Living in Bend, Oregon for climbing and snowboarding?

Hello all,
My boyfriend and I are currently looking to move somewhere new. We live in a Colorado ski resort town surrounded by mediocre climbing and pretty much are just sick and tired of living in such an insanely expensive and culture-less town where the most of the decent climbing is 1.5-2 hours away with bad traffic.
Anyways in my search for places to relocate Bend OR keeps coming up. Clearly there is great climbing with Smith Rock close by and Mt. Bachelor looked pretty awesome for snowboarding but I’m wondering what the town itself is like.
Is it expensive to rent? Dog friendly? Jobs? I’m the more of the climbing fanatic and he’s more of the snowboarding fanatic so is Bend really a good place to satisfy both? 

Really just any info about what it’s like to live there or in the surrounding area would be helpful and appreciative!
I’ve looked at a few threads already but they are 10+ years old.

Edit: Wanted to add a few things since I'm getting a lot of great responses. Gotten a lot of people saying that Smith Rock is a weird style that is not for everyone and extremely crowded on weekends. Curios for more details on that, Smith is known as a world class place so what is it that people love about Smith Rock? And when we say crowded are we talking as crowded as the popular crags at RRG during the peak fall season? Or even worse?? I can handle crowded but everyone's idea of what "crowded" means is so vastly ranging. For those suggesting other towns, love the suggestions and keep them coming! I am looking to live somewhere that is either really close to snowboarding (30 mins or less) and maybe a little farther from climbing (but still no more then an hour) or vise versa. I am really not interested in living in a large metropolitan city. Maybe something in between the tiny ski resort "town" I live in now and a large city. Thanks to everyone who has taken the time to respond!

In short, yes, Bend is a great place to satisfy both climbing and snowboarding desires.

I live a few hours south of Bend and visit quite a bit, so take my opinion with a grain of salt.

I moved to OR from Austin, TX which grew tremendously in the past 20 years. It's clear when visiting and hanging with friends who live there that Bend also has grown tremendously in the past 10 years. Tons of new development, lots of new businesses... but lots of growing pains. I can imagine cost of living is increasing while housing stock is decreasing.

It's hip and young and has a good vibe. But I wonder where it will be in another 5-10 years - grown too much too fast? or a thriving city in contrast to the one that was on death's door 20 years ago?

If you can land a good paying, solid job there BEFORE you move, then I wouldn't think twice about moving and just go. 

Molly M. wrote: Hello all,
My boyfriend and I are currently looking to move somewhere new. We live in a Colorado ski resort town surrounded by mediocre climbing and pretty much are just sick and tired of living in such an insanely expensive and culture-less town where the most of the decent climbing is 1.5-2 hours away with bad traffic.
Anyways in my search for places to relocate Bend OR keeps coming up. Clearly there is great climbing with Smith Rock close by and Mt. Bachelor looked pretty awesome for snowboarding but I’m wondering what the town itself is like.
Is it expensive to rent? Dog friendly? Jobs? I’m the more of the climbing fanatic and he’s more of the snowboarding fanatic so is Bend really a good place to satisfy both? 

Really just any info about what it’s like to live there or in the surrounding area would be helpful and appreciative!
I’ve looked at a few threads already but they are 10+ years old. 

Rent is expensive, what type of work are you looking for? It is dog friendly and a hip smallCity (wouldn’t consider it a mountain town as it’s around 100,000 people). 

Also Smith Rock is about 40-60 minutes away depending on where you are in town. Living in Redmond would put you between Bend/Smith if you are looking for cheaper rent. 

My choppy, random thoughts:

I dunno...your second sentence somewhat resembles Bend. However, there is good culture if by that you mean everyone is outdoor trendy and breweries abound...don't get me wrong there are some serious athletes in town too. But it's a tourist town, food is as expensive as in LA/soCal.  Pay depends on your skills and luck, but for the most part..outdoor folks are just trying to get by. For instance, even though there is full time work, I choose to work part time.

Unemployment is 3.9% in central O so there are jobs. Housing is super expensive in Bend. Redmond is ok but still relatively expensive. Redmond added 1,000 people to our 30k during 2018-2019. Growing pains are a huge issue right now for everyone.

