Newcomer's Handbook for Moving to and Living in Portland: Including Vancouver, Gresham, Hillsboro, Beaverton, Tigard, and Wilsonville
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Rock Climbing and Mountaineering
Rock Climbing
The area around Portland is blessed with many good rock climbing and bouldering options, ranging from climbs in abandoned quarries to ascents of towering natural cliffs; a few decent outdoor sites are within city limits, notably Rocky Butte quarry in Northeast Portland. The Portland Rock Climbs website (www.portlandrockclimbs.com) describes other nearby climbing sites and offers links to local climbing groups. Smith Rock State Park in Central Oregon (www.oregonstateparks.org or www.smithrock.com) is one of the premier climb destinations in the country.
If you want to learn to climb, or just need to keep your skills up, try one of the following rock gyms. (Rock gyms are also good sources of information on local climbing options and routes.)
The Circuit Bouldering Gym, 6050 SW Macadam Ave, 503-246-5111, www.thecircuitgym.com
Planet Granite, 1405 NW 14th Ave, www.planetgranite.com
Portland Rock Gym, 21 NE 12th Ave, 503-232-8310, www.portlandrockgym.com
Stoneworks Climbing Gym, 6775 SW 111th Ave, Beaverton, 503-644-3517, www.belay.com
In addition, some area health clubs and even outdoor stores (REI) have climbing walls.
Mountaineering
The Northwest offers abundant possibilities for serious mountaineers. The most obvious local destination is glacier-covered Mount Hood, reputedly one of the world’s most-climbed peaks. At 11,240 feet, Mount Hood is not especially high, but it is a challenging and potentially treacherous climb that should not be attempted lightly: people die on the mountain every year. Other tempting (and potentially deadly) glaciated Cascade volcanoes include Mount Jefferson, Mount Adams, Mount Baker, and Mount Rainier.
The Mazamas (527 SE 43rd Ave, 503-227-2345, www.mazamas.org) is the area’s largest mountaineering club; the group has a large clubhouse in Southeast Portland and offers excellent classes on mountaineering basics.
Running and Jogging
The surprising numbers of lycra-clad bodies sloshing down the street in the damp winter pre-dawn attest to the local popularity of recreational running. (Unlike in some higher-crime cities, the people you see dashing down the street usually aren’t running away from anything, except perhaps their inner demons.)
Resources
Although it’s in the business of selling running shoes and apparel, the Portland Running Company (two area stores, www.portlandrunningcompany.com) also offers training tips, lists suggested routes, sponsors group runs, and provides links to area running organizations and events.
Events
Recreational and competitive running (and walking) events take place all year. They run the gamut from seasonal activities like First Run (held at midnight on New Year’s) or the Turkey Trot (on Thanksgiving Day) to such themed events as the Hippie Chick Half-Marathon (for women only) or the dreaded Lake of Death Relay. The two biggest running events on the local calendar are the Hood to Coast Relay (503-292-4626, www.hoodtocoast.com in August, which wends its weary way from Timberline Lodge on Mount Hood to the Oregon Coast, and the Portland Marathon (503-226-1111, www.portlandmarathon.org), held in October. Most Northwest races and running events are listed on www.racecenter.com, which also offers online registration.
Running Clubs
Complete Running Club, 503-593-1396, www.crpusa.com
Oregon Road Runners Club, www.orrc.net
Portland Frontrunners, www.portlandfrontrunners.org (gay/bi/lesbian running club)
Runner Chick Training Club, 971-409-8461, www.runnerchicktrainingclub.com (women only)
Team Red Lizard Running Club, www.redlizardrunning.com
Skating and Skateboarding
In Portland, skates and skateboards are a recognized form of transportation, and the city has actually designated a few “preferred skating routes” downtown. The website for the city’s Office of Transportation lists rules and safety suggestions for skaters who use public streets. Visit www.portlandoregon.gov/transportation/article/405782 for more information.
Roller Skating/In-Line Skating
In-line skating remains a popular activity on Portland’s paved paths, particularly along the downtown waterfront and on the Eastbank Esplanade, and it looks like old-school roller skates may be making a comeback, too. If you prefer to skate indoors, the Oaks Skating Rink at Oaks Amusement Park in Sellwood (7805 Oaks Park Way, 503-233-5777, www.oakspark.com/roller-skating.html) boasts a 20,000-square-foot wooden floor. Indoor Goals (16340 NW Bethany Ct, Beaverton, 503-629-9500, www.indoorgoals.com) hosts inline hockey leagues.
