The Clymb: free membership. Cheap gear. Temira approves. Click to join.
First thing today, I’d like to say thank you to all of you who donated during August pledge drive month. There was never a day where I didn’t post a forecast, because every day someone donated. Thank you to all of you both for using this forecast and for supporting it! Remember that although it’s free for you to use, it’s not free for me. I put a lot of time into giving you an accurate forecast, and I pay for the hosting on this website. If you find it valuable, please take the time to make a donation to support what I do. Your generosity helps keep this going for everyone. I also send an email version of this forecast. Make a $12 or larger donation, and you’re on the email list for a year. No more dealing with the twice-yearly pledge drive, and you’ll also have a chance to win prizes from the sponsors. Thank you again for your support!
This week’s sponsor is Dirt Hugger, offering curbside food waste collection service for your business, school, office, store, restaurant or hospital in Hood River and The Dalles. All that food waste becomes awesome compost for your garden, yard, farm or vineyard. You can pick up that compost or have it delivered. If we as a society can’t make composting happen through our cities and counties, at least we can make it happen through a cool local business. This is one of my favorite businesses in the Gorge. Support them, please
First off today, an update on the smoke situation. The Cascade Creek fire near Mt. Adams has now burned 7000 acres, mostly timber, and is 40% contained. Good job firefighters. I think many of us are wondering, not when the fire will be out, but when the smoke will clear. Friday, my friend. As soon as the westerlies return, you can breathe easier. Hopefully the fire crews have containment on the east side of the fire, because it’s going to love the strong west wind that starts on Friday.
But that’s Friday. Break out your road bike or your standup paddle board today, because we’re not going to see much in the way of wind. When I looked at the iWind this morning, it was a row of zeros through the Gorge, with a .06 west gradient. Very light west flow this morning will switch to light east flow this afternoon, with the easterlies hitting 15-18 at Stevenson and Rooster Rock. We’ll see more light easterlies tomorrow, but by Friday morning, westerlies should be blowing in the low to mid twenties. Expect mid-to upper twenties by Friday midday, followed by a super strong west wind day on Saturday and another, somewhat less strong, west wind day Sunday.
Coming up this weekend, it’s bikes galore. It’s funny… visitors come here for the mountain biking, but the truth is that our road riding is at least as good, at least when it’s not super windy. While the road riders are out Saturday, mountain bikers will be at the Dirty Fingers annual customer appreciation party out near Falls Creek enjoying free shuttle service on some awesome rides.
Then on Sunday, Gorge Owned presents the annual Super Commuter Bike Race, a scavenger hunt in Hood River. If you like riding bikes, this one’s for you.
Finally, mark your calendar for next Saturday, the 29th, the grand opening celebration for the lowest section of the White Salmon River. Wet Planet, River Drifters, and All Star are currently figuring out logistics of running that section, but they’re taking reservations for the community float now. It is possible that a log jam and Steelhead Falls might stymie the effort for the Lower-Lower, but they’ll still take you rafting on the rad White Salmon. It’s only $21.40 for locals, so sign up now by calling Wet Planet.
Have an awesome day today!
Temira
