The Gorge is my Gym

Wind junkies, are you ready for a rest day now? Today’s looking light on the water, but it’s looking like a great day for river sweeping, I mean, standup paddling. It’s also looking like a great day for a morning hike or road ride, before temperatures climb near ninety this afternoon.

Tomorrow looks windier. High pressure builds over the Norhtwest and lower pressure hangs off the coast. We’ll see easterlies tomorrow, which is better than no wind at all, with peak winds in the 17-20 range early tomorrow morning. As a front moves towards the coast tomorrow, winds fade to nothing, likely becoming light westerlies in the afternoon.

As that front hits the Northwest Thursday night, gradients build through the gorge. The models are having a tough time with this system, but it’s looking pretty windy at this point… at least mid twenties westerlies with the possibility of low thirties.

In other news, today is the first day of the Wild and Scenic Environmental film festival outdoors at Springhouse Cellars in Hood River. Pre-movie social hour starts at 7, and the film starts at 8. I read through the list of movies, and they all sound pretty good, so I’m making this my recommendation for today.

In other news, the Dirty Divas are having a mountain bike campout at Lewis River tonight. Call Disco Bikes for more details. And also, seriously, don’t forget the Bigfoot party in Home Valley on Friday and Saturday.

I was quite surprised when I woke up this morning and the predicted overnight frontal passage didn’t follow the predictions. We’re still waiting on it, and that’s why the wind is only in the low twenties this morning.

So, a weak front is headed our way, pulling in clouds and setting up a windy day. The early morning cloud line was somewhere west of Hood River (but the sunrise was lovely), the gradient was a respectable .08, and winds were blowing in the low 20’s at the Hatch at Dawn. Best wind today will be at the Hatchery and Spit early, in the 22-26 range, filling in at Stevenson, Mosier and Doug’s, oh, and Rick’s favorite, Avery, this afternoon with 24-27 as the front slides overhead. I do think there’s an outside chance of stronger wind… just depends what the front does.

Tomorrow looks glassy in the Gorge as high pressure settles in. As high pressure strengthens on Thursday, and low pressure settles in at the coast, east winds pick up into the low to mid twenties.

Speaking of the coast, there’s a killer west swell headed our way. It’s going to be 8 feet or better at 11 seconds or more for the next five days at least, so surf surfari time is now. Winds will be 10 to 15 knots or less , so protected surf spots are going to be epic. It’s hard to tell if there’s going to be enough wind for kiting out there, so if you’re headed out, just throw everything in the car. You lucky kiters with your tiny gear@

If you’re staying here, remember the Wild and Scenic Environmental film festival at Springhouse cellars starting tomorrow, the Bigfoot Bash and Bounty in Home Valley on Friday and Saturday, Pacific Crest trail days in Cascade Locks on Saturday.

Wahtever you do today, have an awesome day!