Postcards

The Pacific Northwest's best passage

If the weather's going to be down, it's down at Cascade Locks, says Marv Woidyla. A man of quiet authority, Woidyla is the former deputy sheriff and mayor of Fairview, Oregon, and the current owner of Gorge Winds Aviation, based at Portland-Troutdale Airport. Woidyla has on his flight instructor hat this morning, conducting my checkout in a Cessna 182. And I'll do whatever standard maneuvers he requires for his own reassurance — but what I want to learn from this exercise lies under a solid deck of clouds to the east. The Columbia River Gorge hides in shadows today, daring us to venture in.

The gorge, a deep cut where the mighty river powers its way through the Cascade Range from the eastern Oregon plains to the estuaries that feed into the Pacific, both separates large-scale weather patterns to the east and west and creates its own weather challenges. But, as low as the clouds get in the gorge, the narrow valley often provides a low-slung, gray highway for pilots wanting to cross the Cascades VFR and out of ice- or storm-laden clouds.

That's not to say that the weather never gets low in the gorge — oh no. The water just sits so much closer to sea level (roughly 20 feet msl) than the surrounding terrain that the weather has to get pretty bad before the passage closes.

Primary to flying the gorge is to enter it with a firm plan. As we fly under the overcast into the gorge, the need for a plan becomes clear — not only do the velvety walls of the gorge create a breathtakingly lovely passageway, but also the weather ahead slowly deteriorates, finally obscuring those walls into gray nothingness.

You'll be more comfortable if you know the rules of the road within the gorge: The Columbia River Gorge is a highway, and pilots are expected to fly on the right side of the passage. This allows not only for traffic separation but also gives you plenty of room to turn 180 degrees if lowering weather ahead prevents you from pressing on.

As you might guess, marginal VFR conditions in the gorge have tempted pilots since aviation took root in this part of the country (see " Field of Influence," page 82, and " Never Again: Two-Pilot Error," page 138). When instrument meteorological conditions prevail practically everywhere else in the state, the gorge can technically be VFR. But pilots thinking of scud running through the gauntlet should keep in mind that obstructions exist at river level at various points through the gorge — both man-made obstacles, such as buildings and towers, and rock formations. Side canyons can lure a pilot unfamiliar with the terrain, one who is perhaps straining so hard to see through the muck that the sectional plays second fiddle.

While the VFR-into-IMC threat likely remains the highest concern — and winds get snarly along the canyon walls, especially in the narrowest areas — there's another VFR-weather-related hazard to the gorge: The area's year-round combination of high humidity and the right temperature range (20 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit) is rather conducive to the formation of carb ice. If you find your engine running roughly, check the carb heat before making a precautionary ditching in the Columbia.

You can sketch out a weather picture — but only a rough sketch — by checking the reports from The Dalles on the east end, Troutdale on the west end, and Cascade Locks, which is in the middle section of the gorge. In addition to the clouds and varying visibility, watch out for intense winds when flying in the gorge. The terrain funnels wind something fierce, which is why windsurfers and other kite-borne athletes from around the world flock to the gorge for recreation.

Landing in the gorge

Airports cover thickly the green valleys of western Oregon — and the gorge, too, has its allotment. The first public-use airport east of Troutdale is Cascade Locks State Airport, a 1,800-foot-long, 30-foot-wide strip of asphalt tucked into trees right on the Columbia's banks near the Bonneville Dam. Runway 6 has a clear approach over the river; since winds in the gorge often blow from the west, a departure on 24 makes sense. There's a right-hand pattern for 24 as well, to keep traffic over the river and away from the steep sides of the gorge in this area. Pilots planning on landing at Cascade Locks should contact the Oregon State Department of Aviation (503/378-4880) while planning the flight.

SDA contact Tom Franklin (he's the manager of Aurora State and Independence State airports and directs maintenance for the other state airports) notes that Cascade Locks is one of 28 airports owned by the state, and while many are maintained to federal standards, some have obstructions and other hazards that take them out of the norm. In Oregon, any airport with the word state in its title is a state-owned airport; pilots can use the phone number listed above for information (and notices to airmen not yet released into the notam system) about any state airport.

Cascade Locks airport is probably one of the smallest strips of pavement in the United States that sends out a METAR — but it's a really worthwhile one to grab if you plan to fly the gorge. Note that it's an automated station; the airport is unattended.

