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the world to "come view our beauty spots" and built the Columbia Gorge Hotel for anticipated guests. ese days, the hotel is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and music from the '20s fills the public spaces. We loved the sweet gardens all around the hotel and were surprised to see one of the gorge's four highest waterfalls, Wah Gwin Gwin Falls, in the garden facing the river. e three-story hotel's one elevator must be operated by a staff member, but any inconvenience caused by the ancient lift is more than compensated by the gorgeous view of the Columbia River from north-facing rooms. Regardless of the time of day, we had front row seats for watching daring windsurfers who appeared to have started on the Washington side of the river and sailed across to Oregon. In fact, Hood River is known as the "windsurfing capital of the world," and windsurfers come in numbers from all over the world to play in the strong wind, especially between June and September. MAIN Bonneville Lock and Dam is part of the largest hydroelectric system in the world BELOW The Hood River area has many scenic places for hiking and biking BOTTOM The Hood River area is a hotbed for windsurfing and kiteboarding >> @ranchandcoast RANCH & COAST MAGAZINE APRIL 2024 87 BIKING: PHOTO COURTESY OF EXPERIENCE MOUNT HOOD AND THE COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE WINDSURFING: PHOTO COURTESY OF VISIT HOOD RIVER