Columbia River / Hood River Sandbar, Oregon (USA) is a Shallow, Flat and Chop spot. It is a kitesurfing spot for riders of Any Level.
Recommended
wind for kitesurfing is
wind coming
from
WSW, W and WNW
.
Kitesurfing conditions
do not depend on Tide
on this spot.
Have fun after the ride: enjoy
Nightlife
close to Columbia River / Hood River Sandbar, Oregon (USA) !
The spot presents a few things you need to be careful about.
Please refer to the
Riding Conditions section
below.
Columbia River / Hood River Sandbar, Oregon (USA) is a Shallow, Flat and Chop spot. It is a kitesurfing spot for riders of Any Level.
Recommended
wind for kitesurfing is
wind coming
from
WSW, W and WNW
.
Kitesurfing conditions
do not depend on Tide
on this spot.
Have fun after the ride: enjoy
Nightlife
close to Columbia River / Hood River Sandbar, Oregon (USA) !
The spot presents a few things you need to be careful about.
Please refer to the
Riding Conditions section
below.
How to get there
PDX (Portland Airport): Go south on I-205 for a couple miles. Head east on I-84 for to Hood River. Take the second exit (City Center) and go left at the light. Wind around to the right toward the 76 gas station. Drive around the back of the station and keep going on that straight street onto the gravel road. Take the gravel road all the way to the end, here you will see the Sandbar.
PDX (Portland Airport): Go south on I-205 for a couple miles. Head east on I-84 for to Hood River. Take the second exit (City Center) and go left at the light. Wind around to the right toward the 76 gas station. Drive around the back of the station and keep going on that straight street onto the gravel road. Take the gravel road all the way to the end, here you will see the Sandbar.
Riding Conditions in Columbia River / Hood River Sandbar, Oregon (USA)
Riding Conditions
Wind and Weather Conditions
Weather in the summer can be 90+°F with water temperatures warm enough for board shorts only in July and August. Shorties come in for June and September. Full wetsuits the rest of the year. Winters are not really kite-able here, with the bitter, blustering Easterly winds bringing snow, hail, and rain.
Recommended
wind for kitesurfing is
wind coming
from
WSW, W and WNW
.
There is
Thermal wind
at Columbia River / Hood River Sandbar, Oregon (USA).
Spring: March to May, light winds 12-20, somewhat finicky. Summer: June to early September, windy, 15-35, pretty solid. Fall: September to October, light to moderate winds, but very steady: 13-25. The wind is usually gusty, sideshore. Go upwind for stronger and less gusty wind. It's all about the Westerlies, Easterlies usually don't find their way to Hood River (and it's usually too damn cold by then anyway).
Wind
usually
blows
from WSW, W and WNW
on the spot.
The
best moments to come
to Columbia River / Hood River Sandbar, Oregon (USA) are
June, July and August
.
Wind and Weather Conditions
Wind and Weather Conditions
Weather in the summer can be 90+°F with water temperatures warm enough for board shorts only in July and August. Shorties come in for June and September. Full wetsuits the rest of the year. Winters are not really kite-able here, with the bitter, blustering Easterly winds bringing snow, hail, and rain.
Recommended
wind for kitesurfing is
wind coming
from
WSW, W and WNW
.
There is
Thermal wind
at Columbia River / Hood River Sandbar, Oregon (USA).
Spring: March to May, light winds 12-20, somewhat finicky. Summer: June to early September, windy, 15-35, pretty solid. Fall: September to October, light to moderate winds, but very steady: 13-25. The wind is usually gusty, sideshore. Go upwind for stronger and less gusty wind. It's all about the Westerlies, Easterlies usually don't find their way to Hood River (and it's usually too damn cold by then anyway).
Wind
usually
blows
from WSW, W and WNW
on the spot.
The
best moments to come
to Columbia River / Hood River Sandbar, Oregon (USA) are
June, July and August
.
Beach and Tide Conditions
Kitesurfing conditions
do not depend on Tide
on this spot.
Columbia River / Hood River Sandbar, Oregon (USA) is a
Shallow, Flat and Chop spot.
The
launching/landing area
is reported to be of
Tidal size.
