Hood River Valley skiers are league champions
In downhill action, McLean, Lamer lead HRV team; Bergemann and FitzSimons top freestyle standings
HRV girls:
Win or lose, state is the experience of a lifetime
The staging area is a musky rectangular room packed with a couple hundred bodies bouncing in circles and pacing back and forth like caged animals. There are many hundred more waiting upstairs for their time to come.
HRV Nordic’s Wiley hot in ‘hot pursuit’
Hood River Valley High School Nordic team racers continued season action last weekend with a “Hot Pursuit” race that brought teams from Summit, Bend, Redmond, Saint Mary’s, Crescent Valley, Cleveland and Corvallis high schools to the groomed cross country trails of Mt. Hood Meadows.
Trail reopens, with new view
Hood River County Forestry still has some “finishing touches” to do in the area, but for the most part operations on the Clematis Timber Sale are complete.
Photo of the day: Serene Sunrise
A beautiful sunrise Friday morning gave way to sunny skies and spring-like temperatures. National Weather Service forecasts say a chance of rain Saturday and mostly sunny weather for Sunday and Monday.
Ski team continues streak as season peaks
With only two races remaining in Mount Hood Ski League action, Hood River Valley High School skiers are looking poised to be among the top echelon at next month’s Oregon Interscholastic Ski Racing Association state championships.
Join fellow fishermen at Festival of the Fly
Fourth-annual fundraiser promises great prizes, awe-inspiring fish flick
The fourth-annual Festival of the Fly returns to the Skylight Theatre and Pub Feb. 21 for an evening of hanging out with fellow backcasters and watching some of the most cutting-edge fish porn ever created.
HRV boys and girls swimming are district champs
Hood River Valley High School swim team swept the competition over the weekend at the Columbia River Conference championships at the Hood River Aquatic Center. Both HRV boys and girls teams won conference titles and the team won the combined title by nearly 300 points over second-place Pendleton.
Two wins for HRV snowboarding
Led by standout riders Autumn Inouye for the girls and Connor Goodwillie for the boys, the Hood River Valley High School snowboarding team is carving through the season and has picked up two more first-place finishes in Oregon Interscholastic Snowboarding Association action.
Faith and respect are the glue that holds the Riveras together
For Jorge and Gavina Rivera, faith is the glue that has held their marriage together through the trials and tribulations of the last four decades.
First box lacrosse league a big hit
Indoor facility provides young players action in the offseason
When The Dalles Fitness and Court Club announced the opening of its new indoor sports field, Hood River youth lacrosse coach Cory Roeseler reserved a Monday night time slot in the hopes of recruiting enough area middle school boys to have once-a-week games to keep at least a small group of players sharp during the off-season.
HRV cheer team ready for state
Cheerleading may not be a traditional winter sport, but ask any of the girls on the Hood River Valley High School competitive cheer team what they’ve been up to for the last few months and they’d be happy to tell you just how much effort they have put into the season. And as the season comes to a climax at this weekend’s OSAA State Cheerleading Championships, the team will face a bittersweet moment.
Winter X was ‘awesome’
Winter X Games draws tens of thousands of fans to Aspen each January for what is arguably the biggest stage in the world for extreme skiers, snowboarders and snowmobilers.
A big win for HRV wrestling
Eagle wrestling takes Oregon City Invite team trophy
The Hood River Valley High School varsity wrestling team got the sweet flavor of victory, with hints of revenge, over the weekend at the 26th annual Oregon City Invitational.
Photo of the day: Bridge to Beauty
Watching amazing sunsets from views like this; yet another reason why people love living in the Gorge.
HRV ski team looking to repeat freestyle state titles
In another strong showing for the Hood River Valley High School ski team, Hannah Bergemann and Brendan Kerr topped the results last weekend in the latest USA Snowboarding Association Mt. Hood Series contest. Although run by USASA, the event included freestyle skiing divisions and drew high school competitors from Hood River, The Dalles, West Linn and Oregon Episcopal School to the slopes of Timberline. The slopestyle event gave each skier two runs down a course of jumps and rails in front of a panel of four judges; the lowest of each skier’s two scores was tossed out.
A busy week for HRV wrestling
Eagles face three events in three days
With a few weeks remaining in the regular season, the Hood River Valley High School wrestling team is boosting its training regimen to twice a day and upping the level of intensity in the mat room. The goal in the timing is for wrestlers to peak — both physically and mentally — at the district and state tournaments set for Feb. 15-16 and 21-23.