Skateboarding
Portland’s a totally sick place to get your ollie on, bro. (Note: to a skateboarder, this is a good thing.) Not only is skateboarding legal on public streets (see above), but skateparks are increasingly common, even in suburban communities. The city of Portland has approved a master plan for the development of a network of 19 skateparks; visit the website of Skaters for Portland Skateparks (www.skateportland.org) for details. The granddaddy of all Portland skateparks is the legendary and semi-official Burnside Skatepark (burnsideskatepark.blogspot.com), which lurks under the east side of the Burnside Bridge like a gnarly concrete troll.
Skateoregon (www.skateoregon.com) offers comprehensive information about skate parks throughout the state and beyond.
Skydiving
If you’re the sort of person who gets a rush out of jumping out of planes, or if you think you might be, try Skydive Oregon, 12150 S Hwy 211, Molalla, 503-829-3483, 800-934-5867, www.skydiveoregon.com.
Team Sports
Basketball
Many gyms, community centers, and even city parks have indoor (or at least covered) basketball courts, and pick-up games are easy to find. If you’re after a more structured experience, PortlandBasketball.com (www.portlandbasketball.com) the area’s largest adult basketball league, averages more than 250 teams (including co-ed teams) that encompass every age and skill level. Local park and recreation districts and health clubs also organize adult basketball leagues.
Hockey
Most area ice rinks can point you in the right direction for ice hockey leagues. (See “Ice Skating” above.) For information about organized roller hockey, contact Indoor Goals (16340 NW Bethany Ct, Beaverton, 503-629-9500, www.indoorgoals.com).
Soccer
Soccer is undoubtedly the most popular team sport in Portland. Most youth soccer leagues in Portland proper are under the auspices of the Portland Youth Soccer Association (503-646-6683, www.portlandyouthsoccer.com). In the suburbs and the rest of the state, the Oregon Youth Soccer Association (503-626-4625, 800-275-7533, www.oregonyouthsoccer.org) oversees the majority of youth soccer leagues and games; the OYSA’s counterpart across the Columbia is Washington Youth Soccer (877-424-4318, www.washingtonyouthsoccer.org). Adult footballers bow to the mighty Oregon Adult Soccer Association (503-292-1814, www.oregonadultsoccer.com), which coordinates various soccer leagues, including those in the Greater Portland Soccer District (www.gpsdsoccer.com). In Washington, the Washington State Adult Soccer Association (425-485-7855, www.wssa.org) deals with adult soccer play. Northwest United Women’s Soccer (www.oregonwomenssoccer.com) organizes women-only leagues in metro Portland.
Several indoor soccer facilities organize league play on astro-turfed, hockey rink–like fields. Portland-area indoor soccer arenas include Portland Indoor Soccer (418 SE Main St, 503-231-6368, www.pdxindoorsoccer.com); the Mittleman Jewish Community Center (6651 SW Capitol Hwy, 503-244-0111, www.oregonjcc.org); Salmon Creek Indoor Sports (110 NW 139th St, Vancouver, 360-571-7628, www.scsoccerarena.com); Soccerplex (8785 SW Beaverton-Hillsdale Hwy, 503-297-4145, www.soccerplex.com); Indoor Goals (16340 NW Bethany Ct, Beaverton, 503-629-9500, www.indoorgoals.com); and Tualatin Indoor Soccer (11883 SW Itel St, Tualatin, 503-885-9300, www.tualatinindoor.com).
Futsal, a Brazilian variant of indoor soccer that dispenses with walls, is growing in popularity. Dedicated venues for the sport include:
Portland Futsal, 3401 SE 17th Ave, 503-238-8725, www.portlandfut
sal.com
Rose City Futsal, 5010 NE Oregon St, 503-734-2382, www.rosecityfutsal.com
Softball and Baseball
The Portland Metro Softball Association (PMSA) (www.portlandsoftball.com) offers one-stop shopping for all your organized softball needs. PMSA coordinates play for thousands of players and hundreds of teams, including men’s, women’s, and co-ed teams. The Northwest Independent Baseball League (www.nwibl.org) has a roster of adult baseball teams, including semi-pro teams.
Other Team Sports
Cricket
Oregon Cricket League, www.oregoncricketleague.org, for those who prefer their British sport with more tea breaks and fewer cracked ribs
Football
Portlandfootball.com, www.portlandfootball.com, is a dedicated flag football league.
