Hi all, I’m all into parawinging here in Norway and looking at setting up an adventure for 2027 to Hood River and hoping to get as much intelligence as possible.
It’s been staring at me all these years and I think my downwind skills are at a level now that could justify a trip across the Atlantic.
Hoping to get some advice on the following:
is end of May / early June a good time to visit and what are the chances of the Hatch and/or Rufus firing in that period? I’m simply not used to crowds and don’t want it to be totally packed. I’ll accept any conditions from 15 to 40 knots as long as there are bumps planning on an 8-9 day trip, getting 4 days on the water would be a success I think .
recommended good quality but not overpriced place to stay in the area, that works well for water access but also close to breweries, food etc? I would have a car.
Best forecast to follow for the wind and swell?
What size foils to bring? I have the AfS enduro 1000 and 1300, but would consider also a smaller surf style front wing e.g silk v2 750 or 850
any localism to be aware of / are respectful foreigners welcome?
I’m a big fan of late May and early June. The wind is good and there’s a lot of water flowing which equates to big swell. It’s not as packed as July and August, though it might still feel packed if you’re used to lower traffic spots. I’m out on the water about every other day during that time period, and that’s squeezing water time in around work, family, and mountain biking. You should be able to get four days easily, unless you’re really unlucky with the weather.
I’m ~64 kg, use an Armstrong 780 foil, and am mostly parawinging these days Most days I’m super happy with that size. On big days a size or two smaller would be better. On rare light wind parawing days I wish for one size larger for a lower stall speed when gliding downwind. I definitely wouldn’t want something in the 1000 to 1300 range.
Finding a place to stay that isn’t expensive might be a challenge. I’d personally try to stay around Hood River or White Salmon because they have a little more of a vacation-y vibe, quick water access, and good mountain biking. Since you’ll have a car, anyplace that can jump on the highway quickly will give you good access to range up and down the gorge.
Did my first trip there this year. I went in July. There was a literal line of people to get in and out of the water at the waterfront launch. But go upwind or downwind 1 reach and it’s not crowded. All of the true downwind runs were not crowded. The only place that did actually feel crowded was trying to ride in place at the hatchery. But two upwind reaches and it’s all open water again. So don’t worry about crowds really.
June you probably need a wetsuit. But a bigger chance for big wind. This June was forty mph nearly every day it seemed. I was stressing because I normally ride in 15-20 mph wind.
Good info here so far, here’s a link to yearly water temps so you will know what to expect. That time of year is still quite cold, which I assume you are used to, but you’ll want your 4/3 most likely.
The winds and current are strong in June, you should get some great days!
I went in July of this year too and had a good time. I stayed in an Airbnb just outside of Hood River and it was quick and easy to launch sites.
The best forecast is Temira Forecast - The Gorge Is My Gym, throw her a donation as it’s all free and the most accurate.
I brought an array of foils, but I don’t think you’ll need the 1300 if you need space. Definitely bring the smaller 750 or 850 for cranking days.
I do not recommend a Swell City Pass. The people there seem to have this weird smugness and passive aggressiveness. We just parked our car and a guy was already getting on our case about if we paid for a pass. Weird glances from people when you’re setting up gear/walking by their stuff and checking out the launch site. The Hatchery is just down the road, is cheaper, and has way better camaraderie.
Spending my first season here, starting this last May…
It seems to me that if you get out earlier in the day, and earlier in the season, like you plan, places like the Hatch are not bad for crowds. And like @Hdip said, the traffic is pretty locally concentrated…especially the line of windsurfers who stick to beam reaches back and forth and back and forth from the Cove launch there (lower downwind)…same for many spots
Parking passes are yet another circus in themselves…HR waterfront, Oregon State Parks, Washington Discover Pass, add US Forest Service permits for some local trailheads, and possibly more for some mountain biking spots…just be sure check the details on where you plan to park, and that you have the correct one showing (or pay by the day/hour where applicable)…and you will pay to park in downtown Hood River.
Thanks for the advice especially regarding parking.seems like this is the trickiest issue. I’m guessing apps like EasyPark which work across multiple European countries and cities are not really available for this area? Does one app cover them all?
An app covers parking in Hood River, including the waterfront. Many other spots, like the Hatch or Post Canyon, require ordering a pass online and displaying it in the windshield when you park. Some spots have a kiosk which allows you to get a day pass in person (the Hatch does), but many don’t.
Try to figure out what spots you might hit up and get your parking pass ordered a couple weeks in advance so that you can receive them in the mail ahead of time. Doing so will save you some stress vs trying to figure it out on the day.
planning on an 8-9 day trip, getting 4 days on the water would be a success I think .