Mt Hood Village a resort town? (Portland, Bend: condo, to buy, school)

[parteira]

MY partner and I are considering moving back to the Pacific Northwest (now in NM) and are doing some preliminary investigation into possible towns to visit this winter. Briefly, we're looking for:

medium sized town to small city
somewhat out of the rain cloud
possessing its own solid identity not a dependent suburb
artsy
close to good nature
within an hour of snow/skiing
friendly to newcomers and families
not big box store dependent

One of the areas we're thinking of is around Mt. Hood. Is Mt. Hood Village a resort/condo town? Or is it its own functioning town with year-round residents?

Thanks!

[westerndog]

go visit it and see for yourself
have a 4 x4 and chains in the winter

[PNW-type-gal]

Mt. Hood Village is a "resort," heavy on RV sites. It's near Welches and Rhododendron, both of which are barely towns. Mt Hood really lacks the type of resort you think of when you think of, say, Sun Valley or some of the other ski towns. It's a destination more than an actual independent place.

If you'd like to live on the west side of the Cascades and close to the slopes, you might look at the town of Sandy or Hood River. Hood River actually sounds more to your tastes.

You might check out Bend, in central Oregon on the other side of the Cascades, as well.

[parteira]

Thanks PNW gal.

I have gathered that Sandy is more of a suburb of Portland? It's on our list, but not too far up there. Hood River is also a place we've considered, but I think too windy for me. One of our dearest friends lives in Bend so I am somewhat familiar with it. It almost feels like it's getting too big for its britches, but it's still on our list, somewhere near Sandy.

[PNW-type-gal]

Originally Posted by parteira

Thanks PNW gal.

I have gathered that Sandy is more of a suburb of Portland? It's on our list, but not too far up there. Hood River is also a place we've considered, but I think too windy for me. One of our dearest friends lives in Bend so I am somewhat familiar with it. It almost feels like it's getting too big for its britches, but it's still on our list, somewhere near Sandy.

It is and it isn't. Sandy is far enough away that it's a seriously inconvenient commute into Portland, yet if you cut the city and the area off the map and plopped it down in the middle of nothing, it's not quite self-supporting, either. Whereas Hood River and Bend are both more-or-less self-supporting.

I'd also suggest you check out some of the far southern semi-suburbs like McMinnville, Mt Angel, Silverton - all three of them are small towns which are sort-of self-supporting, just not quite at the population level they have. But, if completely cut off from Portland, they'd mostly survive. From Silverton or Mt Angel, the ski areas aren't that far, you just go up a different route.

You aren't really going to get out of the cool wet winter climate of the Willamette Valley in any of those towns, though, with the exception of Hood River (right on the wet/dry divide) and Bend.

[parteira]

Yes, Silverton is on the list, as well as Oakridge, Forest Grove, Estacada, Parkdale, Cottage Grove and McMinnville. Haven't heard anything of Mt. Angel??

The weather is a factor- I used to live in Olympia, and went to school in Seattle. It was challenging then, and always is when I return to visit. I love the damp and the humidity the PNW brings, but it's true the grey does tend to bring me down a bit after a while. Also, we love snow, so we'd be happy living with a more serious winter and hotter summer, which I understand in Oregon is more typical higher up and easterly.

And I guess I should clarify about the town "posessing its own identity." By that I do not mean that it must contain all the necessary stores, amentities and such to supply its residents. Its more of a sense of community, of people willing to invest in their surroundings and larger community. People taking pride in their town, regardless how small or podunk. You know? Homepride. Mix that with a small art scene, some parades, a place to buy good produce, and we'd be happy. We'dalso be happy in a smaller city too-- so long as it has a nice integrated mix of commercial and residential (not sprawling suburbs), and an opportunity to have a yard in town.

We will be visiting all these places sometime in the coming year, but the more I can learn now the easier it will be as we will be travelling with our small baby. Any shortening of the list I can do ahead of time will help dramatically.
Thanks again.

[Larry Caldwell]

Originally Posted by parteira

Thanks PNW gal.

I have gathered that Sandy is more of a suburb of Portland? It's on our list, but not too far up there. Hood River is also a place we've considered, but I think too windy for me. One of our dearest friends lives in Bend so I am somewhat familiar with it. It almost feels like it's getting too big for its britches, but it's still on our list, somewhere near Sandy.

Check out Sisters, which is sort of a suburb of Bend. It's right next door to the Bachelor Butte ski area, not too far from Bend, and is just over the crest of the pass, in the rain shadow of the Cascades. It's snowy in the winter, but that's not a problem with the right equipment.

You might also someday have a front seat to a volcanic eruption.
CVO Menu - Three Sisters Vicinity - West Uplift

[parteira]

Thanks Larry. Cool map!