Things that surprised us. FYI, even though we've been doing wind sports for 43 years, we've never been here.
Hopefully this helps others.
It's not as cold as we feared. Florida is colder in the same temps. I'm riding in just a wetsuit top and boardshorts.
The gusty wind is not as bad as we feared. Ft Pierce Florida is just as bad sometimes.
The waves. Some spots are better lined up and fun than others. Some places, it's just a washing machine. Super fun at the right spots.
The number of people. Wow. Reminds me of Florida...stay home on weekends and ride weekdays. Unless you find the secret spots. (in Florida it's jet skis than ruin weekends)
The cost. Where am I Aspen? Restaurant prices! Gas $1.00/gallon more than Florida.
Worth the 5 day drive to get here. Fun place.
Gorge trip! That's great. What spots have you been winging? Stoked to hear of your adventures and impressions. Keep 'em coming.
Yeah, I'm following on Instagram but love the commentary. Which tacos?!
We are vegan's for health reasons, so our visits to Taco shops, are always bean and rice burritos.
Rufus was a shocker. Sky's dad Mike, told us we'd have to just foil downwind the whole session due to the current there. Mike decided to kite it. He is still new to winging.
Boy was he right. If you allow yourself to ride until you get tired, you can be serious screwed. Jacky got tired and started falling about 3 or 4 times in a row. Bam, she got sucked upriver to no mans land fast. She just barely made it downwind to the gap between the island and home. What a nightmare it could be if sucked upwind to where you cannot exit the river at all.
I feel like we need to scout the sailing spots each day to find where the true wind direction is lining up with the river current to get the best river surfing. Kind of like doing surf checks at home. The I-windsurf sensors are worthless because they all show the wind lining up wherever they are located, but that's not the case when you get there and read the water.
Spots we've ridden so far. Twice the Hatchery, twice the Event Site, once Rufus. Thinking Mosier next. We liked the look of that spot. Will do more Event Site on weekdays. Hate the weekends.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJpBVE3-kOE
That is a nice selection of spots! I hope you guys get to see Roosevelt on a good day. The river is really wide there (over a mile) and the wind and swell is super smooth. Even when the river is flowing fast elsewhere current is mellow there due to the width. On a great day it will blow your mind. Huge, long, and smooth swell. Arlington shares the same water but on the Oregon side. Roosevelt has a grassy park and a long stretch of flatwater before it swells up. It is a drive but its worth it.
Thanks. We will definitely try Roosevelt. It's a short drive compared to the 5 days it took to get here :)
To add to your Gorge experience, get out on the forecasted east wind tomorrow. Ten to noon is often good somewhere between Viento, Home Valley, and/or Stevenson. It's not the classic rolling swell we wish for but definitely worth experiencing if you're here visiting.
Quote from: Dwight (DW) on July 10, 2022, 11:56:57 AM
Thanks. We will definitely try Roosevelt. It's a short drive compared to the 5 days it took to get here :)
Hah! This is a really helpful tool. https://www.iwindsurf.com/windandwhere.iws?regionID=219&Isection=Pressure+Report
If you see the gradient up from PDX to the Dalles you are going to have west wind in the central gorge. If the Dalles to Pasco is up then out East works better. When they are both strong that means the whole gorge is funneling wind. If the gradients are bigger out east those are the driving days! If it warms up and goes easterly for a while and then the coast to PDX cools of quickly, those are your epic days. Stoked for you guys!
Rufus is one of my favorite/least favorite spots. So much fun, but so easy to get screwed. At least with a wing foil you can get where you want to go--eventually. I used to downwind there a lot with SUP boards and you can find yourself parked in the current with no way to go: Turn upwind and the wind keeps you in place, turn downwind and the current does the same. You have to find the eddies to get out of the current.
The current is actually down a little from some years at this point. It's all dam controlled and it's fiddled with to maintain levels and generation for varying rates of snowmelt. They're holding the levels high right now so the flow is lower. Right now it varies between 150-300,000 cubic feet per minute. The typical flow for this time of year is 300-400,000 and we sometimes see as much as 500,000. The record is 980,000.
Mosier is great fun. Uncrowded in the water, crowded on the beach because there's just one narrow spot to launch. No big deal though. Rowena tends to be uncrowded and it's great foiling. There are a million "secret spots". It's a lot of river.