The heart of the Gorge, and currently the most popular spot to ride in the Pacific Northwest. It's the only sandy launch in the Gorge, so it's somewhat good for beginners. However the fact that the sand bar is finite, be careful if you can't stay upwind, as you can quickly end up past where you can still land without some major issues. The beach is rocky until you hit the sand bar, which can vary in size depending on the current water level. On some days its as big as a football field, other days its gone completely. Some days even the rocky beach is missing. On the days when the sand bar is underwater some choose to rig on the rocky area and walk out or launch from there. Beware launching from the rocky beach as the wind is very shifty, and the water is shallow. It's best to rig your kite up and walk out past the rocky area to where the sand bar would be and launch there. If the sand bar is big enough for you to rig on it, then rig there and get someone to launch you. The sand bar is usually very busy and has limited space, so don't linger with your gear strewn out everywhere. Also make sure the gear you leave on the beach when you go out is somewhere you can find it, and on the highest ground possible (you might come back and find that the sand bar has started to disappear under water.)
The Columbia River, which cuts through the Columbia River Gorge to the Pacific Ocean. The Hood River mouth meets the Columbia River here at the Sandbar. Best from May to September, the The mouth of the Hood River is a wonderful smooth-like-butter riding spot if you are advanced enough to fight for the narrow space with the pros in the summertime. The water is shallow out to the channel, which is clearly noticeable by the dark water line. The channel on the north side of the river can be choppy, but can also have good swell. Wind in the sandbar area can be gusty. The current pushes you upwind on a westerly (W, SW, or NW), making it easy upwind-riding. The farther upwind (west) you go, the cleaner the wind, especially by the White Salmon Bridge on the north side of the river.
Beach and Tide Conditions
Beach and Tide Conditions
Kitesurfing conditions
do not depend on Tide
on this spot.
Columbia River / Hood River Sandbar, Oregon (USA) is a
Shallow, Flat and Chop spot.
The
launching/landing area
is reported to be of
Tidal size.
The heart of the Gorge, and currently the most popular spot to ride in the Pacific Northwest. It's the only sandy launch in the Gorge, so it's somewhat good for beginners. However the fact that the sand bar is finite, be careful if you can't stay upwind, as you can quickly end up past where you can still land without some major issues. The beach is rocky until you hit the sand bar, which can vary in size depending on the current water level. On some days its as big as a football field, other days its gone completely. Some days even the rocky beach is missing. On the days when the sand bar is underwater some choose to rig on the rocky area and walk out or launch from there. Beware launching from the rocky beach as the wind is very shifty, and the water is shallow. It's best to rig your kite up and walk out past the rocky area to where the sand bar would be and launch there. If the sand bar is big enough for you to rig on it, then rig there and get someone to launch you. The sand bar is usually very busy and has limited space, so don't linger with your gear strewn out everywhere. Also make sure the gear you leave on the beach when you go out is somewhere you can find it, and on the highest ground possible (you might come back and find that the sand bar has started to disappear under water.)
The Columbia River, which cuts through the Columbia River Gorge to the Pacific Ocean. The Hood River mouth meets the Columbia River here at the Sandbar. Best from May to September, the The mouth of the Hood River is a wonderful smooth-like-butter riding spot if you are advanced enough to fight for the narrow space with the pros in the summertime. The water is shallow out to the channel, which is clearly noticeable by the dark water line. The channel on the north side of the river can be choppy, but can also have good swell. Wind in the sandbar area can be gusty. The current pushes you upwind on a westerly (W, SW, or NW), making it easy upwind-riding. The farther upwind (west) you go, the cleaner the wind, especially by the White Salmon Bridge on the north side of the river.
Need to know
There is
no beach users
reported here.
When you are on water,
be careful
of
Currents, Boats and Stones
.
Beach risk reported:
Stones
.
There are
riding zones
on the spot, be sure you respect them.
Need to know
Need to know
There is
no beach users
reported here.
When you are on water,
be careful
of
Currents, Boats and Stones
.
Beach risk reported:
Stones
.
There are
riding zones
on the spot, be sure you respect them.
A
parking
is available at Columbia River / Hood River Sandbar, Oregon (USA).
There are
Showers
available on the spot.
The Sandbar is a kite-only beach. Upwind at the `Event Site` is windsurfing only. No kiting at any of the other beaches in the area, you can only launch from the sand bar.
Webcams around Columbia River / Hood River Sandbar, Oregon (USA)
Webcams around Columbia River / Hood River Sandbar, Oregon (USA)
Weather Forecast for the next 10days
Wind and Temperature over the past years
Wind and Temperature over the past years
More about Kitesurfing in Washington Oregon
More about Washington Oregon
Wind stats in Washington Oregon...
Additional information
There are 6 kitesurf schools and 112 kitesurf spots in Washington Oregon.