Moving to Oregon, need location advice. (Portland, Salem: job openings, school district, airport)

[SEpaddler]

I am moving to Oregon from the SE and have a job that is available in multiple locations. I am interested in finding a place that has possible work for my wife in speech path and is also in a good location for ww kayaking. That may sound unusual, but those are my top priorities for the next few years. The locations I can choose from are Portland, Salem, Bend, Astoria, and White City.

[Silverfall]

In Astoria you'd pretty much be doing ocean kayaking. Otherwise Bend has the Deschutes, Metolius and McKenzie rivers close by which have some whitewater. In Portland you'd probably hit the Sandy river, maybe the Columbia or Willamette for a calm kayaking trip.

In Salem you'd hit the Santiam River which is great clean water, or you could go down the Willamette as well. It's just slow water. Then there is Mill Creek and Yamhill which have some drops, and then there is some kayaking in the Mt. Jefferson Wilderness toward Detriot. There are no lack of rivers in Oregon.

Of those choices I think Bend probably has the best whitewater though since all three of those rivers have Class 3-5 rapids I think.

I would think Salem or Portland would offer your wife the best chance at having a job though. Bend's unemployment rate is like 15-17% or something. What population does she work with for speech path? Stroke patients, kids?

[SEpaddler]

Right now she works with kids from 4-18 yrs but has worked in hospitals in the past with stroke patients. She especially likes to work with seniors.

[Silverfall]

Okay I popped on Salem Keizer schools site and they have positions open. My daughter is in speech therapy and I know her SLP said they can't find qualified folks to hire. I know Portland has the same problem. There is a shortage.

According to the Bend school district site they aren't hiring any SLP's. I pulled up Salem Hospital and they have one SLP position open in Dallas, OR about 20 minutes outside Salem. We also have Silverton Hospital in the area. Portland would have lots of rehab options from OHSU, to St. Vincent to Doernbecher's, Providence...

I can't find a way to access job listings on the Bend hospital site. I'd have your wife call to find out about job openings.

I know that those are your criteria, but all of these cities are VERY different. So my opinion is that the best kayaking is close to Bend (although I know nothing about White City since I've never been there). The best chance of jobs for your wife are Portland and Salem. Is there anything else you want in a city to help narrow down your choices?

[SEpaddler]

The only other consideration would be proximity to an airport that has flights to ATL. We are used to a 1.5 hr drive to the ATL airport so something in that range would be fine.

[Silverfall]

Then that would be Portland or Salem. Bend would be about 3-4 hours to the PDX airport. Astoria would be about 2-3 hours depending on traffic.

[sarahkate_m]

Coming to Oregon? Check these links for FAQ s before posting There are job links etc.

[ak.nessa]

Bend has incredible white water and kayaking opportunities. Central Oregon offers many lakes and rivers to explore, not to mention it is absolutely BEAUTIFUL out there.

I have never been to White City but from what I hear, it sounds like Bend should be your #1 choice and White City #2. White City I believe is a much smaller community but is located near some rivers.

If you kayak in Portland, please be careful and don't get any of that filthy water on you. They dump sewage into the water there, it's disgusting. I've kayaked the Willamette and Columbia, it's not fun because the water is so creepy gross.

I loved kayaking and canoeing in Central Oregon.

BEND BEND BEND BEND!!!!!!!!!!! You will LOVE IT!!!!!!!! Just make sure you have jobs lined up BEFORE you move, because there aren't many jobs out there.

[Hawk J]

White City is pretty close to the Rogue River.

There is a VA Domiciliary there.


Best of Luck to you...

[malachai23]

Rogue River (near White City) and Deschutes River (near Bend) will be your two best whitewater rivers in Oregon. Their rapid classes range from I-V, although they tend to fluctuate based on water level. I believe the Rogue is a bit more technical, although both have beginner areas and expert areas, as well as unnavigable unless you want to die areas (for real). So what would that be, a Class VI? LOL Google Sherar's Falls! I have rafted the Deschutes many many times and it is a gorgeous river in the middle of the high desert with spectacular landscapes - Indian Reservation on one side of the river during a long stretch of it. The Rogue is on the western side of the Cascades and it is lined with evergreen trees. Both rivers/areas are gorgeous in their own right!