The Gorge Magazine - Summer 2026

LIVING AND

EXPLORING

IN THE COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE

Sweet Legacy

Mike’s Ice Cream celebrates 40 years

KAYAKS FOR ALL A boat library in BZ Corner

RIDING FOR A CAUSE The return of KB4C

Maui Meyer

principal broker or/wa 541-490-3051 maui@copperwest.com

Bill Irving

principal broker, or/wa 503-816-9251 bill@copperwest.com

Erin V Pollard

or/wa 541-705-7798 erin@copperwest.com

Hunter Lowery broker or/wa 541-490-5917 hunter@copperwest.com

Julie

or/wa 541-490-4433 julie@copperwest.com

Melissa Alvarado broker, or 541-980-8977 melissa@copperwest.com

Phineas England broker or/wa 541-490-9666 phineas@copperwest.com

Cyndee Kurahara

or/wa 541-490-1396 cyndee@copperwest.com

Cody Cornett broker or/wa 219-916-0451 cody@copperwest.com

Paul Thompson principal broker, or/wa 541-490-1044 paul@copperwest.com

Avagale Porter broker or 541-399-3881 avagale@copperwest.com

Judy Dutcher

or/wa 541-490-6327 judy@copperwest.com

Luz Gallegos broker, or 541-399-7866 luz@copperwest.com

or/wa 541-645-0646 annem@copperwest.com

Sonya Waddington

or/wa 509-637-6445 sonya@copperwest.com

Sean Aiken principal broker, or/wa 541-490-8277 seanaiken@copperwest.com

Heather Bremer

or/wa 541-980-5182 heather@copperwest.com

~Christine Barthmus

ROLLING OUT A WELCOME MAT AT THE WATERFRONT

After a world-class career in watersports, Fiona Wylde has built a nonprofit rooted in water safety, youth opportunity and equitable access to the Columbia River By Janet Cook 50

OUTSIDE

By Emma Renly

WELLNESS

Tonia

By Janet Cook

Courtesy of Double Strand Wine

Richard Hallman

Jana

Bob Stawicki/IWasPhotographed

My dad loved ice cream. So much so that some of my earliest memories involve driving from our home outside Boulder to Baskin-Robbins, the only ice cream shop in town at the time. During childhood travels with my family, museum visits and city tours in many parts of the world were punctuated by the requisite search for an ice cream shop. After I landed in Hood River in the early 1990s, unsurprisingly my dad discovered Mike’s Ice Cream on his first visit and it became one of his favorite spots in town. Of course, he always loved the scoops he got there — which numbered in the many dozens over the years. But he liked the whole scene, from the cash-only policy and the IOU chalkboard to the wall of flyers and the shaded seating area where he could sit and take it all in. It was an ice cream shop with soul. And believe me, my dad would know. After our kids came along, trips to Mike’s were part of our regular routine when my parents were here. I have fond memories of three generations of my family sitting together under the trees licking our cones.

Mike’s Ice Cream celebrates 40 years in business this summer, and I know most people who’ve visited Mike’s over the years have their own stories and favorite memories about this place. Turn to page 14 for our story by Cate Hotchkiss, who recounts the origins of Mike’s and the family businesses that have grown up around it.

With summer in full swing, the waterfront is humming with activity. Some of that is due to local waterwoman Fiona Wylde’s nonprofit, Wylde Wind & Water, headquartered on the dock in Nichol’s Boat Basin. Wylde launched her organization five years ago as a way to promote water safety and equitable access to watersports. It’s grown to include 17 programs, ranging from free community watersports orientations to high-level youth paddling and wingfoil teams. Read our story about Fiona and the impact her organization is making, beginning on page 50.

Other water-related stories in this issue include a piece on the return of Kiteboard 4 Cancer following its cancellation last year (page 62) and a story about the White Salmon Boat Library, which offers kayaks and gear for check-out (page 58). You’ll find a variety of other interesting pieces, too, including stories about Double Strand Wine in Mosier (page 38), a glamping resort near Carson (page 32) and a different sort of bicycle repair shop in Bingen (page 10). Happy reading, and have a great summer!

— Janet Cook, Editor

About the Cover

Photographer AMY EASTMAN took our cover photo of the Kitts family in front of Mike’s Ice Cream as part of our story about the 40th anniversary of the iconic shop and the family businesses that have grown up around it — including Ruddy Duck which turns 20 this year. “Mike, Tassie and their family are like my own,” said Eastman, who worked at the Duck for 12 years. “Getting to document their legacy feels like pure gratitude and full-circle community love.” @picklesphotography_

When you have read this issue please pass it on to a friend or recycle it. Together we can make a difference in preserving and conserving our resources.

SUMMER 2026

EDITOR

Janet Cook

CREATIVE DIRECTOR & GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Renata Kosina

ADVERTISING DIRECTOR

Jody Thompson

ADVERTISING SALES

Kim Horton

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Molly Allen, Don Campbell, Cate Hotchkiss, Kacie McMackin, Emma Renly, Jana Shepherd, Richard Tillinghast

COVER PHOTOGRAPHER

Amy Eastman

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

Molly Allen, Amy Eastman, Emma Renly, Jana Shepherd, Richard Tillinghast

TO ADVERTISE IN THE GORGE MAGAZINE

please contact Jody Thompson jthompson@thegorgemagazine.com

VISIT US ON SOCIAL MEDIA @thegorgemagazine on Instagram

THE GORGE MAGAZINE 1812 Belmont Ave. Hood River, OR 97031

We appreciate your feedback. Please email comments to: jcook@thegorgemagazine.com

Swings

Michael Peterson

Courtesy of Columbia Gorge Getaways

Dr. Roscoe’s Holistic Bicycle Repair

JUSTIN BLACK DOES MORE THAN FIX BIKES AT HIS BINGEN SHOP

IN AN AGE WHEN A NEW BICYCLE can cost more than a decent car, Dr. Roscoe’s Holistic Bicycle Repair is a throwback to the past. The Bingen shop is a unique momand-pop storefront where you can trade a guitar or a freshly caught salmon for repair work, and local kids can use the tools — and expertise — to learn about their own bikes.

Not that Dr. Roscoe’s doesn’t offer expert repair or sell its share of top-notch bikes. But curator Justin Black offers more than titanium gear shafts, Lycra body suits and a business built on dollars and cents. He reminds us to slow down, smell the roses on our bike journeys, and that business is in essence about people.

When I stopped in to run this story idea by him, he was hesitant, saying his only concern was that it would bring in more business. A customer who happened to be there

buying new tires said, “Great! Just get a bigger building.” Black laughed and said that’s exactly what he doesn’t want. More traffic, bigger, better, faster. He joked that his business model is to “buy high and sell low.” He’s a hard worker and an expert bike mechanic, but primarily he’s a community member trying to help people out and make their day a little brighter.

I stopped in at Dr. Roscoe’s an hour before opening to chat, and within minutes I had the feeling it was starting out to be a typical day at the shop. Two customers wandered in early, bearing coffee and a small, esoteric-looking part.

story & photos by RICHARD TILLINGHAST

Justin Black has been fixing bikes since childhood, and at his shop for more than a decade. Jill Hardiman, right, volunteers there to learn repair skills.

“Ever seen one of these?” Chris Hooper asked, handing the part to Black, who disappeared into the back and emerged with the appropriate equivalent and two jars of homemade chocolate. “I’ve made 80 pounds of chocolate since June,” he said. “You guys need to taste test for me.” Hooper slipped the part into his pocket and grabbed a spoon.

Black grew up in an area he calls “halfway to Husum,” riding bikes and becoming proficient at fixing them. “When I was eight,” he recalled, “my dad said I couldn’t charge my brother for working on his bike.” He graduated from Eastern Washington University with a degree in outdoor recreation, then from Utah State with a master’s in recreation resource management, initially taking a job with the Forestry Extension program through Utah State. He and his wife Kate, a nurse, started a family and eventually returned home to the Gorge.

Black worked at two different bike shops while learning the house-building trade. When their youngest was six years old, the family began taking multi-day bike tours together. His already considerable knowledge of bike maintenance and repair grew exponentially.

With construction as his day job, Black continued to do bike maintenance on the side. “I love working on bikes,” he said. “I was working on friends’ bikes so much and not charging them, I was actually losing money. So I opened an account with Seattle Bike supply.” After

person of interest

a rock-climbing accident in 2013, Black was unable to work construction. “This space became available at the same time.”

The Bingen skate park is just up the road, and teenagers often wander in with flat tires or loose trucks on their skateboards. “I’ll have them work on their own bikes and boards if it’s something easy,” Black said. “Because how am I going to charge a kid who doesn’t have any money?”

Humor and a positive attitude are as essential to Dr. Roscoe’s shop as a chain is to a bike. Quirky knick-knacks clutter the countertop: polished rocks, toys made from bike parts, photo journals of his bike travels, a jar of old-fashioned fat pencils. When someone pointed to the pencils, Black retreated to the back room and returned with more pencils. “For the kids,” he said. On the wall beside a rack of tools, a foam banana hangs from a makeshift cradle. When the actual phone rang, it seemed for a second like Black might pick up the banana.

As Black spoke on the phone, Chris Hooper, still there with a spoonful of chocolate in hand, leaned in. “He helps people,” Hooper said. “Not just with bikes. People on the street, down on their luck, kids — they all come in here.”

Black hung up the phone and began wrenching on a bike set up on a stand. He sighted along the chain, fine-tuning the shifter. I asked him how he came up with the shop name.

“When you see my logo,” he said, “you know I’m not taking myself too seriously.”

Jill Hardiman, a retired fish biologist who volunteers at the shop to learn bike repair, walked in bearing Costa Rican chocolate, prompting more taste testing. A customer in the store who just bought a helmet sat down at the counter, helmet on, to try a sample.

“I’m pretty sure I can make better chocolate than that,” Black said. Then, ever polite, he amended his statement to, “I think I can make chocolate that I like better than that.”

In response, Hardiman pointed to a small plaque with a mounted stone that looked like a miniature seat, a caption beneath it reading, Paleolithic Lilliputian Bicycle Seat

“Sometimes I don’t get any bike work done during the day,” Black said, eyeing a customer coming in with an armful of tacos from El Rinconcito. “I just stay late.”

When Black went outside to examine an ancient Schwinn an older gentleman had wheeled up, Hardiman worked to assemble a Strider bike. “It’s the hub of town,” she said about Dr. Roscoe’s. “I mean, look outside. It’s Bingen TV.”

A little buzzed on chocolate, I gazed out the large front windows at my own hometown. As if in Richard Scarry’s Busytown, men in hardhats cheerfully pruned streetside trees and townspeople strode past bearing bags stuffed with goods. Across the street, friends greeted each other at Hatts, and a musician emerged from Gorge Amp Lab carrying new guitar strings. A beat-up car loaded with kayaks, heading to the river, passed a logging truck loaded with firs, headed to the mill. The morning sun illuminated it all.

“It’s all the people who just want to talk, bring in an unusual rock or some weird tool,” Hardiman mused, bringing me out of my reverie. “You wouldn’t believe the cast of characters that come through here in a day. Some of them might even have a bike question.”

Later, as I got ready to leave, the phone rang and Black answered. As I jingled out the door, I heard him say, “Okay, if it’s for a kid, I can do it.”

To learn more, go to doctorroscoesbikes.com.

Richard Tillinghast is a musician and writer who lives in White Salmon.

Justin Black has been known to trade bike repair for baked goods, fresh salmon and guitars, and helps kids learn to do their own repairs.

