Comments and Discussion
This trip is limited to members who are WEC. Reminder: Registration is conditional upon final approval by the TO, who may communicate with you to assess whether your skills & equipment are appropriate for the trip.
Narrative: Rock on! The Columbia River use to be littered with fisheries, but little is now visible except the posts of once-large docks & piers sticking out of the water, except in Altoona Wa. Once one of the more producdtive canneries on the river a couple of old buildings still exist. The cannery in Altoona lasted from 1877 to 1947 when it finally became unprofitable. Salmon was packaged under the name "Pillar Rock Cannery" which was taken from the rock monolith just off it's shore.
Pillar Rock use to stand 75 to 100 ft above the water depending on the tide. It was dynamited to serve as a site of a navigational marker and light. It now stands 25ft above the water depending on the tide.
We'll launch from Aldrich Point and paddle with the current downriver in Prairie Channel past Tronson Island, then making our way between Horseshoe and Woody Island heading into more open water towards Jim Crow Sands on Piller Rock Island. We'll then brave a 1/2 mile crossing over to Altoona, Wa and the remnants of the old cannery. After a brief lunch we'll make the crossing back to Pillar Island passing what remains of Pillar Rock and riding a light current back to Aldrich Point. Meeting Time: 8:45:00 AM Launch Time: 9:30:00 AM Type of activity: Paddle Trip Put in: Aldrich Point Take out: Aldrich Point Route Alternative for bad weather: none Required equipment: Minimum Immersion protection: Shorty wetsuit Primary Organizer: Sean M. Dillon Assistant Organizer(s): TBD Has organizer paddled here before? No Has organizer led an OOPS paddle here before? No Organizer's first aid and CPR current? Yes First Aid /CPR Person: Sean M. Dillon Maximum number of paddlers: 6 or 12 with an ATO I certify that I understand and will conduct this activity in accordance with the OOPS Activity Policy: Yes Estimated Air Temperature: 67 Estimated Water Temperature: 69 Estimated Water Time (including breaks/lunch): 5 hours Tide times & heights: L 9:45am -1.48 ft H 3:17pm 6.99 ft Current information: ME 6:53am -2.22 kt SBF 11:43am MF 1:28pm .92 kt SBE 3:31pm Hazards: Wind strength: Level 2: 7-12 knots (14 mph) – wind noticeably effects movement of paddle Swell/Surf size: Level 2: Waves up to 2', no breaking waves Sea state: Level 2: Waves up to armpit; light to moderate chop, scattered whitecaps Landing types: Level 2: Frequent landing opportunities including docks or moderate sloping banks, brush or overhanging trees Currents: Level 2: Mild currents (up to 2 knots): current increases / decreases group speed by half Total distance: Level 2: 6 to 11 miles Open crossing: Level 2: Less than 1 mile Paddling Environment: Overall rating: Level 2 Rating Comments: This should be a solid level 2 paddle. There is always the possibility of winds in this reach of the Columbia, which can generate waves & lumpy water (given the variable depths throughout this route). Location (Optional): Aldrich Point OR and Altoona Wa Photos (optional):
Oregon Ocean Paddling SocietyPortland, Oregon
