CKB Wins "Best of the Gorge!"

Cascade Kiteboarding received the announcement today that we won "Best of the Gorge 2011" as voted by visitors and readers of the Gorge Guide. The Gorge Guide is a lifestyle, travel, and tourism publication here in the Gorge. We are thrilled! Yeah!!

Thank you to all of our students and supporters who voted!! And, our top notch instructors: Blaine Baker, Colleen Carroll, Andy Crafts, Gregg Gnecco, Toby Winston, and Ben Woodcock. If you have taken a lesson with us, you know why we received the Best of the Gorge title. We will continue to provide the safest and most thorough learning experience for anyone who wants to learn to kiteboard.

Voting has already started for 2012, so be sure to vote for us again! 

Wanna know what makes Cascade Kiteboarding different? 

My Favorite #1 - 12/1/11 - Patagonia Nano Puff Hoody

I have two things to say: Windproof and Water-Resistant. If you live in the Northwest or anywhere where there's wind AND precipitation, the Patagonia Nano Puff Hoody is your jacket. Did I mention windproof?? This jacket rules. It's light, packable, yet warm and cozy.

I live in White Salmon, Washington where mid- to high-30s is common daytime temp in the winter. Spring and Fall evenings in the high 40s. The Nano Puff never gets too warm unless I wear it on a summer day when it's 80 and I wouldn't do that. I would, however, wear this jacket year-round in summer and Fall evenings, and pretty much all day in the Winter.  I also own Patagonia's Down Sweater, which is much warmer and good for seriously cold conditions (like cold winter evenings), but now I don't wear that one as much because it doesn't have the water-resistance or windproof ability of the Nano Puff. Get it. Today it's windy and cold, and I am happy. :-)

Yes, we're already scouting for 2012!

The Columbia Gorge is one of the consistently windiest locations in the United States summer, which makes it great for teaching and learning how to kiteboard! Cascade Kiteboarding is equipped with jet skis and HeadZone radio helmets for all water lessons. We run only private and semi-private lessons. We offer the most competitive wage in the Gorge, plus commissions and incentives. We have a hard-working team and we have fun.

We are hiring for the following positions for summer 2012, mid-May through mid-September.

IKO Level 1 & 2 Instructors

We are looking for responsible IKO instructors for part-time and full-time positions with at least 1 year teaching experience. 

• Experience teaching off jet skis or boats is a plus.
• Must be a current IKO instructor with at least 1 year of teaching experience, current CPR/First Aid card, Boater's safety card
• Must be at least 21 years of age. 
• Proof of legal ability to work in the United States required. Sorry, we do not provide sponsorship for work visas.

School Manager

We are looking for a personable and responsible IKO Level 2 instructor or Level 1 instructor with 2 years experience who is interested in managing the school and doing part-time instruction. Responsibilities as manager include:

• Booking lessons
• Assessing weather and conditions for lessons
• Jet ski management and light maintenance (fueling, check for wear & damage, and any needs for the skis)
• Organization of gear before and after lessons 
• Gear management and inventory - Assessing needs, repairs, and additions.
• Greet and communicate with clients before and after lessons
• Communicate with instructors about scheduling and lessons.
• Must be at least 25 years of age with a minimum of 2 years kiteboarding school experience.
• Proof of legal ability to work in the United States required. Sorry, we do not provide sponsorship for work visas.

If you are interested in applying, please send your resume and teaching/lesson center experience to info (at) cascadekiteboarding.com, attention CKB Summer Jobs.

Kiteboarding Intensive Week - Women's camps with Tonia Farman BOOKING NOW

If you haven't had the opportunity to attend one of Tonia's Kiteboarding camps, here's your chance! Spots are booking now for 2012 winter camps in February and March! There are only 6 spots open per week and reservations close December 25, 2011. Here's a typical day at camp:

We start each morning with Pilates at 7, followed by an incredible hearty breakfast of fresh fruit bowls and an authentic mexican dish. Before the wind comes up we do some standup paddling, or maybe just resting in a hammock with a book. Kiteboarding sessions kick off when the wind picks up around 11 and continue until 4. Then it's happy hour, dinner, and lights out around 8-9 pm. Every day is full and active. 

On no wind days, we do SUPilates, snorkel in beautiful crystal turquoise water, swim with sea lions or maybe whale sharks (one of the most amazing experiences ever!!), or watch the humpbacks as they migrate up the coast! 

Cost: $1600

Includes:

• 6 nights/7days accommodation - 3 girls per specialty casita; solo casita is additional. 
• All meals and 2 dinners on the town 
• 4 days of 4-5 hour kiteboarding instruction sessions with Tonia Farman and the Kitemasters staff, one-on-one and two-on-one instruction
• Downwinder pickups and transportation back to kite school or Palapas Ventana resort.
• Transportation to kite instruction spots
• 3 Pilates and/or SUP Pilates sessions focused on core strength and flexibility for kiteboarding.
• Unlimited use of standup paddleboards, snorkel gear, and kayaks
• Standup paddling instruction
• Evening socials and chalk talks

Kiteboarding Instruction: Open to ALL levels, beginner through advanced. 
We pair two students at the same level to one instructor, with instruction mostly one-on-one. This allows us to focus on personalizing the learning experience to your level but also being able to be exposed to other levels. Everyone learns something from every level! 

Optional activities include Massage, Spanish Cooking Classes, Whale trips, Diving, Snorkeling & Fishing trips.

Price does not include 14% Mexico tax and transportation to and from the airport. However, once we have your itinerary, transportation and price will be determined and arranged for you. This ranges from $60-$150 depending on which airport you fly into and how many other camp attendees we can combine on the same shuttle from the airport. 