Creating Community, Cone by Cone

MIKE KITTS & TASSIE MACK ARRIVED IN HOOD RIVER CHASING THE WIND — AND BUILT A LEGACY THAT SPANS GENERATIONS

MIKE’S ICE CREAM is a destination as fabled as Hood River itself. But it didn’t start out that way.

“For years, we barely broke even,” says Mike Kitts who founded the shop four decades ago with wife Tassie Mack. “But we were in it for the long haul.”

Like many newcomers in the mid-80s, Mike and Tassie initially journeyed to the Gorge to windsurf, enticed by stories of its strong, steady summer winds.

“We hadn’t actually considered relocating until about ten seconds after laying eyes on the Hood River Valley,” says Mike, tearing up. “We immediately fell in love with the landscape and people.”

e couple and their two young children, Cecily and Josh, were living in Key West, Florida, where Mike worked as a seasonal commercial sherman and Tassie as a licensed windsur ng instructor. ey craved a more wholesome environment in which to raise their family and, of course, ideal sailing conditions.

In July 1984, within two weeks of arriving in Hood River, they purchased a 2.5-acre property on the west end of May Street. “We knew we’d found home,” Mike says.

REIMAGINING 504 OAK STREET

e following summer, Tassie discovered an 1893 Craftsman for sale downtown at the corner of Fifth and Oak Street. “I fell in love with the bank of windows lining the east-facing dormer,” she says. e property was occupied by an equestrian out t — saddles draped the fence and horse trailers crowded the yard.

She dreamed of launching an import business, but the timing was all wrong. “Oak Street was like a ghost town,” she explains — half the buildings boarded up, the fallout of an economic downturn that had hit the area’s prominent industries, logging and agriculture.

Yet, the place was too promising to pass up. e couple and two partners decided to purchase it as an investment. Mike, a skilled homebuilder, transformed the 3,000-square-

story by CATE HOTCHKISS • photosby AMY EASTMAN / PICKLES PHOTOGRAPHY

Courtesy of Mike Kitts

foot house into ve separate spaces for commercial tenants.

To refresh the tired white exterior and worn red trim, Tassie selected Monticello Rose by Benjamin Moore. “It was very controversial,” she recalls, laughing. “ e mayor stood in the street and exclaimed ‘Any color but pink!’ Beautiful, though.”

When Mike suggested opening an ice cream shop inside the refurbished building, Tassie had a better idea: build a miniature of the house in the side yard. In June 1986, from the tiny, 200-square-foot replica, Mike’s Ice Cream was born, serving 17 avors of small-batch gourmet ice cream made by Eugene’s Prince Pückler’s. Back then, scoops were just 90 cents.

GROWTH

From the beginning, Mike and Tassie committed to making Mike’s a welcoming space for all, like a town square. “ ere was a bit of a divide between locals and windsurfers,” Mike explains, stemming in part from too much change all at once. “We wanted to try to bridge that gap.”

Cecily Kitts Di n, then in rst grade, recalls, “I was a kid and wanted to belong. Bringing my friends to Mike’s for free ice cream was a wonderful perk. Ice cream was something everyone could agree on.”

e ice cream shop grew with the town. By the early 2000s, Hood River’s population had climbed steadily, and tourist trafc along with it. A revitalized downtown

Tassie Mack and Mike Kitts founded Mike’s Ice Cream 40 years ago. The busy corner now includes the familyowned Ruddy Duck and Hood River Common House.

RUDDY DUCK

In 2006, the time felt right for the next phase of 504 Oak Street. Mike and Tassie’s third child, McKinley, was now a teenager, and Cecily and Josh were in their 20s. e couple bought out their partners and converted their beloved Craftsman into a single retail space.

With a 40-foot container of furniture, pots and cotton peasant blouses from Mexico, Tassie debuted Ruddy Duck, named after a charismatic duck species. “During mating season, the males slap their bright blue bills against their chests, creating swirls of bubbles on the water and the females are like ‘wow!’” she says.

hummed beyond the summer months. Mike’s Ice Cream extended its season from April through October, eventually employing more than 20 scoopers, mostly high schoolers landing their rst jobs. On warm evenings, long lines of customers stretched out the door. Meanwhile, Mike’s home-building business was thriving, having constructed hundreds of houses priced for the local workforce including teachers, nurses and young families. Committed to strengthening the community, Mike and Tassie also contributed to the library foundation, food bank and scholarships at the high school. As Cecily put it, “ ey taught us that generosity is the only path.”

rough trial and error, she learned that clothing consistently sold best. And that administrative and accounting duties were not her forte.

Cecily, then 26, was living in Maui with husband Jason Di n and their two children, Tucker and newborn Zanna. When Tassie asked her numbers-minded daughter

Josh Kitts, Cecily Kitts Di in, Tassie Mack, Mike Kitts and McKinley Kitts, from left to right, are all involved in the family businesses, which include Mike’s Ice Cream, the Ruddy Duck and the Hood River Common House.

if she was interested in returning to Hood River to help run both the Duck and Mike’s — with the bene t of free babysitting — the Di ns headed home.

“Once Cecily came on board, the Duck took o ,” says Tassie. e mother-daughter duo has traveled the world together, gathering treasures from India, Indonesia and Morocco, and markets in Los Angeles, New York and Las Vegas. eir inventory now includes women’s clothing, shoes and accessories, as well as gifts, textiles and home décor.

CELEBRATING FORTY AND TWENTY YEARS

In June, Mike’s Ice Cream and Ruddy Duck will celebrate their 40th and 20th an-

Buy · Sell · Lease · Invest

niversaries at 504 Oak Street. All of Mike and Tassie’s children and grandchildren have worked at the ice cream shop — even four-year-old Daisy helps Tassie water the plants. Daughter-in-law Sienna, married to McKinley Kitts, now manages Mike’s, while Cecily runs the Duck. Tassie, though no longer involved in the day-to-day, tends to the property’s owers and gardens each morning. Mike still scoops generous portions for himself, especially peppermint.

Five years ago, Josh Kitts and wife Adrienne opened the Hood River Common House, a lounge, bottle shop and event venue in the ground-level space below the Duck on Fifth Street. It too will mark the occasion.

Mike’s Ice Cream accepts cash only, though they gladly o er IOUs to those without it. roughout the year, they receive heartfelt letters and checks from around the world. A common theme underlies each message: trust. ank you for trusting us to repay you — it restores my faith in humanity. ank you for putting your trust in me to pay you back and to show my son a lesson in integrity. ank you for trusting us to send you a check — you have no idea how much you lifted our spirits.

Forty years ago, Mike told Tassie that he could not live in a town without an ice cream shop.

As it turns out, the town would simply not be the same without Mike’s.

Cate Hotchkiss is a freelance writer and photographer who lives in Hood River with her family. Find her work at catehotchkiss.com and @catehotchkiss on Instagram.

Mike and Tassie’s kids at the Hood River Common House, run by Josh Kitts, left. McKinley Kitts’s wife Sienna manages Mike’s Ice Cream, and Cecily Kitts Di in runs the Ruddy Duck. Mike still scoops cones on occasion.

Gorge Sailing Center

1

Hood River’s longest-running junior sailing school, Gorge Junior Sailing, is now called Gorge Sailing Center (GSC). e program continues to o er weekly youth classes for ages 6-17, with an expanded summer schedule running from June 15 through mid-August, plus weekend keelboat and dinghy classes for adults. “ ere is no better outdoor classroom than the Columbia River Gorge,” said Jaime Mack, GSC board president. “ rough our community sailing program, we help young people discover con dence, leadership and resilience.” With support from the Oregon Youth Sailing Foundation, GSC will also continue its free community open sailing series. For six Monday evenings beginning July 6, families can visit the Hood River Marina to try sailing alongside instructors and members of the high school sailing team. gorgesailingcenter.org

Mosier Fest

2

Mosier’s annual Mosier Fest returns Saturday, June 27, bringing a full day of free, family-friendly fun to this beloved burg. Held on the newly renovated grounds of the Mosier Community School, the festival features live music, art, food and community activities. is year’s entertainment lineup includes magician John Stevens, Los Renagados, Moe Dixon, and blues-and-soul legend the Norman Sylvester Band. Activities include local art and craft vendors, food booths, a 21-andover beverage garden plus a ra e and blind auction. “Mosier is a gem of a town full of active, community-oriented and diverse people,” said Elizabeth McNannay, one of the event organizers. “A ton of e ort goes into the production of this summer festival each year to provide a free, stellar, A-list Gorge family experience.” Gates open at noon with activities running until 7:30 p.m. mainstreetmosier.com

Christin

Couvreux

Courtesy of Main Street Mosier

Mosier Skatepark

3

All eyes are on Mosier’s downtown construction site, home of the new Jacob’s Skatepark. Dreamland Skateparks began construction of the community park in March, with work scheduled for completion this summer. e skatepark is a memorial park for Darren and Andrea Rogers’ son Jacob Louis Rogers, a born-and-raised Mosier resident and an avid skateboarder. e project is funded by a grant from Oregon Parks and Recreation and supported by Mainstreet Mosier and City of Mosier volunteers. A grand-opening celebration will be held upon the completion of construction. mainstreetmosier.com

Bluegrass Festival

4

e Columbia Gorge Bluegrass Festival returns to the Skamania County Fairgrounds in Stevenson, Washington, July 23-26. e event features four days of authentic bluegrass music, culminating with a performance by award-winning ddler Bronwyn Keith-Hynes, who recently released a new album showcasing her talents as a lead vocalist. e festival includes workshops, ne craft and food vendors, a beer garden and nightly dances. Festival camping is available onsite, with hot showers and amenities. skamaniafair.com

Starry Night at the Museum

5

Camp out on Maryhill Museum’s Great Lawn on July 11 for stargazing guided by Rose City Astronomers. e museum remains open after hours exclusively for Starry Night ticketholders, and Loïe’s: e Museum Café will be open until 7 p.m. (reopening at 8 a.m. the next morning). Rose City Astronomers sets up telescopes and teaches participants about constellations in the night sky, with a schedule of sightings late into the night. Storyteller Will Hornyak and astronomer Troy Carpenter of the Goldendale Observatory will be there to educate and entertain. Campers of all ages are welcome. maryhillmuseum.org

Janet Cook

Courtesy of Columbia Gorge Bluegrass Festival

Michael Peterson Photography

the Gorge

Tails on Trails

7

pFriem Anniversary Party

6

Head to Waterfront Park in Hood River on August 1 for the pFriem Family Brewers 14th anniversary party. e celebration includes a vibrant mix of live music, lawn games, food trucks and an abundant selection of pFriem beers as well as exclusive cider made by Son of Man. “ is familyfriendly, free-to-attend celebration is a testament to our journey and the incredible community that has been part of our story,” said Michelle Humphrey, marketing manager. e event takes place from 2 to 9 p.m. pfriembeer.com

Bring your four-legged friend to Mt. Hood Meadows for the annual Tails on Trails festival on August 29. e event features live music, vendor booths, food and drink specials, sno-cones for dogs (and humans), dog photoshoots and doggie swimming pools where your fur baby can cool o . ere will also be a Meadows Avy Dog meet-and-greet, as well guided and unguided dog-friendly hikes. Proceeds bene t Hood River Adopt-a-Dog. skihood.com

Courtesy of Mt. Hood Meadows

Courtesy of pFriem

Reuse, Reimagine, Rebuild

SECOND-HAND

GOODS FIND NEW LIFE AT THE GORGE REBUILD-IT CENTER

MY LIST OF ITEMS ACQUIRED FROM THE GORGE REBUILD-IT CENTER in Hood River includes an original art piece of Multnomah Falls crafted using dried flowers and ferns, a mouth-blown glass light fixture from France, a handful of ceramic pots and a wooden crate painted green that I use as a plant stand on my deck.

