Event News

Latest Race Updates!

Latest Race Updates!

Here are the latest updates for this year’s event!


Finish Line Festivities
The finish line will take place at the Hood River Marina lawn, and will be a finish line like no other!
Food will be offered to spectators at the price of $7.00 per person. This means you may purchase a ticket to enter and enjoy our finish line food along with the race participants:

  • Hot homemade soup made by Rosauer’s, our local independent grocery store.
  • Rolls made by Lou Gehrig, a local baker known and loved by many.
  • Taco Bar provided by Taco del Mar.
  • Juanita’s chips and Veronica’s Salsa, both locally made products.
  • Bagels made locally at Hood River Bagel Co.
  • Apples and pears organically grown in the Hood River Valley.

- – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – -

Event Parking and Shuttle to The Start
Parking and shuttle for competitors will be around the Hood River Marina Area located close to the finish line. Shuttles will leave from this site starting at 7 AM and running every 10 minutes until 9:20 AM on race day to transport you to the Columbia Gorge Highway start area. There will be a gear drop located at the start and all clothing/gear will be transported back to finish line to await your arrival.
There is NO PARKING at the Start.
It is DROP OFF ONLY.

- – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – -

Earlier Start Offered
We will be offering an early start time of 8:00 AM for competitors who believe their finishing time will be over 6 hours. Please be at the start line and ready to go by 8:00! We will have an official there to get you on your way to experience one of the most scenic marathons in the country! Enjoy!

- – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – -

Aid Stations
Aid Stations on course will be placed approximately every three miles. All will be furnished with water and Gatorade. GU, oranges, bananas and other treats at other noted stations.
Please see website for specific information/mileage regarding aid stations.

- – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – -

Packet Pickup
Pre race packet pick up will take place in two locations for your convenience.

To ensure the most up to date and accurate listings we will be holding our Portland packet pick up on FRIDAY, October 21st at Portland Fit Right NW from 2-6:30 PM.
2258 NW Raleigh St. Portland, OR 97210
(503) 525-2122
(CLICK HERE FOR MAP)

Our second day of packet pickup will be held on Saturday, October 22nd at Shortt Supply in Hood River, between the hours of 12-7:00 PM.
116 Oak Street Hood River, OR 97031
(541) 386-5474
(CLICK HERE FOR MAP)

You will also be able to pick up your packet race day, October 23rd between 6:30 – 8:30 AM under the
10 X 10 tent near the shuttle pickup/finish area.
Please get your packet BEFORE you load the shuttle to go to the start.

We hope you will make every effort to pick up packet before event day at one of our two locations.

- – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – -

Two Person Team Half Marathon
This event is two people splitting a HALF marathon. One runner will run out meeting their teammate who has driven east to the town of Mosier.
The first leg of the Two Person Team Half Marathon event will be a shorter, easier distance measuring 5.2 miles. The second leg measures out at 7.9 miles.

The first runner will go from the Columbia Gorge/Mark Hatfield Trailhead Start to Mosier, and the second runner will return along the same route the first runner ran PLUS continue into Hood River to the finish line at the Hood River Marina. The second leg is two miles longer than the first!

Please plan accordingly with your partner for the difference in distances.
There will be an exchange set up to assist runners.

- – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – -
New Course!
Participants will be bussed from the finish line to the new course start…instead of beginning your run with those nice uphill turns you will begin where no cars are allowed to travel! Head directly east to your turn around at Rowena Crest for the marathon or in Mosier for those doing the half. Finish line will be where it has always been, on the marina lawn riverside!

Experience one of the country’s most spectacular and breathtaking marathons. Begin your run on the historic Columbia River Highway with its colorful fall foliage, pass by waterfalls and enjoy amazing vistas. Pass through the small town of Mosier then wind your way up to the turn around at Rowena Viewpoint which offers incredible views both to the east and west of the Columbia River Gorge. Finish your marathon on the banks of the Columbia River and a finish line like no other.

- – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – -

Pistil beanies for the first 1500 who register!
Additional participants will receive a long sleeve shirt.

- – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – -

Kids Marathon
Sponsored by Providence Hood River Memorial Hospital and Gorge Spine and Sports Medicine. Kids can run a marathon, a mile at a time and on race day finish their MARATHON by running the last 1.2 miles together. Kids will receive their very own marathon medal!

- – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – -


Testimonial from a previous participant

“Thank you all for a wonderful first marathon experience! Very will organized, wonderful support, and so beautiful. Can’t wait to make it an annual event! Thank you to all the volunteers who cheered us on our way. See you all next year.”

Don’t wait, register today!!!


Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

You may use these HTML tags and attributes: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <strike> <strong>

        Sign Up For Email Feeds!

Count Down to Race Day!

days
2
4
8
hours
2
3
minutes
1
7
seconds
5
1

Race Testimonials

"In 260 Marathons few have provided the challenge, the scenery and the venue that Columbia Gorge Marathon delivered. Hood River has a lock on an unimaginable experience for any and all runners. Thanks for a wonderful weekend of racing."
~ The Junkie
2011 Columbia Gorge Marathon Champion

"I don't know if I'll ever understand why people run marathons in big cities with big crowds when there is a Columbia River Marathon that BEATS everything in beauty, challenge, organization (and even great weather) ...but, if all those people came out to this one that wouldn't be good. :) Not enough words to describe...all Incredible! Huge Thanks!"
~ Gwen Thomas

"Thank you to all for putting on such a amazing, beautiful and challenging race! I will be back next year a little more prepared for all those hills!! Ouch!! Still smiling though. :)"
~ Melanie Newell Julien

"It was beautiful!! Definitely lives up to the motto and even better was an 11-minute PR, despite that hill. All the organization was superb! Thank you to everyone involved."
~ Joyce Adams

Our Race Sponsors