Tell me about Gig Harbor, WA

I've lurked for a long time here, impressed by a) how much more people ski than I do and b) how much longer a season there is in the NW. Currently in Colorado I have received a job offer in Washington working from Gig Harbor up through Port Orchard, Bremerton and even Bainbridge.

My parents live in Bainbridge, so I'm not really excited about being neighbors with them, and most of my business will be between Gig and Bremerton anyways, so I was thinking about Gig as a good base camp for the family.

I know lots of you folks are from Washington, and probably have similar priorities, which is why I bring this question to you.

About me/us: family with one, 2.5 year old daughter (dish on education is invited). We have lots of animals (dogs & cats), good home equity (dish on real estate is invited), and like to get outside. My big hobby, of course, is skiing.

I've been skiing all of my life, and can easily say that next to my family it is the one thing that I am continually excited and joyous about. I'm extra stoked to be in a place where there's not just skiing year round, but questionably GOOD skiing!

We did pull a stint in Shasta a few years back, and I lived in Eugene, OR almost ten years ago for a few years, so we're acquainted with the PNW climate, culture and, like I said, skiing.

So, please, give me the scoop! I'll return the favor if we get up there by providing another knowledgeable BC partner to the fold If all goes well I hope to be contributing TRs and someday have a rather large number behind my name on the TAY records page!

Thanks ahead of time...

Climbhoser -

Good luck! I myself moved from CO => WA and back => CO. I know your enthusiasm and share it. July skiing of 5K is missed now that I'm back in CO.

Specifically about Gig - The Tacoma Bridge is an absolute nightmare for traffic so looking into my crystal ball I see you exploring the east side - of the Olympic peninsula. I too worked all over the Puget Sound and I hated the commute anywhere near/through Tacoma. Gig harbor is the prettiest town in the south bay, so that's a great landing spot.

Climbhoser -

Good luck!  I myself moved from CO => WA and back => CO.  I know your enthusiasm and share it.  July skiing of 5K is missed now that I'm back in CO. 

Specifically about Gig - The Tacoma Bridge is an absolute nightmare for traffic so looking into my crystal ball I see you exploring the east side - of the Olympic peninsula.  I too worked all over the Puget Sound and I hated the commute anywhere near/through Tacoma.  Gig harbor is the prettiest town in the south bay, so that's a great landing spot.

Thanks, hombre!

I won't have much, if any, work on the E. side of the sound, so I'm fairly certain it will be much more economical for me to call the W. side home. I guess I may be occasionally traipsing down to Lacey-Olympia, but not much.

Good to hear it's the prettiest in the area! How's the skiing at Alpental?

Climbhoser -

Specifically about Gig - The Tacoma Bridge is an absolute nightmare for traffic so looking into my crystal ball I see you exploring the east side - of the Olympic peninsula.  I too worked all over the Puget Sound and I hated the commute anywhere near/through Tacoma.  Gig harbor is the prettiest town in the south bay, so that's a great landing spot.

The bridge is now two bridges and the one into Tacoma has a toll now, I believe it is $3.50 for passholders? One doesn't pay attention when their not paying direct cash, but it is no longer a nightmare by any stretch of the imagination. The traffic through Tacoma (past the Tacoma Dome or over the Nalley Valley viaduct) is frustrating for sure, but as stated getting between GH and Tacoma is no longer a real issue.

GH also has an open air mall now, movie theater, Costco, Target, Home Depot... all those big box stores, so people are no longer driving to Tacoma for their shopping trips.

There is a lot of space in rural Gig Harbor for all your critters if that is something you are hoping for. The school system is fine. I think the real estate is similar to most of PNW, maybe somewhat better than Tacoma.

GH is not very close to skiing, but if you need to be closer to work than skiing, then it is a beautiful place. I have lived there almost 30 years and watched it grow throughout.

I live in the GH area and ski a lot.
It's 1: hr 50 mins to Crystal, same to Alpental, 2hr 30 mins to Stevens and 3.hrs30 mins to Baker.

Thanks for all the great info, guys! Rural space is definitely important...my wife has ambitions of opening an animal rescue, even if only a small hobby one. We like having space, especially for the kiddo.

I'm probably 1.5 hrs. to skiing where I am now. Luckily my gig (pun not intended, I swear!) will give me the flexibility for weekday skiing. I do want to get the kid on skis and show her what it's all about, but it's not our #1 priority despite my love for it.

It will, however, be the first place we have lived that doesn't have much snow on the ground during the winter. I think that will be sad for both of us, but there are so many other benefits that it's a small consolation!

I know the olympics take more of a concerted effort to approach, but I'm looking forward to perhaps exploring them as well! I'm guessing that Hurricane Ridge is ridiculously further?