Waterskiing in Portland
Lying at the intersection of two great rivers, the Portland, Oregon, Metro area is an ideal playground for water hounds – with exceptional fishing, sailing and jet skiing. The Columbia River and the Willamette River flow through the heart of our neighborhoods, and 70 percent of Oregonians live within 10 miles of one (or both) of them. Commonly, after long, wet and gray winters, the first sunny day in spring means mad rushes of boaters to the local boat ramps. Thankfully, there are multiple launch sites on both the Columbia and Willamette Rivers. For waterskiing, the most popular areas are the Multnomah Channel – from Sellwood to Willamette Park, the Milwaukie Basin, and south of Portland on the Willamette River – from Newberg to Wilsonville, and then from Salem through Albany and down into Corvallis, Oregon. Since childhood, I have pretty much skied all of the best water ski stretches on both rivers. I have raised my family skiing on a stretch of the Willamette from downtown waterfront Portland up to the Oregon City Falls. We like to hit the water at around 8:00 a.m. on warm sunny summer days, slalom ski for a few hours and then either moor at the waterfront for breakfast or wakeboard before the river gets crowded. Typically, we load up and head home in early afternoon to avoid the crowds. This stretch of the Willamette River can get too crowded for my liking and the water is supremely smooth earlier in the day. There are many boat launches along the Columbia and the Willamette rivers. I think we are blessed that way. I like to get onto the water early and pull out no later than 3:00 p.m. to avoid the crowds that sometimes form around 5:00 p.m. at the launches. I’ve waited too many hours in line to pull my boat out of the water at these public ramps. Generally, overcrowding is not a big concern until we see those summer 80+ degree weekends. Weekdays are never bad. For complete lists of launch sites, public docks, boating requirements and licensing, visit: For boat rentals, purchasing and gear go to: |
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