The price I paid for these trinkets was minimal, but what I gained from my trips to the Rebuild-It Center was far more valuable than a handful of secondhand finds. The visits

offered me inspiration for DIY projects, camaraderie amongst staff and like-minded people, and the feeling of doing good as I’m making use of recycled items that are being kept out of landfills. This is exactly what the mission of the Gorge Rebuild-It Center is.

As a nonprofit organization, the Gorge Rebuild-It Community Project operates with a dedication to reducing waste, conserving resources, and inspiring and empowering sustainability through the reuse of materials. The main conduit of achieving this is through the Gorge Rebuild-It Center store.

“The store is a mixture of building materials and home goods, with plenty of unique finds,” says Julie Tucker, executive director. “It’s a treasure hunt.”

story & photos by MOLLY ALLEN

Rebuild-It Center manager Edgar Marquez, left, and volunteer Dave Jubitz, right, at the store’s entrance, above. Used light fixtures and doors are popular items.

e Rebuild-It Center store operates based on donations from the community. Recycling and reusing building materials was the store’s main inspiration for many years after it opened in 2003, then located between Tum-A-Lum Lumber and Windance Boardshop. At the time, it operated under the Columbia Gorge Earth Center.

Now, the much larger store located o of Tucker Road in the Hood River Heights operates under its own nonpro t status. e store not only accepts reusable building materials, but it also takes donations of clean, non-broken home goods as well. Donations range from curtain rods and kitchen faucets to cabinet doors, gardening tools, dining room chairs, ooring and doors. Sporting goods such as kayaks, bikes, weights and some camping items are accepted. e store does not take soft goods like clothes, shoes, bedding or other household linens.

Tucker says it’s common for customers to come in looking for speci c parts for an older house that they’re not having any luck nding elsewhere. e store o ers resources at more a ordable prices to help people complete needed home improvements they may not otherwise be able to achieve, all thanks to donations and a dedication to reuse.

“ ere’s a story behind people’s donations, and we want to honor that,” Tucker says. “We want coming to the store to be easy and fun. We want it to be a destination.”

e organization recently received a grant for new bilingual signage, which will help to better direct and educate customers. e new signs will make the store more accessible to the community, with welcome signs, updated details on how items are organized in the store, and guidance on how to donate.

The garden shed at the Rebuild-It Center is stocked with items ranging from planting pots to a variety of gardening tools. Larger landscaping tools and machinery, as well as outdoor furniture, can also be found at the center.

home & garden

BUILDING A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE

There’s a long list of goals the organization is working toward, according to Tucker. The nonprofit’s strategic plan envisions the Gorge Rebuild-It Center as a vibrant community hub for sustainability. This means making it easy, fun and affordable to reuse, ultimately reducing waste and overconsumption. While the function of accepting donations and reselling in the store helps to facilitate this, the organization also hopes to offer community education focused on sustainability, to build a robust volunteer program and to host an annual Earth Day event inspired by a previous downtown celebration known as the Procession of Species parade.

“The goal is to create a fun experience here — for it to be an interactive experience,” Tucker says. But that requires help from the community. Making it a point to shop at the store first when you’re hunting for something for your home is a great place to start.

I acquired many of my treasures from the Gorge Rebuild-It Center during a point of transition in my life. On dreary fall and winter days, I would visit the store looking for inexpensive ways to spruce up my living space. I wanted a bit of a refresh without spending too much. I was able to achieve this while also engaging in wonderful conversations with volunteers — conversations that lifted my spirits and made my days brighter, probably far more than they would ever know.

Of course, I was only looking for home goods, but I’ve observed some of the conversations other customers and volunteers have had focused on their own home projects — including building sheds, redoing sections of yard and constructing bird baths from unique finds.

With only two employees, volunteers are the backbone of the organization. They help with everything from accepting donations and sorting to organizing store shelves and helping with the register. “We’re always looking for volunteers for anything they want to do, whether it’s cleaning, organizing or marketing,” Tucker says. “We want to create a community of volunteers. They’re agents of change for the environment.”

The organization hopes to continue to build its team of volunteers who are passionate about sustainability and inspiring others to reuse as well. “This is a beautiful community project,” Tucker says. “I love it, and people here do too.”

To learn more, go to rebuildit.org

Molly Allen is a food, beverage and travel writer based in Hood River. She’s a frequent contributor to The Gorge Magazine.

Rebuild-it Center executive director Julie Tucker oversees the nonprofit, which operates with only two employees and a bevy of volunteers.

Cluster Flock Farms & Vineyard

EMBRACING THE BEAUTIFUL CHAOS OF FARM LIFE IN HUSUM

CLUSTER FLOCK FARMS AND VINEYARD, tucked into the rolling foothills of Mount Adams, showcases grapevines that stretch across the landscape and wildflowers bursting with color. At its center are Jocelyn Bentley-Prestwich and her wife, Lacy, cultivating not just the land, but a philosophy.

Jocelyn, who runs the farm, traces her connection to the earth from age 14, when she immersed herself in horticultural internships at botanical gardens and arboretums — a teenage apprenticeship that quickly bloomed into lifelong devotion. Her fascination with plants is both scientific and deeply personal, which she credits to her mother, a botanist, ecologist and feminist — a woman who described herself as “over-educated and outspoken,” according to Jocelyn. “She was a force to be reckoned with,” she adds.

The journey to the Columbia Gorge wasn’t quick or accidental, but the result of a six-year search that began in California, before turning northward to the Pacific Northwest. The couple was looking for land with mixed oak and evergreen forests, fertile pasture, real seasons and a reliable water source. But just as crucial was something less tangible — a place that felt safe for their LGBTQIA family. When they first visited the Gorge in 2014, the decision was almost immediate. Within eight months, they had packed up their lives and moved.

The early days were unpredictable and full of hard-earned lessons. Jocelyn recalls it as chaotic and humbling. Everything began to change when she “stopped trying to control the farm and instead learned to listen to it,” she says. That change in perspective eventually reshaped the land, resulting in a 25-acre property that feels less engineered and more in tune with itself. Over the past eight years, they have adopted sustainable practices rooted in long-term stewardship, including no-till farming, cover cropping, composting and integrated pest management.

The farm also captures and retains water from rainfall and snowmelt, reducing reliance on irrigation and helping buffer against progressively dry seasons. “We’re

story & photos by JANA SHEPHERD

Jocelyn Bentley-Prestwich prepares flowers for cold storage, left. Below, a greenhouse with starts and a view of the farm.

doing our best to prepare the land and crops for increasingly unpredictable and extreme weather from climate change,” Jocelyn says. Another technique woven into its permaculture, or permanent agriculture,  is the use of inoculated biochar, the ground-up remains of burned wood enriched with worm castings and fermented plant juice. Acting like a sponge, the biochar stores and gradually releases water and nutrients while improving overall soil health and capacity.

The vineyard, currently spanning five acres with plans for expansion, is planted with Tempranillo and Syrah, varieties more commonly linked to warmer climates. In the Columbia River Gorge, these grapes develop a distinctly different expression due to the region’s cool nights and dramatic shifts in temperature. Also grown on the farm are Gewürztraminer and Muscat, both celebrated cool-climate varieties, a rare intersection of climates where warm- and cool-weather grapes grow side by side.

The vineyard’s harvest finds its way into the hands of local winemakers, including AniChe and Willow Wine Cellars, small, independent producers, and home enthusiasts. Larger quantities are typically sold in one-ton increments, though smaller orders are occasionally available. Each year, Jocelyn and Lacy keep a portion for their own experimentation, a reminder that curiosity still drives the work.

But while the vineyard laid the foundation, it was flowers that transformed the farm. As a woman working in historically male-dominated industries like farming and wine, Jocelyn encountered resistance. “Despite experience and education, I was often overlooked or patronized. It was exhausting and isolating.” The shift into flower farming opened another door. “The flower world is driven by collaboration and generosity. I finally felt like I had found my people.” Today, flowers lead the story at Cluster Flock. They haven’t replaced the vineyard, but they’ve reshaped it, influencing everything from soil health to creative direction.

Ultimately, it is community that has shaped the couple’s journey. “Without community, we wouldn’t exist.” Local relationships have been foundational, from neighboring businesses to their children’s school community, which Jocelyn describes as a true village.

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Open 7 days a week 10am-4 pm

509-493-4242

On Highway 14 in downtown Bingen at 211 W. Steuben St. Bingen, WA 98605

Jocelyn, above, and her wife Lacy grow winegrapes and flowers on their 25-acre property, where they follow sustainable practices like no-till farming, cover cropping, composting and integrated pest management.

pursuits

Places like AniChe Cellars helped model what a values-driven business could look like — one that stays intentionally small, and prioritizes integrity and human connection over scale.

Cluster Flock Farm’s mission stretches beyond the farm itself. They aim to create pathways for small farmers and forest landowners, especially those from LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC communities, who often face steep barriers in agriculture.

Winegrapes from the farm are sold to local winemakers including AniChe and Willow Wine Cellars. Grapes and ducks are part of farm life, but flowers take center stage, offered through subscriptions, a roadside stand, U-pick days and florals for weddings and events.

While the farm itself is not open to casual visits, it extends into the community through a curated range of seasonal offerings, including DIY floral party buckets, flexible bouquet subscriptions, and à la carte florals for weddings and small events. A roadside flower stand along Highway 141 in Husum operates daily from dawn to dusk, typically April through October, with wreaths available in late fall and early winter. CSA flower subscriptions are available for Friday pickup at Goodfellows Tonsorial Parlor in White Salmon, where additional bouquets can also be purchased. Beginning in July, U-pick days are held on the third Sunday of each month, with options for pickup or delivery of bulk flowers and custom arrangements, depending on location and need.

Looking ahead, plans include a semi-subterranean growing system to test temperate and subtropical crops in colder climates, as well as expanded vineyard acreage. The farm continues to develop experiences that invite deeper community engagement, including the return of Crush the Patriarchy, slated for September 26, a grapewrestling spectacle and fundraiser with a devoted following.

Jocelyn is quick to point beyond her own fields to the larger network of growers loosely known as the Gorge Cut Flower Growers, a collaborative community of flower farmers working alongside local florists and the public to bring seasonal, locally grown flowers to the forefront. Together, they offer an array of events, styles, services and blooms that celebrate the region while encouraging people to think local first, over imported flowers. In an industry often riddled with competition, the group’s belief is that “a rising tide lifts all boats.”

As for Cluster Flock Farms, Jocelyn doesn’t try to tidy up what it is. “The work is layered and unpredictable, full of moving parts, weather shifts, lessons and beautiful chaos,” she says. Sometimes, she adds, “it feels like a cluster flock.”

To learn more, go to clusterflockfarms.com

Jana Shepherd is a writer living in White Salmon. She’s a frequent contributor to The Gorge Magazine

Courtesy of Jocelyn Bentley-Prestwich

Columbia Gorge Getaways

A GLAMPING RESORT NEAR CARSON OFFERS DISTINCTIVE STAYS ON FORMER TIMBERLAND

ROB SOUREK IS LIVING A FULL CIRCLE MOMENT. The glamping resort he and his family have created outside Carson, Washington, sits on land where he once rode bikes as a kid, built forts with his friends, foraged for mushrooms and practiced archery.

“I grew up a quarter mile from our entrance,” he said. The 400 acres was owned first by Longview Fiber and then Weyerhaeuser timber company. When there wasn’t clearing taking place — which was much of the time — the forested hills were Sourek’s playground. A green gate across the property’s service entrance was the unofficial gathering spot. “If you were meeting someone to go ride bikes, you’d meet them at the green gate,” Sourek recalled.

