Location summary:

 

• City: Klickitat, Washington

• Skill level: Intermediate

• Wind: South

• Access: The entire week, Monday through Sunday

• Landing area quality: A few rocks, most have been cleared off

• Hazards in the area: Approach has rotor and requires pass beyond the hill which can cause you to land very short.  Better to be too high and try again.

 

Directions to the site:

• From Portland OR, East on Interstate 84 to Hood River.

• North across toll bridge to Washington East 12 miles to Lyle.

• North 15 miles to bridge crossing the Klickitat River.

• West 2 miles or so on Klickitat-Applebee road (dirt).

• View the map.

 

Site review:

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The Appleton-Klickitat road was widened and paved in about 2004.  The last turn coming up hill has been widened to about 70 feet with a gravel turnout.  The pasture uphill and across the road from the flying point now has a high cut bank with a new barbed-wire fence.  That pretty much eliminates the use of that area for a landing zone.  The only landing zone is now the bench between the road and the edge of the slope which has large rocks here and there between the grass, balsam root plants and some poison oak.  Therefore, it would be hazardous to fly anything other than foamies at this site.

It still has some of the best lift, a huge area to dive downhill and come back up in a screaming loop! The view is excellent and works with a south wind. Sometimes the wind can shift to the west and across the slope and all lift is lost.  That makes it interesting for your plane in the air when that switches in a matter of seconds!

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Description provided courtesy of Bruce Alber.

 

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