Photo of the day: Oh, Canada (Geese)
Between resident and migratory Canada Geese, there sure are a lot of these big birds flying around the Gorge this time of year.
Locals dominate Pursuit race
Wiley brothers top podium together, Cordell is fastest
After a mad dash at the starting line, racers thinned out across the course in what would prove to be a fast and glorious day of racing at Mt. Hood Meadows.
HMK: Humbly on the world stage
In hindsight, life-changing twists of fate are rarely as obvious as the one Kirk Zack had on his birthday in November of 1995. Playing a celebratory round of golf at the Indian Creek Golf Course, Zack teed-up on the 10th hole, took a swing and sunk the shot most golfers go their entire lives without sinking. At the time a hole-in-one had a $1,000 payout.
Colesar, McLean lead HRV ski team
Win is third straight for varsity girls
With blue skies and sun-softened snow, the Hood River Valley High School ski team competed in spring-like conditions over the weekend at Ski Bowl. The slalom event brought teams from the Mt. Hood Ski League for the third race of the season.
Hermiston bulldogs through HRV wrestling
Charlie Mallon, Cesar Zarate pick up only wins against Oregon 5A’s top team
Sometimes you have to call things for what they are, and the 56-7 thumping Hermiston wrestling dished out Thursday night was just that; a thumping.
Eagles fly down the mountain
In the second race of the season, Hood River Valley High School ski team finished first overall and nabbed fastest times in both boys and girls fields Saturday at Mt. Hood Meadows. The HRV girls dominated their field with a blowout win and five racers finishing in the top 10 in the slalom event on MHM’s Stadium run. Boys results were much closer, with HRV edging The Dalles and Sandy high schools by a few close points for the win.
Tough girls
Four girls build on growing tradition for Hood River Valley High School wrestling program
For Payton Rigert, Marina Smith, MaKenna Sullenger and Jessica DeHart, the saying “chicks dig scars” takes on an entirely different meaning.
Kaleidoscope: The ear in review
Because if you can’t make fun of yourself once in a while, you’re taking life far too seriously
For regular Hood River News readers, this page should look familiar.
Conditions, course perfect for Meadows Nordic series
Racers ranging in age from 6 to 70 turned out Saturday for the second Meadows Nordic Series race of the season. With a dusting of fresh snow falling from the sky, conditions were near-perfect for the day’s racing action. Among the approximately 70 skiers in attendance, Hood River’s Nordic youth program was represented by 10 high school and 15 middle school racers.
Support HRCF trails? Send a letter
Grant would pay for trail supplies and machinery
Hood River County Forestry and local mountain bike advocates are encouraging local trail users to submit letters of support for a trails grant application due next week. HRCF is in the process of gathering the letters and will submit them as supporting documents to go along with the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department Recreational Trails Program grant application.
Photo of the day: Who's up for some hockey?
Laurance Lake was frozen enough Sunday for an impromptu game of ice hockey for three friends on their way down from snowboarding at Mt. Hood Meadows (with warm, wet weather in the forecast, venturing out on the ice won't be safe until things cool of for a while).
Varsity girls hoops 7-4 after weekend tourney
Hood River Valley varsity girls basketball closed out 2012 with three games in three days over the weekend at the annual Gresham Holiday Tournament. The girls finished 1-2 in the tourney, with a win against Sandy and losses against Forest Grove and Aloha high schools. The result puts the team at 7-4 overall with three games to go before the league action begins (Jan. 15, 7 p.m. at home vs. Pendleton).
HRV wrestling ready for league action
Hood River Valley varsity wrestling faced eight teams in two days at last weekend’s Northwest Duals in Beaverton. The Eagles went 4-4 overall, with wins against Lakeridge, Snohomish, South Salem and Tualatin and losses against McNary, Bend, Dallas and Glencoe.
Photo of the day: Beautiful devastation
Above the clouds on a crisp, clear evening this week, as seen here looking north at Mount Adams from the Tilly Jane ski trail near Cooper Spur.
HRV snowboarding ready to rock
Hood River Valley Snowboard Club is gearing up for what coaches anticipate will be an exciting season.
Snowpack above average at end of 2012
Forecasters say La Niña/El Niño won’t be factors this winter
With the 100-inch benchmark already reached on the slopes of Mt. Hood Meadows, ski and snowboard enthusiasts have been licking their chops over one of the snowiest Decembers the mountain has seen in recent years. The resort opened before Thanksgiving and has seen a steady increase in snowpack since.
