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Mount Vernon / Skagit Valley as home base for WA climbing


manninjo

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I understand there are a few of you on here that call Skagit home. From a climber-who-doesnt-mind-driving perspective, Mt. Vernon seems to offer plenty of options: Riverstone Rock Gym, 10 mins; Mt. Erie, 20-30 mins; Chuckanut sandstone, 20-30 mins; top secret Skagit sport crag and other spots, 20-30 mins; Darrington, 1hr; Index, 1hr 15mins; Newhalem, 1.5hrs; Washington Pass, 2.5 hrs; Squamish, 2.5 - 3hrs etc.

What's the community like and what are folks' thoughts on living there? Is it a good spot to be a climber? If someone was renting part of their house, are there enough outdoors-minded folks in the rental market? I'm coming from Bellingham as a home base the last several years. 

 

 

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The magic Skagit!  :lmao:

I've lived in MV for the past 21 years and quite enjoy it, but I'm a middle aged dad type now and not getting after it like when I was younger.  Still, I lived here during my "storm" years and did notice how central is was to a lot of good options for climbing.  That said, it is western WA so the climbable days are a lot more limited than the east side.  For me, it hit the sweet spot between work commute, recreation, and cost of living. 

There is a small community of climbers and we all seem to know or know of each other.  The Skagit Alpine club has a small core of keen younger folk that like to get out.  You could ask some of them your rental question, I really don't have a good idea.  Everyone seems pretty friendly and it is laid back around here, at least compared to areas north and south.  But, it certainly seems to be getting on the radar of people, and the housing prices are going up really fast. 

As @dberdinka likes to say, Bellingham is ruined now.  :wink:

 

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1 hour ago, JasonG said:

The magic Skagit!  :lmao:

I've lived in MV for the past 21 years and quite enjoy it, but I'm a middle aged dad type now and not getting after it like when I was younger.  Still, I lived here during my "storm" years and did notice how central is was to a lot of good options for climbing.  That said, it is western WA so the climbable days are a lot more limited than the east side.  For me, it hit the sweet spot between work commute, recreation, and cost of living. 

There is a small community of climbers and we all seem to know or know of each other.  The Skagit Alpine club has a small core of keen younger folk that like to get out.  You could ask some of them your rental question, I really don't have a good idea.  Everyone seems pretty friendly and it is laid back around here, at least compared to areas north and south.  But, it certainly seems to be getting on the radar of people, and the housing prices are going up really fast. 

As @dberdinka likes to say, Bellingham is ruined now.  :wink:

 

Darin is a old school ‘ham curmudgeon.  Bellingham was ruined in the 1990.

 

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