Sourek’s dad Bob Sourek, a longtime forester, bought the property from Weyerhaeuser seven years ago after selling his wood-pellet manufacturing business. He had no plans for

the property other than to enjoy the serene forest that had a creek running through it and a few old logging roads accessing the property’s steeper terrain.

Sourek had left the Gorge at 18 for college and returned only intermittently over the next 15 years. He worked in ultra-luxe hospitality for a decade before landing a job as director of guest services at Grand Targhee Resort in Wyoming. Overseeing lodging, season passes and ticket prices was a stressful job. “The glitz and glam of what I thought was running a ski resort was very different from reality,” he said.

While he was immersed in spreadsheets and weather forecasts, his sister Carolyn Sourek and her partner Mitch Binger had moved back home from Montana with their new baby. A weekend trip to the coast, where they stayed in a yurt, sparked an idea. What if they could do something like that on the family property? After attending an annual glamping and outdoor hospitality

story by JANET COOK • photos courtesy of CGG

show in Colorado, they crafted their vision for Columbia Gorge Getaways (CGG). Bob Sourek was immediately onboard.

For Rob Sourek, who was becoming increasingly dissatisfied with his job in Wyoming, getting regular updates about the plans and offering feedback based on his hospitality background led him to reevaluate his situation. Within a few months, he moved back and joined what was now a family business.

The vision for CGG was always to progress slowly, respecting the land first and foremost, and obser ving what worked well before expanding. Early on, they adopted core pillars that would guide them in creating the guest accommodations at CGG as well

Tourism support provided by City of Washougal hotel/motel tax funds.

Yurts at the resort sleep up to four guests, opposite top. An overhead view of the property, opposite bottom. Above, a bell tent with a queen bed. At right, Bob, Rob and Carolyn Sourek during winter construction.

as their vision of how they wanted guests to experience it: conservation, education, relaxation and celebration.

Each family member has brought a unique background and skillset to the endeavor. Carolyn Sourek, a civil engineer, has done much of the design work and project oversight at CGG. Binger, with a background in construction and rockfall mitigation, leads much of the construction work at the resort. Rob Sourek brings his hospitality experience, and has learned to be a jack-of-all-trades, helping to build yurts and bathhouses as well as doing outreach and marketing. Bob Sourek is the resident forestry expert, and helps with many of the projects. “In summers, he’s the first guy on the jobsite and the last guy out,” Rob says. They also have a small crew that helps with construction and housekeeping.

“All of us working together has made this perfect mix,” Sourek says.

In the beginning, they improved some of the old logging roads and mapped out a longrange plan for a mix of accommodations: individual campsites, bell tents, safari tents and yurts. They started with a soft launch four years ago, with campsites and a few bell tents on wood platforms. They were open three days a week that year to allow work to continue when guests were not there.

Each year, they’ve added a few more accommodations, working mostly from late fall to spring, although the resort is open year-round now. Along with individual campsites where guests can pitch their own tent or park small campers or vans (RVs are not allowed) there are now a mix of bell tents, safari tents and yurts.

The campsites each come with their own power and potable water, along with a

Willow Ponds Modern

909 NINA LANE, HOOD RIVER, OREGON · 2 BEDROOMS/2.5 BATHROOMS · 1,365 SQ FT

Custom-built in 2008,this distinctive home exudes warmth, character, and high-end design. Tucked into the one-of-a-kind Willow Ponds neighborhood — where community gardens, pocket parks, and playgrounds create a sense of connection rooted in nature — this home offers something genuinely special. Inside, enjoy rich hardwood floors, vaulted ceilings, solid fir doors/trim, and custom wood cabinetry – creating a vibe that feels more boutique hotel than suburban living. For those craving something different, a little elevated, and a lot more you – this one delivers.

YOUR LOCAL GUIDE TO GORGE REAL ESTATE

Candice Richards grew up in Hood River and hasn’t found a better place to call home! After joining Copper West 10 years ago, Candice has been a consistent top producer. When she’s not busy hustling for her clients, you can catch Candice coaching classes at Crossfit Viento, downhill and skate skiing, running, and traveling. Her most recent endeavors include learning to wing foil, trying to set a positive and inspiring example for her daughter, and serving on the board of the Providence Hood River Memorial Hospital Foundation.

541-912-5999 · candice@copperwest.com · candice-richards.com

Signature Layouts

private bathroom complete with a ush toilet and hot-water shower. e bell tents feature a queen bed, power and amenities like an electric kettle and solar lanterns. Communal restrooms have ush toilets and hot-water showers, and nearby is a shared outdoor space with a kids’ play area and a large communal tent that guests can use.

e safari tents come in one- and two-bedroom layouts, with a kitchen (including a cook-top but no oven) and bathroom. e fully enclosed tents, available year-round, have a pellet stove and a mini-split for heat and air-conditioning.

e newest accommodations are the yurts, each set near the seasonal creek and featuring a bedroom and sleeping loft for up to four guests. ey come with a full kitchen, bathroom and washer/dryer. e yurts are also open year-round, with radiant oor heating and air-conditioning as well as a propane repit table on the deck. All the rough-cut lumber inside the safari tents and yurts comes from logs cut and milled on the property.

e varied accommodations o er something for everyone. “It comes down to, what’s your level of comfort with camping?” Sourek says. “Do you love camping and want to put up your own tent? Great, we have that. Do you hate camping and don’t like bugs and want heated oors and Wi-Fi? Great, rent a yurt.” e bell tents and safari tents “are our in-between,” he says.

Guests are free to explore the property, hike on the trails and walk or mountain bike on the logging roads. Sourek says they plan to build more mountain biking trails for guest use in the coming years.

At the top of a steep road that winds above the resort lies a level grassy area known as the Mountainside Lawn. In logging days, this area was used to “yard up” logs and load them on trucks. Now, it serves as a ceremony site where weddings and other gatherings are held, o ering sweeping views over the property and across the Gorge to Mount Hood. A re-purposed bus shuttles guests from the resort up to the site, which is closed to cars. A couple of old-growth trees estimated to be 450-500 years old still stand in the area. When no events are taking place, guests are welcome to hike up the road to the lawn and the old-growth trees.

As Sourek and the rest of the crew enter their fth year, they’re beginning to plan the next phase of growth, which includes the possibility of tree-house accommodations.

“It’s that slow-roll mentality,” he says. “We’re building slowly and with intent.” at comes, in part, from having an intimate relationship with the land that has become the family business. “With such a big piece of land to manage, you become stewards of it,” he says. He hopes guests feel a similar a nity for it during their stay — and after they leave.

“ ere’s a respect for the forest that comes from being immersed in it,” he says. He would know; the green gate where he met friends to explore and ride bikes and build forts in this forest as a kid is still there, a reminder of just how well he knows this land. “I guess now,” he says, “I got to build a big fort here.”

To learn more, go to columbiagorgegetaways.com

Van Market

A shared outdoor space at the resort features a large lawn, left. At right, kids play at Sage's Logyard, one of two playgrounds. A large communal tent onsite is also available for guest use.

A New Vintage in the Mosier Valley

WINEMAKER KEVIN MCCABE BRINGS A SCIENTIST’S BACKGROUND TO HIS NEW VENTURE, DOUBLE STRAND WINE

IT IS AS SERENE AND PASTORAL as only the Mosier Valley and surrounding hills can be on a near perfect spring day. Balsamroot, lupine and an early Indian paintbrush blossom or two carpet the landscape in every direction under a morning sun. Bickering hummingbirds divebomb a newly installed feeder. Ravens circle overhead. The air is crisp and delicious. Kevin McCabe greets me in his regular uniform of kilt (McCabe tartan, of course), tall kilt socks and a branded polo shirt with the Double Strand Wine logo. From the winery’s

story by DON CAMPBELL • photos courtesy of DSW

Winemaker Kevin McCabe, left, at the Double Strand Wine tasting house. Above, Syrah grapes from Garnier Vineyards.

renovated farmhouse tasting room off Mosier Creek Road, McCabe proceeds to give me an education I hadn’t anticipated. Wine has always been a bit of a romantic notion for me. The delicate transformation of fruit into a deftly fermented elixir is like the magic of jazz music — almost alchemic, certainly mysterious and often soul-stirring.

McCabe, who was raised by his winemaking parents Ed and Linda, is in business with them at Double Strand. Kevin earned a BA in biology from Johns Hopkins University and holds a PhD in molecular and medical genetics from Oregon Health & Science University. He’s every inch the academic — which runs in the family, apparently, as Ed is a deeply credentialed geneticist with a tome-sized curriculum vitae that includes doctor degrees in medicine and pharmacology, a PhD from the Maryland School of Medicine, and deep academic citations and published papers, while mom Linda is herself an acclaimed PhD-holding geneticist who, along with Ed, has authored several acclaimed academic works.

For an hour in the cozy confines of the Double Strand tasting room, McCabe deftly lifts me from my lusty wine romanticism and imbues me with some deep fermentation science.

Without wandering too far afield into the academic and often arcane weeds, McCabe speaks almost reverentially of the microbiological, micro-oxygenated, and uber-clean

world of turning wine, water and yeast into liquid gold. He speaks eloquently of the importance of understanding sensory potential, how his scientific training influences his processes and ultimately delivers award-winning wines from this keen fort in Mosier. What blows the mind is he does it without that staple of the wine process — the oak cask. More on that in a moment.

Double Strand Wine has outdoor seating areas situated around the property, including this one nestled in the gardens with a view of the Syncline.

BEFORE THERE WAS WINE

e McCabe family spent a good many years in Colorado, speci cally Denver, and later Castle Rock, where they had a ranch and raised American Paint horses for 30-plus years. You’d be forgiven for thinking the current winery’s moniker Double Strand references Western barbed wire, but in fact it refers to the ranch’s work in horse breeding (double strand helix…get it?), a product of their extensive work in genetics.

After his undergraduate work at Johns Hopkins, McCabe did research science for most of his career. He met his wife Emilie Miller, PhD (now a biology professor) at OHSU, and they moved to Colorado for Kevin to do a doctoral fellowship in engineering and biology at University of Colorado in Boulder.

Both have a profound love of teaching and serendipitously discovered job openings at e Dalles’ Columbia Gorge Community College in 2012.

Fermented juice, skins and seeds of Merlot grapes in the wooden basket press. Opposite, winemaker Kevin McCabe with yeasts preserved in liquid nitrogen.

“My wife and I moved out for basically a job and a half,” he says. “She got a fulltime position; I got a half-time adjunct professor position.”

e pair have been in the Gorge for 14 years, with Ed and Linda retiring here in 2017 because of their deep love of the Paci c Northwest. Emilie continues to teach at CGCC.

McCabe has occupied himself with various pursuits and disciplines over the years. In the course of his scienti c and engineering research and career, while still in Colorado, he learned from a friend who was a top brewer at Colorado’s New Belgium Brewery that “breweries have laboratories,” he says. He was teaching an environmental microbiology class at the time.

He subsequently took some engineering classes at New Belgium. As water is a prime beer ingredient, he learned that the brewery was heavily invested in water treatment and created a system that produced both power and heat in the process. “Not something you see every day at a brewery,” he says, a notion that tickled his science side. “It was a lot of fun for students to check that out.”

It was a valuable teaching moment, and opportunity struck again shortly thereafter, following his move to Oregon. “I saw a job pop up for a lab tech at Full Sail,” in Hood River, McCabe says. “It’s where I got my start in fermentation.”

