Where do people from West Oregon escape to in East Oregon to get a reprieve from rain/clouds? (Portland: how much, to buy)

[CHEWY12]

Go to Smith Rock SP just outside of Redmond. Great hiking & rockclimbing
You can tent camp overite so it makes for a great weekend trip

[Waterlily]

Sometimes there is snow and ice inland during winter. That doesn't make for very good traveling conditions, so often times we'll go somewhere during fall. The weather is usually alright during the fall season.

No I don't feel a real need to get away during winter. You get used to the rain after a while.

[Larry Caldwell]

If you suffer from SAD, there is no place in Oregon that will cure you in the middle of the winter. The days are too short. Even in Eastern Oregon, the cloud cover is pretty continuous.

Plan on light treatments, drugs, or winter vacations in Mexico.

[StealthRabbit]

Originally Posted by Larry Caldwell

If you suffer from SAD, there is no place in Oregon that will cure you in the middle of the winter. The days are too short. Even in Eastern Oregon, the cloud cover is pretty continuous.

Plan on light treatments, drugs, or winter vacations in Mexico.

very true, I'd head to southern hemisphere. When I traveled to Asia every month I met lots of folks from northern Canada who had farms or homes in both hemispheres.

a frequent trip to the Cook islands should help

I still see flights to Singapore for $500 (plus you will get nearly enough air miles for a free domestic flight, like So Cal or Mexico ) You can take a weekend flight , then return on a Monday morning and if you transit in Seattle, you can be back to work by 9AM Monday. It only ends up being a one hour flight, but it seems a bit longer...

As mentioned it is possible to head to southern OR or NO Cal. I use a 10-14 day weather map to look for sunny areas, and take quick trips to those spots. I am a bit sunshine deprived having grown up in CO and WYO with 300+ days of sunshine. It could snow 12" overnight and melt off by noon. I hate getting those calls in January when the CO residents mention 60 - 70F day after a chinook wind evening; knowing that I won't see 70F till June and likely not much sun till then either.

WARNING, you may not get used to rain and gray. (If you truly have SAD, that is not possible). Nights are worse for me, (really, really dark and rainy, and gross when you run over possums that you don't see). I really miss the moon and stars. It helped to work night shift, and be under bright lights for an extra 10 hrs / day. Plus you are free all day to get outside and catch what light there is. (Commute is much better too ) Pay was 10% greater too. (helps make up for the 8% tax)

[Dave99]

Originally Posted by Larry Caldwell

Let's hope not. Juniper is a water thief that exterminates all competing vegetation. It has unfortunately spread because of fire suppression. If an area attains a 60% closed canopy of Juniper, it will be so ecologically damaged that it will never recover naturally, even if the juniper is removed.

Vast areas of Eastern Oregon need to burn, as soon as possible. However, the spread of housing into rural areas puts homes at risk from brush fires, so that is a real problem.

In the long run, the recent fires near Burns are the best thing that could have happened to the area. In the short run, many ranchers lost all their summer forage for cattle, and will have to sharply reduce the size of their herds to get by.

Disregarding the facts of ecology, the smell of Juniper reminds one of eastern Oregon. How that got sidetracked into ecological discussion is beyond comprehension.

[ziera]

We need to lighten up *wink* *wink*

[puerco]

Kah-Nee-Tah! And the drive there from Portland is wonderful. First the mountains, then the open Ponderosa pine forests and finally - the desert!

[Steve97415]

It might sound ironic, but often the best bet for a nearby sun break in the middle of the winter is the coast. In the valley you have mountains on both sides that lock in the clouds. The coast is often clear between storm cells, but you have to time it right.

Another issue for SAD sufferers, though, is that morning sunlight is particularly important...as soon as you wake up. Your retinas have just been through eight to ten hours of light privation and your dopamine receptors are hungry for the chemical satisfaction that comes when photons strike them. The fact that the sun might break through the fog at noon and leave nothing but clear skies for another eight hours does not entirely compensate for a gloomy morning (though it's better than all-day overcast).

[Neal2009]

Everyone sais that the best escape is to go to Bend in the wintertime, but everytime I look at the forecast for Bend in the winter, it is primarily gray like Portland. However, if it is sunny, I do recommend a trip out there. I spent a day there this past weekend and went to Smith Rock and must say that it was one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen. The desert landscape made me think I was in New Mexico or Utah and not Oregon. From the top you have a beautiful view of the desert landscape to the east and the three sisters, Mt. Jefferson to the west.

In the end I think its best to do everything you can to adjust to the gray because we cant be getting in the car and driving 3 hours to the east everytime it is cloudy. That would be unhealthy and expensive at the same time.

[proudcopswife]

I live in Eastern Oregon. Pretty much anywhere east of the Cascades is drier and has more sun. I love it here!