Climbing at Smith is superb but it's crowded as it is invaded most weekends by Portland and Eugene plus all the tourist that are on vacation. There is more climbing throughout the state but it's mostly obscure. Bachelor is excellent during most years but not this season (yet)...but then again everyone comes from Portland and Eugene to get it. A new hiking trail quota goes into effect very soon...

Good luck in your decision. If was me I'd be in Idaho or Utah but central O is good for about another 10 years.

Thanks for all the great replies. To add a little bit me and boyfriend are not career professionals by any stretch. We are your typical mid-twenties lost souls working random jobs/industries that pay just enough to live for the weekends of climbing and snowboarding. I spend about 48-55% of my income on rent/utilities alone where we currently live so anything cheaper then that is a step in the right direction. But I’m used to living on a dirt poor budget and can even thrive and survive so I wonder how rent prices/cost of living compares to that. I am interested in pursuing jobs/career in the culinary field so any place that has a thriving or at least decent food scene would be ideal.
Any other decent ski resorts besides Mt. Bachelor in the area? 

Hi Molly,

I moved to Bend about 3 years ago, and without a doubt it has been the best decision I have ever made in my life. The access to anything outdoor related is unbeatable (IMO), and folks here are some of the most genuine, supportive, and kind people I have ever met. Climbing is by and far my main pursuit, but I love snowboarding and mountain biking, and the access to all three of those things is unparalleled. Depending on where you live in town, Smith is ~ 20 - 30 minutes away, and Bachelor is ~ 25 - 40 minutes away. Bachelor is a great/fun mountain, however it is absurdly expensive for a season pass there, but access to backcountry here is really good. Unfortunately, the road up to Bachelor from town is only 2 lanes and if it's busy it can take quite a bit longer to get to the mountain (just get up early). The town itself is really fun (IMO). On any day there's usually something to do, great food, often some type of live music somewhere, and very dog friendly.

Now the downside. Sadly, Bend is getting quite expensive (not as much as Boulder, for example) and cost of renting is getting high. When we first moved here our rent for a 3 bedroom townhouse was ~$1500/month, and I wouldn't be surprised if the same place is ~$2000/month now. That isn't to say you can't find cheaper places, but I think it's getting harder to find them. Depending on what kind of industry you work in it could be either tough or relatively easy to find jobs.

But to answer your main question, Bend should easily quench both your thirst for climbing and your BF's for snowboarding.

Best of luck with your search

Jobs seem easy to find.  Housing...not so much.  Rent has skyrocketed in the last few years, but it's still probably cheaper than Colorado.

Smith is amazing and varied, but it's a circus on the weekends.  

Bachelor is flat and lame.  Compared to anywhere in the Rockies, it's a disappointment in both terrain and snow conditions.  

MattChun wrote: Bachelor is a great/fun mountain, however it is absurdly expensive for a season pass there,...

It's currently* a little less than $1200. That puts it solidly in the median range of 90% of the major US ski resorts. So unfortunately, that is not "absurdly expensive" at all.

*: a lot of areas discount, sometimes heavily, for early season purchase - as in during the summer. I bought my Alta pass for this season this past June for $250 less than the in-season rate (which is $1200).

Dave McRae wrote: Jobs seem easy to find.  Housing...not so much.  Rent has skyrocketed in the last few years, but it's still probably cheaper than Colorado.

Smith is amazing and varied, but it's a circus on the weekends.  

Bachelor is flat and lame.  Compared to anywhere in the Rockies, it's a disappointment in both terrain and snow conditions.  

Thanks for the response. Flat is not so bad, we are both park rats.. tbh I don’t care for very steep terrain, I like the park and mellow trees. Any clue how their parks are?

Currently I pay $850 for one bedroom in a condo and only make about $14.50 an hour. It looks like Oregon’s min wage is the same as Colorado so I’m assuming jobs pay similar although I could be way off. Is housing comparable to that? Just wondering what people here are constituting as “expensive” compared to where I live now. Looking at Zillow it seems like you could buy a decent 2bd (at least at a glance) looking house for less then $150-200k. 

If you like parks, Bachelor will be your jam.  The parks are seriously sick there.  Sick enough to make me wish I was twenty years younger!  haha!  Bachelor also has tons of mellow trees.  

