Winthrop/Wenatchee Washington

[poadeleted3]

I know some folks who are moving to that area. They've done their own research. I merely curious for my own reasons what the area is like? Sounds like a nice place to be if you like to play outdoors, without a lot of big city hassles.

Climate also sounds an awful lot like Anchorage's.

Anyone here from around there?

 

[poadeleted1]

I know some folks who are moving to that area. They've done their own research. I merely curious for my own reasons what the area is like? Sounds like a nice place to be if you like to play outdoors, without a lot of big city hassles.

Climate also sounds an awful lot like Anchorage's.

Anyone here from around there?

I think that's Dee G. country.

 

[Ghery]

That's the north central part of the state of Washington. A good place to go to get away from it all. No large cities. No medium sized cities. Wenatchee isn't what I'd call large. Spokane is the largest city in eastern Washington and it is less than 200,000 people. Winthrop is tiny by comparison.

Warm to hot in the summer. Cold in the winter. Nowhere near the precipitation that we get on the we(s)t side of the Cascades. Far more sunny days. Read - better VFR flying weather.

If they like outdoor activities, they are coming to the right place. They won't have to worry about big city hassles as they won't be anywhere near a big city.

 

[EdFred]

I would move there in a heartbeat if I had a job - and if I could convince someone special to move with me.

 

[ScottM]

I know two things about that area. One is a scuba shop that runs trips to the Caribbean. The owner is a great guy and the people he brings on the trips are very nice and fun to hang around with. The other thing is the Roberson child abuse case. The later was a modern day witch hunt that is an embarasment to the people I have met from that area.

Generally though, I have relatives in the pacific NW and have done business out towrds Spokan as well as doing my survival training there when I was in the Air Force. It is a beautiful area and I would not hesitate to move there.

 

[Tom-D]

I know some folks who are moving to that area. They've done their own research. I merely curious for my own reasons what the area is like? Sounds like a nice place to be if you like to play outdoors, without a lot of big city hassles.

Climate also sounds an awful lot like Anchorage's.

Anyone here from around there?

Wenatchee, that's pronounced WEN-NAT-CHEE is the junction of Hw, 97 and 2, just down the valley from Pete & Dee's and the gateway to the eastern side of the state. They get snow and cold weather but not nearly as cold as Anchorage, and is dry and hot in the summer. 90+ is the norm,

The high desert is mostly dry wheat country, cattle ranches, but in the valleys it's fruit country, (Pete & Dee's Cherry orchard) apples, pears, (BPA)Dams and hydro power, it's Grand Cooley Dam, and the great Columbia Basin.

Winthrop is Logging, Tourist, and hopefully ski country soon, it is where they close the North Cascade Highway in the winter on the east side. It is in the Methow valley the last town up before you commit to 80+ miles of no services thru the Cascade range. It's 3 + hours east of me on the most Scenic highway In the Lower 48. It's also the home of Loyds Logging, the largest helo logging company in the world. and they have some very large Mule Deer that must squat to crap in a dump truck.

Got pictures, looking both east and west in the Methow Valley west of Winthrop, and the high desert wheat country east of Wenatchee

But tell your friends to be prepaired for a culture shock, this is moral America, farm country folks, of mostly spanish descent. City folks usually are in for a surprise Hopefully a pleasant one. people call you sir/ma'm, and you can leave your car, unlocked and find it when you come back.

 

[Tom-D]

WoW how did that maule sneek in there? How do you delete a picture?

 

[Dave Krall CFII]

It was right under my commute a few years back and I'd spiral down in a SkyHawk or Cherokee for BBQ ribs now & again. The main street has a bunch of store fronts done in barnwood to give the wild west atmosphere albeit with all the modern conveniences.

Many of the native born locals like to feel they're all out there on their own while comforting their pleasant facade with all the accessories and security that urban America can suppy to them. City mice in general are less than lovingly referred to as "Coastys" until accepted otherwise, as is indeed the case throughout the whole region.

 

[DeeG]

I love living here. Wenatchee is the largest 'burg in the area (Not counting Spokane and the Tri-Cities area).

Winthrop is a 'destination' type of town. Touristy and quaint. Gets busy in the summer. We like to ride the m/c's up there for lunch. About 20 miles or so west of there is a small spot in the road called Mazama. The only gas station between there and civilization on the west side of the hills is about 3/4 of a mile off the main highway. We know someone that lives out in the woods there. It is really pretty. And that's where Highway 20 closes in the winter. trying to keep the roadway clear of snow and avalanches past there is a joke, so DOT doesn't bother. It is a BEAUTIFUL ride/drive from Winthrop to Burlington when the highway is open.

It is very pretty up there. However, closest Walmart is in Okanogan, about an hour drive away.

Lots of small towns in between Wenatchee and Winthrop. Twisp is another 'destination' a few miles east of Winthrop. Up the highway from Okanogan is Omak, home of the Omak Stampede. Down south is Lake Chelan. 65 mile long lake, about 1000' deep. Very popular in the summer.

Wenatchee is a decent place. Main area in the valley to do any shopping, unless you feel like driving to Spokane or Seattle. Main part of wenatchee is like any other small city (about 30K population). outlying areas are better to live, but it depends on how much you want to spend. Home prices are in the 90's to 400K, and upwards of 5 million on the water in Chelan.

On the east side of the Columbia is.....well......not much. Waterville is the county seat. Home of the Shockers. (As in shock of wheat). Biggest thing going in Douglas County is the fair and harvest season. And of course the county line borders Grand Coulee Dam. Lots of tribal areas in that neck o the woods, as well as Okanogan and Omak.

West of Wenatchee is Cashmere (where we live) and Leavenworth, Washington's Bavarian Village. Huge tourist attraction. Some kind of fest going on all the time. Christmas lighting, snow fest, Ocktoberfest, Sausage Fest, Beer Fest, May Day, Autumn Leaf Festival. You name it, they'll have a fest for it. Spendy housing in Leavenworth as well.

things to do:

Winter time: numerous places to x/c ski & snowmobile. three ski areas in the valley: Stevens Pass, Mission Ridge, and the little slope up in Hooterville (what we in dispatch call Waterville).

Summer: Waterski, boating on the numerous lakes and the Columbia River, bicycling, waterski, jetski, horses, hiking, dirt bikes, motocross, tours of the Rocky Reach and Grand Coulee Dams. Apple Blossom festival in Wenatchee. Minor league Baseball team, the Applesox. I belive there is also a new minor league soccer team as well. If your friends are into horses, Wenatchee has one of the nicest stables around, Appleatchee. (Yup, just about everything has to have Apple in it).

I never thought I would leave SoCal. Now I know that I will NEVER move back there.


The pic with the mountains is looking west from the Mazama area towards Washington and Rainey Passes.

The other is looking northwest from the southern end of Wenatchee. Wenatchee is on the left side of the river, East Wenatchee is on the right. the hill on the left side of the photo is Birch Mountain. Neat botanical park on the eastern slope called Ohme Gardens. The hill to the north under the clouds is called Chelan Butte, popular place to launch your hand glider from. On the east side of the river is the slope leading up to Badger Mountain and the Waterville Plateau.

Wanna know anything else? Just ask. Got lots of pics too, if you're interested.

I think your friends will like it here (oh yeah, no state income tax, either).

Dee

 

[flyingcheesehead]

Down south is Lake Chelan. 65 mile long lake, about 1000' deep. Very popular in the summer.

Wenatchee is a decent place. Main area in the valley to do any shopping, unless you feel like driving to Spokane or Seattle.

Had an ex-gf from Wenatchee and spent a week there and on Lake Chelan with her and her family a couple of summers ago. It's beautiful out there! I had a wonderful time despite breaking three ribs when I got thrown off a jet-ski at 65mph. The water is VERY cold there too, I think it comes from the snow melting off the mountains.

The people were nice, the weather was nice, the scenery was beautiful. If your friends are into flying, I know there was an airport at Wenatchee (I hope they have $100 burgers there, since the airport code is "EAT!") and another at Chelan (I was hoping to fly there the following summer, but we broke up. )

One downside: It is very dry and so it's wildfire country. While I was there, there was one fire burning to the west of us on the south side of Lake Chelan (got to watch the choppers working on that one from the jet-ski), another on the opposite side of the lake northwest of where we were that was on the other side of a mountain and cast an eerie glow into the sky at night. Finally, a third one started while we were there - An owl flew into a transformer and the burning owl parts falling to the ground started some small fires in the afternoon. By the following night, it was one big fire and houses on the east end of Chelan were going up, household chemicals causing occasional explosions. I'll take my tornados, thank you.

Still, lots of good things going for it. Ya gotta pick your favorite natural disasters, none of us are immune to them all! And I definitely agree with Dee, central and eastern WA kick the crap out of SoCal for me.

 

[Tom-D]

They got a Walmart in OMAK. My daughter's inlaws live there.

 

[Tom-D]

none of us are immune to them all! .

AHHH Yes we are,

I live on an Island, No Floods.

The earth ratttled a little once, 3.2 EQ ain't all that bad, just scares the crap outa ya.

The biggest mountain that could blow it's stack is down wind.

Snows just a little each winter. once this year, it didn't stick.

Rains 22 inches average each year.

no tornados

No blizzards

Daffies are up in march, tulips in april.

Winds blow a tree on the electric lines once in a blue moon, but we need a night off the computer once in a while.