Portland Steelheads, www.portlandfooty.com, Australian rules football
Lacrosse
Lacrosse Northwest, 503-295-7774, www.laxnw.com, youth and adult lacrosse
US Lacrosse (Oregon chapter), www.oregonlax.com, youth and adult lacrosse
Multi-Sport
Portlandia satirized these adult sports leagues in a sketch involving an adult hide-and-seek league:
Recesstime Sports Leagues, 503-381-5056, www.recesstimesports.com, organizes leagues in dodgeball, kickball, ping pong, and bowling.
Underdog Sports Leagues, 503-282-1155, www.underdogportland.com, sponsors coed kickball, flag football, dodgeball, volleyball, bowling, and mini golf leagues.
Rugby
Oregon Rugby Sports Union Club, www.orsu.org, men’s and women’s rugby
Portland Rugby Club, www.portlandrugby.org, men’s and women’s rugby
Ultimate Frisbee and Disc Golf
Many Portland parks have adequate space for a casual game of Frisbee. If Ultimate Frisbee is your game of choice, the Portland Ultimate Flying-Disc Federation (www.portlandultimate.org) coordinates league play and designates times and places for pick-up games.
Disc golf is played at a growing number of Portland-area parks. Oregon Disc Golf (www.oregondiscgolfcom) maintains an up-to-date list of Pacific Northwest disc golf courses on its website, and provides detailed descriptions of each course as well as links to regional disc golf events, leagues, and clubs.
Water Sports
Scuba Diving
While there are no real recreational dive sites in Portland proper—you wouldn’t really want to encounter the sorts of things you might find in the murky lower Willamette—the area nonetheless nurtures an active dive community. Hood Canal in Washington State (an arm of Puget Sound) is a popular dive destination that’s not too far away, and there are plenty of challenging dives off the Oregon Coast. High-altitude lakes in the Oregon Cascades, such as Crater Lake and Waldo Lake, offer visibility approaching 100 feet and are popular destinations for divers with proper equipment and training. If you’d like to get certified in advance of a trip to someplace like Belize or Palau, check with one of the clubs listed below for recommendations, or look online or in the Yellow Pages under “Scuba Diving Instruction” for a list of scuba schools.
The following are a few local scuba resources and dive clubs. (If you’re looking for a different kind of dive club, perhaps one with dim lights and plenty of Pabst Blue Ribbon, try looking under “Nightclubs and Discos” in the Cultural Life chapter.)
Northwest Dive Club, www.nwdiveclub.com
Oregon Scuba Club, www.oregonscuba.com
Pacific NW Scuba, www.pnwscuba.com
Surfing/Windsurfing/Kiteboarding/STAND-UP PADDLEBOARDING
Surfing at the Oregon Coast is at best a full wetsuit proposition. Much of the coastline is viable surfing territory for the suitably skilled and equipped, but many Oregon surfers are reluctant to divulge the locations of their favorite breaks. (Be aware that surfers in certain towns are notorious for a “locals only” attitude, especially when they encounter vehicles with out-of-state plates.) For basic information about surfing in Oregon, visit www.oregonsurf.com. One professional surfing event, the Nelscott Reef Tow (www.nelscottreef.com), in which jet skis tow surfers into position, takes place off Lincoln City.
Some of the world’s best windsurfing is found in the nearby Columbia River Gorge; the sheer-sided gorge serves as a wind tunnel for air moving between the Columbia Basin and the Willamette Valley, which means that afternoon winds are generally strong and reliable. The Oregon windsurfing capital is Hood River, about an hour east of Portland. The town is filled with windsurf-related businesses—even the local Full Sail brewery is named in honor of the sport. Hood River and the Oregon Coast are both major destinatiosn for kiteboarding, a sport in which a rider on a small kiteboard or surfboard is pulled along by a large kite or sail; sustained gusts or large waves can give the rider serious air-time.
Any boardsport store can help with rental equipment or lessons. If you’re a first timer, it’s probably most efficient to start in Hood River. In Portland, try Gorge Performance (7400 SW Macadam Ave, 503-246-6646, www.gorgeperformance.com).
Stand-up paddleboarding (SUP) has become very popular in the last few years, thanks in part to its gentle learning curve and its suitability to a wide range of locations and water conditions. Warm summer days even see SUPers maneuvering around the Willamette River downtown like confused gondoliers. Boardsport stores and even canoe and kayak stores typically offer SUP sales, rentals, and lessons.