It was a ve-year experience, including roles as lab supervisor and brewery quality assurance manager, that would ultimately help inform his e orts at Double Strand.

Full Sail would teach him a great deal about fermentation, about sensory work and how it influences brewing, and about cleaning, which is huge in both beer and wine.

“When people interviewed for brewing jobs at Full Sail, the first thing they needed to learn about the job was that it’s janitorial,” McCabe says with a smile. “Basically, your job is to clean.”

And that carries over to winemaking. “Wine is the same way if you’re doing it right,” he offers. “We use caustic cleaners to remove soil. We use acid blends with peroxide to inactivate microbes that might be present. And we use 180-degree hot water wash to further inactivate unwanted microbes.”

But ultimately it all boils down to what McCabe calls “low-intervention winemaking.” Double Strand went commercial with the 2022 vintage and opened the tasting room in 2023. In the ensuing years, the winery has hit upon a path that affords them ultimate control of their product. This year’s vintage includes medal-winning whites (Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier); a Rosé; reds including Cabernet

neighborhood WINE

o ering thoughtfully selected, sustainably made wines from around the world—ideal for both casual nights in and sharing with friends.

A lineup of award-winning Double Strand wines. At right, Sauvignon Blanc grapes just after harvest.

Expressive

with distinctive depth

character from the heart of the Columbia River Gorge.

WASHINGTON’S

5,000 AWA RD S & CO UNT ING !

5,000 AWA RD S & CO UNT ING !

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Maryhill

132 PLATINUM AWARDS

wine for the first time. Drawing from

philosophy

across the state, Maryhill crafts an expansive collection of award winning wines from more than 35 grape varieties, guided by a philosophy of passion, patience, and balance. Across four scenic tasting room locations, guests are invited to enjoy curated wine flights and thoughtfully prepared culinary offerings that celebrate the wines and the region we proudly call home. We invite you to join us and experience the story behind every bottle.

passion, patience, and balance. Across four scenic tasting room locations, guests are invited to enjoy curated wine flights and thoughtfully prepared culinary offerings that celebrate the wines and the region we proudly call home. We invite you to join us and experience the story behind every bottle.

and balance. Across four scenic tasting room locations, guests are invited to enjoy curated wine flights and thoughtfully prepared culinary offerings that celebrate the wines and the region we proudly call home. We invite you to join us and experience the story behind every bottle.

Maryhill is Washington’s premier destination for wine enthusiasts and those exploring wine for the first time—offering approachable, award-winning wines crafted from many of the state’s diverse vineyards working with more than 35 varieties of grapes and crafting 65 distinct wines. Our four scenic tasting rooms offer several different daily wine flights & culinary offerings that pair perfectly with each wine. We invite you to be part of this journey— where every bottle holds a story and every sip, a celebration of the region we call home.

Franc, Old and New World Style Pinot Noir, Tempranillo, Merlot, Reserve Merlot, Syrah; and a variety of cherry-honey meadlike Melomel wines, and a Pyment Harvest Blend Grape-Honey wine.

All of this is done with no barrels, in favor of stainless-steel tanks and polyethylene Flex tanks, enlisting the angel’s share concept of breathing.

McCabe does significant wine testing at Double Strand. With his method, and from his upper-story lab above the tasting room proper, he maintains as much control over his wines as possible, without leaving anything to chance in barrels.

“Everything is on regular rotation,” he says, as he carefully measures parameters of where the wine is in fermentation. “Every time I’m doing that, I’m tasting it because ultimately that’s what matters, how the wine tastes. We’re trying to make the best wine we can with doing as little to it as possible.”

Frequent testing meets McCabe’s version of low-intervention winemaking. “I monitor

everything and only add something if I absolutely have to. Some things, like protecting against oxidation, unwanted microbes and regular additions of sulfides that protect microbiologically — I try to keep those levels as low as possible while still protecting the wine.”

It’s been a steep learning curve and done with help from winery neighbors Garnier and some additional grapes from Foxley Vineyards across the river. He lauds the opportunity to be part of the Columbia Gorge Wine Growers and their technical meetings, and the generally

THE

WALLED GARDEN

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Unique, high quality, thoughtfully crafted beer and food by Kings & Daughters Brewery, local wine, classic cocktails, and more in a fresh and inviting pub.

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A PUBLIC HOUSE BY

Visitors can enjoy wine from the tasting house in a gazebo with seating for eight. At right, Candice Hjärta from the Umpqua Valley Winegrowers Association on a recent visit to Double Strand Wine.

open and caring winemaker community. The 40-mile terroir of the Columbia Gorge AVA is its own little miracle in the grapes it can produce, and finding a spot for Double Strand is taking full advantage of that gift. “This is like the Willamette Valley 20 years ago,” McCabe says.

As a true scientific academic, McCabe continues to learn and experiment and test. And there may be no better laboratory than the Columbia River Gorge. “I won a medal for red wine that was never oaked,” he says proudly. “That was very validating. When you're making commercial products, you want quality, consistency and to be enjoyed by the customer. It takes a lot of work, care and attention.”

And maybe even the creativity of a jazz musician.

To learn more, go to doublestrand.wine

Don Campbell is a writer and musician. He hides out at a secret fortress on a hilltop in Mosier and is a frequent contributor to The Gorge Magazine.

General Tips for Visiting Gorge Wine Country

Consider hiring a designated driver.

Refrain from wearing heavily scented items, such as perfumes and lotions.  Even lipstick can affect your wine tasting experience. Allow the day to be filled with the aromas of wine!

Explore varietals unfamiliar to you. Often these can be a delightful surprise.

Ask questions of tasting room staff. Gorge residents are proud to live here and serve local wines, and love to share wine knowledge with others. Ask staff where to have dinner, or where to stay, hike and play.

Don’t be afraid to use the dump buckets. It is not a sign that you don’t care for a wine, and no one will be offended if you spit out a wine or dump what is left in your glass.

On the contrary, most wine staff appreciate that it may be necessary to not swallow ever y wine in order to maintain your wine tasting pleasure and maintain your palate.

Try a mid-week excursion. Often tasters who visit on a weekday find the tasting rooms more intimate and the experience more one-on-one.

Have fun. Don’t take it too seriously. After all, wine is about enjoyment on your personal level. Drink what you like and enjoy with others.

Courtesy of the Columbia Gorge Winegrowers Association

WINERY & VINEYARD

For fourteen years, our family has been committed to cultivating grapes and producing wine in an environmentally conscious manner in the picturesque Columbia Gorge. We have also been doing the same for thirty years in New Zealand.

South Hill, located in Underwood, Washington, is one of the highest-elevation vineyards and wineries in the area and has spectacular views of Mount Hood, the Hood River Valley, and the Columbia River. It is just 20 minutes from Hood River, and an hour from Portland. We look forward to sharing our award-winning wines and our story with you. Enjoy the breathtaking view while sampling our wines outdoors in our picnic area, or for rainy days we have a spacious seating area in our working winery.

Google reviews:

•“Absolutely stunning views and amazing wines! I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the wines and the service, especially for a boutique winery. My husband is a master sommelier and wine buyer for 25 years, this place far surpassed our expectations”.

•“Officially now my #1 favorite winery in the Gorge (and I've been to most). The view is unlike any other in the area, as is the uniqueness and elegance of their wines”. Our tasting room is open Friday-Sunday, 12:30-5:30pm, April through October. Visit our website for details. No reservation is required for parties under six. Call or email us for larger groups.

801 Scoggins Rd., Underwood, WA • southhillvineyards.com • 541-380-1438 • southhillwine@gmail.com

Experience Skamania County, Washington!

MARTIN’S GORGE TOURS

Guided tours for individuals, groups, families, or couples. Including waterfalls, wild owers, wineries, breweries, trail hikes, scenic drives and more.

Sit back and relax as we explore the hidden treasures of the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area.

503-349-1323 martinsgorgetours.com

WALKING MAN BREWING

More than a brewery, Walking Man is a must-stop for Gorge travelers. Enjoy our dog-friendly outdoor garden, artisan pizza, cra beverages, and a full menu. Bring the family—or share time with ours.

509-427-5520 • walkingmanbeer.com

240 SW 1st St. • Stevenson

STROIKA STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING

Your structural experts for e Gorge! From new construction to remodels, we do it all. Contact us today for drawings to be used for permitting and construction!

541-716-1381 • stroikaengineering.com North Bonneville

BATCAVE OF THE GORGE Board & Card Games

Vancouver’s oldest game store has come to e Gorge! We’ve brought popular TCGs, board games, role-playing books, supplies, and the associated events to Skamania County for your enjoyment.

509-426-9923 • skamania.games

340 2nd St. • Stevenson

TRAVERSE PNW MARKET

Your destination for Paci c Northwest goods, gi s, and everyday adventure essentials. Discover curated treasures and seasonal inspiration from regional makers. Visit and explore our unique shop above Walking Man Brewing.

509-310-8381• traversestevenson.com

240 SW First St., Ste. 1 • Stevenson

GORGE.OUS FLOWERS

Seed to Stem & Garden to Gala Flower Farm & Floristry. Serving the Columbia River Gorge. Fresh oral designs for funerals, corporate events, special occasions, elopements & holidays.

503-676-4432 • gorgeousflowers.net Washougal • Skamania County

BRIDGESIDE

Fast, friendly family dining for breakfast and lunch, plus spectacular views of the Gorge and Bridge of the Gods.

Burgers • Sandwiches • Salads • Soups Baskets • Specials • Desserts Gi Shop • Historic Artifacts

541-374-8477 • bridgesidedining.com

745 NW Wa Na Pa St. • Cascade Locks

FORT VANCOUVER REGIONAL LIBRARIES

Four Gorge locations in Goldendale, White Salmon, Stevenson and North Bonneville. Two bookmobiles cruise around Klickitat and Skamania Counties all year. Find a library or bookmobile stop near you - plus eBooks and other online resources at fvrl.org.

CEDAR DESIGNS

Custom Home Kits: Conventional, Post & Beam, Timber or Log hybrids. Over 600+ plans and designs on website. Free dra ing and no charge for modi cations or custom plans. Panelized exterior walls. Price guarantees. Model home by appointment.

800-728-4474 • cedardesigns.com info@cedardesigns.com • Carson

EVENTS IN STEVENSON

6/19-20: Gorge Blues and Brews

7/23-26: Columbia Gorge Bluegrass Festival

8/12-15: Skamania County Fair and Timber Carnival

Skamania County Fairgrounds

509-427-3980 ext. 3 parks@co.skamania.wa.us

SKAMANIA LODGE

Your base camp for adventure: zip lines, aerial park, axe throwing, Gorge 9 Golf Course, Little Eagle 18 Putting Course, and disc golf. Take a dip in the pool, soak in the hot tub, and unwind with a rejuvenating massage.

844-432-4748 • skamania.com 1131 SW Skamania Lodge Way Stevenson

WATERFALL SANCTUARY RETREAT CENTER AND CAMPGROUND

In the heart of the Columbia River Gorge, tucked in amongst the trees, our unique private campground is just waiting for your retreat, camping trip, event, or gathering. Contact us for more information!

458-207-6577 • waterfallsanctuary.com

502 Leete Rd. • Carson

COLUMBIA GORGE MUSEUM

Experience the impactful stories of the Columbia River Gorge through art and historical objects.

509-427-8211 columbiagorgemuseum.org

990 SW Rock Creek Dr. • Stevenson

THE RETURN ARTBLISS

Experience e Return Artbliss Hotel in the heart of the Columbia River Gorge. A curated collection of themed A-Frame and luxury boutique stays, dog-friendly and thoughtfully designed for a memorable escape.

