Thread: Teach me in the ways of Seattle...

Originally Posted by jfost

Haller Lake is in Seattle now? What is that, like near Lynnwood or something???

Dude, it's between north 122nd and 128th streets. It's hardly in Lynnwood!

well, ok... only 100 blocks N of Seattle then!

Good luck OP, as you've seen by now there's great advice and love for the SEA in this thread (except the part about living in the CD)

Originally Posted by Hugh Conway

No. It's that the sun comes out M-F and rarely ever on weekends. Which sucks if you are a weekend warrior.

haha, it certainly feels that way sometimes, doesn't it!

As someone said, it's not the rain, it's the lack of sun for nine consecutive months, that's going to be the big difference. Don't underestimate how much this might affect you. If you can handle that, it's a great place to live.

It's pretty much been covered, but I'll highlight that Seattle feeling like a bunch of small towns that grew into each other as opposed to a 'real' big city is dead on. Traffic is a shitshow. Housing is expensive. Access to mountains (and wilderness) and the Pacific Ocean is fantastic. The ski areas are not resorts. A shell that seems waterproof in the Front Range may not be waterproof in the North Cascades.

Don't come. You will hate it.



;-)


It is a fantastic place to live and play. It doesn't rain as much as everyone says it does. It is just gray a lot. The generally mild summers are fantastic though. It is a great area for outdoor recreation... even beyond skiing. Scuba diving, hiking, climbing etc. are all unreal.

Awesome responses, thanks this is just what I am looking for. I don't think the lack of sun will bother me much (I'm from Minnesota after all). Traffic can't be much worse than colorado, and honestly I don't think the cost of living is any higher, but I'm sure that depends on where exactly in Seattle I would move. And damn, the TGR snow lab says Mt. Bachelor just got 35", which is basically more than colorado has had this entire year. I think I'm pretty sold....

Originally Posted by GIR

Awesome responses, thanks this is just what I am looking for. I don't think the lack of sun will bother me much (I'm from Minnesota after all). Traffic can't be much worse than colorado, and honestly I don't think the cost of living is any higher, but I'm sure that depends on where exactly in Seattle I would move. And damn, the TGR snow lab says Mt. Bachelor just got 35", which is basically more than colorado has had this entire year. I think I'm pretty sold....

Not only that, the storm that's brought those three feet have closed the mountain for the day. Bachelor is fun mountain, but a trek from Seattle. Worth a weekend if you get the chance.

...also not mentioned, to be a Seattleite it is key to only root for the professional sports teams when they are winning, which is rarely, so that is a minimal distraction to outdoor activities.

Overall, the mountaineering is the best here in the continental US. Other places are better in specific ways, ice climbing, rock climbing, and so on.

Originally Posted by timeo

Skiing access is easy:


Crystal - way bigger mountain than Alp, more vertical and higher. Generally more and better quality snow. The issue here is the road, it is about 1.5hrs on a good day 2+ on a bad one. The last 30-40 miles are on a two lane road that can really bog down when it is snowing.

1.5 hours from Seattle? I worked at Crystal for 2 seasons and never ever made it to Seattle under 2 1/4. 410 almost always has at least 1 speed trap on it heading up and definitely 1 or 2 going down, I've had 3 speeding tickets in 1 season between Enumclaw and Crystal, been there, seen that, don't try it....

Originally Posted by Alkares

1.5 hours from Seattle? I worked at Crystal for 2 seasons and never ever made it to Seattle under 2 1/4. 410 almost always has at least 1 speed trap on it heading up and definitely 1 or 2 going down, I've had 3 speeding tickets in 1 season between Enumclaw and Crystal, been there, seen that, don't try it....

he probably lives in Kent or Auburn, so yeah - from "Seattle" Crystal is 1.5hrs!

I live in West Seattle, just above the 1st S. bridge. Downtown is 15 minutes from me. If I get an early start I can be in A or B lot at Crystal in just about 1.5 hours, 1:45 if the road beyond Greenwater is bad, never longer than 2 hours unless there's some kind of wreck or something. Get a late start and you'll end up in the parade from Enumclaw and it will take longer, and if it's a bluebird pow day you may not even get a place to park. It takes at least 2 hours to get to Stevens.

What do speed traps have to do with how long it takes to drive to Crystal? Traffic doesn't have to slow below the speed limit just 'cause a cop with a radar is hiding somewhere. Drive the speed limit and it will take less than 2 hours from downtown seattle, usually significantly less. If it takes you longer, you're going the wrong way.

Originally Posted by Chainsaw_Willie

I live in West Seattle, just under the 1st S. bridge....

well if you get to start already IN your car, you gain at least 15min I'd say.

Just moved here and I love it. I totally agree with whoever said the left lane drivers are out of control. It's weird and crazy.

