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Maryhill Overview
This portion of the Columbia Basin receives very consistent westerly winds from April to September. Also one of the narrowest stretches of the river, currents are particularily swift here in the spring and provide very large swells well into the summer. A number of different sailing sites are available depending on what you're looking for that day. Maryhill State Park offers excellent grass rigging areas, ample parking, showers and bathroom facilities. This is a good area for families. While the Wall and Rufus area offer little in the way of ammenities, wind and swell conditions tend to be more challenging and appealing to expert level sailors. Spring water releases from the John Day Dam just upstream can also make sailing quite difficult with extremely high currents from late March to early May.
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Regional Directory
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Shops,
Schools,
Clubs,
Events,
Food,
Lodging,
More,
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| Season: |
Apr-May & Sept-Oct |
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| Water: |
med-lrg swells |
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| Ability Level: |
intermediate/jibes |
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| Familiness: |
restrooms, shelter, camping, nice beach, showers, nice grassy beach |
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| Parking: |
endless parking |
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| Launch: |
grassy |
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Maps & Directions
To reach Maryhill from Portland, drive east on I-84 through Hood River and The Dalles out to exit # 104. Proceed left (north) off the exit ramp across the Sam Hill Bridge into WA. Maryhill State Park is the first right turn after crossing the river, proceed slowly through the ranger station and follow the signs to the windsurfing beach.
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Sensor Notes
Updated Spring 2003: The sensor is located just west of the Maryhill Bridge about 75 ft above the water on top of the grain elevators (along the Oregon shoreline). While very useful for determining wind strengths from the State Park down to Rufus, be aware that the sensor can read much higher than winds further east. Conditions down at the Channel Marker, Wall and Rufus (about 1.5 miles east) may seriously effected by winds canted out of the north so pay careful attention to the direction. Think twice about sailing in the area if winds are W, WNW or NW! If you are looking for sailing conditions better than 4.7m, wait until the readings hang consistently in the 28-32 knot range.
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