Washington or Colorado?

My girlfriend and I are planning on moving from Vermont to either Washington or Colorado after we finish our undergrad programs. We both love long easy multi pitch trad routes, general mountaineering and glacier travel, hiking and biking and sunny weather. I also love ice climbing. This may be a difficult question to answer with so many variables but I'm looking for a kind of pros and cons list for each place. What do you all think?

So difficult hahahaha.  It’s like 1 state has this, and the other this.

I have lived in both.  

Colorado - Sun, hiking, biking, long easy multi pitch.

Washington - hiking, biking, long easy multi pitch, and glacier travel.

Both are expensive (if you live near a major city).  I have found climbing in Colorado to feel more crowded in the front range, than around Seattle.

The cragging close to home seems superior in Colorado, with the exception of Index, if you consider that close to home from Seattle.

The mountaineering and Alpine climbing,  IMO, in Washington, is superior to Colorado.  It’s tough with the short season.

Either place is great, it will be what you make of it.  There is likely no Utopian area, and both will have their ups and downs.

Just pick one and commit.  You’ll enjoy both.   If you’re like me, spend a few years in both, then move to Utah.

Best of luck.  

Have fun and be safe. 

Well the next week is basically rain in western Washington and sunshine in the front range.    Maybe 4 months of the year You could argue WA is preferable but the other 8 I don’t think it’s much of a contest.

Washington is so much cooler than Colorado. 

Sam Rumel wrote: Washington is so much cooler than Colorado. 

QFT 

colorado is probably objectively superior from a rock climbing perspective, but it also has a lot more 1) californians 2) people who complain when it rains 3) climbers in general. proximity to the desert is a major plus.

washington will test your optimism and opportunism, make you appreciate moss, give you access to the most serious alpine terrain in the lower 48 with a lot of glaciers, and it also has index. proximity to british columbia is a plus. it also may rain for literally two months straight.

i've also been in california for two months and I miss the rain, if that means anything.

What's more important to you, quality days outdoors or quality of climbing? Washington has better quality of climbing, but Colorado has more quality outdoor days.

Go where your jobs take you.

Go to Washington.

I grew up in Washington,
Have lived briefly in Colorado.
Weather can suck in winter and spring in Washington, Snow is wet as hell too.
Denver is expensive but Seattle is MUCH worse.

Colorado would be my choice.

climbing friend,

you are not coming to teh coloradoz

there are too many peoples, subaru, tacoma, "crag dog," "crag baby," white peoples with dreadlocks wielding organic vegetable, hipster with mustache of curling style,

the traffic it is most incredible

the sunshine, it is horrible, burning peeling your flesh off you ambulating skeleton, making you climbing rocks holds greased like pig

it is not long no until denver is blistering hellscape where nothing may grow

the rent, is "too damn high" and you as "adult" will be living with 2-3 "roommate"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=79KzZ0YqLvo

I hear Florida's nice

How important is ice climbing to you? I used to live and climb ice in the NE and now live in WA. I was pretty bummed when i got out here thinking i wouldn't be able to get on much ice, but there are a few decent venues for it in WA, and i make a few tips to bozeman in the winter, 9hr drive which to me is 100% woth it for a weekend of Hyalite canyon climbing. Your also about 12hrs from canmore ice, and in the summer you driving distance from tons of incredible rock. The biggest difference for me moving from the NE is the amount of time i spend traveling to access climbing.

Matthew Tangeman wrote: colorado is probably objectively superior from a rock climbing perspective, but it also has a lot more 1) Coloradans

Fixed that for ya, mate.

Washington has much better mountain biking, at least in Bellingham....

washington. 

If water/ocean activities play any factor it's no contest for WA. Otherwise  CO probably ticks your boxes better.

Can't go wrong with either though, so I'd choose wherever has the better job since you'll be spending more time working than playing.

ColoRADo, no question!