Tue., June 23, 2015

Roskelley details Columbia River paddling as Riverside Park programs start

John Roskelley of Spokane prepares to launch his kayak on the Columbia River, which he measured at 1,200 miles.

PADDLING -- Riverside State Park is kicking off a weekly series of evening programs with a presentation on Paddling the Columbia River by Spokane adventurer John Roskelley on Wednesday, June 24.

The Wednesdays in the Woods programs, sponsored by REI, are scheduled on the last Wednesday of the month, June through August.

The programs will start at 6:30 p.m. at the Bowl & Pitcher Campground. The presentations are free but a Discover Pass is required for parking.

Roskelley's presentation stems from his book, "Paddling the Columbia: A Guide to all 1200 Miles of our Scenic & Historical River."

"The Columbia River is a water trail to adventure," Roskelley says. "Thousands of miles of rugged shoreline, countless sandy bays and long stretches of remote wilderness make this great river an explorer's dream, whether just for an afternoon on a reservoir behind one of its 13 main stem dams or being swept along by over 100,000 cfs of swift current on one of the Columbia's free-flowing sections."

Posted June 23, 2015, 4:40 p.m.