Yes, it's not cheap, though when we come home from Maui it feels like everything is free. House prices are through the roof. Everyone wants to live here until the winter hits, then it gets very empty. Not that I'd know. When the first few drops of cold rain hit my shoulders we bolt to Maui, along with a quarter of the town. Another quarter bolts to Mexico.
Temira is a good source for wind predictions, the swell you just have to figure out yourself. https://thegorgeismygym.com/forecast/
Yesterday at Mosier, we met a local who was at Rufus the same day we were. He said he looked at the conditions and said nope, not riding here, it's crap. Current stronger than normal and wind direction wrong. That's good to know.
So far, our most fun sessions have been taking off at the Event Site and riding the swell over by the Hatchery buildings and the river mouth on the Washington side.
Checked out Doug's Beach, but didn't ride it. Tom Carroll and Brian Finch were testing gear there.
You nailed it. My standard session is to launch at the event site, run upwind to the hatchery, downwind on the Washington side to get the best of the bumps from the hatchery and the white salmon bridge, rinse, repeat.
In a month the current will be down to 150K or so. The swells still work but it's less work to ride in the channel.
The big advantage of the EC is that the spit, which is currently invisible mostly but it's still there, blocks the current until you want it for the bumps. Easy to get rolling and ten minutes from the fun.
The river looks like a lake this morning. If the predicted east winds blow you won't see typical whitecaps that get your pulse pounding. It will be a fun and rare session. Just realize that the wind and current are going in the same direction and do go too far downriver or you'll probably get to do some walking. In the unlikely event you want to see what ADHD looks like in full bloom I'll be at my shop all morning. 503-936-7660.
https://youtu.be/A7xMPQORiFM
Yup. You go out with a four because it's a little light and two minutes later you can't hang on to it and you need a 2.5.
This has been a particularly challenging year for wind variability. Usually, it just nukes all day long and you need two wings: a 4 and a 3. In the old days, you needed one sail (4.5) for Maui and two for the Gorge (4.0 and a 3.0).
Today I went out with a 6.0, but I've got some Afib going on, and being overpowered in the channel just kicked my ass. Shortest session ever. I see the doc on the 20th to get this fixed.
Headed there in later August for the first time.
Will I be screwed if my smallest wing is a 3m?
Looks like DW is riding 3 and 2m wings, but I think you like to be on the small side?
August is often spotty though we'll have some nuking days. It's reliably windy though, but sometimes light. Like 8-20. It's 25+ about 40 percent of the time.
Quote from: JohnnyTsunami on July 15, 2022, 11:03:02 AM
Headed there in later August for the first time.
Will I be screwed if my smallest wing is a 3m?
Looks like DW is riding 3 and 2m wings, but I think you like to be on the small side?
Last August, I used a wing smaller than 3 meters in 4 out of 14 sessions. That would be days where avg is at least 24-25 mph. If you are not here for very long, an option might be renting as needed. Go Foil has partnered with Northwave and are renting wings but I don't know what their selection or availability is like.
It has been a strange Spring and early Summer but it finally feels like "July" is here.
Arlington was perfect today. Ran into the most of the Crissy Field crew there. The Roosevelt side is too weedy this season according to a local. Rufus sucked. Wrong wind direction. Arlington had clean wind, good rollers. 3.5m for me.
https://youtu.be/SCEw7GFDuVo
Stoked! Jackie was killing it!
Next up, 3 MILE CANYON
The current in Arlington is perfect right now. The wind blowing you E and the current pulling W are in equilibrium. You can sit in the water anywhere and stay in place. This helps swimming out the launch between the rocks.
Sweet!
If you like the out East swells and wind, check out Threemile. It is further East and when its on, it is something to remember. Beautiful desert feel, easy launch, and the best swell on the river. Far side by the island is a mind bender.
The park is called Quesna County Park. You go past the park on that little dirt road. The launch is just past that dirt circle on the West side of the Jetty. The most ridiculous swell is off the island which is upwind across the river.
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Quesna+County+Park,+Boardman,+OR+97818/@45.8110665,-119.9690548,285m/data=!3m2!1e3!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x54bd5bab2f8f988d:0x5ca0b0599fa00f84!8m2!3d45.8107807!4d-119.9687751
I'll be out there next week 20-27. What wing sizes is the norm this time of year? I was out there for awsi and was mostly 5's and 7's. Also how thick of a suit needed for a warm weather rider?
