Bingen Point is now open for kiting

moondog · Mon Jul 29, 19 3:23 pm **Bingen Point is now open for kiting**

A path was cleared yesterday to access the water, it is circled on the map below. You can launch on the grass above and then walk down the path with your kite at 1 o'clock toward the water or launch from the water with a Stevenson launch with your kite on the hilltop. Look for the picnic table to identify the path. There are some weeds close to shore, but foilers will be removing them as we get more activity there. If you are solo you can use a carabiner and rope tied to the picnic table and launch on the grass facing north. Blanco said there is cleaner wind to the east once you get out. Hopefully this site will remove the stress of the high water affecting other sites.

This point is a dog park and paragliding landing zone, so respect their space. If you are kiting it is usually to windy to paraglide and most of the dog activity is at the western potion of the grass. Enjoy!

eric · Since 13 Jan 2006 1840 Posts XTreme Poster

Well done, amigo!!

Eric

daveS · Since 23 Jul 2007 103 Posts Stoked

Nice work. Probably worth pointing out that it is still a bit of an advanced kiter launch. That rocky point downwind of the launch is a bit daunting and walking down a trail with those rocks downwind isn't for the timid either.

Mark · Tue Jul 30, 19 8:46 am

Congrats for the effort to revive Bingen. We moved alot of brush and built two rock steps going down to sand triangle near big rocks in the water. East end. From looking at Google, some of the non native brush has regrown. Take a walk to that end and see how hard it would be to repair steps. We were standing on sand triangle (near large rock) and having people launch our kites from the bluff. You could also launch and walk down either of the stairs ( one on each side of point).

Been watching it for 9 years and it's never very busy. Plenty of room for everyone.

Mark
Former CGKA President.

Singlemalt · Since 21 Jun 2015 474 Posts White Salmon Obsessed

We can expect high water through this weekend, there’s a big boat sailing regatta from Cascade locks to the Dalles. They need high water for the boat ramp access in the Dalles.

It’s going to be tight for beach space.

If only there was a spot with a big grassy lawn, picnic tables, shade, and free parking...

Sasquatch · Since 09 Mar 2005 2088 Posts PNW Bigfoot

D · Since 18 Apr 2015 56 Posts Hood River **CGKA Member**

Watch out for tribal fishing nets and all the old pilings near the launch. In my opinion this would be by far the most dangerous launch in The Gorge. A lot of variables to consider if you had a kitemare out there.
Dangers to consider:
Fishing nets
Pilings
Log staging area
Depths over 100' with extreme currents at times
Rock island
and I'm sure I'm forgetting a few

Kooks beware! This is not the launch for you!

Singlemalt · Since 21 Jun 2015 474 Posts White Salmon Obsessed

Ok, about 13:00 today I launched our plucky test pilot, Moondog.

6 meter, OR Mako 140 twin tip.

We put the kite up from the grass, and Moondog walked it down the path with the kite at 12 ish. It was kind of sketch. Windy, and choppy wind quality. No room for error.

Landing was harder, I caught the kite at the top of the bank. With the gusty wind, the kite wanted to surge towards a too close tree. Once the lines were slack, they sagged into the indigo bushes, and caught on every twig.

Water is high, so there was no room to get a kite down to the water unless it’s in the air.

I still see a lot of potential, but a major brush clearing needs to happen. And lower water and mellower conditions would be ideal.

moondog · Tue Jul 30, 19 4:40 pm

The wind is cleaner at the Far East point, the problem is the trail is steeper and the steps that Mark mentioned are gone. Not a lot of margin for error where I launched today with the 2 rock islands downwind. The weeds are not a big problem, but the bottom was rocky. The wind was pretty clean out in the middle and favored the Oregon side. I’m so used to a foil it was difficult to go upwind on a twin tip back to the landing site. Right now this an advanced site, but with some work there is great potential!

moondog · Wed Aug 07, 19 5:00 pm

I left the hatchery today where it was gusting to 40+ with 5 foot swells and drove down to Bingen point to compare. Wow what a difference! Maybe 25 with chop. More brush has been cleared and I'm working with Bart and the Port to see if we can open up the far east end with permanent stairs and removal of dead blackberry bushes. It is a work in progress but The Wunderbar is basically gone now. We need options for next year.

Pepi · Wed Aug 07, 19 5:52 pm

Swung by there on a no wind way boating and would very much agree with your idea of opening up as much of the east point as you can.

Compared to back in the day when some of us gambled a launch there, we had no tree windshadows to contend with nor were there any bushes on the hillside. Both are way taller and thicker than I have ever seen.

I almost kinda wonder if it would be possible to replicate a lot of what has been established and put into place at the Stevenson Launch, not for all, but good for the ones who launched/landed with assistance..