Seattle, Would you?

[Digger]

I’m soliciting responses from those who have real firsthand knowledge of the Seattle area; maybe you live or have lived there. Or maybe you frequent the area regularly.

I’m considering relocation, now that the company I work for has been acquired by a company that also has operations in Redmond, among other places.

Obviously as an angler, there’s the thought that having the accessibility to some very productive steelhead waters not so far from home, a very appealing one.

As it is now, I drive from So. Ca to the Klamath or Trinity only a couple times a year because of the logistics and distance.
And not that it’s a requirement, but it is a long drive back after a few days and not even a tug.

But that isn’t the foremost consideration, I’m taking in the other aspects of cost of living, no state taxes, traffic, congestion, weather, crime, etc. Oh, and I'm also a big time skier. I've vistied briefly and one of the lasting memeories is that it is a very scenic setting for a city.

So if anyone could respond candidly on any or all of this, I’d certainly appreciate the feedback, pros- cons, etc.

Thanks much!
Mike

[Jake O]

I believe you have answered your own question when you stated that you currently live in So Cal...isnt anything an upgrade? Seriously though, Seattle is nice.

[Digger]

Lol, yeah.
But I live in a more decent area on the Ventura county line, thank God.
if it weren't for that, I'd have moved long ago.

[amoeba]

I only visit and pass through there regularly; other than fishing - which is better in most respects than SoCal:

-good skiing close by in Canada (Whistler-Blackcombe), not so interesting State-side (Hood, Batchelor)
-cooler temp, some periods of rain/clouds, mainly in winter (I like this better than 9 months of blazing sun/no rain; but this bothers some people so much they bail).
-one less segment to fly to Alaska;
-low, but inevitable, long term risks (volcanic activity)
-reasonable access to beaches, hiking, etc., but alot of people/traffic some times.

[Pete]

Mike - If I could move to Seattle, I would regardless of the fishing - although that's a plus. It's a beautiful place and the city has a lot to offer. Many people enter into a love hate relationship with the weather - but I liked it. There are 4 distinct seasons and winter is tough. Spring, summer and fall are awesome. As for traffic and congestion, I-5 through Seattle can be a nightmare, but it's a major metropolitan area. However, I've been stuck in 405 traffic and that was the worst I have ever experienced. Crime - I always felt comfortable walking the city at night. It has it's rough areas but that's everywhere. As far as cost of living - I can't comment on that in relation to your present situation, but Seattle is by no means an inexpensive place to live or an expensive place to live. There are some rough areas and some absolutely unreal affluent areas and there are some very nice thriving middle class neighborhoods. I would recommend heading up there for a long weekend. Take the tram (forgot the actual name) from Sea-Tac into Seattle. Seattle is a very walkable city. Grab a cup of coffee and take a few ferry rides out to neighboring cities/towns/islands. Do some exploring - Seattle is a great place. I miss it and would jump on a plane now if I could. Hope my $.02 helps. Good luck -

[Darian]

I've been through and visited Seattle many times over the years but aways in the summer/early fall. Found it to be a beautiful, friendly city. Can't say what it might be like in winter but suppose it's a lot like living around Eureka. Haven't been there when it snows in the city but it occasionally does. Since you currently live in an area with a sunny climate, you might not adjust easily to the Seattle climate. No more light weight clothing....

All of the things you pointed out about access to good fishing, other places and activities, etc., is true. However, it's a different type of fishing than in SoCal (even in the ocean). Ocean water temps are colder. Thus, no tropical saltwater species. Not much swimming in the surf or rivers in the immediate area, I'd imagine. Also, your travel time from Seattle to some of the better ski areas doesn't appear to be much different than going to Mammoth from where you are, now. Do they salt the highways up there?? If so, you'll experience increased wear/rust on your vehicles.

As to taxes, it's true that WA doesn't tax personal income but does sales and property (personal/real and no Prop 13) at comparable or higher rates to CA's. Like CA, there're local (city/county) sales taxes to add to the state's tax. Further, There's a estate tax that's enforced regardless of whether the feds no longer have one. So, no free lunch.

At any rate, it's nice to have options. How about checking out some of the other places your employer has to offer???

Good luck at whatever you decide to do....

[Larry S]

Mike,
Gotta laugh at the broad brush some of the posters use to describe "SoCal." To each his own. Ventura area has some of the best
surf fishing on the west coast. Keep in mind that rivers into Puget Sound are closed around the first of the year to
"protect" the wild fish. Shawn Kempkes can correct me, if I'm wrong. The Olympic Pennisula is doable; you're close to BC, some
summer steel heading available and ,yes, there is the skiing. Seattle area has a high suicide rate due to the "gloom" that descends
every winter. Seattle traffic rivals any big city. Would I move there? Certainly, if the opportunity arose I spent lots of time
there in the summers of 1970-80 and really liked the people.
Good luck with your decision. Hope you stay aboard the Kiene ship.
Best,
Larry S

[Digger]

Larry, D, Pete,
Thanks for the responses.
I've been living down here way too long and like I said, I'm hours away from the things I love to do, so that travel time in itself is a big de-motivator.
There's also the possibility of xfer to Sacramento, but being from there originally I don't have strong aspirations to move back, although being centrally located to most of No Ca is a big plus.
Climate certainly is a big factor, although I view myself as more of a 'winter' person, I spent one year in Truckee and that was all I needed to tell me what a pain in the ass real winter can be. Lately these long dry summers and Santa Ana's are taking their toll. A few weeks back we had a wildfire that came a bit too close.

I'm really not much of a saltwater/surf fisher, don't know why, maybe haven't haven't given it a good chance.

I've made reservations for the long Independence Day weekend to spend it up there and kind of get a feel for the area and the real estate prices. I guess it would be better to visit in mid-winter for a reality check, but too late for that.
Thanks again for the thoughts.

[TyV]

A different take from someone who lived in rainy Oregon for 16 years. I spent a year and a half living outside Seattle and couldn't take it. That year "summer" came in the form of a single weekend. In Oregon we slug through 8 months of grey wet gloom for the 4 months that are heaven on earth. In Seattle some years it really is 12 months of grey wet and gloom...it's brutal.

Beautiful sure...but coming from sunny California the odds that you will be happy are not very good. That is just a reality. If you do go, buy "happy lights" your home, office and tying bench...will certainly help your chances. They are worth every penny! The stories are true about Seasonal Affected Disorder. You would make a prime candidate going from constant sun to very little. Oh and don't let your trip in July/August fool you if you happen to have brilliant weather.

Best of luck to you whatever you decide.

Fish ON

[oldtrout]

I came very close to moving to Seattle several years ago, but apparently I do better in environments with more sunlight than Seattle receives (Seasonal Affective Disorder).

Edit - please forgive, I didn't read the post above.