Lewis River to Ridgefield Paddle April 2010

22 04 2010

The week before this paddle I noticed the forecast for Sunday was sunny! What better reason to schedule a paddle with Paddle NW, my Meetup group. The paddle from Paradise Point Park to Ridgefield is a nice transition from forested land and the East Fork of the Lewis River to the mighty Columbia River and then to the Ridgefield Wildlife Refuge.

I scheduled the paddle and quickly had a group of 11 paddlers. The day broke bright and promised to be pretty. We met up by I-5 exit 14 Ridgefield, set some cars at the take out and others headed one exit north to east fork of the Lewis River at Paradise Point State Park. Well, most. A couple of paddlers got momentarily lost, but they made it back. That was really important for my day because one of them was carrying my boat!

Paddling on the Lewis

We did some pre-paddle fun warm up exercises, then went through the trip and safety talk. The Lewis was at a nice level. It was nice to see my paddling buddies back out there on the water! We also had Katie and Christian along, great to see them!

The East Fork Lewis joined with the main Lewis. As you paddle over the confluence the depth drops significantly.

Further on, there is a decripit old railroad bridge – which is totally in use today! At one time, it could swing open to allow traffic to pass.

Olde Tyme

Today, the gears are totally stuck. It ain’t going nowhere.

Christian at the rusty bucket bridge

Near the confluence of the Lewis and Columbia, we found a beach and lunched. Bald eagles soared overhead, and fishermen passed by. From there, we could easily see the peak (well, blown off) of Mount St. Helens, and if you paddled out into the middle of the Lewis River, Mount Adams, too.

Kayaks on the beach

Then we paddled up past Gee Creek and up the slough toward Ridgefield, viewing the wildlife refuge as we passed.

In all, it was a terrific day on the water. Can’t think of a better way to spend 2010’s warmest day so far!

Lunch on the beach!


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Alder Creek kicks off paddling season with Paddle Festival 4/24-4/25

20 04 2010

The do-not-miss paddling event is this weekend! Alder Creek’s annual Paddle Festival starts Saturday and continues through Sunday!

Alder Creek Festival at Vancouver Lake

Whether you have never paddled or you’ve been doing it for years, in a kayak, canoe, or stand-up paddleboard, whitewater or flatwater, this event is for you. And it’s FREE. There will be representatives from the major paddling industry to answer your questions and give you a chance to try their products on the water. You’ll also be able to take advantage of the many clinics offered, from first strokes to rescues to expeditions.

Both days offer seminars. Saturday’s schedule is set out more on basics, and how to choose a boat, and Sunday more on the water seminars and learning. There will also be guided tours of Vancouver Lake. So head on over!

Location: Vancouver Lake, Vancouver, WA

For more information, visit the Alder Creek Website.

A sampling of companies represented:

Werner Paddles

Kokatat

Jackson Kayaks

Confluence Watersports (Dagger, Wavesport, Wilderness Systems, Perception, Mad River Canoe)

Current Designs

Necky

Valley Sea Kayaks

Pyranha Kayaks

Take advantage of this opportunity! Hope to see you out there.


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Northwest Creeking Competition 2010

20 04 2010

On April 10 over 70 boaters and rafters gathered at Sunset Falls Campground on the East Fork of the Lewis River, Washington for the Northwest Creeking Competition! Water levels were great and a good time was had by all. I volunteered to help officiate, working the finish line with ACA’s Jim Virgin.

Early arrivals were warmed with coffee from Blunt Family Paddles and Shannon Crosswhite at the registration desk. Willie takes it all in. Luke Spencer is the man in charge, and he’s not shy about promoting those t-shirts!

Registration gets busy!

Everyone wants a NWCC t-shirt!

It wasn’t long before I got reunited with a lot of river friends. Like the demographics of this group! Although a chilly start to this day, and windy, too – we knew lots of fun, thrills, spills and excitement lay ahead. More and more folks kept piling in to the event.

Luke, Jenn and I went down to the finish area to get it set up. We set out signs and decided on the exact spot for the finish, a rock with a traffic cone on top. The stairs to the river, though rehabilitated, had already been abused by the elements and it wasn’t long before hazards developed.

Folks, sorry about the step!

Might skip that thar step there!

And it wasn’t long before we had some finishers! The first few races were timed – competitors going every 60 seconds. Mostly they finished one at a time. But sometimes one on top of the other. Paddlers had put everything into the race and a few hurled at the end…and others pooled like fish while they caught their breath. Many dunked their drysuit-wearing bodies in the cold river.

Tao Berman, winner of the pro division, ready to run the long boat division!

Catching their collective breath – All rafted up…

We had a number of rafters! The Oregon Rafting Team sent a number of boats, and we had some women teams too!

By far the most fun was the end of the day – the mass start. This race is everyone at once! No timing! First one to finish gets all the glory!  After all the action, Next Adventure fed all hungry souls a barbeque! Well, you can see what happens at the waterfall, and everybody’s on shore to take in the action!

ENJOY!

The Mass Start

It was a great 2010 and we’ll see you next year!


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How to Score Fresh Tracks on Mount Hood: Wednesdays at Ski Bowl

19 04 2010

Mount Hood is a mere 60 miles east of Portland, Oregon. It’s literally in the city’s backyard. It receives hundreds of inches of snowfall in the winter, and has several ski areas. Portland is populated with a lot of powder hounds willing to brave wind, ice and state police to get a chance at enjoying fresh snow. On Mount Hood, where it can be wet snow, the days of sweet dry fluff are in extremely high demand.

At Mount Hood Meadows, the largest ski resort, crowds gather before the lifts open anxiously awaiting. Heather Canyon doesn’t open until 9:30 and similarly there will be dozens standing at the gates waiting for the ski patrol to let them in. The upshot is that around here, the exhilaration of floating in fresh powder doesn’t last long. And you have to get up real early to get it.

Mount Hood viewed from the top of Ski Bowl

But there are some who know they can sleep in. Or work a half day – and still get fresh tracks. Because they know there is a little secret on the other side of the Mountain. The true diehards get fresh tracks at Meadows, then pack up and then do it all over again at this secret spot. When low snow levels bestow powder on Mount Hood Ski Bowl on a Tuesday night/Wednesday, these people head to Mount Hood Ski Bowl to catch the 1:00 Wednesday opening. It’s guaranteed you can get run after run of trackless on these days.

1:00 time for freshies!

I was around for one such day late in winter 2009-2010 and it was super sweet, I took in one trackless run after another!

So if you just happen to notice the right conditions and have some time on a Wednesday, now you know you don’t have to set the alarm for 5:00 a.m. and rush out the door.


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Bachelor Island Paddle in Ridgefield, WA

19 04 2010

In late March 2010 I decided to take my injured shoulder on a test paddle with the Oregon Ocean Paddling Society. FYI, my shoulder was dislocated about Thanksgiving 2009 by a wayward snowboarder at Mount Hood Ski Bowl. I’d done extensive physical therapy.

Andrew checking out a Great Blue Heron

The scheduled paddle was a 9-mile trip up and around Bachelor Island near Ridgefield, WA. When paddling in this area I usually put in at Ridgefield or at Paradise Point State Park, which is on the Lewis River. For some reason our trip leader opted to put in just north of the confluence of the Lewis River and Columbia – and that required 30 minutes additional driving.

Nonetheless the day’s weather was appealing and the company amenable. We paddled up the Columbia and into Ridgefield, then up the slough culminating on the south end of the island.

Upon arriving there, it was dead low tide. Not possible to paddle around, we did a quick portage, followed by lunch on a beach facing the Columbia River.

Lunch on Bachelor Island with Oregon Ocean Paddling Society!

Following lunch, we headed back north up the river. It wasn’t long after we launched I looked to my left and Neil Schulman was about 10 feet off to port! “Where did you come from?” I asked. He’d decided to get in a quick paddle after his girlfriend was too busy to come out. We paddled for a couple of miles before his route took him back to Ridgefield.

By now, I was a ways behind our group and pushed to catch up.

On the beach at Bachelor Island

I had to admit, by this time my poor shoulder was pretty peeved. I had over done it on my first paddle of any length since the accident. But I managed to catch up with the group, which was debating paddling up a small river called Gee Creek. Guidebooks say Gee Creek is interesting but can only be negotiated if the water level is just right. On this day, it didn’t matter what the water level was. Trees had come down over the creek, and it wasn’t possible to go more than a few yards beyond the entrance.

Overall, today’s paddle was a success. But I totally realized my limits, and that I needed to do some paddling specific exercises!

Onward and upward I say!


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Easter Sunday 2010 at Mount Hood Ski Bowl

19 04 2010

Winter 2009 – 2010 at Mount Hood Ski Bowl was a joke. I bought a pass in November 2009, when we had four feet of early season snow. Then things happened. Accident, injury and El Nino.

Before this season began I made a commitment to boycott Mount Hood Meadows. Year after year of corporate marketing and boring terrain finally made me say good bye. I craved the low key Mount Hood Ski Bowl atmosphere – plus I loved the terrain in the upper bowl, and the warming sanctuary of the mid mountain hut. Many seasons, Ski Bowl’s lower elevation meant inferior snow. But the past several years it’d racked up some serious numbers, like a 130″ base by early March. I bought my pass gambling that it would happen again. I lost. But not quite in the way I imagined.

Just before Thanksgiving 2009, on my very first run, fate took an unfortunate turn. Standing in the middle of the widest slope on lower bowl, I was hockey check-blasted by a kid on a snowboard. Did not hear him, did not see him. I don’t know what he saw. But my shoulder was dislocated, and with that, most of the 2009 – 2010 season. But Planet Earth also conspired against my gamble. El Nino threw warm, and dry weather at the Pacific NW. My heating bill hit all time lows, as did the mid-season snow pack at Mount Hood Ski Bowl. The base was less than three feet in mid February.

By that time, after diligently following a physical therapy regimen, I was released to go at the hill. Base depths at Ski Bowl didn’t please. So, I headed to Utah for a wonderful week. Returning, El Nino’s grip started to relax. And winter made a late season comeback. Late in March, Oregon’s Cascades received over four feet of fluff.

Easter Bunny Brings Powder

And I took advantage. On Easter Sunday I headed up there, and was rewarded with feathery fluff – a serious bounty. Uncrowded and free of hype, Mount Hood’s Upper Bowl was a treasure. Well worth waiting for.

Here’s a view from upper bowl lift…

Upper Bowl Cliffs from the Lift

No way to describe how good the snow was this Easter Sunday! It was truly dry – a major rarity in Oregon. And deep. My ski poles labored to find bottom. And soft. No ice anywhere. And not crowded nor windy. All just right for me!

Some just weren’t prepared, for I witnessed some serious carnage from the lift. In some ways, I wait all year to see such carnage. You could tell this guy was going to bite it hundreds of feet before he actually did. When it happened is was a beautiful thing, yard sale, skis, poles, goggles, and a 100-ft face first slide…man one has to feel for the guy.

Well, once that guy did his yard sale I figured it was time to take a break. And true to form, the mid mountain hut was full of Easter Sunday merry makers. Folks of all stripes were enjoying the fire and swapping stories of the feather snow we all experienced this day!


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