And we are comuting distance to 3 major metroplexes, VanCouver, Victoria, and Seattle.

we have more VFR flying days than San Diego.

Ahhh Whidbey is home.

 

[DeeG]

One downside: It is very dry and so it's wildfire country.

Yeah, that's one of the downfalls to this area. However, we had no major wildfires last summer. (Mainly because everything has already burned.....)

When were you up at the Lake? I remember about three or four years ago, there was the Pot Peak fire, burning on the south shore, then there was 25 Mile Creek (north shore), then the Union Valley fire (directly n/o Chelan, started by a guy welding in his yard). Pete and I were driving up to Chelan when that one started, got some nice photos of the tankers and such. It was pretty cool because we happened to have the Icom with us and I found the freq that the tankers were using.
Then the fire started by the bird. That one was along Highway 97 on the east side of the river. I know they lost some out buiuldings in those fires and I think a couple of summer cabins, but I don't think any main residences. The only fire recently that took out someones house was the Fischer Fire. That fire was two summers ago, a few miles from my house from my house. I got some awesome footage of that fire when it crested the hills at Pinnacles State Park. Helo's were turning base over our house, head over the river and dump. Those guys were absolutely amazing.

Nope, I don't want to move anywhere else. I'll put up with the occasional wildfire. Someday, when the eastern half of the state kicks out the western half of the state, it will be paradise. I'm seeing roadblocks on the mountain passes, steep tolls charged to them from King, Pierce and Snohomish Counties, travel visas, no travel during winter months since they have no clue about driving in the snow...........

 

[DeeG]

If your friends are into flying, I know there was an airport at Wenatchee (I hope they have $100 burgers there, since the airport code is "EAT!") and another at Chelan (I was hoping to fly there the following summer, but we broke up. )

QUOTE]

There is a cafe of sorts at Pangborn (KEAT), but if you want good food.....fuel up at Pangborn then fly to Cashmere. Grab the loaner van or a loaner bicycle and head over to Country Boys BBQ. OR to Barneys, or Hitching Post, or the Mexican place next to it.

 

[Ghery]

Cashmere.


But Tiny's is long gone...

 

[DeeG]

Cashmere.

But Tiny's is long gone...

True, but the memory of Tiny lives on at the local grocery store, Martins Marketplace.

ANd you can get some really good burgers at Rustys drive in, which is next to the Cashmere Museum

 

[flyingcheesehead]

When were you up at the Lake? I remember about three or four years ago, there was the Pot Peak fire, burning on the south shore, then there was 25 Mile Creek (north shore), then the Union Valley fire (directly n/o Chelan, started by a guy welding in his yard). Pete and I were driving up to Chelan when that one started, got some nice photos of the tankers and such. It was pretty cool because we happened to have the Icom with us and I found the freq that the tankers were using.
Then the fire started by the bird. That one was along Highway 97 on the east side of the river. I know they lost some out buiuldings in those fires and I think a couple of summer cabins, but I don't think any main residences. The only fire recently that took out someones house was the Fischer Fire. That fire was two summers ago, a few miles from my house from my house. I got some awesome footage of that fire when it crested the hills at Pinnacles State Park. Helo's were turning base over our house, head over the river and dump. Those guys were absolutely amazing.

Dee,

That was the summer I was there - Early July 04. We didn't go check out the bird fire, but everyone else did. We found something better to do. I just remember that the fire burned relatively slowly for a day and on the second night went from a mere glow on the horizon to being very bright and huge pillars of flame shooting up into the sky from time to time.

I think the Fischer fire was the one I saw the helos for - South side of the lake, 8 or 10 miles west of the state park? Or was that Pot Peak?

We watched the fireworks from a boat about 50 yards away from the barge they were being launched from. WAY cool, as they'd fill the entire sky above us rather than being off to the side like I'm used to seeing them. The second night, when they did fireworks at Manson, we watched from the dock but the display ended early because someone was injured, IIRC. I also remember the glow of a fire back behind the mountain there (25 mile creek by your description).

I loved it, though. What I wouldn't give for a place on the lake up there and a Seawind 300C.

 

[DeeG]

I think the Fischer fire was the one I saw the helos for - South side of the lake, 8 or 10 miles west of the state park? Or was that Pot Peak?

That would have been Pot Peak. Fischer Fire was in August and it was in the Leavenworth/Cashmere area.

I loved it, though. What I wouldn't give for a place on the lake up there and a Seawind 300C.

Well, an aquaintance of ours is thinking about selling her house on the lake. It's in Manson, upshore from Wapato Point resort. Nice house, at the end of a cul-de-sac, I belive the house is worth about 5 million. --sigh-- I couldn't afford to pay the property taxes on that place (about 60K a year).