Best American Adventures: Kiteboard the Columbia River Gorge

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By Kate Siber; Photograph by Mike Howard

Kiteboarding is the closest most of us humans will
ever get to flying, and the Columbia River Gorge, a chasm lined with
luscious evergreen forests, waterfalls, and cliffs on the
Washington-Oregon border, is one of the nation’s premier spots to try
it.

Acting as a natural wind tunnel, the gorge
literally sucks air up from the coast and whips it into gusts as strong
as 30 knots. The capricious breezes pose a challenge that attracts
enthusiasts from all over to test their mettle on the ten miles (16
kilometers) of open river. In recent years, the gorge has also become a
hot spot for beginners as advances in equipment have made the sport
safer and easier to learn. Several schools have opened shop on the
banks of the river, where there are easy access points and sandy
beaches to learn the ropes.

During a 90-minute
beginner class with Hood River Waterplay, novices learn about wind
patterns, equipment, and basic safety. Then comes the fun part:
Learning to fly the kite. The first time it gently picks you up off the
ground is a guaranteed eureka! moment: It feels as if you’ve
just sprouted wings. Once you’ve mastered launching from the water,
riding, and tacking into the wind, you just might graduate to the area
of river around White Salmon, Washington, where veterans launch off
hip-high swells and soar weightlessly into the cool, humid air,
sometimes as high as 60 feet (18 meters). Flying, indeed.

Need to Know: Hood River Waterplay (www.hoodriverwaterplay.com) offers kiteboard clinics and lessons. A 90-minute basics class costs $99.