motomagik Posted June 28, 2007 Share Posted June 28, 2007 Just wondering, I have a potentially good job opportunity in Bellingham. I have been there before and loved the town, I am a sailor and am particularly psyched about that aspect, but what are peoples opinions on the climbing situation? Is it really dim from Oct thru May? Does the 3 months of good weather and the proximity to Squamish/North Cascades make up for it? Here in Portland we have an easy run to Smith/Trout Creek/Tieton when things are bad on the west side, plus some local crags that are actually pretty fun for dry winter days. Basically, if I move to B-ham will I have to forget about climbing 9 months of the year? Thanks for the opinions! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillA Posted June 28, 2007 Share Posted June 28, 2007 Um, you can't move to Bellingham. Sorry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Choada_Boy Posted June 28, 2007 Share Posted June 28, 2007 Nothing to see here. Move along. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bstach Posted June 28, 2007 Share Posted June 28, 2007 Just wondering, I have a potentially good job opportunity in Bellingham. I have been there before and loved the town, I am a sailor and am particularly psyched about that aspect, but what are peoples opinions on the climbing situation? Is it really dim from Oct thru May? Does the 3 months of good weather and the proximity to Squamish/North Cascades make up for it? Here in Portland we have an easy run to Smith/Trout Creek/Tieton when things are bad on the west side, plus some local crags that are actually pretty fun for dry winter days. Basically, if I move to B-ham will I have to forget about climbing 9 months of the year? Thanks for the opinions! Â If its such a good job, pay to fly to Red Rocks and J-Tree in the winter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roboboy Posted June 28, 2007 Share Posted June 28, 2007 Bellingham is just plain ugly. And you will have to suffer endlessly through the long, dark, dismal winter. Â Â Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catbirdseat Posted June 28, 2007 Share Posted June 28, 2007 Just wondering, I have a potentially good job opportunity in Bellingham. I have been there before and loved the town, I am a sailor and am particularly psyched about that aspect, but what are peoples opinions on the climbing situation? Is it really dim from Oct thru May? Does the 3 months of good weather and the proximity to Squamish/North Cascades make up for it? Here in Portland we have an easy run to Smith/Trout Creek/Tieton when things are bad on the west side, plus some local crags that are actually pretty fun for dry winter days. Basically, if I move to B-ham will I have to forget about climbing 9 months of the year? Thanks for the opinions! Well, its about a four hour drive to Vantage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
octopuswithafez Posted June 28, 2007 Share Posted June 28, 2007 Mt. Erie in the rain shadow.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motomagik Posted June 28, 2007 Author Share Posted June 28, 2007 thanks roboboy for those amazing pics! doesn't look like too awful of a place to live... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G-spotter Posted June 28, 2007 Share Posted June 28, 2007 Bellingham is full of trustafarian WWU students, hippies, and dark balls of compressed rage like Justin and Bob. It's basically Boulder-on-the-Pacific. Worst of all it's only an hour from chilliwack and the stench of a million cow anuses drifts across the border regularly. Â There are no decent mountains nearby. Baker is a snowy slog with less than a pitch of good ice anywhere. Shuksan (Suck-san) has had its soul stolen by millions of photographs. The rock on the Twin Sisters is so grippy that climbing there is not challenging in the slightest. canada is out unless you like cavity searches; anyways, with the way the US dollar is goin vs. the loon, soon it will cost you $100 US just to gas up in Canada and a Starbucks latte will be $40. Â In short, Bellingham is a pile of crap and you shouldn't move anywhere near. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catbirdseat Posted June 28, 2007 Share Posted June 28, 2007 I shouldn't laugh at Dru's jokes, but in this case I couldn't help myself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Choada_Boy Posted June 28, 2007 Share Posted June 28, 2007 I agree with Drool on this one. Best to stay away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weekend_Climberz Posted June 28, 2007 Share Posted June 28, 2007 Is this the Bellingham Rant Thread? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MountaingirlBC Posted June 28, 2007 Share Posted June 28, 2007 I like Bellingham. It's a good central location. Get yourself a Nexus pass so you can drive up to Canada without lubing up before you hit the border, then Squamish & all the other BC coolness is an option. Bellingham has some decent local rock that's super close so you can climb after work. Â Washington Pass is 2.5 - 3 hours away so you can get out of the rain easily... ditto for Leavenworth (3-3.5hrs) and Vantage, already mentioned. Tieton is just a little past Vantage. Â Yeah the weather sucks ass. Particularly now but when it doesn't suck it is spectacular. And if you like sailing you've got a good shoulder season activity. It's very popular around the San Juans. Â And there's the Pickets You should go put a trail in there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wayne Posted June 28, 2007 Share Posted June 28, 2007 The Pickets are closed for bird mating, and personal reasons I cant go into. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canadug Posted June 28, 2007 Share Posted June 28, 2007 The 'Ham is totally jingus. You are lucky to get out of there alive after driving through the industrial part of town....the only reason it is there is so Canadians can come down and shop at Bellis Fair Mall. Oh yeah, Washington/Rainy Pass is called that for a reason..if it is raining in the 'Ham it is likely raining up there as well. Just stay away from the place it is a big black hole. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Choada_Boy Posted June 28, 2007 Share Posted June 28, 2007 I watched a man get beaten to death with a baseball bat, on the corner of Railroad and Holly, during an argument over meth. I've had my car broken into numerous times. I had all my gear stolen out of my car while it was parked in front of my house. I've had my house broken into several times, and once I chased a meth-fueled black man out of my house when I woke up while he was sexually assaulting my sleeping wife. I'm telling you, STAY AWAY. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MountaingirlBC Posted June 28, 2007 Share Posted June 28, 2007 oh and I forgot to mention that it's a hell of a lot cheaper than living in Vancouver or Seattle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motomagik Posted June 28, 2007 Author Share Posted June 28, 2007 Wow, and I thought Portlanders were bitter about people moving to town... you all are really really bitter. Thanks to those who actually had good info! I didn't realize Leavenworth was that close, they get a pretty good rain shadow there, no? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canadug Posted June 28, 2007 Share Posted June 28, 2007 L-Worth..rainshadow yes. The problem is that winter is still winter. So from late October to spring it is cold and snowy over there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dt_3pin Posted June 29, 2007 Share Posted June 29, 2007 L-Worth..rainshadow yes. The problem is that winter is still winter. So from late October to spring it is cold and snowy over there. Â No doubt. Plus the fact that Baker never ever goes off makes winter so much more suck in the ham. Â Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canadug Posted June 29, 2007 Share Posted June 29, 2007 (edited) I also saw some Dude stomping an ant to death on the sidewalk in the 'Ham for no friggin' Edited June 29, 2007 by canadug Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tyree Posted June 29, 2007 Share Posted June 29, 2007 Wasnt there a thread here in the past about how the climbing scene in Bellingham sucks compared to the RAD scenes in Seattle or Portland? Soo if the climbing life is what you seek look elsewhere, just ask Mr E. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Choada_Boy Posted June 29, 2007 Share Posted June 29, 2007 Mr. E couldn't tell the difference between Baker and Shuksan. He left town when the Feng Shui crapped out after they built a Starbucks in "The Pit" instead of a community garden. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mythosgrl Posted June 29, 2007 Share Posted June 29, 2007 I like Bellingham! I have climbed at Mt. Erie in November and had 60 degree weather before. Many times I have climbed there when it was raining in the ham. Bellingham also has less rainfall than Seattle on average. I don't think Bellingham is dark and dismall at all. Maybe it's because i have lived in Western WA almost my whole life and that's what i'm used to though. Went up to Squamish last weekend (1 hour and 45 mins away for world class climbing!) and there's always Skaha if it's raining in Squamish. Â People are friendly here, downtown has good restaurants and shops, you can bike pretty much anywhere, and when the sun is out, it is amazing. Honestly, if you're considering moving anywhere in Western Washington other than like, Squim, you're going to have to deal with rainy days. Suck it up and buy a rain jacket. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cj001f Posted June 29, 2007 Share Posted June 29, 2007 Is there a town popular with outdoor people that you can't bike pretty much anywhere and that doesn't have lots of good restaurants and shops? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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