The Bridge of the Gods at Cascade Locks is worth a stop — it's a steel cantilever bridge constructed in 1926 by the Wauna Toll Bridge Co. The toll is still 50 cents. The bridge is named after a legendary local geographic feature — the Bridge of the Gods is the name given to a land bridge that formed as the result of a massive landslide, which dammed the river. Local tribes in oral histories tell of "crossing the river with dry moccasins," and geologists estimate that the slide occurred somewhere between 500 and 700 years ago. After the slide, the river supposedly cut a bridge through the rock and dirt before breaching the slide completely. From the air, it's easy to see the remnants of the slide. Also of note for pilots flying through this area: wires. While no wires string the gorge proper, wires that hang from towers collocated with the Bonneville Dam can pose a hazard to airplanes. The current sectional shows these towers at 440 feet msl, which is 350 feet agl (the towers sit on the river banks) and about 420 feet above the river's surface.

After passing through the narrow cut east of Cascade Locks, you enter the broader valley near Hood River, Oregon. The town serves as a home base for the wind-sports enthusiasts that ply the river's wind-beaten waters with sails and surfboards, kites and kayaks. But even if you aren't into catching some air off the waves, you can find plenty to do. Hiking and climbing areas beckon both near the river and at the two mountains that dominate the scene: Mount Hood to the south and Mount Adams to the north. These peaks offer skiing, of course, and mountain-bike trails abound, as do golf courses and favorite fishing spots. In the town of Hood River, you'll find several artists' galleries, including the Columbia Art Gallery and The Station, an artists' co-op operating out of a gas station on Oak Street.

Accommodations in Hood River book up quickly on weekends so make reservations early if you plan a stop. One good option at the high end of the scale: the Columbia Gorge Hotel (541/386-5566), which offers high tea in addition to five-course breakfasts. Its dining room has been rated one of Oregon's best restaurants. Another classy boutique hotel in downtown Hood River is the Oak Street Hotel (541/386-3845), a renovated nine-room hotel built in 1909. The Comfort Suites Hood River (541/308-1000) and Best Western Hood River Inn (541/386-2200) hotels offer less expensive lodging.

The Ken Jernstedt Airfield at Hood River lies just south of town in the Hood River valley. A survey during my visit of the main ramp south of the runway showed that more than half of the airplanes tied down were tailwheel airplanes, all apparently flyable and well cared for. Runway 7/25 is 3,040 feet long by 75 feet wide. While there is no weather reporting at Hood River, a quick call to the folks manning the desk at Flightline Services can help you assess conditions at this end of the gorge. The airport lies south of town, and sits well above the river level — field elevation is 631 feet msl, making it nearly 600 feet above the Columbia at this point. Therefore, low conditions in the gorge may rule out a landing at Hood River. There are no instrument approach procedures into Hood River — the nearest approaches to the gorge are at Troutdale on the west end and at The Dalles on the east end. (Interesting note: The sole procedure into Troutdale, an NDB or GPS-A approach, is the only one I've seen that has another approach — the VOR-A into Portland International — as part of its lost-communications procedure. If your radios tank, you are instructed to switch to Portland's VOR-A approach rather than continue the approach to Troutdale.)

Dry out

The climate change strikes you as you fly east of Hood River toward The Dalles, Oregon. You quickly transition from the steep walls of the gorge to the rolling hills of central and eastern Oregon — and all the rain has been left far behind in the tattered mists and slippery slopes of the western part of the state. While Cascade Locks gets between 50 and 85 inches of precipitation annually, and Hood River checks in with around 30 inches, The Dalles barely breaks the double digits in some years. It's dry out here, baby. But the wind is still blowing.

The Dalles sits at the end of the Oregon Trail, at the site of Fort Dalles, which was established in 1850 to protect the influx of immigrants unloading their wagons after a long haul westward — though archaeological evidence suggests the area has been inhabited for 10,000 years.

Columbia Gorge Regional/The Dalles Municipal Airport (obvious-outsider hint — all references to The Dalles are found under the letter T in an alphabetical listing) sits on an open plateau above the riverbanks; its runways form a triangle in the manner of many airports located in truly breezy parts of the world. Elevation there is 247 feet msl.

Aside from often having drastically different weather from airports to the west, The Dalles offers recreational activities, including windsurfing, hiking, fishing, and camping. A downtown walking tour can be arranged through the Chamber of Commerce (800/255-3385). Options for lodging include the Best Western River City Inn downtown (541/296-9107), and several budget chains.

E-mail the author at [email protected].

Links to additional information about flying the Columbia River Gorge may be found on AOPA Online ( www.aopa.org/pilot/links.shtml).