Nick Morgan leads HRV wrestling with 6-0 at Lebanon duals
After three “meat-grinder” tournaments in the last three weeks, Hood River Valley High School wrestling travels this weekend to Westview High School for the Northwest Duals. The team has eight duals in two days, including Lakeview, Bend, Dallas, McNary, Glencoe and Snohomish on Saturday.
Skiing is HOT
Downtown shop owners report decent holiday season with sales in ski gear holding strong
With more than a foot of fresh snow on slopes overnight and another foot forecast through the day, Pepi Gerald, like any true-blue powderhound, is staring out the window of his Oak Street shop working but wishing he were somewhere else.
HRV ski team training for exciting season
Strong numbers, experienced athletes means high expectations for the season
Deep in talent, this year’s Hood River Valley High School ski team has high expectations for the season. As combined defending state freestyle champions and runners-up for racing, the team of 35 boys and girls is busy getting in shape and training for what is expected to be an exciting season for the Eagles.
Dominguez is All-American after Reno
The Reno Tournament of Champions is dubbed the “Toughest Tournament in the Nation” for good reason. As a destination contest for 118 schools from across the country, RTOC consists of 64-person brackets in each weight class and runs for three days on 13 mats until the field is narrowed down to the best of the nation’s best.
Wells, Wheat lead Eagle basketball to victory
Boys at 3-4, girls 5-1
Hood River Valley varsity boys basketball traveled to Franklin Friday evening and returned home with its third win of the season. The Eagles, now 3-4 overall, held off a late-game push from the home team for the 61-57 win.
On the Hood, fishing’s good all year
For best results, bounce bait along the bottom says Ernie Delgado
Buzz Ramsey’s Outdoor News column this month covers winter steelhead fishing using a type of vibrating lure, called a plug, from the back of a boat. For local rivers, the tried-and-true technique of back trolling works particularly well on the Deschutes and the John Day. In the Hood River, however, a drift boat would get smashed to bits on the rocks long before any steelhead were brought in.
Despite rocks, HRV girls are on a roll
Tuesday win brings varsity girls to 4-1
Hood River Valley High School varsity girls basketball fought back a persistent Lady Lions squad from St. Helens Tuesday night to hold onto a narrow lead and finish with a 44-39 win. Despite needing improvement in several key aspects of the game, the team was on a four-game winning streak (4-1) before facing Franklin at home Friday evening (results weren’t available as of press time).
HR residents recount mall shooting
“It was the scariest day of my life”— Janelle McCleary
Daniel Martinez finished work Tuesday afternoon and went to the Clackamas Town Center to look for Christmas gifts. The mall was abuzz with people doing the same, and after visiting a few shops he went to the food court to rest and get a drink.
Photo of the Day: Sherbet sky
Monday's sunset over the gorge was a delicious blend of reds, pinks and oranges that turned the sky into a giant bowl of rainbow sherbet.
DeHart is lone placer at Oregon Coast Classic
Eagle wrestling traveled to North Bend over the weekend for the Coast Classic. With more than 30 of the state’s top varsity teams in attendance, Hood River Valley High School wrestlers had a tough showing at what is considered a who’s who of Oregon wrestling each year.
Indoor lax takes advantage of TD turf
New indoor arena fills gap in Gorge sports; sign-ups open for adult soccer leagues
A new turf indoor facility that opened this month at The Dalles Fitness and Court Club is already proving valuable to Gorge-area athletes during the off-season of field-based sports.
Photo of the Day: Reflections
Without a breath of wind to speak of, the Columbia River was in this rare form Sunday afternoon.
Varsity girls seek consistency after win at Benson
It wasn’t pretty, but it was a win nevertheless.
HRV wrestling powers past opposition
Hood River Valley High School wrestling hosted Cleveland, Wilson and Columbia high schools Wednesday in a four-way dual meet. The Eagles, fresh off a strong showing last week in duals against Madison and Wilson, went 3-0 on the night, starting with a 48-22 pounding of Wilson in the opening round. Charlie Mallon, Nick Morgan, Juan Karlos Hernandez, Jessica DeHart and Christian Marquez all pinned their opponents in the dual.
Trail work highlights forward momentum
Volunteers, County Forestry cooperate; result is world-class trail network
Gary Paasch is hard at work and covered in a healthy layer of dried mud.