Line cook jobs are very easy to come by in Bend.  If you have experience, you'll get to pick where you want to work.  And you'll easily command more than $14.50 per hour.  

Is the Zillow you're looking at from 2010?  Entry level houses start around $300k.   As for rent, two bedroom pads start around $1500 for the ghetto places and go up from there, I think.  Check Craigslist.  

Obviously, the only way to know is to come visit before you commit.

Good luck!

$300k and up for a decent house in Redmond..Bend LOL would be much more IMO.

Marc801 C wrote: It's currently* a little less than $1200. That puts it solidly in the median range of 90% of the major US ski resorts. So unfortunately, that is not "absurdly expensive" at all.

*: a lot of areas discount, sometimes heavily, for early season purchase - as in during the summer. I bought my Alta pass for this season this past June for $250 less than the in-season rate (which is $1200).

Early season pass at Bachelor is ~$1000, and to me that is absurdly expensive. If you've ever ridden Bachelor it is abundantly clear that it is not a $1000/year mountain. Considering what you can get for your money with an Ikon pass, or a season pass to Mt. Hood, Bachelor is abhorrently expensive. That being said, Bachelor is a fun ride

Dave McRae wrote: Jobs seem easy to find.  Housing...not so much.  Rent has skyrocketed in the last few years, but it's still probably cheaper than Colorado.

Smith is amazing and varied, but it's a circus on the weekends.  

Bachelor is flat and lame.  Compared to anywhere in the Rockies, it's a disappointment in both terrain and snow conditions.  

Dave - is Smith bad no matter what crag you go to on the weekends? Or is it one of those things where if you try chain reaction on a Saturday it's a waste.

Also - is trout creek as crowded as Smith? I know the climbing season is shorter there because of eagle closures. 

MattChun wrote: Early season pass at Bachelor is ~$1000, and to me that is absurdly expensive. If you've ever ridden Bachelor it is abundantly clear that it is not a $1000/year mountain. Considering what you can get for your money with an Ikon pass, or a season pass to Mt. Hood, Bachelor is abhorrently expensive. That being said, Bachelor is a fun ride

All of that is personal value judgement. It's just like my Alta friend who doesn't understand our mutual friend who gets a Deer Valley pass each year for ~$2100. I was just pointing out that their season pass is really no more expensive than the vast majority of ski areas.

Hey Molly... if you are into a climbers lifestyle... then ditch Bend!  It basically only has Smith rock. Yeah I know the other areas....     And its way crowded.   You would love Bishop Ca. !    Tons of climbing...on all kinds of rock in all kinds of environments!    And has Mammoth for skiing and climbing.  Way better!!   Check it out

I lived in Bend 2005-2007, was in Portland before and then after. Have in-laws there and go there a few times every year still, aside from the climbing trips to Smith and the bouldering areas, etc.  I didn't like being a working guy trying to pay student loans and raise a family seemingly surrounded by either rastafarian rich kids who didn't work much but lived the dirtbag lifestyle with a safety net, or else seriously wealthy recreationalists and dilletantes who either inherited wealth or made it on their own in california (or somewhere besides bend) and treated bend like a personal paradise, masters of the universe style. Constantly developing all the precious greenspace to the west for their trophy homes, jacking up the rent and housing costs for all of you.

Bend has only a sliver of a middle class, and is about as white as it gets. (Like every resort town?) Sorry to be a bummer but Bend is probably a bigger version of whatever Colorado town you want to leave.  I sound bitter and it's true I have a chip on my shoulder about the connection between housing costs and obscene wealth inequality (you can't avoid it there) - but that said, I'd retire there because I'll have mellowed out on all those issues in 20 years and the outdoor access really is awesome.  And to be honest my wife periodically talks about moving back, and i always say i would. So there's that, if I'm bring honest :)

OMG someone actually wants to LEAVE CO!!!

Dave McRae wrote: If you like parks, Bachelor will be your jam.  The parks are seriously sick there.  Sick enough to make me wish I was twenty years younger!  haha!  Bachelor also has tons of mellow trees.

That's what I was hoping! :)

Is the Zillow you're looking at from 2010?  Entry level houses start around $300k.   As for rent, two bedroom pads start around $1500 for the ghetto places and go up from there, I think.  Check Craigslist.  

