You can't do better in the Northwest. The planes here, from Jump Air (http://www.jumpair.com) are THE cleanest, newest, nicest, and most importantly -- fastest jump planes you'll ever ride. Full loads get to altitude in ten minutes, and that's not just on a cold day.
The scenery is beyond beautiful. The ground is almost always green in every direction. Massive mountains jut up in the distance (Hood, St. Helens, Ranier, the Three Sisters, and sometimes Shasta).
All the amenities: indoor and outdoor packing areas, team rooms and camping (in the warmer half of the year), rigging loft with several very experienced riggers, "gear store" (OK, not a full gear store, but there's access to those things you need... Pro-Track batteries, goggles, etc), cameraflyers, video-editing room, lounge with a big screen TV, fridges, real bathrooms with real plumbing (plus the porto-potties), lots of parking, and it goes on and on.
You know ever have to ask, "Is the beer light on?" as this figurative phrase again. There's an actual light that says "Beer" on it. And the beer light here is an exceptional one. The fridges (and often times kegs) are populated with only the best, by the nation's biggest beer snobs.
If you're into BASE, you've got all four within an hour of the DZ, and plenty of them.
There's a great mix and acceptance of disciplines here. Come out at do some RW, freefly, skyfly, skyboard, or whatever. Then finish your jump with a swoop across the competition-size swoop pond. Or just hit the main, grass landing area facing into the light, consistent winds.
The ONLY downside is winter weather. From late October until April-Mayish, it's pretty much hop and pops. Albeit, some hop and pops in the snow, which kick ass, but the full altitude days get pretty scattered and cold throughout the winter.
I'm just a jumper here, but I love my drop zone. I'm not drunk right now or anything. ;) Point is... Skydive Oregon is a destination drop zone... not just a passing through/in the area stop. Though... you should do that, too.
MB]
