Forecast - The Gorge is my Gym

Rest in Peace Jeff Young… this forecast is for you.

Good morning!

I held off yesterday morning on saying anything about Jeff. Nothing had been confirmed, but now it has, and you’ve probably heard that Jeff Young didn’t make it back to the beach at Threemile on Monday. It was an insane day on the river… I was on a 3.2 when I first went out, and didn’t think I would be able to make it back downwind to the launch. Victor came in right after me, and he said he’d never been so scared… He guessed it was gusting to 70 or 80 out there. Jeff came in looking a little scared too, but then he started smiling.

He told me he was having a great time out there… he was actually jumping and sailing, while the rest of us (with the exception of Luther the animal) were just trying to get back and forth across the river. Jeff was just going out for a last session when I left, and the wind was still nuclear. Nobody knows what happened to him out there, but it’s worth saying that if you’re overpowered on your smallest sail and want to keep sailing, for safety’s sake, you should be wearing a helmet.

Rest in peace Jeff… I’m glad you went sailing the biggest day ever, rather than some other way, but I wish you’d waited many, many more years to go. My heart goes out to Hannah.

If you’d like to get out on the river and have a session for Jeff today, you’ll get your chance. The morning gradient was at .08, and with low pressure in the desert and high pressure at the coast, winds will pick up with afternoon heating. This morning brings 17-20 from Hood River to Arlington, and this afternoon, we’ll see gusty 16-20 from Stevenson to Hood River and 24-28 this afternoon from Mosier eastward

Tomorrow looks light light west wind, and Friday looks like light east wind, but sunnier, and warmer with highs near 65 degrees.

In biking world, Hospital is sloppy, Post is sloppy, Dog River’s under snow and so is Surveyor’s, but Nestor, should you choose to torture yourself, is rideable. Post and Pint looks unlikely for tomorrow.

If you’re a boater, The Hood’s at 4.5ft, the White Salmon’s at 4.1, and the Little white’s at 776 cfs.

And if you’re looking for something to do tomorrow night, check out Richard Hallman’s slideshow, Kasmir, India, at the Skylight Theatre.

So, whatever you do today, do it for Jeff and his daughter and have an awesome day!

Temira

We'll miss you, Jeff...

Good morning!

Please, people, wear helmets when you’re windsurfing in nuclear force winds.

The snow level is down around 2,000 feet, and it was snowing in Parkdale last night ( I have no idea if there’s snow on the ground up there now) so that means powder on Mt. Hood. I say powder because yesterday was employee ski day at Meadows, and although the snow was sludge at 9:15am, by 11am it was falling as powder, and there were a few powder turns at the top of Mt. Hood Express.

If you’re headed to Timberline, here’s the report: it’s 19 degrees, with 10” of new snow and moderate wind. If you’d like to backcountry ski, NWAC has issued an avalanche forecast for today due to significant snow accumulation and windloading. So, the skiing’s going to be great, but be careful if you’re in the backcountry!

I’m trashed from windsurfing yesterday, but if you’re not exhausted from windsurfing or kiting in yesterday’s nuclear winds, you’ll get a chance for lighter conditions today. It’s blowing in the twenties in the desert now, but it’ll back off to 17-22 from The Dalles eastward today, with gusty conditions in the Corridor. Tomorrow starts of with light wind, and then afternoon westerlies build into the low to mid twenties from Stevenson down to Doug’s.

Speaking of yesterday, it was one of the windiest days I’ve ever sailed. Victor the Inflictor and were about ¼ mile upwind of the launch on our 3.2’s when the wind turned on. Neither of us thought we were going to be able to get back downwind… I could have been on a 2.5, or even something smaller! May we please have more days like that this summer, preferably when I’m in windsurfing shape, not skiing shape!

Anyway, moving on, The Dalles Wastewater plant hasn’t cleared Doug’s, Rowena and Lyle from the E. Coli warning list. However, river water samples tested negative for e. coli, meaning concentrations are in the undetectable level, so sail that section of river at your own risk.

In biking world, there’s not much that’s rideable after yesterday’s rain. If you’re desperate, you could try the Deschutes River trail or possibly Tower of Power, but that’s about it. I’m thinking Post and Pint will not happen on Thursday. Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaah. The Pint and Pint is a poor substitute for bike riding, at least in my book!

If you’re a boater, the rivers are up. The Hood’s at 4.9ft, the White Salmon’s at 4.5, and the Little white’s at 831 cfs.

That’s it for today. Whatever you do today, have an awesome day!

Temira