The Hook, Oregon

Site Information

• Site Coordinator: Tim Mayer
• Location: Oregon, I-84 exit 63. Take Portway Ave west of The Event Site (Hood River)
• Property Owner/Managing Agency: Port of Hood River
• Other Details:
  • Wells Island, just west of the Hook, is owned by the U. S. Forest Service. At this time restrictions are - "No dogs during geese nesting season." Park Rules, Aerial Photo
  • Site of the Annual 'King of the Hook' freestyle event.

New Changing Rooms Built and Open for Use!

Sick of changing in the porta-potties at the Hook?  We were!  So CGWA built new changing rooms this spring. They are located north of the CGWA youth program shed on the west end of the road. Now you can teach your friends with ease!  

Gathering supplies and beginning to build.	Ground at the Hook is super hard! Thank goodness Fred brought the big guns for the post hole digging.
Tim works with Fred to get all the post holes ready for use.	Framing the changing rooms.
The finished changing rooms. Yeah!	The finished changing rooms... with a view of the sailing area at the Hook.

Beach Work and Site History

• 2007 Work- Changing rooms installed.
• 2005 Work- Move fallen rocks from ramps back to walls; trim overgrown bushes from ramps; weed/cleanup rigging areas; trash cleanup; knapweed removal.
• 2004 Work- Litter, noxious weed removal, raking... general beautification.
• 2003 Work- New launch ramps, removal of black-berry & knapweed, and trash removal. <More...>
• 2002- Purchased picnic tables, Port in support of CGWA endeavor to improve access at The Hook. Beautification tasks and weed removal.
• 2001 Work- Built two rigging areas, ramp repair and spreading gravel. <More...>

Work Party and Site Images

2004	Jerry Nelson, Dave Hmiel & Heather Laurence next to the newly purchased picnic table 2002

Ramp Building

January 18, 2003
by Gay Jervey

Hello everyone! The work party at the Hook is complete and should look terrific this spring. The AmeriCorps teams were superb Thursday & Friday, building six new ramps on both sides of the Hook. Your Rental Center in Hood River (thanks, Chuck and Jesse!) donated the use of a track hoe, and CGWA volunteer Steve Alford operated it, which helped make all of the ramps possible. In addition, Bill Hanel loaded and donated three huge trailer loads of very nice, aged manure/compost for the tree & shrub planting. The Mosier group brought mulch, cuttings, seeds, and manpower and the project got done! Ken & Linda Maddox were real heroes as CGWA site representatives all three days, and Diane Barkhimer, CGWA Executive Director, was the brains that put this effort together. The Port of Hood River (Dave Harlan & Joe Pounder) donated 32 mature trees that were planted, as well as overseeing the pick up of all collected weeds and trash.

MacKenzie Winchel, AmeriCorps member and landscape designer, staked the ramps and tree locations. She spent hours planning and staking the site ahead of time to make the process efficient. And of course, prior volunteer work parties over the years had established the ramp areas and rigging sites that make setting up so much more pleasant.

For those of you who are not familiar with the Hook, it is a premier learning area for children wanting to master windsurfing. (Several windsurfing schools are located here). In summer, on even slightly windy days it is packed with cars and families helping their kids learn this demanding and exciting sport. It serves local residents, but also kids from all over the world whose families come to Hood River for recreation. The Hook is one of the best venues for beginner windsurfers in North America. The outside (west) of the Hook is a great place to learn and perfect water starting skills. In addition, on non-windy days the Hook is a superb birding site for aquatic birds; the Columbia Gorge Audubon Society may want to take note and add the Hook to its list of Oregon birding sites.

After March, it will be necessary to use buckets to water the 32 trees. Perhaps the users can handle this challenge during 2003. After the first year, the trees should be able to make it on their own. The cuttings, grasses and wild flower seeds that were distributed do not require any care.

Great job, everyone!

Before ramp construction	Cleaning up the inside area	The track hoe digging the ramps
Ramp to inside area	Ramp to inside area, completed	Ramp to outer area
Planting	Gay Jervey (yellow) with volunteers	AmeriCorps Volunteer
Volunteers	Volunteers	AmeriCorps Volunteers

2001 Site Improvements

July 28, 2001- After receiving permission from the Port of Hood River, CGWA volunteers set to work to improve access at the Hook. Prior to the work party, Fred Noble framed the two rigging areas with treated wood and firmly anchored that wood with rebar to prepare for a long future. CGWA ordered gravel the day before the work party, so that when the volunteers arrived they were able to wheelbarrow it from the pile and spread it on the rigging areas.

Jeff Johnson led a group repairing the ramp on the northwest outer side of the Hook. Re-defining that path took some muscle...pick axes, shovels and rakes. Gravel was spread down the path to the high water mark for a more user friendly access.

Not all CGWA members can attend work parties, but their dues certainly go a long way in purchasing lumber, gravel and other supplies for improved access. It is much appreciated. Next season CGWA will improve the path at the Hook for the Community Windsurfing Classes.

North west side of Hook before	One of the newly framed rigging areas	CGWA volunteers at work
Ramp completed	Fred Noble loading up rock	Moving lots of rock