5 Questions From a Michigander 

It’s fall in Washington, and my friends Ryan and Max flew in from Chicago, IL, and Michigan, respectively, to hike the Enchantments. It was such an exciting trip for tons of reasons, a big one being that this was Max’s VERY FIRST TIME in the Pacific Northwest (PNW)!!!

It’s so fun to host people who have never been here before. I got to watch his amazement at the scenery and culture out here. He is also a wonderful backpacking partner and was stoked about everything, no matter where we were!

As it was his first time in the area, he had a lot of really good questions. I figured if he has these questions, others might too! Since I didn’t write his questions down, these aren’t verbatim. But I’ll take what I can remember and answer five of his questions since you might have similar ones! 

Question 1: What Are the Different Terrains in Washington and Oregon? 

There are SO MANY geographical varieties in Washington and Oregon, known as microclimates. Even though the PNW is known for rain, that's only a fraction of these state's climate conditions! Most of the rain happens west of the Cascade Range, anyway! There is so much climate diversity here, enough for Washington to produce more than 300 different types of crops! 

These states have it all! Just off the top of my head, Washington and Oregon have:

• Rainforests: Olympic National Park

• Mountains: Cascade range, Coastal range, Olympic mountains, the Blue Mountains, and Steens mountain

• High Desert: Central Oregon 

• Painted Hills: John Day Fossil Beds

• Prairies: around the Puget Sound, though sadly it is disappearing.

• Grasslands and high prairies

• Canyons: Hells Canyon, Cottonwood Canyon, Mule Creek Canyon (on the Rogue River)

• Gorges: Columbia River Gorge

• Northern Pacific Coast: which is WAY different than the Southern California coast, let me tell ya

• Valleys: Rogue Valley, Willamette Valley, and many others

• Wine Country: Not the technical term for the microclimate (lol), but Oregon is rich in soil perfect for cultivating wine grapes- enough so that Oregon has over 900 wineries!!

You can go from seeing a sunset on the Pacific coast to playing in the Rogue River to summiting a volcanic Cascade mountain all in four days! I know because I’ve done that trip, and it was awesome! The climate diversity here is unmatched. 

Question 2: What’s the Cost of Living Like? 

It’s higher than the Midwest, for sure. But as always, it depends on where you’re living. Nerdwallet has a pretty good cost-of-living comparison calculator. Cities are going to be more expensive. Housing is more expensive. Many of my friends have or used to have roommates to split costs.

Costs vary between locations, as always. There are stark differences in cities out here! There is a 22% increase in the cost of living between Portland, OR, and Seattle, WA. Taxes matter, too. Oregon has one of the highest income tax rates in the country. BUT (and it's a big but), it has no sales tax (pretty rad). Washington, on the other hand, is one of the few states that does not have income tax. Washington also has a destination-based sales tax, meaning the sales tax varies from location to location in the state. 

You do need to factor in income. Portland Metro’s minimal wage is $15.95 per hour, with Oregon state's basic minimum wage set at $14.70 per hour. Michigan has a basic minimum wage of $10.33 per hour. I’m showing you the minimum wage for you to see base income comparisons.

However, the minimum wage differences may not be relative to your current career. According to Indeed, the average base teacher salary in Detroit, Michigan is $33.89 an hour whereas the average base teacher salary in Portland, OR is $22.65. Sheesh!! Not looking great, Portland! Bend, OR has a startling average base teacher salary of $50.79! Of course, this is Indeed, so take the average salaries with a grain of salt, but it’s a quick look into salary differences between locations. 

There are pros and cons to living in the Midwest versus the PNW, financially speaking. There is the major determining factor that the Midwest has a reputation for a lower cost of living. If you haven’t already, take the cost of living, salary, and specific location into account before moving.

Question 3: What About White Water Rafting? 

Oh boy, this is a tangent! This was more of an open-ended question that I continued to talk about with Max, probably wayyyy too much. I know he didn’t mind because he wants to experience white water rafting, and he made me feel validated in my monologue-style answers to his rafting questions (thanks for hanging in there, Max). I’ll probably do a whole post on it at some point. For now, I’ll leave you with this:

White water rafting has shaped me as a person. It’s thrilling, yet grounding. It takes lots of practice, but also a willingness to say “yes” to new, scary water. I’ve learned a lot of what not to do while paddling and rowing. I’ve also become a lot more confident in myself and my decision-making because of the mental exercises I’ve had to do on the river. 