Quote from: flkiter on July 16, 2022, 02:43:22 PM
I'll be out there next week 20-27. What wing sizes is the norm this time of year? I was out there for awsi and was mostly 5's and 7's. Also how thick of a suit needed for a warm weather rider?
Go check the LAFC discord. There's a gorge topic in there with several guys there. Sounds like 2.5 - 3.5m is what's being used this week.
Quote from: flkiter on July 16, 2022, 02:43:22 PM
I'll be out there next week 20-27. What wing sizes is the norm this time of year? I was out there for awsi and was mostly 5's and 7's. Also how thick of a suit needed for a warm weather rider?
3, 4, 5m
I'm riding without any wetsuit rubber. A top is enough. If you don't fall. Shorty is plenty. The temp is 85-90 everyday. You'll have a heat stroke in a full suit without constant dunks.
Arlington was great again today. The wind is so much steadier there than the corridor.
Maybe Three Mile Canyon will work tomorrow.
https://youtu.be/c9MVWEwuhxk
Looks like a blast!
Forecast (https://victortheinflictor.com/) for today looks great, have fun.
My wetsuit recommendation might be off. Temiras forecast is 75 in HR. We're baking in 85+ at Arlington.
https://www.iwindsurf.com/windandwhere.iws?regionID=218&Isection=Pressure+Report
That gradient says have a late breakfast at Bette's and enjoy the drive out east. :)
Funny story about our windsurf neighbors here. We rented a house. The windsurfers rented the basement, so we hear them leave for the Hatchery every morning. 6:30 am, then 5:30 am, this morning 4:57 am. It must be a shit show to get the prime parking spot they want. :)
Disappointed I bought a hatchery parking pass this year. Every time I've pulled in there in July I've turned around and driven 100 meters up the road to cheap beach where there's generally been two other cars. The hatchery has become a suburb of Seattle :(
Arlington was epic again. Mark and I were so tired, we just watched Jacky ride. We found some energy late, but barely. We've ridden 13 out of 14 days here.
https://youtu.be/_cV9R_8vSsQ
Fantastic! Epic Gorge adventures.
I understand the feeling, and not just because of my minor heart trouble. I have stared out the window on more than a few occasions and thought "oh fuck, it's nuking again". It can be a bit overwhelming even when you're thoroughly committed to a sport you love.
I am not that active here but catching up some recently, I am sensing the Gorge has changed a bit the past couple of years.
I am a traditional SUP Downwinder....you know with just a paddle....no wings or foils. Crazy, right?
I have had my annual summer trips to the Gorge cancelled the past 2 years. Was planning to go back in August.
It seems like maybe everything there has switched to wings and foils? No Big Winds DW shuttle service. Not sure how I will get up to Viento.
Is this the case? Is old school SUP downwinding not really a thing there any longer? Is it still worth coming or should I just be planning to take foil and wing and kite lessons instead of doing Viento runs?
There isn't a Big Winds shuttle, but there are still plenty of people doing SUP downwinders. Depending on what happens with my Atrial Fibrillation I might be back on a SUP board soon myself. I think I can manage the energy output required better than I can on a wing foil.
It really does seem that downwind SUP is over in the Gorge. I live across from Mitchell Point, roughly half way in a Viento run, and watch the traffic in the river from my deck. There are still quite a few boats going downwind, surf skis, OC-1's and the like, but I have yet to see any SUPs this season. Look at the inventory at Big Winds; 1 or 2 raceboards or downwind boards at most, every other SUP is an inflatable! Five years ago they had 20 downwind boards for sale. However there are many more people doing upwind-downwind runs, of course all of them are on foils!
Quote from: PonoBill on July 18, 2022, 07:56:48 PM
There isn't a Big Winds shuttle, but there are still plenty of people doing SUP downwinders. Depending on what happens with my Atrial Fibrillation I might be back on a SUP board soon myself. I think I can manage the energy output required better than I can on a wing foil.
But if you aren't a local and are just by yourself on vacation, how do you manage the logistics of getting to Viento with your board? Last I was out there....no uber and they aren't taking boards anyway.
