Columbia Gorge (Portland: appointed, home builders, new construction)

[boatguy]

I am a Marine Technician/Mechanic who is thinking of moving to Oregon, Columbia Gorge to be precise. I know that windsurfing is big, but how about sailboats? If so where in the Gorge? Any Marinas I could contact?
Thanks

[StealthRabbit]

Closest for serious sailing is Tomahawk Marina (Hayden Island) I-5 and Columbia River < 50 miles down river.

There are a few boats in HR and some in Washougal, but service centers are in Portland.

The Puget Sound has a zillion marinas, and Port Townsend is probably the nicest spot on the 'main-land'.

[windsurfingiskewl]

i wonder how shop owners and orchard farmers can afford $500,000+ homes. The real estate prices seem ridiculous.

[dachmom]

I don't know about the shop owners, but the orchardists probably inheireted the land from their parents, etc. down through the generations. Most of them are family owned and operated and have been for several generations.

It's great to be able to go buy fresh picked fruit right from the guy who owns the trees. There are a lot of fruit stands in the Parkdale/Odell area. Depending on the time of year, you can get cherries, apples, pears, etc.

For Fun: Visit Rasmussen farms(south of Hood River on highway 35) in the fall, their pumpkin patch is awesome! They have a corn maze, a HUGE field to pick your pumpkins from, apple cider,fresh picked apples, etc. It's family owned and a great place to spend a saturday in October.

To answer boatguy's question, try the port of Hood River.

[LPerkins33]

Hood River is one of my favorite places in the country. My friend Jim lives there and I try to visit him at least once a year, skied Mt. Hood with him a week and a half ago. Summer time in Hood River is amazing.

House prices are out of control though, my friend Jim's lot cost him $200,000 alone and its a little more than an 1/8th of an acre.

[Lillietta]

The ice would bother me; I'd have a summer home if I could

[StealthRabbit]

Originally Posted by Lillietta

The ice would bother me; I'd have a summer home if I could

Probably less than 5 days / winter of ice, weather is quite predictable (close to coast) so you have a few days to plan. You can run out to the coast and enjoy a stiff winter blow from your fireplace oceanfront room, or jet to AZ or MX or SO CA

Winter snows MIGHT stick around a few days, but generally not a week. Probably ~ 5 days / month light snow, 10 days / month rain in winter. (best guess, mileage may vary)

Prices are out of control, and fueled by out of towner's or folks bringing money. Some of the locals have been able to ratchet up by selling and buying a bargain (I noticed a few bargains last night in most current listings). But low cost of living may be past history in HR and valley.

[windsurfingiskewl]

Is there a low supply of land or something?? It looks like Hood River is in the middle of no where, which is why i'm so confused about the land being so expensive.

It's not like Manhatten or San Fran where there is no where left to build and everyone in the world wants to live there.

[StealthRabbit]

land restrictions for HR area (Narrow Valley, with BIG river on one side = land lock)
1) Lots of National Forest on three sides (public lands, not available to private ownership)
2) Columbia Gorge National Scenic Area surrounding HR - (very restrictive to growth, in most cases IMPOSSIBLE, can't split property, must only build on original footprint, or out of site of vistas (much worse on WA side, as Friends of Gorge habitate in OR for the most part; and watch WA with binoculars
3) High Taxes in neighboring county (Wasco + WA state too) makes HR county more desirable (only place with significant jobs in county)
4) Extensive rain and wind increase as you head west towards Cascade Locks, so folks are jammed into a narrow HR valley
5) Trendy and desirable area, similar to Jackson, WY, Aspen / Vail / Crested Butte CO, Sun Valley, ID, Park City, UT, Whitefish, MT... We got to watch all those places become unreachable to anyone but the wealthy during the last 30 yrs. + HR has winter and summer sports, and is less than an hour from PDX airport and 2 hrs to the coast (which none of the above have access to)

As our society drifts to 2 class, as most of the rest of the world, this will get worse for those who worry about money (that is most of us...) Too bad we (USA) chose to embrace the 'service' economy instead of actually producing products of material value, that is gonna bite the following generations BIG TIME, as we have little or nothing to barter with as a nation.

[GR82BAGATOR]

Originally Posted by boatguy

What is the gorge like? Jobs, housing weather? What is winter in Hood River?

We were out there in September and it was beathtaking...I mean I absolutely fell in love...with every part I was lucky enough to visit in Oregon. The gorge/Mt. Hood were the last things we visited before we left and I couldn't believe the beauty! What I wouldn't give to leave FL behind and live in Oregon! Give me the rain....for now I'd trade this humidity and sunshine for what has to be the most beautiful place God ever created!