Obviously, the only way to know is to come visit before you commit.

Good luck!

I looked at Zillow, specifying places under $200k and a lot of condos popped up, but so did a lot of 2-3 bd houses. Maybe they are in shitty neighborhoods or there is something I am missing about them being shitty. Hard to say without knowing the area or much about real estate! We definitely do plan on visiting this coming summer before we fully commit to anything.

 

MattChun wrote:
Early season pass at Bachelor is ~$1000, and to me that is absurdly expensive. If you've ever ridden Bachelor it is abundantly clear that it is not a $1000/year mountain. Considering what you can get for your money with an Ikon pass, or a season pass to Mt. Hood, Bachelor is abhorrently expensive. That being said, Bachelor is a fun ride

I thought paying $600 for a Copper pass was bad! (this was in October too)... That is absurd and about as expensive as a buying a full Epic Pass right before the season starts. Yikes.

bryans wrote: I lived in Bend 2005-2007, was in Portland before and then after. Have in-laws there and go there a few times every year still, aside from the climbing trips to Smith and the bouldering areas, etc.  I didn't like being a working guy trying to pay student loans and raise a family seemingly surrounded by either rastafarian rich kids who didn't work much but lived the dirtbag lifestyle with a safety net, or else seriously wealthy recreationalists and dilletantes who either inherited wealth or made it on their own in california (or somewhere besides bend) and treated bend like a personal paradise, masters of the universe style. Constantly developing all the precious greenspace to the west for their trophy homes, jacking up the rent and housing costs for all of you.

Bend has only a sliver of a middle class, and is about as white as it gets. (Like every resort town?) Sorry to be a bummer but Bend is probably a bigger version of whatever Colorado town you want to leave.  I sound bitter and it's true I have a chip on my shoulder about the connection between housing costs and obscene wealth inequality (you can't avoid it there) - but that said, I'd retire there because I'll have mellowed out on all those issues in 20 years and the outdoor access really is awesome.  And to be honest my wife periodically talks about moving back, and i always say i would. So there's that, if I'm bring honest :)

Thanks for your full honesty. This has given me lots to think about! I am seriously hoping to get away from the resort town "culture", extreme wealth inequality, and complete lack of diversity. The casual racism I hear and see on a daily basis up here has got me feeling pretty hopeless about society as a whole. That, on top of the extremely entitled and clueless people I deal with on a daily basis. I don't have debt and I don't (ever) intend to settle and raise a family, but none the less I am wanting to move somewhere with less of bubble around it. I'm wondering if that's even possible when looking to live somewhere close to skiing/snowboarding...

Molly M. wrote:

Thanks for your full honesty. This has given me lots to think about! I am seriously hoping to get away from the resort town "culture", extreme wealth inequality, and complete lack of diversity. The casual racism I hear and see on a daily basis up here has got me feeling pretty hopeless about society as a whole. That, on top of the extremely entitled and clueless people I deal with on a daily basis. I don't have debt and I don't (ever) intend to settle and raise a family, but none the less I am wanting to move somewhere with less of bubble around it. I'm wondering if that's even possible when looking to live somewhere close to skiing/snowboarding...

Like your last sentence said, I have to wonder where in the US you could check all the social justice boxes you just mentioned. Climbing and ski/snowboarding are two of the whitest 'alternative' sports out there (to mention nothing of the high cost of buy-in for access to snow sports)... maybe one of the bigger west coast cities, but it sounds like you want to stay in a smaller town. 

J P wrote: Like your last sentence said, I have to wonder where in the US you could check all the social justice boxes you just mentioned. Climbing and ski/snowboarding are two of the whitest 'alternative' sports out there (to mention nothing of the high cost of buy-in for access to snow sports)... maybe one of the bigger west coast cities, but it sounds like you want to stay in a smaller town. 

You are 100% right. I think I’m just wishing for the impossible really. But living in the middle of several of the most popular ski resorts in the country, I want to move somewhere that has at least slightly less tourist traffic and less of a bubble. I grew up in a major east coast city and have no desire to go back to anything like that, but small towns will always have those small town problems. 

Hell if the climbing’s good might even settle for somewhere next to a small town, 4 chair, locals only ski hill. I realize big resorts will always bring big crowds and money.