Quote from: laszlo on July 18, 2022, 08:46:23 PM
It really does seem that downwind SUP is over in the Gorge. I live across from Mitchell Point, roughly half way in a Viento run, and watch the traffic in the river from my deck. There are still quite a few boats going downwind, surf skis, OC-1's and the like, but I have yet to see any SUPs this season. Look at the inventory at Big Winds; 1 or 2 raceboards or downwind boards at most, every other SUP is an inflatable! Five years ago they had 20 downwind boards for sale. However there are many more people doing upwind-downwind runs, of course all of them are on foils!
Wow!. Zero SUP the whole season? That is even worse than I thought and it makes me very sad. Didn't they just have the Downwind Champs race last weekend? I used to come during the July race week. Not a racer but I did about 10 runs over the week...it was the highlight of my year.
It's not zero, I've seen a fair number in the river, but there isn't a black and white SIC 14' board on every car, like there used to be. But I still see plenty of race/downwind boards on cars in HR. The simple reason is that foiling is crazy fun, and even fakers like me don't need a shuttle to do a downwinder. My craziest day for Viento runs was three when the Downwind Champs mega-shuttles were running, I did five upwind/downwinders one perfect day last year with my foil.
The easiest way to shuttle is to find someone going to Viento at the event center and ask for a lift for you and your gear. It doesn't matter if they're boat guys or SUP. Most have some room. If that doesn't work do what Thatspec does and drive to Viento, do your run, leave your gear at the EC (no one will bother it) walk to the highway onramp, and thumb a ride to Viento. He told me it's never taken more than a few minutes to get a ride and he's been doing it for years.
There might be fewer people doing it, but that means it will be easier to find someone open to sharing.
There are still some folks doing SUP Viento runs, saw one on a run last Friday. It's such a brief moment in time to see them. The Gorge Paddle Challenge is this weekend so there will likely be plenty if there's wind. You should also be fine in August, there are many paddlers here dedicated to downwind in all types of craft. Probably the best post covid strategy is to either meet other downwind oriented types AT Viento or at the Event Site as they come in. I've had folks drive me back to Viento who were just on there way into town and I've returned the favor. No way you'll get stranded :)
Quote from: Thatspec on July 19, 2022, 07:25:55 PM
There are still some folks doing SUP Viento runs, saw one on a run last Friday. It's such a brief moment in time to see them. The Gorge Paddle Challenge is this weekend so there will likely be plenty if there's wind. You should also be fine in August, there are many paddlers here dedicated to downwind in all types of craft. Probably the best post covid strategy is to either meet other downwind oriented types AT Viento or at the Event Site as they come in. I've had folks drive me back to Viento who were just on there way into town and I've returned the favor. No way you'll get stranded :)
You might also check with these folks - they're locals doing downwinders all of the time that you may be able to join...
https://www.facebook.com/groups/HoodRiverOutrigger
Quote from: PonoBill on July 19, 2022, 08:37:57 AM
I did five upwind/downwinders one perfect day last year with my foil.
So this is with a wing? You can go all the way upwind to the viento area (several miles?)
I know little about winging. It is not a thing by me.
duplicate
Quote from: ericmichaels on July 21, 2022, 10:01:12 AM
Quote from: PonoBill on July 19, 2022, 08:37:57 AM
I did five upwind/downwinders one perfect day last year with my foil.
So this is with a wing? You can go all the way upwind to the viento area (several miles?)
I know little about winging. It is not a thing by me.
Yes, with a wing. I hook in to my harness and do long reaches to Viento--it's fairly low effort and quick. Then turn around and downwind back to about the EC. It's eight miles, but with a foil it's 30 to 40 minutes each way. Sometimes I cheat and just go as far as the upper hatchery or swell city before I turn around--especially if the current is wicked at Mitchell point. No point in fighting that.
It looked so good yesterday in the central Gorge. Grade A spectating at the Hatchery and Swell city. Classic summer Gorge conditions. I am amazed by the winging skills and how quickly that has advanced. Full aerial show at the point with a lot of great visiting riders in town. Watersport playground mode. Windsurf, Windfoil, Wings, kite, kite-foil, SUPfoil, OC's, Surfskis.
https://www.instagram.com/reel/CgW5R2nDr3u/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
The circus happening on the water
I shot video from the point yesterday
https://youtu.be/jheyJjG-a5A
Cynthia was the most impressive thing I saw. The video was shot on my crappy phone camera. The video doesn't show the true speed she had riding seated. I was blown away by the speed. She told me it is faster riding seated for some reason.
https://youtu.be/J_s9cQd4Us0
nuking already this morning.