I recommend going on a paddle raft to anyone willing to try. Of course, go with someone who knows what they’re doing! Preferably many people who know what they’re doing so you’re safe!! Then eventually, you may be the person giving the directions. 

I encourage you to try it out if you feel the urge. You never know where it’ll lead. Maybe it'll be a one-and-done guided tour you can fondly look back on, or it may be the catalyst for moving across the country. Who knows!

Question 4: Why Here and Not Somewhere Like Utah? 

This is a personal question and will be different for everyone. For me, it’s access to water. Utah is landlocked whereas Oregon and Washington are close to the ocean. Utah is definitely a playground for activity, there’s no doubt about it. Snow sports galore and tons of hiking, rafting/kayaking, climbing, and adventuring. Plus, Utah has national parks like Zion, the Arches, Bryce Canyon, Canyonlands, and Capitol Reef.

The PNW also has a lot of adventuring opportunities more up my alley. The Northwest is greener than Utah, which is known for its red rocks. There’s something really unique and special about the mountain air out here (PNW). 

It also obviously depends on where you live. I have access to the mountains, the ocean, various rivers, and cities all within an hour-ish radius. 

The thing is, where you live is about choices, preferences, and opportunities. Jobs, families, lifestyle, partnerships, and politics all contribute to where you’ll live. I chose the PNW because I fell in love with it. I like having access to secluded mountain trails in old-growth forests, which are only a 20-60 minute drive away. I found a special community. I can live my best life. I can’t get that everywhere.

Question 5: How Is the Snow Out Here? 

It depends on where you’re at. Snow is minimal in the Willamette Valley and up through Portland. I’ve experienced an ice storm before, but it was a one-time thing. Usually, there are just snow flurries and a little ice. 

However, when that does happen, watch out. Portland, Eugene, and pretty much everything in the valley shuts down. Nobody knows what to do in the snow, which is shocking because everyone is also either a snowboarder or a skier. Somewhere between the mountain and the valley people forget how to drive in the snow. This is not me being rude, this is a known stereotype (and fact).

Please watch this video. It will explain everything about Portland and snow. Plus you'll get a good chuckle. Here it is for good measure (belongs to KOIN 6):

Not A Question but Some Pretty Cool Things Happened

Max had some great questions about the Pacific Northwest. He also got to experience some unique events! Other than the Enchantments itself, here are two pretty cool things that happened on the trip...

1. A Bear Family

We just finished backpacking the Enchantments and were at the car gathering our stuff. This older man comes up to us and points towards the river, saying, “Look over there! It’s a family of bears!”

A mama black bear and her cubs were hopping on rocks in the river and by a stream! They were so cute!!! The little cubs were so clumsy. Think of a puppy that has yet to grow into its paws. They were flopping all around! Meanwhile, the mom was hunting for fish and gracefully maneuvering between boulders. What a spectacular way to end the hike! Video taken by Eric Calheim :-)

2. Kayakers

The backup plan if we couldn’t get enchantment permits was to raft the White Salmon River which culminates with Husum Falls, a class V waterfall. I’ve never run the falls and it’s definitely on my bucket list! Here’s a video to get a visual of the waterfall. I knew that the waterfall was visible from the road, and only a 15-minute drive from Hood River, OR. We stopped to get gas in Hood River and I figured why not, let’s go see the falls.

We got there and hit the lottery! There was a group of four kayakers doing laps! So not only did we get to see the falls, but we got to see talented kayakers run it! It was such a treat!

Any More Questions?

This article answer's Max's five questions. I hope this article helps answer some questions you may have about living in the Pacific Northwest. These are only five of what I imagine could be an endless list of questions about moving to the PNW. If you're considering moving out west, feel free to reach out. Even if you don't want to move and you're curious about visiting, ask away! You can contact me here or leave a comment below! Thanks for reading :-)