Swimming
Swimming Beaches
When the first wave of hot weather strikes Portland, many people head for nearby streams like the Sandy River and Clackamas River. Because the rivers are usually still frigid and full of snowmelt, however, drownings and deaths by hypothermia (often exacerbated by excessive alcohol consumption) make the news every year. That said, water temperatures usually warm up nicely by July in most area lakes and rivers. The Pacific is a different story; only the very hardy (or foolhardy) can stand to remain in the ocean in Oregon for very long without a wetsuit.
Public swimming beaches in the Portland region include:
Blue Lake Regional Park, 20500 NE Marine Dr, Fairview, 503-665-4995, www.oregonmetro.gov/parks/blue-lake-regional-park, has a very popular swimming beach.
Henry Hagg Lake, 503-846-8715, www.co.washington.or.us/hagglake/, at Scoggins Valley Park in Gaston, south of Forest Grove, nestles in the foothills of the Coast Range; the water here warms up into the mid-70s in high summer, but watch out for sudden drop-offs.
Rooster Rock State Park, 503-695-2261, www.oregonstateparks.org, hugs the shore of the Columbia River east of Troutdale (at Exit 25 off Interstate 84). The park offers two swimming beaches, one of which is a designated clothing-optional beach.
Sauvie Island has a couple of beaches on the Columbia River (basically at the end of the island’s road). The beaches, which can be steep when water levels are low, offer interesting views of passing barges and oceangoing cargo ships; nearby Collins Beach (an officially designated clothing-optional beach) offers views of a different kind.
Vancouver Lake, 6801 NW Lower River Rd, Vancouver, 360-619-1111, www.clark.wa.gov/parks-trails/vancouverlake.html; the lake has a designated swimming area, and water quality is regularly monitored for excessive amounts of E. coli bacteria and blooms of toxic blue-green algae. (That is supposed to make you feel safe, by the way.) The lake is closed to swimming when bacteria counts exceed acceptable levels.
Swimming Pools
Portland Parks and Recreation operates six indoor pools (open year-round) and seven outdoor pools (open mid-June through early September). Pools have scheduled times for lap swimming, open play, family play, and water exercise classes; the indoor pools at Mt. Scott Community Center and Southwest Community Center have separate children’s water play areas with spraying water toys and 115-foot waterslides. For information call 503-823-SWIM or visit www.portlandoregon.gov/parks/38284.
If you live outside Portland, check with your local parks and recreation department (listed in the Useful Phone Numbers and Websites chapter) for aquatic centers
and outdoor pools in your area. Note that many area health clubs also have swimming facilities.
Winter Sports
Sometime in November, as raindrops keep falling on their heads and white flakes start to pile up in the Cascades, the thoughts of many Portlanders turn to winter sports. Transplants from outside the Northwest will notice four distinctive features of snow in this region. First, it tends to be heavy and wet: particularly at lower elevations on the west side of the Cascades, Oregon’s climate is not cold and dry enough to reliably produce the kind of powder that falls in the Rockies, and the result is sometimes referred to derisively as “Cascade concrete.” Second, there’s usually lots of the stuff: even in an average year snowfall totals exceed 40 feet in places like Crater Lake, while in exceptional years truly monumental levels can accumulate. (In February 1999, the Mount Baker ski area in Washington state had to close for several days because 70 feet of snow had buried the chair lifts.) Third, it sticks around: several ski areas regularly stay open into June, and Timberline’s Palmer Snowfield, high on Mount Hood, is open almost year-round. (Timberline is a popular summer training center for Olympic skiers and snowboarders.) And last, it doesn’t fall much at low elevations: to get your snow fix, you’ll have to head east and uphill.
Sno-Park Permits
If you plan to ski, snowboard, snowshoe, or just play in the snow, you’ll need to get a Sno-Park permit. If you park in a designated Winter Recreation Area—and most places you’ll park for winter sports and snow play will be so designated—between November 15 (December 1 in Washington) and April 30, you must display a permit inside your windshield. (The fees from the permit program pay for snow removal in the parking areas.) You can buy a permit at some government offices and most ski areas and sporting goods stores. One-day permits for Oregon cost $4, three-day permits cost $9, and season permits cost $25; in Washington, one-day permits cost $20 and seasonal and special groomed trail permits cost $40. Vendors generally charge an additional convenience fee. Oregon honors Sno-Park permits issued by California and Idaho (and vice-versa). Neither Washington nor Oregon honors the other state’s Sno-Park permits.