Each year, hundreds of brave swimmers board a sternwheeler boat in the Columbia River Gorge to swim from the Washington side of the river to a finish line in Oregon. It’s an 80-year-tradition, now hosted in Cascade Locks. On this week’s episode of Peak Northwest, host Vickie Connor recounts her recent open water swim at the Columbia River Cross Channel Swim event. Here are some highlights from this week’s show: What it feels like to swim 1.1 miles across the Columbia River. How to prepare for an open water swim. How paddle boarders and kayakers guide you to a safe finish line. Opportunities to learn technique as a beginner in the pool and open water in Portland. Subscribe to Peak Northwest on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or anywhere you listen to podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices