What really interests me about the PacNW is the longer season.  Colorado season is just too short.  There are options to extend the season, but the time that the good runs are at a solid medium or above is limited. 

 

For boating, I'd love to have access to afterwork / lunchtime options to get some weekday boating in.  I'd also like to have multiple options for day runs in a 2-3 hr radius for weekend trips.

 

I like snowboarding and snowsports also, and close proximity to those would be nice, but not at the sacrifice of boating.  I'd like to not have to put my boat away for 6+ months like I do in colorado.

 

I have looked at seattle, portland, and eugene, but I'm looking for some personal opinions.  We are relatively liberal, but its not really a big deal to us.  Wife is a doctor so a mid to large city would be best for jobs vs. small town.  Looking for a good city with good schools for kids, decent culture (restuarants, museums, wifey stuff), but kickass boating. 

 

Any comments on length of season, quality of water, type of runs, afterwork boating options, best locations, pros and cons of locations etc.

 

I have been doing a lot of net searching on this and I apologize if this is the millionth time someone asks. 

 

Thanks folks!

 

The Pacific Northwest is one of the best places in the world for kayaking. There are a lot of places with great water, but we have an incredible season. You can boat all year around if you're motivated. Our season usually starts in October or November with the fall rains. Things are kicking until mid January or so. Mid January to April is OK. It can get drier, but there is still plenty to do. Then the spring meltoff comes in late April through June (through July in good years).

 

The difference from Colorado is there is always something running. In the summer a lot of the bad-ass class V eases off to IV with the lower water (I'm thinking Tumwater Canyon on the Wenatchee or else the Cascade). About the time things dry up here, British Columbia is going off.

 

Keep in mind that you're close to some great destinations on the west coast. California tends to go off a bit earlier than Oregon or Washington, while British Columbia is a couple months later. The end result is great water all year around. And I haven't even begun to list all the creeking in the Columbia Gorge.

 

I'm paddling all the time, so I can't speak to the skiing here. There are plenty of lush forests though.

 

- Otterboy

 

Skiing is in the mix, so I appreciate the mt hood comments.

 

Any comments on weekday boating opportunities for the 9-5er's.  One thing that it great about Denver is that in the summer I can boat everyday afterwork with runs in a 30-45 min drive.  Of course thats great for about 2 months then its gone. 

 

I'd love to be able to get some afterwork or lunch break boating in.

 

Thanks!!!!