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by: Wade Hammerstrom with highlights from Jim Bison

There are places that opens your mind to endless possibilities. Hood River, Oregon was that place for me. My cradle for kiteboarding inspiration. I first got on the board in the Hood River. You’ll never forget that feeling and sense of accomplishment after hours of flailing around and face planting. Having that feeling of accomplishment forever etched in my mind in the Hood River makes it even more special. Which is why we’re happy to host our first Mentor Series with Kiteboarding World Champion, Kristin Boese in the Hood. Come Join us!

There’s a shot of excitement as I catch a glimpse of some whitecaps on the Columbia just outside of Troutdale. The Slingshot cam showed a few kites out on the Sandbar and ikitesurf was registering 24 mph at the Event Site. I can’t stand it anymore. Screw it. I slide my magnet to “out” and I bail out of work at 3 leave Vancouver, WA and jet across the 205 bridge and east on I-84. Why do I have this incredible feeling that I’m missing out and that this is the last day that we’ll have wind here?? Everyone else on the freeway is zoning out and wishing the workday was over but I’m in the fast lane pushing my luck with the OSP. I keep my gear in my car to be abused at moments like this. Could be gusting pretty hard in the channel… wish I had a 7 meter… oh well, I’ll be lit but I’ve been there before. It’s still worth it, lost wages and all. Hood River here I come.

The Road To Windy And Gorgeous Hood River

Take the scenic route to the windy gorgeous Hood River, Oregon

Hood River Oregon is the kite capital of the Pacific Northwest and one of the top places in the world because of the strong consistent west winds in the summer season that tear up the Columbia River Gorge. It’s located about an hour’s drive from the Portland Airport (PDX) along I-84 in the Cascade Mountain Range which channels the winds from the coast right through Hood River. Quite often it can be cloudy and cool in Portland and right about Stevenson, Washington the clouds pile up against the Cascades and can stay there all day while it’s hot and sunny in Hood River with steady strong 20+ mph westerly winds. It’s these conditions that make it one of the most fun and reliable places ever to ride! We tend to have high winds here in the summer so make sure to pack your small kites.

Kite The Gorge

Hood River offers it all from the beginner to the pro with the best conditions from mid June through September. The Sandbar is a massive pile of sediment pushed out from heavy rains on Hood River which juts out into the Columbia and creates a perfect kite launch and learning area thats positioned perpendicular to the winds. Access to the Sandbar from the Event Site which has restrooms, a grass beach and paved parking area is $5 per day and has a pump and dry area designated for kites on the east side of the grass beach. You will see a line marking the area for the kites and everything to the west of that is designated for windsurfing.

Once you’ve suited up and pumped your kite you’ll need to carry it down the bank and cross a bit of open water to get to the sandbar. You’ll definitely want to use some flip flops on the walk down and to cross, there’s always a rock or two that will make you regret it if you don’t and depending on the crowd and your abilities you may have to walk a ways to find a spot to launch . I will normally take my kite bag and pump with me to the sandbar along with plenty of water and something to fuel up on because it’s a long haul back to your vehicle when it’s on and you don’t want to waste any of your session while the wind is on!

Kite the mighty river Gorge

The other access is the Spit which is accessed from the east side of the Hood River. Drive behind the gas station and follow the road just over the river until you see a gravel road to your left. At the end is a parking lot which costs $2 to park. Generally later in the summer there is less water to cross this way but the walk is a little longer to the launch areas. It’s a personal preference but I tend to start at the Event Site.

There is lots of room for land learning where it’s safe for a newbie to safely get a kite up in the air with an instructor without being concerned about wiping out others. Every year there are always a few who have never flown a kite and come out and launch a 9 meter in 30 mph winds only to get bounced across the rocks and sand pulling like crazy on the bar. Keep in mind that they will be asked to leave if they are endangering the safety of others. Kiteboarding is an extreme sport which is not that extreme if you use common sense! Especially in a place like Hood River where it can get so crowded in the peak season that from the Event Site it seems impossible for someone to be able to ride without taking someone out. Following a few simple guidelines (below from nwkite.com) can help you have one of the best sessions you can find anywhere.

There are some great schools here and some that use jet-ski support which I used and for sure felt it was worth it. It can be a little intimidating for the first open water sessions for some at the sandbar with the crowds but there are shallower areas that are used by the instructors and their students.

Brian’s Windsurfing, Kite The Gorge, 2nd Wind Sports, New Wind, Cascade Kiteboarding.

