Please help us choose our OR community (Portland, Oregon City: transfer, high school)

[rocky mtn mom]

Hello! My husband was transferred for work to Sandy, Oregon (45 minutes outside Portland). He wants to live in a suburb of Portland, West Linn, for the excellent schools, family friendly environment, more housing inventory to choose from, more restaurants, etc. I want to live in Hood River to be closer to skiing, hiking, and mountain biking. I also am looking for a small, tight-knit moderate-to-progressive community that will be an incredible place to grow up. We have two kids, 12 (going into 7th grade next year) and 9. But he says the commute (three days a week only) will be too long. Any thoughts, advice or suggestions??? We have to pick one by this summer to start our kids in school, but it's so hard to decide.

[texasdiver]

The commute from Sandy to Hood River is going to be about 60 miles and over an hour in the best of conditions. During the winter I-84 is subject to not infrequent ice storms and is sometimes closed for long stretches of time due to extreme ice. It isn't a regular commute that most people would recommend for year-round driving. When 84 is closed you would have a LONG drive the other way around the mountain to get between Hood River and Sandy. And the mountain passes going that way can be very slow going too, especially during during any winter storm big enough to shut down I-84.

If you want upscale suburbs your best choices are going to be places like Happy Valley, West Linn, or some of the other similar communities along I-205.

If you want more rural then maybe look north to a place like Corbett which has decent schools and is on the edge of the Gorge. Or for that matter, just stay in the Sandy area.

[Cloudy Dayz]

Originally Posted by texasdiver

The commute from Sandy to Hood River is going to be about 60 miles and over an hour in the best of conditions. During the winter I-84 is subject to not infrequent ice storms and is sometimes closed for long stretches of time due to extreme ice. It isn't a regular commute that most people would recommend for year-round driving. When 84 is closed you would have a LONG drive the other way around the mountain to get between Hood River and Sandy. And the mountain passes going that way can be very slow going too, especially during during any winter storm big enough to shut down I-84.

If you want upscale suburbs your best choices are going to be places like Happy Valley, West Linn, or some of the other similar communities along I-205.

If you want more rural then maybe look north to a place like Corbett which has decent schools and is on the edge of the Gorge. Or for that matter, just stay in the Sandy area.

I'm coming up with a 1 hour 10 min. commute from Hood River to Sandy in best conditions. That could double in the winter. The OPs husband is correct. Hood River would be too long a commute. I would agree with just stay in Sandy. It would be a zero commute and less then 1 hour to get to Mount Hood for recreational activities. Way better then any of the other options.

[StealthRabbit]

Corbett would be my first choice.
Followed by Boring, OR.
Both are great communities.

Consider a commute to Mt Hood Community college, if your oldest is interested in attending college instead of high school. You would have to pay for most of that minor expense in Oregon, but it's free in WA. (Running Start)


Make a weighted spreadsheet to erase the emotions and highlight the facts of each potential destination. You can still choose what feels right, but you will have the facts too. Make sure to add commute for kids stuff / taxiing them during next 5 yrs to various events. My sis did a very frequent commute from Hockinson, WA to Portland youth orchestra 1hr each way plus waiting for rehearsals...many times a week through 3 kids. I wouldn't have done that.

Commutes of any kind are expensive, time wasting, and risky. With a family.... Keep it simple, and best for the family, not the worker.

[MtnSurfer]

Yep, Hood River is just too far for work. That's going to have a major negative impact on the family after dad 'survives' the daily grind. Then you realize its time to move closer anyway. Sandy is actually pretty nice being so close to Mt. Hood along with skiing and hiking. But I would probably want to be down the hill a bit closer to other activities. Happy Valley is pretty central and seems like a good place or Boring unless too easily bored. Haha





Derek

[oregonwoodsmoke]

Sandy isn't a bad place to live. It's close enough to get to skiing for a day trip and has easy access to all of the activities in Portland.


There is rural property around Sandy where the kids could get involved in 4H. Those tend to be great groups of kids and safely supervised. It would be instant friends for your kids.


It would be cruel of you to expect your husband to do that commute every day. That commute can be quite dangerous in the winter when the roads are icy. Drunk skiers coming off the mountain very often kill themselves and others in traffic wrecks when Hwy 26 is icy. The Columbia Gorge can also be dangerous or even closed to traffic when it is icy.


Seriously? Have you looked at a map?

[Silverfall]

The commute from Hood River to Sandy isn't a safe drive three days a week in the winter. You don't appreciate the ice and winds that whip through the Gorge. That is not a road I would want my spouse commuting on. There are accidents with semi's on that stretch every year.

Small town and progressive don't really go hand in hand in Oregon. Most of the smaller towns are conservative.

If you don't want to live in Sandy itself, maybe look at Oregon City if you don't like West Linn? Happy Valley and West Linn are more expensive and Oregon City is an older city in the metro area. You could also consider Canby, but it is a farther drive and further from skiing and such.

[ejisme]

West Linn would not be a fun commute either. I205 is busy, and most rush hours it's pretty much bumper to bumper as you approach Oregon City and across the river into West Linn. Google Maps may say ~45 minutes, but that's without traffic. If you want small town, and not the Sandy area, then check out Estacada. It might be more conservative than you want, but it is close to hiking and has good river access. Close in towards Portland, there are parts of Gladstone that are nice, and still give you access to I205.

[StealthRabbit]

Damascus is another small town near Sandy, where friends enjoy living and plenty of local services available.

[blazenjames]

West Linn is pretentious and overrated. I would not want kids growing up in an area where they all think they're special. Sandy is a fine community. Real people living real lives.