Quote from: Admin on July 23, 2022, 05:12:16 AM
It looked so good yesterday in the central Gorge. Grade A spectating at the Hatchery and Swell city. Classic summer Gorge conditions. I am amazed by the winging skills and how quickly that has advanced. Full aerial show at the point with a lot of great visiting riders in town. Watersport playground mode. Windsurf, Windfoil, Wings, kite, kite-foil, SUPfoil, OC's, Surfskis.
What is the one watersport not on that list?
Is there going to be any coverage of the downwind race in the gorge this weekend? Any of you guys there going to go live on instagram at least?
Quote from: laszlo on July 23, 2022, 12:16:43 PM
Quote from: Admin on July 23, 2022, 05:12:16 AM
It looked so good yesterday in the central Gorge. Grade A spectating at the Hatchery and Swell city. Classic summer Gorge conditions. I am amazed by the winging skills and how quickly that has advanced. Full aerial show at the point with a lot of great visiting riders in town. Watersport playground mode. Windsurf, Windfoil, Wings, kite, kite-foil, SUPfoil, OC's, Surfskis.
What is the one watersport not on that list?
I did see a SUP doing a Viento today (and a 6 man Canoe). There may have been more (brief highway glimpse). Looked like perfect downwind conditions.
Today (Saturday) we scored the session of the whole trip.
We (4 Floridian's in our crew) only knew one thing. It's the weekend, the Hatchery and Event Site are a no-go. Too crowded.
With no idea where to ride, we hatched a plan to scout both sides of the river in teams. Jacky and I headed out from Lyle, driving past Dougs. OMG Dougs is looking huge and it's blowing at the beach. No wind shadow. On shore and looking like I've never seen it all month. I checked the wind from the point with my hand held meter. Difference between max and min is only 5 mph. WTF...steady wind, huge waves.
We all rode Dougs and had the session of a lifetime. The longest connected surfing of the trip. Insane. Then, just as forecast, (about 2:30 pm) the NW wind shift came and it all went away. The waves went from being lined up like the ocean, to a washing machine. We all left super happy we scored the magic session.
Oh, and the weeds are hilarious. They gobble you up like a octopus and try to drown you. It only took 10 minutes to figure out, no running into the flats for easy jibes. Stay in the big waves at all times. No weeds there. ;D ;D
When Dougs is turned on, it's magical. Long, long reaches and swells that are just right. Rowena is generally good if Dougs is, and many times when it's not. The gorge is hundreds of miles of "the best spot ever". You're wise to avoid the hatchery, ec, and swell city on weekends when it's nuking, but the section of the river between the hatchery and the white salmon bridge is often empty with the same wind and swell as the hot spots. It's just not as easy to park and launch.
I do hate the weeds. Instant faceplant. You just have to know where they are.
Solo session at Dougs. Incredible! When we came here for the first time on vacation we got a week of 4.0 / 4.7 windsurfing wind before the Gorge turned up the volume. We ended up at a whipped up Dougs. My Northern lake sailing world got rocked.
How long are you guys here? The sites are really busy for 6 or 7 weeks. Most of the year it is super uncrowded.
Quote from: Admin on July 24, 2022, 04:15:19 AM
How long are you guys here?
4 weeks. One more to go.
It's the middle of the night as I type this. Had to eat again. Impossible to eat enough calories. I'm pretty sure I've lost a lot of weight. My small board is feeling corky right now.
DW, thanks. I've been getting reports from the SoCal crew in various camps and they are saying the same. "You have to get here."
All seem to love the variability of the spots and conditions. For those who haven't noticed the trend in reports. Most days you can find the level of riding you want, whatever that is. Really cool. Also hearing that it's "the" place to up your downwinding game due to the predicability.
Enjoy the rest of your time and don't forget to keep posting. Thx!
The downwinding advantage isn't so much the predictability (though that is a factor) as it is the swell shape. The wind blows against the current which means the faces are steeper and the speed a little lower than similar ocean swells. You might think that when the wind blows with the current that downwinding would be great, but typical east winds in the gorge mean small, rare bumps, and the ones that are there are harder to catch because they're moving faster. Kind of a general theory of swell relativity.
