Is Oregon for us? Oregon Winter Questions! (Bend, Ashland: apartments, rent to own)

[CookieMonster25]

Hi everyone!

My husband and I have been planning to move to the Oregon Area.

What we are looking for is this:

A small cozy town, not too populated. maybe 20-40 mintues away from the big towns?

We would prefer to rent to own a home or rent a home. No apartments.

Lots of SNOW! would like long winters with packed snow on the ground that lasts a while maybe into March. Really DONT want the kind of winters where it snows only like 1 week or 2 and thats all, or the kind where it snows one day, melts the other, snow sprinkles a bit then sunny, then rain, and then more sun. I really dont like summer climate, or bright sunny days. I prefer clouds and snow!

A lot of wildlife!

not a lot of traffic.

maybe somewhere where we could also get a decent job, my husband is a diesel mechanic and am a dog groomer.

Also I cant travel much past 2800 ft elevation. I feel sick for some reason. Im sure i can get used to it but would prefer the place to be below 3,000ft.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

[Silverfall]

Well Sisters sounds like it would work for you, but I don't think you will get work there and I don't know the elevation. The whole Willamette Valley is out because the point of clouds is that they trap heat keeping things too warm for snow. Maybe some of the southern Oregon folks would have an idea for cities down south that get snow.

[PNW-type-gal]

Most of the cities that get appreciable snow are in the foothills or the high desert and are either right at or well above 3,000'

[delta07]

Even the places that get a lot of snow, east of the Cascades, don't have snow on the ground all winter long and like PNW-gal said, they are above 3000'. For example, here in Bend we had about 6" of snow on the ground a few days ago, but for the most part it has melted except in the shade and on side streets. This has been a snowy winter so far too. Last year, we had more rain than snow.

To get that kind of snow, with no elevation, you might consider the midwest, specifically the great lake states.

[skinem]

Originally Posted by delta07

To get that kind of snow, with no elevation, you might consider the midwest, specifically the great lake states.

...or go further north. Northeast WA can meet that requirement, many winters.

Getting work is another story...

[shroom]

Coeur d'Alene, ID area. Lower than 2800' elevation, lots of snow, amazingly gorgeous area, several small towns nearby and 30 miles or so east of Spokane.

[Ryant]

Coeur d'Alene, ID is nice

[modeerf]

Greensprings above Ashland.

Bring lots of money, and guns.

[pdxMIKEpdx]

A small cozy town, not too populated. maybe 20-40 mintues away from the big towns?

Really DONT want the kind of winters where it snows only like 1 week or 2 and thats all, or the kind where it snows one day, melts the other, snow sprinkles a bit then sunny, then rain, and then more sun. I really dont like summer climate, or bright sunny days. I prefer clouds and snow!

The problem with this is that you are describing the climate of just about all the "cozy" towns that surround the "big" towns/cities that mostly are all in the Willamette Valley.

Even Bend.

You will have to get into the mountains for that kind of climate, and the drive will be far longer than an hour or less.

I guess the key is understanding what your idea of a "big town" is population wise.

[Steve Pickering]

Lots of snow below 3,000 in Oregon until March? Not likely anywhere in the state.