Portland vs. Denver (weather, loud)

[roneb]

Re: Ice Climbing trips to BC/Alberta. It's possible to drive to Banff/Lake Louise in a long day and there are a ton off quality climbs with short approaches. I usually try for a four day trip. The Canadian Alpine Club Hostel in Lake Loiuse is a great base to strike out from. Very clean, reasonable rates, and a great restaurant. Lillooet is closer and also has good climbing.

[StealthRabbit]

Originally Posted by Need2KnowWhy

...
So given the moisture in the region, what sort of pests do you have in the mountains? Is one being eaten alive on the trail? When I lived in Montana the horse flies were absolutely impossible.
...

Great question! I had forgotten how much pests were an issue in the Tetons, as compared to the Snowy Range (one of my favorite WY spots)

I haven't been terribly bothered in the PNW with bugs on the trail. Late August brings yellowjackets and mosquitoes, as usual (some years worse than others).

Maybe others have different input, I have been relegated to more work / school than fun lately.

[robertpolyglot]

Originally Posted by The Cactus Leaguer

Portland and Denver are both great. I work in healthcare and go to Denver several times a year for MGMA (Medical Group Management Association) functions... and every time I go there, it seems like all of the locals start gushing about Portland when I tell them where I'm from. Their most common areas of envy:

1. More green
2. Near the ocean
3. More bike lanes
4. Better light rail system
5. Less extreme winter weather

Personally, I envy Denver's airport (way more convenient direct flights), passion for sports (especially Coors Field), LoDo, and superior skiing.

Yeah Portland is overall more liberal than Denver but you can find your niche (I'm conservative) so it doesn't matter (like davefr said).

Denver claims to be the king of microbrews but I think Portland is better. Both are great in this area, though clearly Portland is better for wine (especially pinots).

Portland has virtually perfect weather for about four months of the year, and the other eight months are mostly cool, cloudy, light drizzle. Great for joggers and the greenery, but it can get dreary in the winter and not good if you have severe seasonal affective disorder. The docs I work with don't care, if it gets bad they just take a trip to Hawaii (many direct flights from PDX).

Denver has many more sunny days than Portland, but they also have a lot more snow and more coooold days. Great for skiers and sun lovers alike, but the high desert climate (not much green) and the late spring snow storms can wear people out.

We have docs inquiring about our group from all over the country, and when they get there they never want to leave. They love the positives and have the money to easily navigate the negatives.

Hope that helps, good luck in your decision.

Very thorough list, though I haven't had the dialogue with Denverites as to their coveting of the PNW.

I've only been through it on I-70 on cross-country trips. I would say that it's more welcoming and doesn't appear to have this guarded thing that both PNW cities have. Also, there appear to be "regular, middle of the pack" people there - less people identifiable as liberals or conservatives, but then, I didn't hang around Boulder much. So, for a middle of the road person, it might be more comfortable. The other thing is that Denver far better represents the overall US demographics than do PDX/SEA. They use it as a test market for that reason.

The one thing that struck me is how brown it is. In Denver city, it appears to be flat and not very treed. Now, going to the west, up into the foothills, it picks up nicer vegetation. The other thing is, if you want to day trip, which other major city can you make a jaunt to? And, no, Colorado Springs and Pueblo don't cut it...

[Need2KnowWhy]

Yeah Banff. That's such a great place. That would be a good trip. Would need to get a passport I expect.

But it would still be nice to have a local spot to help stay in tune.

Tetons. Another great place. But ya know, one can spend years learning one's way about RMNP. It's hard to explore lots of different regions given a limited about of vacation time and cash....

[delta07]

Need2Know, do you have to (or want to) live in a big city? The reason I ask this is because I just recently moved to Bend from Colorado. I grew up in the Denver area, and the recreation is outstanding, but the crowds can make it tough to get out of town easily. I love the PNW, but hate the rain. However, I've found the best of both worlds. Bend! I love it here! Recreation is extremely close, the weather is fantastic, and you can still take a trip to the ocean over a long weekend. Bend reminds me a lot of Colorado. It is a small town, but very different from other small towns I have lived in. Bend has a liberal vibe to it, and has many things you would find in a larger city. Healthcare, depending on what you do, is one of the few careers that seem to be in demand in Bend. However, if you desire a large city, Bend would probably fall short. Just something to consider.

[subsound]

Both are pretty good for health care positions (I'm in health care finance, lived in both areas). Both have great out door activities. Portland is more expensive and has tons of homeless people, though great public transit and tons of social things to do. Denver is more bland and sprawling, but little to no bugs and much more impressive mountains.

Personally I liked Denver a bit better, but we are a young family (just no kids just yet).

[Need2KnowWhy]

Hi Delta07... Actually a smaller town would be great. Having grown up in Chicago, I rather not move into any major city. I'm sure I could find a job in a medium to small town working at a hospital....

But I tend to like a teaching or large institution that receives a wider range of cases to treat. Also, I've worked in a hospital that was a great environment until another big "wealthy" hospital bought us out. Then the whole thing went down hill fast. Note sure I want to be stuck living somewhere where there is only one game in town. But if I could find a challenging postion in a small town that would be great.

And yes to the others, Denver is quite brown, and there is a lot of sprawl. It is a compromise. But it seems closer to the recreation than Seattle, and I'm not sure about Portand in terms of the lay of the neighborhoods, best commute routes, and location of trail heads into the moutains, etc

Guess Colorado is somewhat of a know quantity to me. The coastal areas of Washington/Oregon are unknown to me. Hard to pick what ya don't know.

[HansenR]

I have only passed through Portland but lived in Denver for 7 years. I really like Denver and miss many aspects of the city. But I have to admit, the brown drab environment got old. And I missed the water. I had to relo back to CA to help with some family issues but will get outta here asap and Oregon is on my list. I want to stay closer to the water and green hills/trees etc. Yes, Colorado has that but in far shorter supply than Oregon. I have a friend from Colorado move to Portland approx. 2 years ago and he loves it. Bought a house and I dont think he has any plans of moving back.

Visit both and make a more informed decision.

[mathlete]

If you're conservative, then definitely Denver. Liberal? Then Portland. However, if you're progressive then you should leave the United States -- and turn the lights out if you're the last one.

[subsound]

Originally Posted by mathlete

If you're conservative, then definitely Denver. Liberal? Then Portland. However, if you're progressive then you should leave the United States -- and turn the lights out if you're the last one.

I doubt you have lived near Denver too long. I can see more conservatives being attracted to Colorado Springs because of the Focus on the Family nuts, and liberals more attracted to Boulder (if they are rich) but Denver is pretty even keel. Progressive, yeah pretty much which is really scary!