727-977-3238 • artblisshotel.com

BEST WESTERN PLUS COLUMBIA RIVER INN

Stunning views, spacious guestrooms on the Columbia River at the Bridge of the Gods. Close to waterfalls and outdoor activities. Complimentary hot breakfast, pool, spa, tness room.

541-374-8777 • 800-595-7108

bwcolumbiariverinn.com

735 WaNaPa St. • Cascade Locks

HOTEL STEVENSON

Newest 11–-room boutique hotel in the Gorge. Centrally located, walking distance to shops, restaurants, brewpubs and the Columbia River. Each room uniquely designed with charm and theme with a touch of past and modern amenities. Let’s unwind!

509-219-5009 • hotelstevenson.com

77 SW Russell Ave. • Stevenson

Rolling Out a Welcome Mat at the

STORY BY JANET COOK • PHOTOS

PROVIDED

The Wylde Wind & Water JET and DEVO Team gather for early-morning training. Opposite, Fiona Wylde windsurfing with her dad at age 7.

Waterfront

After a world-class career in watersports, Fiona Wylde has built a nonprofit rooted in water safety, youth opportunity and equitable access to the Columbia River

FIONA WYLDE IS PAYING IT FORWARD.

A child of Hood River and its watersports culture, Wylde was windsurfing by the time she was 6 and started competing when she was 11. At 14, she learned to stand-up paddle and became the youngest member of the Big Winds Junior Elite Team (JET), coached by Steve Gates, longtime Hood River waterman and co-founder of the Big Winds shop in Hood River. She took to the sport immediately, and at age 16 won the Gorge Paddle Challenge, at the time the second biggest SUP race in the world.

With Gates as her mentor, she started racing more, and consistently ended up as the youngest competitor on the podium. Her rise attracted sponsors, including Starboard who signed her when she was 17. She began racing professionally as soon as she graduated from high school.

“My timing was incredible for stand-up paddling,” Wylde says. “It was right at the time when the sport was really on the up. There was good money in races, and basically from then until I was 26, that was my everyday focus.” She won four SUP world titles, and continued to compete in windsurfing in her spare time, earning a world title in that sport. When wingfoiling came onto the scene, she picked that up, too, and ended up winning the first two world cups.

“I was never afraid to try an event,” she says. “I would train for it, prepare for it, think about my strengths and weaknesses, and go into it sometimes knowing it was out of my reach, but I was going to try.”

Rolling Out a Welcome Mat at the Waterfront

Wylde’s con dence on the water, riding small boards in often challenging conditions, comes from growing up in and on the water — in the Gorge and in Baja, where her family spends winters. But she knows that not everyone is lucky enough to have those opportunities — including in Hood River, with the Columbia River at its doorstep.

“ ere’s a huge dichotomy between people who know Hood River as a water sports mecca and people who have never even been to the waterfront before,” she says. Wylde saw this more and more after she took over coaching the Big Winds JET squad, which Gates handed o to her as his health declined in 2018 before passing away in 2019.

“When I looked around, there was no one doing water safety education,” she said. “Of course there are no lifeguards at the waterfront, and at the time, there weren’t even the life jacket loaner stations.”

In 2021, amid the Covid frenzy that brought crowds to the outdoors, people ocked to the Hood River waterfront. ere

The DEVO Team gets instruction about equipment with coach Sophia Santos, left.Above, kids in the Viento y Agua program learn about water safety.

Photo by Laurie Black

were some safety-related incidents that year, including the drowning of a 10-year-old. As she coached the JET paddlers that busy summer, Wylde had an idea. She went to Jodie Gates, Steve’s daughter and now Big Winds co-owner, with a proposal.

“I sat down with her at the end of that season and said, hey, do you think it would be possible to take the JET team and turn it into a nonpro t so we can get more kids out on the water safely?” Wylde recalled. Gates didn’t hesitate. “She said, ‘Absolutely yes.’”

Wylde’s mom, Ellen, jumped in on the idea. Together, they started from the beginning, learning how to form a nonpro t. Wylde went to the Port of Hood River and to the Hood River County Sheri ’s o ce, explaining that she was looking for a waterfront location to base water safety education and youth programs. By winter, they had their nonpro t status, and in the spring, the dock in Nichol’s Basin became their headquarters.

Wylde Wind & Water o cially launched in July 2022. With the organization’s rst two grants, they introduced kids’ wingfoiling camps which, along with the stand-up paddling JET and DEVO (development) teams, became the nonpro t’s performance programs, with a participation fee.

en they planned a regular, free community paddle every week in July and August, open to anyone, with all equipment and basic instruction provided. Later, they added a free weekly wingfoil orientation.

“ e idea was that the performance programs would help support our free community programs,” Wylde said.

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Emmy Galindo, a former camper in the Viento y Agua program, is now an instructor with the youth wingfoil programs.

Rolling Out a Welcome Mat at the Waterfront

by Bob Stawicki/IWasPhotographed

But she didn’t stop there. In an e ort to reach more Hispanic kids, she connected with the Hood River Migrant Education program. “I told them we wanted to run a program for Hispanic students, to help them learn more about the river, about water safety and about all the di erent sports and options that we have here in our local community,” Wylde said. at rst summer, WW&W put together a 3-week program for 75 Migrant Education students in elementary and middle school.

With grant funding, they also hired high school students who had previously been in the Migrant Education program to work as interns.

“ at was the beginning of Viento y Agua,” Wylde said. at program is now what Wylde calls “the heart of the organization,” aligning with their mission of providing equitable access to outdoor activities.

WW&W continues to o er paid internships to high school students, who mentor the younger Hispanic students, learn teamwork and have access to learn water sports alongside the campers. ey also receive rst aid/CPR training.

“Now, some of the interns we had the very rst year are some of our most important sta members and instructors,” Wylde said. Viento y Agua is one of several of the organization’s partnership programs. In addition to working with Migrant Education, WW&W partners with the Hood River County Sheri ’s o ce to bring water safety education to local classrooms; last year, they connected with 1,361 students from kindergarten through high school in 56 classrooms throughout the district. Other partnership programs include a watersports camp with e Dalles Migrant Education, a watersports mentorship program with e Next Door, and a strength training class for students at Hood River Middle School.

Wylde credits these partnerships for the rise in Hispanic attendees at the free community programs. “ e Saturday community paddles and weekly wingfoiling sessions are almost 50 percent Hispanic,” she said, a noticeable increase from when they started. “We’ve seen a direct shift in the users of the waterfront thanks to our programs and partnerships with the school district.”

e WW&W performance programs, the catalyst for launching the organization, are going strong. Wylde continues to coach the JET and DEVO teams. ere’s now a full suite of youth wingfoil programs, including introductory and intermediate-level camps. Wylde also coaches a higher level Wingfoil Youth Team, and plans to take some of the team members to the national championships this year in San Francisco.

Last year, WW&W o ered 17 programs, with nearly 2,500 participants along with 10 paid high-school interns. Over the course of the summer, the organization logged 1,300 hours from volunteers.

The 2026 Viento y Agua intern team, above.At left, kids learn to paddle and recreate safely on the water during a WW&W program.

Photo

Photo by Darlisa Black

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Rolling Out a Welcome Mat at the Waterfront

“What we’re doing spans cultures, economic brackets and different experience levels,” she said. “We’ll have someone go stand-up paddling for the rst time, who might be nervous to even get in the water. And in the same afternoon, I’ll be out on a jet ski coaching wingfoiling kids who are doing back ips.”

With the diverse programs, nearly all ages of people can participate, as well. “We might have an 80-year-old who goes paddling with his grandkids, and an 8-year-old who learns to wing all in the same day,” she said. e same spread happens with sta , too, she added, which ranges from high school students to very seasoned professional coaches.

“Our main goal is to have a spot where everybody can be successful, and they can feel like part of the team whether it’s their second day on the water or they’ve been a professional,” she said. “It’s really bringing in that sense of community, because it’s that diversity in our community that makes us thrive.”

hotography Pi Pick ckle les Photograp a hy

BYAMYEASTMAN

Grant funding has been essential to supporting the organization’s programming, but recent federal cuts have reduced available sources, Wylde said. ey’re pursuing additional support through individual, small business and corporate donations in hopes of keeping all of the programs running. “It’s going to be a telling year in terms of how much we can do on as much of a shoestring as possible,” she said.

Wylde doesn’t want to compromise on any of the programs, particularly because safety is at the core of all of them. “ rough all of these programs, we teach that you have to wear a life jacket,” she said. “You have to wear a helmet when you’re going wingfoiling. If the conditions are not right for you, then maybe you decide to go to a di erent place, or not go out on that day. And how do you make those decisions? All of these things are what we’re trying to teach to kids and adults.”

Wylde has personally seen the impact of the organization’s water safety education. “One day, a little girl came down our dock and asked if she could borrow a life jacket,” Wylde said. Someone got her tted with one, then asked how she knew to come there. e little girl answered that “some lady named Fiona” had come to her school and told the students they could come to the WW&W dock if they ever needed a life jacket.

“ at gives me so much motivation,” Wylde said. “We’re doing something good here, and we’re going to keep it going as best we can because it does make a di erence.”

She knows that WW&W is also instilling con dence in participants, whether it’s an intern who is nervous in the water when they start or a kid learning to wingfoil. “Seeing that growth of condence is one of the coolest things to witness in somebody else, and that has nothing to do with me,” she said. “It’s purely taking a step back and watching people nd their own success when you give them an opportunity.”

To learn more, go to wyldewindandwater.org

Free weekly wingfoil orientations are open to anyone who wants to learn more about the sport, left. At right, members of the Wingfoil Youth Team during training.

Both photos by Bob Stawicki/IWasPhotographed

The White Salmon Boat Library

IN BZ CORNER, A NONPROFIT IS BREAKING DOWN BARRIERS TO KAYAKING

NESTLED IN THE SMALL TOWN OF BZ CORNER, WASHINGTON, a wooden 9-by-22-foot shack sits close enough to the White Salmon River that the rapids below become a background track to every conversation. Along the fence, brightly colored whitewater kayaks are neatly lined up and above the door, a weathered blue sign reads, White Salmon Boat Library.

Inside, the room is packed with river equipment — helmets, PFDs and dry tops hang on the wall, a line of paddles rests against the corner and a box of neoprene booties sits next to in atable kayaks rolled up near the entrance.

Just like a traditional library, the gear is available to check out at no cost, requiring only a sign-up with a pay-what-you-can membership (given options are $1, $35 or $86) plus a

$5 new member orientation fee — a small amount compared to buying kayaking gear, which can cost upwards of $2,000.

“I think we all notice that whitewater kayaking is a di cult thing to get into,” said Galen Volckhausen, who founded the library and now serves as its board president and treasurer.

Volckhausen is considered a legacy boater, having learned as a kid from his dad in upstate New York. “I was probably in a kayak before I could walk,” he said. What started with backyard pond paddles turned into Class III runs by the time he was seven. He soon fell in love with whitewater, and built his life around the pursuit of running rivers.

For anyone devoted to kayaking, a visit to the Gorge is nearly mandatory — it’s often called the mecca of whitewater kayaking for the persistent rainfall and multitude of rivers carved out by volcanoes. During his high school’s spring break in 2013, Volckhausen made a pilgrimage to the area and became enamored with the local rivers and waterfalls,

story & photos by EMMA RENLY

Photo by Sebastian “Bat” Johnson

especially the Little White Salmon River. A year later he moved to the Gorge, settling in with a rotating cast of paddlers in shared housing.