With the wind blowing against the current the swells are close together, so if you miss one the next will be along in six seconds. Usually, short-period waves are small, but the gorge swells get stacked easily, so it's not unusual to drop into a swell and find a windsurfer hidden down at the bottom--sail, mast, and all.
Digging this thread, thanks for sharing Dwight. Fun to see friends in your videos gives me a better baseline for how big the swell is.
What a day yesterday! Made a point of watching Mateo and KD finish the SUPfoil; by far the most impressive thing I saw was Johnny Heineken just killing it for hours right out front- incredible
Quote from: Foamranger on July 24, 2022, 12:07:16 PMJohnny Heineken just killing it for hours right out front- incredible
That guy rips beautiful turns. Arlington last year on a windy day.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6fYIDWHLNyw
Now that the wind has gone away, can anyone recommend some fun things to do?
We have E-bikes, but cannot do trails that younger people charge. Jacky crashes way too often. We've done the HR to Mosier trail twice. Kickitat once.
Todays plan his to hit the Alpine slide, but it might be closed. Web site suggests closure due to heat. Seems ridiculous to us.
I've only been to HR once Dwight so not as familiar as others here. While we were there we went to mount hood to see the sights. Didn't realize that it was a mountain biking area in the off season. Looked like a lot of trails and of course the beautiful views too. Sounds like you are having a wonderful trip. 8)
We're going to go do dock starts and then if the wind comes up, hit viento or event site
Check out the Cloud Cap Inn, go hiking above treeline and enjoy the cooler weather. Afterwards head down to the Cooper Spur Mountain Resort for food and beverage. It's a nice contrast from the Gorge landscape and a great getaway from the triple digit heat!
This is an unusually long hot spell for July and it's not even blowing at the coast, fogged in. Logic dictates somewhere in between must be super windy, probably Jones beach (Clatskanie Oregon), just East of Astoria along the Columbia. Three hour drive but if it's on it will blow until dark.
Multnomah falls and surrounding falls and hikes
Go snow skiing up at Timberline, or just take the chair up and watch others ski in july
white water rafting (white river or deschutes)
myriad of hikes nearby
Mtn biking
eat more tacos
golf
There are plenty of things to do when there isn't any wind... just a question of how far do you want to drive
Hi Dwight,
Hike Tamanawas Falls. It will be cool up there and you can hike behind the falls. It is amazing. Ride your bikes up on 8 Mile loop or similar. There are tons of very easy trails starting there. It is gorgeous and cool. https://www.trailforks.com/trails/eightmile-loop-trail-496/ .
Found a fun skatepark in HR this morning, made a little progress on dockstarts yesterday. Past two days scored very light wind winging sessions in the late afternoon-lots of pumping but plenty of foil time and a good challenge. The u-pick cherry orchards near Mosier were great. Working on a cold watermelon now then off to search for thermals, staying busy
This kid is going big now. He was already unusually good at ripping surface transitions a few years ago but he has gone next level now.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=whw3Nuw2jlg
Thank you for this thread. I'm planning to go to the gorge next year and am wondering the best time of year to be there - most consistent wind, air & water temps, crowds, etc?
Also interested in van camping spots, nearby BLM land. Feel free to DM me for anything not appropriate to post publicly. Thanks!
Damn, just call me the thread killer. I was really hoping to gain some Gorge intel...
OK, I'll give my impressions from 2022.
July very windy. Weekends super crowded. Avoided weekends riding in HR. Also, events every weekend in July, it seemed like....
My buddy lived in his van. Camped free most nights. Seems very free and easy about where you can just park and sleep.
It was cool first week in July, then I only wore wetsuit top the whole month. Not cold at all, unless you fall a lot. It was weird to see locals in full wetsuits to this Floridian. I'm the one who expected to be cold, but wasn't.
It's an endless topic, the Gorge is such a rich area in terms of things to do, facilities, weather, etc. If you plan to stay low-stress, you probably want to make some arrangements to camp. There are endless national forests and state land surrounding Hood River but you'll be traveling every day to get to the water and get back at night. There are several campgrounds that offer good access, and if you plan far enough ahead you can get a reservation. Viento is a pretty nice place to stay except for the occasional train noise. Some folks park a van or camper on the street and just sleep there. Not the most comfortable way to van camp, but people do it.
