Disappointing and Astonishingly Unprofessional…read more If I could give zero stars, I would. I purchased a Groupon to go rafting with Portland Rafting, but when the booking directions on their website failed to accept the code, I called their customer service for assistance. What should have been a quick, exciting booking call turned into one of the most frustrating customer service experiences I've ever had. I was unfortunately met by someone named Scott, who claimed to be the owner. Given his unbelievable lack of professionalism, I find that hard to believe. From the second he answered, Scott made it abundantly clear that my call was an inconvenience to him. He was dismissive, uninterested in helping, and outright rude. When I calmly called him out on his attitude, instead of offering a standard professional response, he showered me with childish excuses: "Oh, well, it's just a busy morning" and "Oh, well, dude, it's not that big of a deal." Continually calling a paying customer "dude" and telling me to "chill out" is completely unacceptable. When I attempted to address the situation like an adult and requested a genuine apology for how I was being treated, he refused to take accountability. His actual response? "Not going to do that." It is disgusting to treat customers this way. If you are frustrated by honorably fulfilling Groupon vouchers, don't list your business on Groupon in the first place. More importantly, someone who lacks the basic maturity to handle a simple phone call should absolutely not be trusted with people's safety on the water. Save yourself the headache. There are plenty of reputable rafting companies in the area--take your business to literally anyone else.

I selected PDX Rafting for my company's summer retreat and we had the best day ever! I would…read morerecommend this company to anyone who likes having fun. I'm already mentally planning the next time I can raft with this company! Scott, the owner, is the friendliest person and makes you feel like part of the "rafting family" with his jokes and genuine care for each person in the party. Our raft guide, Jay, was 10/10 and made my entire trip unforgettable with all his knowledge of the Columbia Gorge and ability to create special experiences for our raft. If you want a company who believes in fun, adventure, and a great time -- this is the rafting company for you!

We attempted to schedule lessons with the company. We completed their "sign up"form and were very…read morespecific about the package, date, time window, experience and travel plans. All we needed was a confirmation of time and price. We did receive an email which was pleasant but in typical old school form it said "Hey - give me a call". It's time these businesses understand that when customers go to the effort to fill out your forms to schedule in a simple manner, they do not want a 3 step process or to play the voicemail back and forth game. I am rating this as we asked for a reply to their email to confirm scheduling.....nothing. If you make it hard, customers go elsewhere.

If you are a beginner, I'd recommend having lessons with the young boys instead of Bryan. I found…read morethem much more patient, friendly and they don't stick with every small detail that for a beginner just make things harder to get. At the end of the day, if this is your first time, you probably are just looking to have some fun and not to remember every name of a move and each detail. Plus, he overcomplicates on his explanation and has a bossy tone. Maybe that is good if you are an experienced guy and is looking to sharp your skills. Not sure. The young crowd do a great job with first-timers though. Happy that they saved the day. Get lessons with them.

Aaron & Erik were super stoked, knowledgeable and conscientious, and made sure we had the best gear…read moreincluding jetskis to learn foiling, the right size board, foil and wing, and instruction with headsets mounted on helmets. Day 2 culminated in maniacal laughter, as we finally got to put it all together and power up the wing, foil and even learn to head up wind...like the thrill of catching that first wave surfing!! We're addicted now. Thanks for a stellar time in Hood River! Sandy & Kurt

I took most of my lessons with Tanguy at Cascade and I have to say I owe it all to his style and…read moregeneral approach to teaching. He was able to point out everything I needed to do differently to finally get out on my own. He's an absolute asset to the Cascade team and I'd highly recommend booking him for your next lesson, you won't regret it. Thanks Tanguy

Two thumbs way up!…read more This was my second trip to the Gorge and have been extremely pleased with the experience with Cascade Kiteboarding both times. While this is probably a sport that shouldn't be taken up once eligible for social security that didn't stop the instructors. The instruction from Nadia, Mel and Mike was right on point. Each brought encouragement, helpful individualized kiting tips, and enthusiasm to the lesson. Now that they got me making water starts, I am looking forward to more lessons with Cascade Kiteboarding to continue to progress on the water. Tons of fun.

I went on one of your first trips in 1972. It was Pacific High School class of '72, and we had a…read morefantastic time. I can't believe you are still going strong. Congratulations Mr. Lindford. Mr. Daly was my Social Studies teacher. You are the best of the best!

