Albany, Or or Yreka, Ca (Portland, Eugene: live, shop, airport)

[WestwardfromWI]

I will likely have two job offers, one in Yreka, Ca and one in Albany, Or. I have written a list of plusses and minuses for both and am completely flummoxed. The lists are very different, yet neither comes out as the easy choice. I am interested in anyone else's opinion, especially anyone who has spent lots of time in both places.

[NightBazaar]

Pretty hard to give an opinion when you haven't mentioned what the plusses and minuses are that have you flummoxed. Great word, btw. I don't know anything about Yreka, but having lived in Albany for 35+ or so years, I might have an opinion or two there, but it would help having a little more information though.

[WestwardfromWI]

Well,
I didn't want to bias anyone's response, and my lists are both pretty long.
Here is a representation:
Yreka Plusses: Weather, Wilderness in Backyard, Job is with the Forest Service so lots of time outside
Albany Plusses: Three hours from family in Olympia, Wa., better soils for possible hobby-farm, more accessible for family by plane, larger community and close to other regional cities of interest like Portland, Corvallis, Salem, Eugene, etc. 9 month teaching job.
Yreka minuses: Small and isolated from airports, depressed economically
Albany minuses: weather, weather and hmm, weather. Also, job is not exactly what I'm interested in.
Any thoughts?

[sav]

i'd say choose yreka. i've only passed through, but if you are that hesitant about the weather in albany oregon in advance (i lived 4 years in mcminnville) you are likely to struggle through a willamette valley winter. plus, i think it is importnat to like your job.

[Oregonbeachlover]

I also want to point out that Yreka does get snow, because I have been stuck there. A plus for Albany is that it does have the major stores (including Costco) for easy shopping.

[NightBazaar]

Other plusses for Albany:

- AmTrak stops in Albany.
- Albany is located next to I-5.
- Salem is about 25 miles north.
- Eugene-Springfield is around 50+ miles south
- WalMart is located in Lebanon about 15 miles east.
- Corvallis and OSU are located about 15 miles west.
- Cascade Mountains are east about an hour drive or so.
- The Oregon Coast is to the west, also about an hour drive.
- While is may rain a lot during the winter, the temps are usually pretty mild. We get snow here once in a while, but it's usually no more than a brief dusting and melts off quickly. It's nothing like WI.
- Although the local airports are small, larger airports can be found in Eugene, and PDX International Airport in Portland. There are shuttle busses that run from Albany to PDX.

However if the job in Albany isn't one that impresses you very much, then it might not be worth choosing Albany as a place to hang your hat.

2 Favorite Oregon Slogans:
- Oregon's state animal is the slug.
- Oregonians don't tan - they rust.

[RangerDuke08]

Are you with the Forest Service? I have no idea about Albany or your situation however I gotta admit I met some folks in Yreka and they were amazing, very uncalifornian-like I should say but very down to earth and I asked them prior about a forest service position there several years ago and they all recommended me to go as it was a good place to raise kids, they commented that it was the "real norcal", didn't end up there but worth checking out.

[Steve97415]

Comparing just the two cities, I'd say Albany is a no-brainer. Yreka is small, but also very "State of Jefferson" whereas Albany is more of a mainstream Oregon city with easy access to Salem, Eugene and Corvallis -- all worthy destinations for things to do.
Yreka gets more winter sun and more summer heat...very dry summer heat...it's close to being a Mediterranean climate. It's convenient to Marble Mt., Red Buttes Wilderness, Castle Crags, and the whole Shasta-Trinity area with the Klamath River, Yolla Bolly Wilderness etc. Perhaps the best thing about Yreka is its proximity to Ashland. You would have lots of opportunities to visit there...and probably lots of need, too. Even though Ashland is technically in the State of Jefferson, it's somewhat of a bohemian retreat within the Redneck Republic (think Madison in the mountains). If you're really a dyed-in-the-Goretex outdoor person and social culture/city amenities are of little concern, Yreka might be your place. If you're not a "small town person", however, you will still do fine in Albany.