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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Posts
    138

    Moving to Mount Vernon WA area. Location recs

    My girlfriend and I are potentially moving to the area next summer for work. I was just in the area working for 3 weeks and got pretty excited about it. I would be based in Mount Vernon and will need to be within ~30 mins of town. Were prioritizing easy access to skiing, mtb, and climbing and would prefer to be in a more ruralish location with a yard for the dogs but also close to downtown/shops.
    It seemed like Sedro-Wooley might be perfect but the downtown area seemed kinda shitty tbh. How is the ski touring access off of hwy 20 after the road is closed?
    Any other recs of towns to check out? Some of the small towns on hwy 9 south of Deming looked promising but I didn't get to explore them much.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Feb 2013
    Posts
    2,624
    Sent you a PM. Didn't really get into places to live but gave you some recreation beta. Also FWIW Sedro used to be way shittier so maybe it's the new up and coming place? Take a Google Map flight through the area you end up looking to live. There are a damn good number of white trash tweakers in the Skagit so maybe try to avoid having neighbors with a broken down RV collection.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Sep 2018
    Posts
    2,669
    Big Lake. Ski at Baker.

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  4. #4
    Join Date
    Nov 2020
    Posts
    11
    @i_like_powder Can't wait to post your updates here. My dream house/place-to-be is the same as yours, well located to all places and has easy access to skiing where I can go to 24/7.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Nov 2002
    Location
    EWA
    Posts
    22,004
    Quote Originally Posted by SirVicSmasher View Post
    Big Lake. Ski at Baker.

    Sent from my SM-G981U using Tapatalk
    Yup.
    When you see something that is not right, not just, not fair, you have a moral obligation to say something. To do something." Rep. John Lewis


    Kindness is a bridge between all people

    Dunkin’ Donuts Worker Dances With Customer Who Has Autism

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Location
    PNWet
    Posts
    108
    In that area it's a bit difficult to do both "ruralish" and close to downtown/shops. Bellingham is within 30 minutes of Mt Vernon and if you look at the south side of town you'll be right next to Galbraith, close to Baker, and will be able to bike into town. Housing will be more expensive though.

    I'd be bored to death in Big Lake, it's farther away from Mt. Vernon than you think and there's like one bar there, no stores.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Nov 2016
    Location
    SEA>DEN>Spokanistan
    Posts
    2,965
    Where you moving from OP? To forewarn you Western WA is GRAY!!

    I grew up in the Skagit Valley (MVHS ‘09) and while it does have some charm you could not pay me enough to move back to the Valley!


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  8. #8
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Location
    Last Best City in the Last Best Place
    Posts
    7,270
    Anacortes and Fidalgo Island might be an option to consider. Mt. Erie on Fidalgo actually has some decent rock climbing. And being close to the water makes sense since you're going to have to drive a couple hours to Baker regardless. Get some sea kayaks.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Posts
    138
    Thanks for the beta everyone, we'd be moving from Golden, CO. We can literally walk to crags and mtb out our front door so were definitely spoiled access wise, seems unrealistic to have the same in Skagit. I also spent a few years in Issaquah so I'm very familiar with the constant grey lol. From what I can tell Sedro seems to be on the up and up but still retains some meth head charm, it just seems like the perfect location from the outside.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Mar 2013
    Posts
    178
    If you can sacrifice the "ruralish location", why not live near work in Mt. Vernon, cut out that commute time, and have more time to drive up to Galbraith or Mt. Erie for climbing? You'll be hard pressed these days to do anything outdoors in the daylight if you work a 9-5 anyways. But in the summer, it's an easy 20-30 minutes to either of those places.

    But if you prioritize the rural aspect, I get that too.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Nov 2016
    Location
    SEA>DEN>Spokanistan
    Posts
    2,965
    Yup, you will be driving to your access in the Valley. I have friends who live in Wooley and dig it. Granted they aren’t avid skiers/climbers. Idk. Maybe others will chime in but why not Bham (Bellingham). Seems more akin to Golden.

    Haha meth, oh baby just stroll down HW20... Lyman, Concrete lol it’s great.

    Things that suck about Wash pass is that it’s closed in the Winter. The touring up there is STUPID amazeballs but really only accessible when they open the road in spring.

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  12. #12
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    San Juan Islands, WA.
    Posts
    1,188
    I'm over there about once a month, it's amazing how many stores are closing but they keep building more houses, the mall is completely closed now, Kmart and the whole shopping center is closed, and every strip mall is more than 1/2 empty. We have a farm in Bow (but live in the San Juan's) and it's still quiet there but Anacortes has gotten really expensive and any available lot is being built on. it's 1.5 to 2 hours to Baker from the ferry and traffic on 20 can get surprisingly bad in the afternoons.

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Nov 2002
    Location
    EWA
    Posts
    22,004
    Quote Originally Posted by SkiLyft View Post

    Haha meth, oh baby just stroll down HW20... Lyman, Concrete lol it’s great.





    My mom grew up in Concrete.







    Quote Originally Posted by refried View Post
    I'm over there about once a month, it's amazing how many stores are closing but they keep building more houses, the mall is completely closed now, Kmart and the whole shopping center is closed, and every strip mall is more than 1/2 empty. We have a farm in Bow (but live in the San Juan's) and it's still quiet there but Anacortes has gotten really expensive and any available lot is being built on. it's 1.5 to 2 hours to Baker from the ferry and traffic on 20 can get surprisingly bad in the afternoons.
    Bow is nice.
    When you see something that is not right, not just, not fair, you have a moral obligation to say something. To do something." Rep. John Lewis


    Kindness is a bridge between all people

    Dunkin’ Donuts Worker Dances With Customer Who Has Autism

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