Summer vibez 2k17
FROM MILO MCIVER PARK TO SHORT SANDS BEACH HERE ARE THE BEST PLACES AND EVENTS TO BEAT THE HEAT THIS SEASON
Story and photo by Victoria Tinker
The sun beats down on your back as you look over the edge of the cli , you take a step back, hold your breath and leap, SPLASH, summer is here.
When you think of summer what’s the first thing that comes to mind?
Relaxing after finals, getting active, going to a concert, socializing?
When I think of summer my mind goes wild. From the mountains to the coast and the Saturday market to Edgefield, these are some of the best things to try this summer.
If you’re a snowboarding junkie, you probably already have a skateboard or a long board for the o season to keep you going, but have you tried surfing? Yes, I said try surfing in Oregon. To some, it’s probably unheard of, but to others it’s a favorite Oregon Coast past time.
“I’ve been shredding waves since I was 9-years-old and it’s one of my all-time favorite summer activities,” said Dylan Reel. He’s a student at Clackamas Community College that started surfing in California while on vacation.
He added, “I really enjoy surfing at Cape Kiwanda on the Oregon Coast. At high tide, the waves can get pretty large and it’s always awesome to meet other surfers that you can learn new things from.”
Cannon Beach offers surfing lessons with a good group discount if you have two other friends to fight the waves with you.
There are plenty of other beaches in Oregon that are great for sur ng. Short Sands Beach is a well-known hidden beach that is about a half mile hike o of Highway 101. Short Sands is a good beach to learn at and really hone your skills for a bigger beach, like Cape Kiwanda.
If the idea of surfing in Oregon still chills you to the bone, I have many other options for you.
While we’re at the beach, another must try would be sandboarding. Head to Florence beach where the sand dunes are abundant. All you really need is a board, a bar of wax and a positive attitude because you’re going to be walking a lot.
If you’re thinking about hiking this summer, I have a few must- see places in the great Northwest that aren’t the waterfalls in the Columbia River Gorge. Don’t get me wrong, if you haven’t been you should definitely check it out. There are many different hikes to choose from and they’re all gorgeous, no pun intended. However, I’ve lived in the Portland area my whole life and the only place that ever comes to mind when I think of hiking trails is the Gorge. So that being said, I’d like to share some other wonderful hikes.
Let’s start in Northwest Portland at Forest Park. With over 15 different trailheads to choose from, it’s almost guaranteed you’ll find the perfect hike for you. This area also hosts many special events, discovery hikes, and volunteer opportunities. Check their website for details.
There are a ton of hikes in the Mount Hood National Forest, which may be intimidating, because there are so many different options. So, pick a region and work from there. Oregonhikers.org has a map that you can look at to see where a good place for you is. The Clackamas region, located o Highway 211 past Estacada, is going to be the closest for the majority of us at CCC.
The Old Baldy West trailhead will give you four different hikes to choose from. Once you reach Tumala Mountain road, you’ll drive 14.6 miles out into the forest and park behind the boulders.
Tumala Mountain, formerly known as Squaw Mountain hike, is an easy three mile hike with a beautiful look out.
If you’re looking for more of a challenge, try Eagle Creek Cutoff or Old Baldy hike. They are moderate hikes, the first is 4.8 miles, and Old Baldy is a little longer at 7.5 miles. The last hike at this trailhead, White Iris- Bissell Trail Loop, is a difficult 11.1 mile hike. This trail is really only for experienced hikers, definitely do your research and study the loop before you go.
While you’re out in Estacada, check out Milo McIver State Park. They have hiking and biking trails, campsites and disc golf.
What the hell is disc golf, you might ask. Well it’s a mixture of golf and Frisbee. It has a par system similar to golf. You also carry multiple discs with you just like you would carry golf clubs. All you really need to start out is a driver, a mid distance and a putter, but professionals have multiple of each for different scenarios.
“It’s good for everyone,” said Billy Wunder, who plays disc golf.
McIver’s disc golf course was established in 1996 and is ranked the No. 1 golf course in Oregon and No. 4 in the United States according to discgolfscene.com.
There are usually tournaments here every summer as well; June 9-11, McIver will be hosting the Beaver State Fling.
According to disc golfer Carson Wilson, tournaments are great for everyone. But, if you’re a beginner, you should try to keep an open mind and remember to not take yourself too seriously.
Wilson and Wunder both agree that the majority of the players have a lot of love and that it’s a great way to socialize and make new friends.
A little closer to CCC, there is the North Eco Park in Canby. Established in 2012, it hasn’t made the top 50 best parks of Oregon, but it’s still a great place to start.
Now because I’ve lived here my whole life, I might be a little biased. I think that while it’s not raining in Oregon, you should go out and explore this wonderful state we live in, while the weather lasts. But if you’re not into exploring, I understand, there are other ways to enjoy the weather.
The Portland Saturday Market has a wide variety of vendors to check out. This is one of the only places in Oregon, you can stop to get an Elephant ear, buy a tie dye to wear and get a lovely decoration for your house; all while listening to a Saxophone player and a preacher fight for the spotlight.
Portland is the city of music, okay not really, but there are a lot of options for outdoor concerts this summer. The Tom McCall Waterfront hosted Sir Mix-A-Lot June 3 at the rose festival. The Portland Rose Festival continues this week until Sunday, June 11. You can still see the dragon boat races, and enjoy the festival, but there aren’t many options left of people to see in concert. However, the waterfront is hosting the blues festival from June 30 through July 4 to give you many more options to see a concert on the waterfront.
Arguably one of the best outdoor venues is McMenamins Edgefield. I say it’s one of the best, because most of the tickets are already sold out, but on Sept. 2 they’re showing Foster the People. Tickets are still on sale, but you better act quickly.
And lastly, you could go see a show at the Oregon Zoo. Mac Demarco tickets are still on sale for Sept. 9.