Airport info: La Paz airport (LAP) is the closest and first choice airport to getting to La Ventana (35 minutes). Cabo San Lucas (SJD) is also an option but is a 2 hour drive from La Ventana. Flights into La Paz are commonly more expensive but the shuttle to La Ventana is only about $30-$60. Flights into Cabo are typically much cheaper but the shuttle to La Ventana costs $75-$150 depending on number of passengers. Alaska Airlines often has sales to both destinations. 

Check out our Camp Reports from past years: 2009 | 2010 .

Email Tim Hatler of Palapas Ventana for more information on accommodations and bookings - tim (at) palapasventana.com

Email Tonia for questions about Kiteboarding, SUP, and Pilates instruction - tfarman (at) gmail.com

 7 am Yoga and pilates under the Palapa

A spectacular view for morning movements -- Bahia de La Ventana, aloe and a variety of flowering cacti in the background.

Our beautiful kite beach

Humpbacks surfacing and diving in the bay.

On a snorkeling trip to see the sea lions, we were greeted by this beautiful breaching humpback whale!

Humpback Whales on our way to swim with sea lions from Tonia Farman's Vimeo page.

Taking Jen out for her first ride of the camps. Goal: go out and come back to the same spot!

Kiteboarding with the GoPro wide angle camera on the board!!

Brittney runs through launching a kite with Annie.

Brittney picks up Katie from her downwinder on the quad.Our other instructor Brittney on the ever-important white board!

Tonia, Rochelle, Jen, and Brittney at camp.

A fine day at the office... Tonia instructs via radio helmets, following on the ATV from the beach. You go downwind, and we pick you up!

Board meeting. Rochelle, Annie, and Ingvil get instructed on board starts in the water.

A no wind day means there's always something else to do! How about swimming with whale sharks?

This guy free-dove down under the whale shark. These fish are absolutely beautiful!

Following the big swaying tail from behind.

CKB is opening June 17th to provide the best learning experience for students!

We want you to have the best learning experience. Period.

You may have heard that the Columbia River is at flood stage as of today and due to rise over weekend.  High water and strong, swirly currents have thrown a curveball at kiteboarding instruction in the Gorge this spring. 

I took out two of my instructors to assess the Columbia River conditions in the central Gorge over the last week. We waded, walked, swam, jet-skiied, body-dragged, did waterstarts, kited, and even just floated, in our pre-opening assessment for teaching lessons. After assessing the situation, I had to make a difficult, but very confident decision to postpone our season opening until June 17th to provide our students with the most positive and safe learning experience.

As I'm sure I will get heat from the other kite schools for this decision, I will stand by it 100%. I can't take a beginning kiteboarding student into these conditions and confidently say they are going to have a good learning experience.  And I'm saying this knowing that Cascade Kiteboarding utilizes the best tools for teaching safely in the Gorge: jet ski assistance for all water lessons and radio helmets for instruction. Other schools in Hood River are allowed to teach anytime and will teach at their own discretion.

I figure we'll get some questions regarding this decision, so I'm being proactive in answering here...

Why do you think the area in front of the Hood River Event Site, the Sandbar, and the Marina are not good for kiteboarding lessons right now?

The currents surrounding the Hood River marina, Hood River mouth, sandbar, and event site are vigorous, swirling, unpredictable and cold. Furthermore, these currents adversely affect a downed kite and beginner kite handler in the water. We experimented during our assessment of the conditions by dropping the kite on the water and attempting to relaunch it. The current is so strong and swift right now that it moves the kite upwind, past the kiteboarder piloting the kite, slacking the lines and making it nearly impossible to relaunch. 

The strong Columbia River and Hood River currents are both hugging very close to shore on the Oregon side (like we've never seen before) making it very difficult to walk back to the shore as a student in a lesson. In thigh- and waist-deep water, it requires a lot of strength to walk upstream against the current.

I hear the water level is actually rising even more. Is this true and how will it affect kiteboarding in the central Gorge?

The water level is rising this weekend and is due to rise in June as well. That said, the actual water level does not hinder our lessons as much as do the strong currents. Since we use jet skis and radio helmets, we can actually teach in high water after launching the kite. 

The water level has, however, affected kiteboarding from the sandbar. Since the sandbar is completely underwater, there is no rigging, launching, and landing there. To open up additional launching zones and spread out kite traffic, the Port of Hood River has opened up the marina beach and 1/2 of the event site for launching and landing. These launch and land zones are for intermediate and advanced riders only.

I'm an Advanced kiteboarder. Where should I kite?

Hood River or Stevenson! The current conditions actually make for good advanced kiteboarding. If you are an advanced rider who can confidently self-rescue, ride consistenly upwind AND downwind in both directions, now's the time to get out in Hood River. Remember: Suit to Swim!

What about out east like Rufus?

We strongly advise kiteboarders to avoid kiting at Rufus unless you are an expert kiteboarder. The water gushing out of the John Day Dam (just east of the Rufus launch), is at 500,000 CFS -- an incredible and unseen amount of water flowing at this time. (You can view data on John Day Dam activity here).  The river is literally swollen and raging.

The current is so strong at Rufus that even advanced kiteboarders have lost their boards to the current. I personally witnessed 5 people lose their boards at Rufus yesterday. More importantly... if your kite goes down in the currents, there is a chance that you may not be able to relaunch it. There are multiple speeds and directions of currents in various sections of the river and the water is powerful. Avoid it unless you are an expert kiteboarder.

So when can I take my lesson? I want to get on the water!!

Lessons will resume June 17th and we are already starting to book up for late June! Let the currents subside and the water warm up and we'll be rocking in 3 weeks! Reserve your lessons now and you'll be ready to go when we open! Just fill out our contact form and we'll get right back to you!