July is the prime month for wind. June and August can be equally good, but it's variable. Some years we have great wind well into October, but you can't plan on it.
Wind and temperatures vary tremendously from year to year. Seemingly more so with changing climate. This year, we had a very late start to summer, with near daily rain up until June 21. Water temps were only in the 40's for early June, but it warmed into the 50's by the end of the month and up around 70 by mid July. River current is dependent on how the dams are operated and this year, we had a big snowpack on Mt Hood and an extended period of very strong current. That helped to keep water temps down too.
The river current can be a huge factor in your experience and especially with cold water temps, can increase the potential for a bad outcome if things go sideways. A good wetsuit, knowledge of where you are entering and exiting and what the local hazards are can't be overstated. You can get in trouble anytime but when the water is below 60 degrees and the current is over 300,000 cfs at the dams, it shouldn't be trifled with. Talk to someone that knows the river before you plan your adventure. Find out where the barges go, where the channel markers are, where the gill nets are likely to be found and have a river plan. This holds whether you're downwind paddling, foiling, kiting, winging or windsurfing. Even going SUP paddling on a calm day requires a plan, especially when the current is running high early in the summer. Typically, by mid July, the current has diminished substantially and the water is warming up toward it's high temp of around 70, plus or minus a degree or two.
As others have mentioned, July is the most reliable month for west wind, in terms of consistency and strength. August and June can be good too but you're likely to see more hot, windless days in August than July. A year ago, we had a week of extremely high temps that broke records in June for around a week or ten days. It was over 110 degrees in the Gorge for days and was the hottest June ever recorded. You can look it up on line for all the detail. It was very strange, especially contrasted with this year's weather with cold and wet, right up until the solstice date. Point here is that July is generally the most consistent month for west wind. Heat waves usually occur in late summer and not in June but lately, I guess all bets are off on that...
After early September, crowds diminish but a good west wind day in early September will still pack the central Gorge (around Hood River). As the month progresses, westerly wind days get much more infrequent typically, although you can get good easterlies if you are willing to go west of Viento State Park. East winds tend to be more difficult to figure out than westerlies and can do some strange things, like die suddenly or only blow in narrow bands along the river with big dead spots. Also, the wind is blowing with the current on easterlies, so depending on what sport you're doing, that can be a factor if you are trying to stay in one spot. It's less of an issue if you're doing downwinders but the swell is smaller on east winds without the current opposing the wind direction.
A last thing to mention is the Milfoil. No, it's not a hi tech hydro-wing. It's a weed, and it seems to be starting to get really pervasive and difficult to deal with. It's thick and grows where there is less current and in shallower waters. The area off of Stevenson is choked with it currently, and yesterday I watched a woman get stuck trying to sail into the shore on a windsurfer. It took about an hour to get her freed up and her gear dragged in, from about 25 yards off of the shoreline. Fortunately, there was someone with a SUP that went out and helped her or she would have really had a bad day. I didn't see any until late June, and then little coves that were great rest stops on a long downwinder started to become traps. The stuff is really a pain for foilers trying to get in or out of the water after late August. It seems to be expanding as far as where it's growing and I see it now in almost all slack water areas. There are also clumps of it floating in the river, big enough to stop a foil or a ski or an OC1. I started noticing the floating clumps of the stuff as early as July this year. So, it's another hazard and it did not used to be here.
Just covered a few things here. It's an incredible place for any water sports person to visit and chances are that once you get a good week here, you'll keep coming back for more. There's a lot to learn about as it's a unique environment but it is really fantastic too.
Excellent info, thanks
Finally a rest day. We are exhausted!
It's been another epic July here so far. Many Arlington sessions. Love the heat and swell out there.
Finally tried Mosier. A great place to escape the weekend contest crowds at the Event site. The swell is decent when it's 3.5 wind. On the 5.5 days, the swell is about like the Banana River in Florida.
Monday, I thought I'd take it easy and ride the Event Site, instead of going to Arlington and riding a 3m. My bad hip is getting a beating. Haha on me. The Event Site wore me out. I had a blast trying prototypes with Ken.