We just got back from a 3 night, 4 day family adventure with Echo on the Rogue River in Southern…read moreOregon. It was spectacular. The guides (Kaela, Laurie, Dustin, Mike and Nate) worked like dogs to make the trip safe, fun for kids and relaxing for the adults. There was coffee ready every morning. Delicious breakfast. Yummy lunch. Great dinners with plenty of beer, wine and sodas. Laurie, our "Food Dude," was even kind enough to bring along Pringles as a special request/treat for the kids. We ended up asking Echo to supply our tents and sleeping bags. I read the earlier review about a sandy tent, but ours were clean and in good condition. It made the trip all the more relaxing for our family to not have to worry about packing our camping gear. We just threw our clothes in a bag and were ready to hit the water. As an aside, my husband is a seasoned drift boater/rafter who has been on the Rogue (and many other rivers) on his own many times. He was hesitant about going on a guided trip, but was pressured into it by me - a mom who wanted some down time from cooking, prepping, etc. His one complaint was that he couldn't drink beer while on the river. Of course, this is a safety issue, so he gets it overall and enjoyed his time otherwise. I think it is a testament to the entire Echo team that he ended up having a great time and would love to travel with them again. If you are looking to take a trip on the Rogue (or Salmon!) River, I highly recommend that you consider Echo.

I'm not usually one to write reviews but we had such an awesome experience I wanted to give Jess &…read morethe Always Catchin crew kudos. We started the day catching smaller sturgeon until Jess and my son discussed the possibility of a much bigger challenge. A "Once in a lifetime catch!" Well, that's exactly what happened! My husband, son and even me caught HUGE sturgeon. Mine was 8-9 feet long but my son and husbands' fish were 9-10 feet!! It was phenomenal! The boat was VERY comfortable and clean. Jess knew exactly what to do and when. He was helpful and knowledgeable. We had to take the boat out and move to a different part of the river but Jess didn't seem annoyed by that at all. We had a trip of a lifetime! I will NEVER FORGET IT! Thanks Jess, you're the best guide we've EVER had!!!!

We had a great time with Jess, a real pro. Was exciting to have a real fishing experience,…read moreespecially for our 16 year old son. We caught bait fish and then got to catch and release sturgeon. We also saw bald eagles along the way, as Jess pointed them out, and lots of beautiful waterfalls. Was a great day and wonderful memory for our family. We'll do this again!

Flyboarding was incredible! A friend and I went together without any prior experience at all. Neil…read morewas a fantastic instructor and guide. He was so patient and kind. I'd have gone crazy having to repeat myself so much, but he was extremely encouraging and had each of us in the air within 10 minutes. It took some getting used to, but once I was in the air, it was absolutely unlike anything I'd done before. It was such a thrill to feel like I was actually flying around. Neil let the person who wasn't flyboarding tag along with him on the jet ski, and we were able to get some great shots just by using an iPhone in a watertight case. Cannot recommend this outing highly enough, and I'm excited to do it again!

If you're thinking about it just do it! Incredible experience. I can't wait to go again. My husband…read moreand I had an amazing time. It's pretty easy too once you figure it out and Neil is a great instructor!

My father-in-law is an avid fisherman from Nevada who wanted to fish for walleye in the Columbia…read moreRiver, so we chartered a guide boat in Rufus (26 or so miles from The Dalles) for our adventure. First off, if you're staying in Rufus (pop: 210), be forewarned: there isn't much there. Two motels, one restaurant/bar, a gas station, an RV park and a few homes. But since your destination isn't likely to be the town itself, that hardly matters. Our guide, an affable old guy by the name of Touché (well, it's a nickname, but he insisted we call him that), met us for breakfast at the local restaurant-slash-lounge at 6 AM on a Saturday morning. I thought it was odd that we'd sit down and share a meal with a stranger, but he's a great guy - real easy to get along with - and since we were at his mercy for the next 8 hours, it served as a nice little icebreaker. During breakfast he'll go over details of the fishing trip, and you'll order lunch. Fly By Nite provides a sack lunch, and it's a generous one: a good-sized sandwich of your choice, side (chips/coleslaw/potato/macaroni salad), fresh fruit, and a cookie or slice of pie. The pie, I should point out, is to die for. After breakfast, you'll walk across the street to pick up licenses from the bait shop, then follow Touché the 1/2 mile or so to the boat launch area. You're on the water by 8 AM. The boat itself is comfortable and fully decked out. It's got a covered cabin with bench seats, and four additional swivel chairs where you do the actual fishing. All rods and reels are provided, as well as bait. If it's cold out, the boat is heated. We lucked out and had sunshine and warm temps. Touché is a great guide; he knows all the best places to catch fish, and is not afraid to abandon a spot if the fishing doesn't pan out. We made several trips up and down a good portion of the river, from the John Day Dam to the Dalles Dam. When bathroom breaks were needed, he pulled to the shore. Throughout the excursion he regaled us with stories, and shared tips on proper trolling and baiting techniques. At one point we stopped for lunch, and he pointed out some Native American drawings on a rocky hillside; these would have gone completely unnoticed if not for his expertise. 8 hours (and six fish - it was a slow day) later, we docked where we had started, then followed Touché to his shop in town, where he cleaned, filleted and vacuum-packed our fish for us. I highly recommend Fly By Nyte if you are in the mood for a fishing excursion. Whether you're a novice like me or a pro like my father-in-law, you're sure to have a good time!