Typically you will launch your kite anywhere from the south end of the sandbar to the north. The water is relatively shallow until you clear the sandbar and head out into the channel. Most of the instructors and their students will be up near the north end in the shallows. Ride upwind to get out of the shallows and you have the whole ¾ mile wide river to ride. The further upwind you get the less the crowd and the better the wind and water conditions get. It can start blowing late in the morning so try and beat the crowd and get an early session in.

You’ll want to wrap it up about 2 hours before sunset when the wind shuts off. I had my first long swim last year when I had to get just one more run in. The wind went from solid 9 meter conditions to nothing and my kite just fell out of the sky. Let me tell you that huge sandbar looked way small from the shipping channel and I swear I could here a hundred barges coming around the bend! The far north end of the sandbar never felt so good when I finally reached it.

There are all types of water conditions to satisfy any type of riding. On the high wind days there can be some big swells in the shipping channel where all you need to do is swing the kite up a bit as you hit the top of the swell and launch. You’ll see lots of directional boards out on the swells also. Remember that this is an active shipping channel and those barges are huge! They’re not stopping because you can get 40 feet of air and pull a huge kiteloop! Also be aware of the wind shadow near the rocks on the Washington side. There has been many a kiter try to relaunch there to no avail while the channel’s blowing at 35 mph.

The Hood River side of the sandbar is flat water and this is where the pros tend to ride and depending on the dam levels there can be shallow pond areas created that can be hit with the skimboard. It’s a pretty tight friendly community as long as you use common courtesy and follow the basic rules of kiteboarding so you shouldn’t find it difficult at all to get help launching and landing your kite. I would also recommend logging on to our local forum NWKite.com, ask questions and search the wealth of information on the site.

Pretty Town With Pretty People

The town itself has a very trendy quaint small town feel to it that really caters to the outdoor enthusiast. There are a mix of down home and upscale restaurants to choose from and local breweries, wineries and pubs that will usually have live music on the weekends.. The Northwest is also known for it’s coffee culture and there are some great coffee spots here to get caffeinated and utilize the wi-fi to catch up on your business. Park the car and get out and stroll around as most of these activities are within the down town area or take a wine tour and see the beautiful countryside.

Not only is the area famous for it’s wind but it’s packed with other activities. First of all it’s in the very scenic Columbia River Gorge which in itself is breathtaking. World renowned mountain biking with one of the best downhill courses in the country. Mt Hood with it’s year round skiing and snowboarding at Timberline. World class kayaking, Stand Up Paddle-boarding and white water rafting. Endless hiking paths with majestic waterfalls along the Gorge.

Where To Stay

Book a room at the Bonneville Hot Springs Resort and Spa located 30 minutes from Hood River. We stay here and thoroughly enjoy it. It’s tucked back in the hillside in the town of Bonneville and uses the natural hot springs in the area. Very clean affordable luxury setting.

Another famous luxury spa accommodation is the Skamania Lodge in Stevenson, WA which is about 15-20 minutes from Hood River and boasts an 18 hole golf course, full service spa and more in a rustic grand mountain lodge. The Best Western Inn is located near the kite recreation area in Hood River right on the Columbia. Check online for rates and availability http://www.hoodriverinn.com/

Well my board shorts are still damp and my gear has been quickly piled in the backseat but I don’t care. I’ll rinse the gear when I get home. From my vantage point as I round the corner I see the setting sun on the Columbia and the long shadows of the firs on the island in the river. The sheer cliffs to my left seem to rise forever and I marvel at the absolute beauty of the Gorge and how this was all carved out. It’s a postcard setting no doubt with many small water falls cascading down the side. It’s a perfect ending to the day and it happens throughout the summer here in the beautiful Pacific Northwest.

Learn Kiteboarding With A World Champion

Just Kite It is ecstatic to be working with one of the popular names and heroes of kiteboarding, 9x World Kiteboarding Champion Kristin Boese will be hosting our first ever Mentor Series in the Hood River, Oregon! Learn to kite with Kristin and New Wind Kiteboarding an IKO certified school. After your three-hour learning sessions participants will have time to explore the beautiful Hood River Gorge area for hiking trails, waterfalls, fruit loops, wineries and more! Our Mentor Series is an opportunity not to be missed! Check out our pics from the Hood!

We’d like to thank our partners, Milne Travel an American Express Black Card Circle travel agency, American Airlines the official carrier for this event and New Wind Kiteboarding! If you’d like to participate as a partner or sponsor in a future Mentor Series email [email protected].

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