“The boat library had been a joke around our house,” Volckhausen said. “Ever since I moved to White Salmon, there have been twice as many kayaks in the backyard as people who live there, if not more.”

In 2021, one of his sponsors, Northwest Rafting Supplies (NRS), launched its LEAD Program — Leaders in Environment, Access and Diversity. It required its athletes to contribute to their

community in a meaningful way, beyond the normal scope of posting on social media.

Wanting to maintain his sponsorship, Volckhausen pitched the idea of a shack with gear that people could borrow as needed. NRS was initially hesitant. It was a big undertaking with complicated details, including writing a business proposal, securing insurance and creating a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.

The hesitation drove Volckhausen. “Nothing like doubt to light a flame,” he said.

Working with Natalie Anderson, who owns The Missing Corner in BZ Corner, he secured the worn-down shack on the property behind the community center. Friends helped renovate the structure into a waterproof, usable facility and in October 2022, the White Salmon Boat Librar y quietly opened to the public.

At the time, the total number of kayaks — maybe twelve — fit inside the shed. Now the kayaks and other donated equipment barely fit in the allotted space. It’s common to overhear new boaters in the area being asked, “Have you tried the boat library?”

The library has grown significantly and Volckhausen, by his own account, has as well. Kayaking no longer defines him, a preconception he’s intentionally tried to break. Free time is often spent

Galen Volckhausen at the White Salmon Boat Library in BZ Corner, left, and paddling in the Little White Race last year, which partly benefits the Boat Library, opposite bottom.

studying finance coursework to better serve as the library’s treasurer, and he’ll point to God as a reason he feels compelled to share what he describes as a life blessed by the river.

“Even if I was in a self-centered place when it started, it was still meant to happen,” Volckhausen said.

The work he’s put into the library has created a deep sense of purpose. It’s a slow burn, opposite from the rush of running a difficult rapid. “I needed to find a way to help people get into kayaking that worked for me,” he said. “The boat library gets people on the rivers more than me posting a kayaking clip on Instagram. All that does is get people on their phones, not on the water.”

While the total number of current members is uncertain — the paper trail was lost in 2024 — 338 members joined in 2025.

Originally, a small whiteboard gave instructions on how to become a member, with orientations and gear management run by Mar y Morrissey, the first librarian. Amber Seitz has now taken on that role, serving as a broader program manager as well.

On Tuesday evenings, she walks new members through the 101 of the library — its history, how to check out gear for the allotted 3-day time frame, and options to get connected with other paddlers in the Gorge. She announces that no Class V runs are allowed with the equipment, but with the plentiful rivers around — the White Salmon, Klickitat and Wind to name a few — there are options for every skill level.

Seitz also meticulously tracks the inventory usage by season, type and length of borrow (most checked-out kayak: Dagger Rewind). “Overall, with the borrowing patterns we’re seeing, it makes me hypothesize that it’s a lot of newer boaters that are using the library,” she said. “The library is doing what’s intended.”

The amount of gear has grown so exponentially over the years, the library has become a redistribution hub of its own. This spring, Seitz was combing through the gear to decide what to send to Pandion Institute, an Indigenous-led nonprofit based in Joseph, Oregon, that runs education programs in place-based learning.

Internationally, the library is leaving a legacy as well. Five kayaks and sets of gear were recently sent to Andrey Coto’s Jaguar Kayak Academy in Costa Rica; he previously spent summers raft guiding on the White Salmon River. Another five were given to Jungle Flow Expeditions, whose founder Kayla Angstadt started a women’s kayaking school for Ecuadorians.

But it’s right here in the Gorge where the library’s greatest impact can be seen. Smaller boats and youth gear sizes are supplied by the local nonprofit Columbia Gorge Junior Kayak Club, co-founded by Naomi Elyard in 2020. Entirely volunteer-run, the club creates free programming to help local youth build relationships with their backyard rivers and each other. They sublease storage space from The Missing Corner, and their gear is available to use by anyone who’s a library member.

“It’s super hard to justify spending a ton of money on gear when your kid might outgrow it,” said Anna Bruno, the club’s vice president. She believes that sharing a wide range of gear sizes will make river access easier for youth, especially when they’re physically growing.

Ultimately, Bruno said, access to gear is essential to building the whitewater community in the Gorge.

“I’ve seen the difference it makes when you have people and programs that make you feel welcome,” she said. “There are other places with amazing rivers and whitewater, but it’s hard to find another place with a community that is so engaged and supportive across the spectrum, from total beginners to professional-level athletes.” To learn more, go to whitesalmonboatlibrary.org

Emma Renly is a kayaker and writer who lives in White Salmon.

Amber Seitz, the Boat Library’s program manager and librarian, tracks inventory and gear-borrowing patterns, organizes excess gear to send to other kayaking programs, and provides weekly orientations to new members.

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Kiteboard 4 Cancer Makes its Return

FOUNDER TONIA FARMAN REVIVES KB4C WITH A RENEWED COMMUNITY FOCUS

NEVER SAY NEVER.

When Tonia Farman stepped away from Kiteboard 4 Cancer (KB4C) in 2019, she left behind a powerhouse fundraiser she’d

started from scratch in 2006. During her tenure, it raised more than $1.5 million to support young adult cancer survivors.

“When I left, it was on re,” Farman said. She felt good about handing it o stronger than ever, con dent it would continue for the foreseeable future. But after struggling in the years after Covid with challenges ranging from sta to mission creep, KB4C was canceled last year just three weeks before the scheduled July event.

“When I left, I said I would never run an event again,” Farman said, laughing. “You just never know what’s going to happen.” A few things aligned to bring Farman back beyond watching the event she’d built crumble over a few short years. She’d previously been approached about returning, but declined. “At the time, I said, no, that’s crazy,’” she said, even as she watched the event slipping.

But then last summer, her dear friend Alina Iofciu, who had been her logistics coordinator at KB4C for many years, was battling cancer herself. Iofciu had most recently been running the Gorge Paddle Challenge for several years. Due to her health, she’d canceled the event in 2024 but was determined to pull it o in 2025. en with a couple of weeks to go before the start of the August event — which brings paddlers to the Gorge from all over the country — she called Farman and some other close friends from her KB4C days.

story by JANET COOK • photos ovided

Tonia Farman, left, during a Kiteboard 4 Cancer event before leaving the organization in 2019. The kiteboard derby, above, will be a team event this year that will include other windsports.

Richard Hallman

“She said, ‘I can’t put on this event. I don’t know how to do it. I can barely stand,’” Farman recalled. “It took a lot for her to say that because she was strong, but she just said, ‘I need help.’” e core KB4C crew from

when Iofciu was heading logistics came together almost immediately. “ ere’s about six of us, and we all just dropped everything and said, yeah, where are we at, let’s do this.”

Farman and the crew stepped in with their extensive event experience and ran with it. “We all just knew what to do,” she said. “None of us had done a paddle-speci c event before, but we pulled it o , and it was an incredible event.” Afterward, they celebrated

Tonia Farman, left center, and volunteers who rallied to help Alina Iofciu, front, put on the Gorge Paddle Challenge last year. Farman’s return to KB4C is in part to honor her.

Richard Hallman

Vertebral Compression

over beers and talked about how much fun it was. “It brought us all together and we had a blast,” Farman said. “We got to honor Alina and bring the paddling community together. To experience that community organizing piece in such a short time and see it succeed just beautifully — it was so rewarding.” It was the rst time Farman began to consider a return to KB4C.

During the fall, Farman met with Rachel Callahan and Grom Gormley who had been participants in KB4C since the beginning — frequently winning the endurance race. e pair had also been part of the crew that stepped up to put on the Paddle Challenge. Callahan had been hired as KB4C coordinator last year, before it was cancelled, and Gormley had been the event’s announcer for years.

“We talked about the old times, what we would do bringing it back to its roots for the 20th anniversary of the event,” Farman said. “And it got exciting. It got me remembering why I loved running this event.” At around the same time, as Iofciu’s health further declined, Farman sat by her bedside and the two talked as if they were planning KB4C together.

“I was talking about it with Alina as if I was doing it, even though I didn’t really know if I was doing it. But that was really motivating.” Iofciu passed away in December. Her memorial brought so many people from the wind and watersports industries together, and from the community in general, that “it just felt right” to bring KB4C back, Farman said. “It’s a big honor to her and how she, so quietly and almost in the background, brought community together.”

Farman told Callahan and Gormley that she would not do it without them, and they jumped onboard. “ ey’re the heart and soul of helping me put this on,” Farman said. Several lead volunteers from years past will also be back to help run the event.

Farman worked with Project Koru, the nonpro t that ran KB4C, to regain rights to put on the local event as its own entity. Project Koru, which supports young adult cancer survivors after their treatment ends, continues to operate on a national level. “It serves a nationwide pool of cancer survivors,” Farman said. “We really wanted to focus on this community — on how we can really make this a community event and bene t Gorge residents and programs here.”

at meant expanding beyond cancer survivorship programs. For the rst time, KB4C will bene t local nonpro ts working to strengthen community wellbeing. After consulting with community leaders and healthcare professionals, Farman identi ed three focus areas:

An auction held at each KB4C event helps raise additional funds. This year, there will be an online auction as well as a ra le during the event kick-o , July 10, at Ferment Brewing.

Richard Hallman

HEALTHY CONNECTIONS

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WELLNESS

cancer care and support; women’s health; and mental health and wellness. Gorge nonpro ts aligned with these priorities were then invited to apply through a grant process to become one of three bene ciaries of this year’s event.

e nonpro ts chosen to share this year’s proceeds are the Columbia Gorge Health Council (CGHC), the KB4C Uncompensated Care Fund via CGHC, and e Next Door. e rst one is speci c to CGHC’s mental health and wellness program, whose outreach via community health workers helps address barriers to care in underserved communities. e Uncompensated Care Fund will help cancer patients cover expenses such as rent, utilities and out-of-pocket medical costs. Funding for e Next Door will support a new Peer Youth Mentors program, which will train high school students to provide peer support while connecting youth in need with professional therapy services.

“We wanted to be able to address speci c community needs now,” Farman said.

e event itself, scheduled for July 10-12 at the Hood River Event Site, will see some changes from past years. Rather than requiring participants to fund-raise, there will be a straight registration fee to participate. Highlights include the Derby — a six-hour endurance race organized as a team event open to kiteboarders, kite foilers, wing foilers, windsurf foilers and parawingers — and a onemile open-water swim. “ en we’ll have di erent mini-events going on that people can pay to participate in,” Farman said, including the long-running Never-Ever-Kiteboarded race, a rubber ducky race and an online auction. An event kick-o on Friday night at Ferment includes a ra e.

e Event Site will be open to the public so anyone can drop by and contribute to the fundraiser or just enjoy the festivities. “I have no idea how much we’re going to bring in this year,” Farman said. e event will be more streamlined, she added, with an emphasis on reconnecting KB4C to its community roots.

“I wanted to see this event in its 20th year — if this is its last year or if this is the beginning of a new chapter — I wanted to step back in and revitalize it and feel good about it.”

The KB4C derby was previously a kiteboard endurance race. Now it will be a team event with multiple disciplines meant to embody teamwork, connection and community.

RYAN PETERING MD

STEVEN MATOUS MD, FACS TYLER MITTELSTAEDT MD, MPH, FACS

RESTORE

IV Therapy (Mobile IVs), Hormone Replacement Therapy, Nutrition Real results. Feel like yourself again.

RECOVER

Chiropractic, Class IV Healing Laser, Somatic Bodywork, Ozone Therapy, Sports Medicine Acupuncture, Shockwave Therapy Move better. Hurt less.

