Hi, I am from so cal. and am contemplating a move tot he pacific Northwest ( work). How do you guys like it. I see there are only 58 days of sunshine a year. is it really that overcast. how much rain do you get. I am looking at the area around bellingham. so any thoughts are welcome. How about the four wheeling or just back road exploring? are there a lot of trails?

any thoughts anyone would care to share would be appreciated. Especially anyone coming from the so cal area and moving up there. Thanks

 

yes, it does rain that much up here..but you'll get used to it. Bellingham is nice but it's known as a very "liberal" place...

 

....there's a lot of rain, and grey overcast days, but when the sun does shine, it's pretty spectacular. Bellingham is pretty chill, there's a smaller college there, and you're basically in Canada. I love the PNW, but I've lived here all my life, so obviously well adapted to the climate. Plenty of JK terrain to explore and wheeling to be done. Bellingham is right next to Mt. Baker, look it up.

 

There's definitely a large number of days of precipitation in most of western Washington but it's not heavy rainfall, usually more like a heavy misting or drizzle. Plenty of good spots for the JK, old mining, logging, and forestry roads all over the mountains with some decent trails. If you're really worried about the rain you can always hold up in one of the rainshadow towns where it doesn't rain at all compared to the rest of the area.

 

I've lived here almost 13 years and still don't own an umbrella! We've got coffee, microbrews, music, art, water, trees, mountains and trails, oh my. Regardless of the weather, I've moved back here twice because it's the best balance of city, wilderness and culture I could find.

 

I moved from Santa Rosa CA. in 2001 to the Olympia Wa. area. I like the summer (ALL TWO MONTHS OF IT) but I will never get used to the months without seeing the sun.
There is a big trade off though. Up here I can live in a new 2800 Square foot home on 6 acres that back in Santa Rosa would have cost 3 to 4 times as much.

 

I'm a flatlander looking for some good off-road trails and to visit family...my niece just started at WWU and my brother (her dad) is in Snoqualmie...I'm thinking of doing a PNW trip in the Spring...A road trip starting in Boise, and out to Bellingham, picking up my brother in Snoqualmie.... are there trails that are easily accessible for Rubi's (stock equipped...no mods to tires/suspension) come March or April between Bellingham and Snowqualmie? Any recommendations? I've been to the area awhile back but it involved a Ford Focus rental car....no offroading.

 

...sorry about the earlier typo.

 

A stock Rubi can handle the Fortune Creek area and nearly all of Walker Valley. You may scrape a few places at Walker Valley. And make sure you have a winch or a buddy with tow straps, especially if it's wet because there are a few places you could get into trouble.

 

x2 on the Foutune creek trail. Very easy for a stock Rubicon, My friend did it in a stock TJ Sahara with a few underbelly scapes. Oh and the pay off at the end is Awesome!
Edit* just saw that you plan on March-april visit.. Most definetly will have some snow up there at that time, may even be closed, I don't know.