2017
I grew up spending a lot of time in Utah (my grandparents and much of my family lived there, including one summer I worked their in high school). So, I didn't expect Utah to be such a hard state to check off my list. I had tried three other times:
Once on the Great Salt Lake, where the weather didn't cooperate; a few years later near Four Corners, where, again, the weather vetoed my plan; and then technically at Pineview Reservoir in 2016 for the Outdoor Retailer show's demo day. But since that's just paddling back and forth on the same spot all day, I don't feel right counting that.
My siblings and my niece agreed to accompany me to try again, as we were driving to Utah for a family bat mitzvah, bringing boards and gear. A friend recommended Causey Reservoir, which is just past Pineview, but about 1000% times prettier, and is restricted to non-motorized crafts: no power boats. You paddle up these finger-shaped inlets in the canyons and, if you're us at least, a bald eagle flies overhead while you are paddling! He stopped and sat in a tree for a long time while we were there and we could see him pretty clearly, even if you can't on the photos.