RENEW

Premium Hair Services, Botox, Hydrafacials, Micorneedling, Cosmetic Acupuncture Look as good as you feel.

Don’t spend your summer running on empty

Feel stronger, move better, and get more out of every gorge day.

PHOTO BY: ALY NICKLAS

Gorge Naturopathic and Massage

Summer Massage Special –$75 for a 60-Minute Session Offer ends 9/28/26.

Dr. Carrie Decker combines naturopathic care and bodywork to address mental health, digestive wellness, and more. Now serving the Columbia River Gorge.

541-257-5685 ● www.gorge-naturopathic.com

1790 May St, Ste B (lower level), Hood River

Farman founded KB4C after watching her brother battle cancer when he was 19. Returning to the event now, in part to honor another person close to her who faced her own cancer journey, seems tting.

“When you lose someone to cancer, you need somewhere to put that grief, something that transforms it into action or joy or community,” Farman said. “At least that’s how it was for me. I built KB4C from that place 20 years ago, and I nd myself returning to it from that same place now. e people we love leave us, and we nd ways to carry them forward.”

To learn more, go to kb4c.org

WELCOME DR. BRENNAN

Hood River welcomes Julia Brennan,

Dr. Brennan earned her M.D. with honors from the University of Michigan Medical School before completing residency training in Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Afterwards, she completed a fellowship in Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at Northwestern University in Chicago. This advanced training allowed her to refine her skills in both reconstructive and cosmetic procedures under global leaders in the field. She brings expertise in broad spectrum ENT and subspecialty facial plastic surgery. She is particularly excited to join the Columbia River Gorge medical community in providing residents improved access to specialized care here locally.

In addition to general ENT, specific areas of interest include:

• Advanced skin cancer reconstruction techniques

• Inspire surgery for sleep apnea

• Rhinoplasty and other functional breathing surgeries

• Cosmetic and aging face surgeries

• In-office procedures including injectables and resurfacing

Outside of the office, she can be found exploring the local all-season fun–be it hiking, biking, or cross-country/downhill–with her husband, Patrick, and their Australian Shephard, Goose.

Richard Hallman

GENERAL DERMATOLOGY MOHS • COSMETICS

DR. LOYD grew up in a missionary family and experienced various cultures across University of Oklahoma he continued his training at Wake Forest University and He learned about the beauty of the Gorge while working in Portland. His medical before moving to the Gorge and joining Hood River Dermatology. He is board dermatopathology.

We look forward to achieving great things together!

Nathan Smith, PA-C, has been practicing dermatology since 2006 and specializes in all aspects of general dermatology.

His interest in returning to the area was sparked by the plethora of outdoor recreational Cascades. He looks forward to enjoying these activities with his 2 daughters. hiking, backcountry skiing, biking and kiting.

Nate makes every effort to provide a comfortable experience for his patients and enjoys getting to know them while delivering quality care.

As a Hood River local, he enjoys family adventures in the van with his wife and two kids, as well as traveling, hiking, skiing, and mountain biking.

Luke Sloan, MD • Melissa Arndt PA-C • Aaron Loyd, MD • Victoria

Jessica Sanderson PA-C, Luke Sloan MD, Melissa Arndt PA-C, Aaron Loyd MD, Melinda Riter MD PhD, Nathan Smith PA-C

Grilled Ribs

with Chimichurri

These ribs are a fresh version of the classic. They start with a sweet, spicy, smokey rub, but are finished with a load of fresh herbs and lime. Grill whatever veggies you like to serve alongside.

INGREDIENTS

RIBS

• 2 racks baby back ribs

• 1 Tbsp. freshly ground black pepper

• 1/4 cup kosher salt

• 1/4 cup light brown sugar

• 2 Tbsp. smoked paprika

CHIMICHURRI

• 1 cup cilantro, finely chopped

• 1/2 cup basil, finely chopped

• 1/4 Tbsp. fresh oregano, finely chopped

• 1/2 yellow onion, finely chopped

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 red bell pepper, finely chopped

• 1 lime, zested

• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice

• 1 Tbsp. white vinegar

• 1 tsp. each: kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 325ºF.

Mix together the rib seasoning. Lay one rack of ribs on a sheet of aluminum foil large enough to wrap and seal them. Season on both sides generously with the rib seasoning. Wrap and seal them. (Use a second sheet of foil if you’re not positive you got a su cient seal; you don’t want the juices leaking out). Repeat with the second rack of ribs. Put the ribs on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 3 hours.

In a medium bowl mix together all of the chimichurri ingredients. Preheat your grill to medium-high.

Remove ribs from the oven and carefully open the foil. Move the ribs to a new baking sheet. Pour the juices into a fat separator (or a measuring cup and skim o the fat). Baste the ribs with juices and grill them, basted side down, for 5-10 minutes. Baste the exposed side, ip the ribs and grill them for another 5-10 minutes. Remove from the grill and allow the ribs to rest for 10 minutes.

To serve, cut the ribs into sections, top with chimichurri and enjoy immediately.

Recipe & photos by KACIE MCMACKIN

Kacie McMackin is an avid cook, writer, and owner of Kings & Daughters Brewery. She’s a frequent contributor to The Gorge Magazine.

BACKWOODS BREWING COMPANY

509-427-3412

• backwoodsbrewingcompany.com 1162 Wind River Hwy • Carson

Backwoods Brewing is family owned and located in Carson, WA. Established in 2012, we o er delicious beers, hand-made pizzas, outdoor seating, and welcome all ages. Now featuring brunch on the weekends!

Open daily: 11:30am-9pm

DOPPIO COFFEE

541-386-3000 • doppiohoodriver.com

310 Oak Street • Downtown Hood River

Relax on our beautiful patio in the heart of Hood River. Enjoy a hand crafted, in-house roasted espresso drink. Serving breakfast and lunch all day: panini sandwiches, fresh salads, smoothies and fresh baked pastries and goodies. Gluten free options available. Free Wi-Fi and our patio is dog friendly.

GROUND ESPRESSO BAR & CAFE

541-386-4442 • groundhoodriver.com

12 Oak Street • Downtown Hood River

Get your daily fuel for your Gorge sports and activities here!

A long time locals favorite coffee house and eatery, Ground features fresh in-house roasted coffee, house made pastries and cookies with lots of gluten free options. We make our soups from scratch every day and source mostly local and organic ingredients. Nitro cold brew on tap.

BETTER TOGETHER MOBILE TAP TRUCK

bettertogethertaptruck@gmail.com bettertogethertaptruck.com

Dakota and Greg Wilkins serve the Gorge bringing the bar to you with 6 beverage taps on a classic GMC pickup. They are ready to serve your favorite beverage at your event!

Reserving now for 2026-27

EL PUERTO DE ANGELES III

541-308-0005

1306 12th Street • Hood River, on the Heights

We are open and happy to serve you. Authentic Jalisco Cuisine. We provide a safe dining experience. Enjoy good food and good times. Offering daily lunch and dinner specials, served all day. Happy Hour Mon-Fri. Outdoor dining available (weather permitting).

Open Daily 10am-9pm Dine-In or Takeout

IXTAPA FAMILY MEXICAN RESTAURANT

2827 W Cascade Avenue • Hood River • 541-386-1168 810 Cherry Heights • The Dalles • 541-298-1265 299 NW Portage Road • Cascade Locks • 541-392-6872

Authentic, fresh, Mexican food and full bar. Proudly serving the Gorge for over 25 years! Daily lunch and dinner specials. Mexican specialties including fresh seafood and vegetarian entries. Catering available. Open daily. Takeout available. Visit us on Facebook.

BRIDGESIDE

541-374-8477 • bridgesidedining.com

Exit 44 off I-84, Cascade Locks

Stunning views next to the Bridge of the Gods – Bridgeside serves tasty char-broiled burgers plus an extensive menu of breakfast items, sandwiches, chowders, baskets, salads & desserts. Dine-in or takeout. Serving breakfast and lunch with friendly service.

Gift shop • Special event room & terrace

EVERYBODY’S BREWING

509.637.2774 • everybodysbrewing.com

177 E. Jewett Boulevard • Downtown White Salmon

Experience the heart of the Columbia River Gorge! We o er handcrafted beers, diverse dishes, and a welcoming atmosphere. Join us for live music, community events, and a taste of the Pacific Northwest. Cheers to beer for everybody!

Open 7 days a week, 11:30 to close!

THE LITTLE SEVEN SEVEN RANCH HIGHLAND BEEF

509-767-7130 • L77Ranch.com • Lyle, WA

Grass-Fed Highland Beef from our ranch to your home. Known for flavor and tenderness, Highland Beef is higher in protein and iron, lower in fat and cholesterol than conventional beef. The L77 Ranch Shop stocks a full variety of USDA packaged steaks, roasts, ground beef and more. Email for a Local Price List. By appointment only.

PFRIEM FAMILY BREWERS

541-321-0490 • pfriembeer.com

707 Portway Avenue, Suite 101 • Hood River Waterfront

pFriem artisanal beers are symphonies of flavor and balance, influenced by the great brewers of Europe, but unmistakably true to our homegrown roots in the Pacific Northwest. Although they are served humbly, each glass is overflowing with pride and a relentless aspiration to brew the best beer in the world. We’ll let you decide.

Open Daily | 11am-9pm

RIVERSIDE RESTAURANT & BAR

541-386-4410 • riversidehoodriver.com Exit 64 off I-84 • Waterfront Hood River

Welcome to Riverside, where you’ll find the best food, drinks and views in the Gorge. Dine indoors or outdoors on the waterfront with fresh menus changing seasonally, a wine list with the area’s best selections, and 14 taps with all your favorite local breweries. Serving breakfast, lunch and dinner with the freshest ingredients grown and harvested by thoughtful, intentional local growers.

SUSHI OKALANI

541-386-7423 • sushiokalani@gorge.net 109 First Street • Downtown Hood River

Come find us in the basement of the Yasui Building, the local’s favorite spot for fresh fish, Pan-Asian Cuisine, and a rockin’ atmosphere! Lots of rotating specials, creative rolls, and a large sake selection means you’re always trying something new! Private rooms are available for groups up to 20 people. Take-out menu available online. Open for dinner Mon-Sat at 5pm, closing hours change seasonally.

The view down the Gorge from the Hook in Sue Sutherland’s “Happy Hour” is one of her favorites. “It’s a view that I’ve painted a lot, at di erent times of day,” she said. Sometimes she paints en plein air, and other times from memory or photographs. She frequently paddleboards from the Hook through this very slot between the Oregon shore and Wells Island, and knows it well. The oil painting captures a summer sunset from the Hook, with vibrant shades of orange, yellow and blue. “I love that end-of-the-day feeling,” she said. “It’s just peaceful.”

theartist

SUE SUTHERLAND has always had an artistic inclination. She studied landscape architecture in college and took a few printmaking classes, but didn’t pursue it at the time. She moved to the Gorge in 1989 and later, after taking her kids to printmaking classes, rediscovered the medium. Painting on large canvases was also something she did “for fun, on the side.” After getting back into printmaking, she got more serious about her art. She was a member of the Columbia Art Gallery for years, and showed her work at a gallery in Stevenson, Washington. She’s been painting professionally for 20 years, and is a founding member of 301 Gallery in Hood River, where her landscape paintings and monotypes can be found. suesutherland.com, @sue_sutherland_

Feodor Zakharov (Russian, 1882-1967), Baron Eugene Fersen, detail Early 20th century, Oil on canvas, The Lightbearers Collection

Photo credit: Lonnie Gates

Dudley Carter (American, 1891-1992), Court of the Cedars, detail, 1980, Cedar