Today, I all my body parts need replaced. Thought about hiking to some falls. But that might kill my already dead tired legs. Sucks being old. Maybe we'll drive the scenic highway. At least I can do that sitting.
Great problems to have. Love being here. Gotta get it before the body gives out. 69 and feeling like 90.
Tell me about it. Between riding dirt bikes and wing foiling I ache pretty much all the time. I'm trying to force myself to paddle OC6 in the early morning and get on a SUP for downwinding sometimes. I think both are great for conditioning. So far my body is overruling my head. 76 feeling like 105.
Forgot to mention the fantastic piece of kit I picked up at the ProMotion store.
The "zip front" fuzzy lined top. OMG, the prefect level of warmth for the Gorge. No wetsuit required. No arm fatigue. Zippered with wind block.
I have the non zip top back in Florida. Forgot to bring it.
Quote from: Dwight (DW) on July 18, 2023, 08:49:46 AM
Forgot to mention the fantastic piece of kit I picked up at the ProMotion store.
The "zip front" fuzzy lined top. OMG, the prefect level of warmth for the Gorge. No wetsuit required. No arm fatigue. Zippered with wind block.
I have the non zip top back in Florida. Forgot to bring it.
That is cool. I have been using this light wing vest for a little coverage and some float. With neoprene shorts it is great for summer.
(https://cdn1.bigcommerce.com/n-yp39j5/y6c59/products/801/images/1554/N53_SIDE__60676.1688497453.1280.1280.JPG?c=2)
I never ride without a kiters impact jacket.
My buddy spent 3 weeks in the hospital because he rides without one. His ribs landed on the rail. Punctured lung and many broken ribs. Doctor spent 3 weeks trying to re-inflate his lung. It required surgery.
Our lame no wind day.
https://youtu.be/d0aA18kgkuI
I've broken ribs several times (motorcycle racing) and cracked my breastbone down the middle. My doc says my X-rays look like I've had open heart surgery. I wear an impact vest even for surfing (which looks a bit lame, but at 76, I'm simply not going to look cool) because my doc said a severe impact to my breastbone would open me up like a spatchcocked chicken. I think he's exaggerating, but it's working, I wear the vest.
We finally made it to The Wall today. Interesting place. It looked like 3.5-4m winger wind. Clouds came and wind switched N by the time we got done exploring, so never did get wet.
It sort of looked like the wave was slightly better at marker 41. Did not see anything bigger than other Gorge spots we've ridden. Less crowded than Rufus, so that's a plus.
Mosier has been mighty fine for clean, organized surf lines in 3.5m wind. Had a few epic days there. Super long flagged out rides. Fewer slappers and twin tips ruining waves, than some other spots. The Gorge is definately best when you find the spots with less traffic.
Quote from: Dwight (DW) on July 24, 2023, 06:39:51 PM
The Gorge is definately best when you find the spots with less traffic.
Always.
Quote from: Dwight (DW) on July 24, 2023, 06:39:51 PM
We finally made it to The Wall today. Interesting place. It looked like 3.5-4m winger wind. Clouds came and wind switched N by the time we got done exploring, so never did get wet.
It sort of looked like the wave was slightly better at marker 41. Did not see anything bigger than other Gorge spots we've ridden. Less crowded than Rufus, so that's a plus.
Mosier has been mighty fine for clean, organized surf lines in 3.5m wind. Had a few epic days there. Super long flagged out rides. Fewer slappers and twin tips ruining waves, than some other spots. The Gorge is definately best when you find the spots with less traffic.
Glad that you visited that area. What seperates the Wall (and Arlington and 3 Mile) is the beautiful slopey swells that form and hold as the wind builds. It just keeps getting bigger and better.
We lived in Mosier for two years overlooking the River. Along with Viento, I would say the most usable days of any spot. Pleasant group, easy launch, and room to wander.
Yesterday (July 25) Mosier was out of control 3m. It was wild to see the water angry and the beautiful surfy waves turned into a hot mess.
The 3.5m day we had there last week, had beautiful surf all day. I guess there is a wind limit for Mosier being great.
Arlington and 3 mile would have been the better choice. But who knew, they totally blew the forecast.
Rode Event Site today. First time there in 2 weeks. Wow, my standards are becoming that of a grumpy old man. 4m wind with pig slop for waves.
Back to the clean waves at Mosier tomorrow. haha....