Originally Posted by Bobcat Sig

Actually, there aren't any ski towns because all the land surrounding the ski areas are National Forest. Same is true in Oregon. Development really isn't allowed on the areas, considering most are on FS leases.

Otherwise, Seattle is a rad town.

I greatly prefer that WA ski areas are not resorts. That kind of development is mostly a PITA for day skiers and does nothing for the skiing itself.

You don't live in Seattle if you can buy Malt Liquor at your local convenience stores, not claiming I am a local though, I only live here 9 months of the year. I ride Stevens, its plenty fun, but coming from CO it is very different skiing. Lots of very tight trees everywhere.

I live on Capitol hill, great neighborhood. I also suggest living as close as possible. Then you can laugh at this song

Originally Posted by Dromond

I greatly prefer that WA ski areas are not resorts. That kind of development is mostly a PITA for day skiers and does nothing for the skiing itself.

What is does affect is the price of ski passes. Where in colorado you get a 5 mountain pass for 600 dollars, in seattle you can hardly get a pass to one mountain for that.

Anybody know of a similar thread for Portland? This is great info, considering I'm gonna have to start thinking about where to apply for away rotations (which will have a good bit of say in where I'll spend the next four to six years thereafter...). UW orthopedics (and other residencies) is (are) hatin' and discriminatin' wrt out-of-staters, but Oregon may not be so...

[/hijack]

I have nothing valuable to offer, aside from gratitude for a nice overview of "Seattle for Skiers".

Originally Posted by Rossta

What is does affect is the price of ski passes. Where in colorado you get a 5 mountain pass for 600 dollars, in seattle you can hardly get a pass to one mountain for that.

You can get the Snoqualmie+5 days at crystal pass for <$600

I bought a midweek pass at Stevens as a returning passholder this season for $225 plus tax. It was worth it. Especially considering what qualified me as a "returning passholder." I didn't buy a season's pass last season. I paid $90 plus tax last March 10th or so to ride the whole rest of the season (more than a month) and they considered that a pass. Stevens is just plain cool like that.

The Alp pass that gets you 5 days at Crystal is a nice deal too. Since the touring is so good I mostly ride lifts only when its storming. But any resort you get a pass to is going to be a blast. The skiing up here is underrated. For me the ~4hours round trip of drive time you spend every day you go skiing if you live in the city is the only real drawback. It makes me want to move to Revy.

As for the city discussion, everything that has been said here is good info. One other point I thought worth mentioning is that Seattle has great food. The farmland around here is awesome and yields really good produce and livestock. Even though they are expensive, the local co-ops give you the ability to eat really high quality food, an option that many cities don't have.


Also, the summer's here are perfect. 70-80 degrees every day for a few months with low humidity is nice, but the best part is how everyone lights up. The city feels so alive and happy. I joke that its like a 3 month long party. Just try to figure out a way to take trips in the fall, when the sky is already always grey but the skiing hasn't showed up yet, and you'll be fine.

Other than the SeaTac airport sucks I have no comment.

Originally Posted by GIR

Thanks for all the helpful info! Sounds like if I can take some rain, it's a sweet place. I appreciate all the input.

You'll be going from 300 days of sun to 65 days of sun. Just so you know.

Originally Posted by stoepstyle

...I live on Capitol hill, great neighborhood. I also suggest living as close as possible. Then you can laugh at this song...

yeah buddy! nice post, now I have to tell my story:

I think the winter of 1996 or maybe 1997 I took some XC skis from work @ 901 E. Pike and headed up to Dicks for a lunch run. It was pretty snowy, at least 5" on the ground and def. enough for my classic-style outing. There was a guy on the payphone outside Dicks telling someone presumably far away how snowy it was in Seattle, when he saw me go by he yelled into the phone "Man, it's so snowy up in here there's a white dude got skis on!" Many people laughed, I got in line and completed my order without even taking off the skis. What a great day!!!

It is easy to get to Xtal from Ballard in 1.5hrs if you leave early enough. I only go midweek when there is fresh snow and leave Ballard around 6AM at the latest to avoid the crowds and be one of the first in line.

Originally Posted by Rossta

What is does affect is the price of ski passes. Where in colorado you get a 5 mountain pass for 600 dollars, in seattle you can hardly get a pass to one mountain for that.

Since when is the 5 mtn pass 600? Buy in May and its 400 plus more guest passes and Vail/BC free in April..just sayin'

Sent from my ADR6300 using Tapatalk

Crystal is by far the best mountain. Stevens is totally flat with no bc access and permanently closed gates. It constantly rains at alpental and the locals are total hacks. Baker is too far away and there's too much snow and not enough super ripping semi pro locals to track it out. Hope this helps.