Portland vs. Denver (Hood River, Jefferson, Rainier: fit in, houses, neighborhood)

[Need2KnowWhy]

Hi,
I'm a healthcare professional. Also enjoy ice/rock/alpine climbing. My inclination is to move to Denver. Then again, having lived in Montana, I think about the northwest...being near the ocean, the rain. Guess I'd have to find some altitude for snow.

Does anyone have an option on why I should pick Oregon rather than Colorado?

Thanks,
b

[Hans64]

If you are conservative Denver is a better fit. Progressive? Then Portland.

[roneb]

I am a climber as well. If you prefer alpine climbing and peak bagging, than Portland can be great. Mt Hood has a variety of routes only 1-2 hours away. Numerous climbs - Mt. Rainier, Mt. Adams, Jefferson, the Olympics, the North Cascades - are all within a reasonable drive. I'd have to give CO the edge for rock climbing. And for ice climbing it isn't even close. Very seldom does it get cold enough for ice climbing in the Columbia River Gorge - the only good ice climbing near Portland. My ice climbing is usually a road trip up to BC/Alberta. Definitely better in CO.

[downtownnola]

Originally Posted by Hans64

If you are conservative Denver is a better fit. Progressive? Then Portland.

I disagree. I am a 24 year old gay man living in Denver, and I have found this city to be quite progressive.

[Jimrob1]

I found that no matter what recommendations people can give on anything, its all up to the individual in the long run. To say Portland is better vs Denver or vice versa is subjective and based on personal preferences. The best advice I can give you is spend some time in each and see how they feel. I can't stress enough how they feel as if your living there and not just visiting. Good Luck.

[davefr]

Originally Posted by Hans64

If you are conservative Denver is a better fit. Progressive? Then Portland.

This is silly!! Portland can better for conservatives and Denver can be better for liberals if your other needs are optimized. In each area you can pick and choose which neighborhood is best for you.

Like you stated, your concerns are career (health care), hobbies (rock climbing) and weather.

You need to spend some time in each area to assess how happy you'll be.

I would venture a guess that both areas would probably meet your career and hobby needs. The tie breakers will be weather (Denver sunshine vs. Portland rain) and how important being near the ocean is.

[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.

[Need2KnowWhy]

Originally Posted by roneb

I am a climber as well. If you prefer alpine climbing and peak bagging, than Portland can be great. Mt Hood has a variety of routes only 1-2 hours away. Numerous climbs - Mt. Rainier, Mt. Adams, Jefferson, the Olympics, the North Cascades - are all within a reasonable drive. I'd have to give CO the edge for rock climbing. And for ice climbing it isn't even close. Very seldom does it get cold enough for ice climbing in the Columbia River Gorge - the only good ice climbing near Portland. My ice climbing is usually a road trip up to BC/Alberta. Definitely better in CO.

Actually I prefer ice, then rock, finally alpine. But alpine can be quite over the top if the route is technically mixed. So that would be ok. I don't really expect ice to be at my elevation. I would certainly miss the snow tho.

The trips you do to BC/Alberta (GREAT places), how long of a drive is it? Can you easily make weekend trips, or do you need 3 or 4 day weekend holidays to fit in the driving camping/climbing return? If BC/Alberta, what sort of approaches do you have to the ice? Do you end up camping or are services nearby?

How's the climbing in Washington State? Seems your driving past it.

Thanks,
Bill

Also to the others that wrote. Thanks for the info. Ya know, I've lived in both conservative and liberal places. I think it's more a matter of whether people are polite, friendly, courteous drivers, helpful folks...that sort of stuff.

[StealthRabbit]

Both OR & Washington has some seasonal and decent ice climbing, (Olympics, Rainier, Baker, St Helens and Adams),. BC is better yet, but a 8-12 hr drive (6 to southern border, or 8 to SE border (near Alberta)). Most of my flights to BC and AB have connected through SEA or SLC. Some Ice Climbing possibilities in NoCA too (Lassen). For alpine, CO is quite nice. The PNW near Portland is pretty heavily forested for decent vistas, CO is spectacular for that (as is WY, ID, and MT).

Socially there is quite a difference (I lived CO for 27 yrs and PNW for 26, with few yrs in Asia and Europe + Canada) Basically CO has 'warmer / deeper' relationships. PNW is plenty polite and friendly and very accepting, just don't expect to get invited over to folk's houses (Very frequent in Colo, very rare in PNW). OR is much more polarized (forcefully liberal) than WA, but Metro Portland and Metro Seattle pretty similar, as SEA operates at a pretty high Mhz. It is pretty ez to fit in, just have to realize some folks are pretty intense at wanting you to think like them. I just let it roll off, and congenially go about my own way and thinking my own way too !! I appreciate their intensity, but have plenty of my own 'attitude' to de-fuse.

Having the Beach (nice vistas, but not WARM) 1.2 hrs away is nice, especially in the summer and fall, you can run out for sunset and dinner and still be home before midnight. Mtns are 1 hr away, and the Columbia Gorge is very handy (especially for me, I'm in it!), but 20-30 min from Portland and you are in a hikers / photographer's paradise. You can escape rain with a 1 hr drive east, or a 1 hr $39 flight to Sacramento or $59 to SF or $89 to SD or LA. I prefer the Portland airport to DEN (and it is A LOT closer..., you don't have to drive to Kansas). CO has some superb recreation, but it is crowded and expensive and often far and heavy traffic (2 lane) to get to. I used WY for recreation when I was in CO, as it is more pristine (I lived near Estes Park, so WY was very close). PNW has some pretty direct routes to recreation, and I have found it less crowded / worn -out, and more variety.

If you choose to live at 1000' elevation in the Columbia Gorge you could get a couple weeks worth of Ice Climbing to get to your mailbox, and out your driveway. Our house gets encapsulated in ice during weather changes, sometimes the waterfalls and hillsides get to be huge icicles. The challenge then is the 80 mph winds that accompany.

You may want to consider your potential desire for windsurfing or kite boarding, you would have a tough time beating the Columbia Gorge for that. I have several friends who once they were hooked, just disappeared into that sport, and 15 yrs later are retired and 'fulltime (tho antique) - boardheads' Most end up with homes in White Salmon, Hood River, or Mosier. About 1/3 to 1/2 the rain of Portland and 1 hr away.

I'd try both (CO + PNW) for awhile as I think they are both worth a stay.
I travel exclusively using private guest homes (like a B&B, but $20 instead of $200), you really get to know the local people that way.

[Need2KnowWhy]

Thanks janb,
Know what you mean about Wyoming. Some great places there.... Also know what you mean about crowds. I have generally spent most my time in RMNP. I imagine you well know the place. I just accepted that I'd need a 4 day weekend, and it would be quieter on the weekdays. Typically most of the crowd doesn't hike far past the trailheads....

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.

I agree about the ocean, that's one factor that has caused me to consider the NW.

thkx,
b