Why is hood river so windy

Over 20 years ago, Gates moved to Hood River for the wind. And so in the summertime, the desert floor heats up, and the warm air, of course, rises. And as the warm air rises off of the desert floor it then has the effect of pulling the cool marine air from the west to the east. So this is what creates the famous gorge west winds in the summertime. For much of its history, Hood River's economy rose and fell with the boom-bust cycle of fruit prices and timber war lawsuits.

By the early '80s, mothballed fruit packing plants and vacant storefronts were a common sight. Unemployment rates hovered near 20 percent. The persistent wind, a nuisance. But for serious windsurfers, Hood River was becoming a Shangri-la, a place where the quickly growing sport could harness a freakish weather phenomena. Maui Meyer first competed there as a teenager while on the pro windsurfing world tour.

And after four years of Ivy League study, he returned for his daily wind fix. At first, the wind junkies acted like visitors. Take a good look at the hostels in White Salmon and Bingen for great value for money and a convenient location. Q: What races are there in the Gorge? There are other smaller races too. Q: What else is there to do in the Gorge other than paddling? A: My favorite activities include exploring the waterfalls of the Oregon side of the Gorge; hiking up Mt.

Hood and checking out the orchards and vineyards on the way home; and checking out Bonneville Dam and the fish hatchery. Hey, Chris! Loving your posts re the Gorge.

I was actually there, too! Did you get out there with her as well? Hope to meet you at the Gorge and on that wake in !!

You are commenting using your WordPress. You are commenting using your Google account. You are commenting using your Twitter account. You are commenting using your Facebook account. Notify me of new comments via email. Notify me of new posts via email. Blog at WordPress. Chris Hipgrave. June Columbia River Gorge surfski.

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Your subscriber id may be found on your bill or mailing label. The sun is out and the winds are strong along the banks of Hood River, and that combination has brought hundreds of kiteboarders and windsurfers to the Columbia shores.

Clad in wet suits, these aqua enthusiasts took to the choppy waters from sunrise to sunset, massing along the beach and the river, as seen in the above collage.

If the weather keeps the sun and wind combo, expect these crowds all summer long. This year our dine and drink business locations throughout the Gorge have suffered with closures. You can help support your favorites by purchasing take out and gift cards. Many of these business will offer curb-side delivery and some will deliver to your home.

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