorite part! Our guide explained how there is hallways all through the dam and they use them to keep a check on things and do repairs. As a kid, he was able to race freely though the miles and miles of tunnels in the dam but now no one but employees is allowed in.

2 acres of Bermuda grass!

To the left is the dam and the on the right is the substation where the generators are. Instead of having the huge pipes exposed that carry water through, they put dirt and grass on top of it! It's got a sprinkler system and in the summer gets moved about every 10 days. Last year they hosted an Easter Egg hunt for the town kids down here so we're hoping they do that again :).