Northwest Living | Bellingham Real Estate Market

Ferndale WA - According to the Ferndale Record Journal the city of Ferndale has formed an adhoc Olympic Committee in an effort to identify marketing ideas to attract visitors during the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Games. The Winter Olympics will be held in British Columbia from February 12-28, 2010. Following the Winter Olympics will be the Vancouver Paralympic games from March 12-21, 2010.

Some members of the committee include, City of Ferndale Councilman Jim Elliott, Ferndale Chamber of Commerce Director Guy Occhiogrosso, and Planning Department administrative assistant Kathryn Morice. The group is looking for ideas from area citizens  and those with the best ideas will win a prize. If anyone has any ideas get ahold of the Ferndale Chamber of Commerce with some ideas and attractions Ferndale might want to consider for February 2010.

Being that the event will be held during the winter, it’s probably going to be a tough go in attracting visitors to the city. The city should begin by working with the Department of Transportation and see if together they can finally clean up the mess of wild black berry bushes, and deciduous trees that grow wild on both sides of the freeway where I-5 and Main Street exit meet. In the real estate business…street appeal is everything. I can envision it all being cleaned up and of course keeping the Fir trees that are natural to the area, and adding in some nice landscaping. Otherwise Exit 262 at Ferndale will probably be just another exit to pass on the way to the games for most Winter Olympic travelers.

I would also add a nice sign saying “Welcome Olympic Traveler’s” and below “Ferndale, Washington” Put the sign along the freeway in a non obtrusive location…but well placed so people will see it. The City is going to have to come up with something exciting and enticing to make travelers want to stop and visit. The visionaries need to think in the way most travelers would be coming into hearing about Ferndale for the first time. Creating a web site now with the upcoming Olympics in mind would be my suggestion. I guess they could also utilize the city’s website or the Chambers by creating some new pages to those sites and optimizing those pages. Add information to attract Internet visitors looking for “things to do” in Whatcom County while they are here visiting.

Even if the city doesn’t have enough things to pull that many visitor’s off the travels to Vancouver, at least Ferndale could plant a seed in their thoughts for visiting during warmer weather or at a future date.

One Idea that I could imagine is that if the city would use both Pioneer park and Hovander park as a temporary spot where RV traveler’s could rent space and park their rigs during the month of February and March 2010. All those temporary visitors would probably end up spending time and money in the Ferndale area. It would just be a temporary thing and end with the conclusion of the games. I would also have a couple big tents on sight to promote local business’s, events, etc. and serve food as well. It would be better to rent those two spaces for that purpose instead of like Haggen’s parking lot…because with the influx of visitors to the area…stores would be busy and need all their spaces.

Jerry Campbell - Muljat Group - Bellingham WA - Ferndale WA Real Estate

Whatcom County, WA - The Olympic organizers in Vancouver, British Columbia are probably looking at the weather we just had over the last two weeks and would love to have more of the same sunshine for February 2010.  Over the last couple weeks it’s been sunny and mostly dry, which would certainly bode well for tourism if the Olympics would have the same experience.

Weather in the Northwest is really unpredictable, although during our winters here, we usually get most of our rain. On average we will also get about ten days with snow accumulations on the ground. When we do get snow, it usually only stays overnight or not much longer than a few days, because we are so close to sea level. If you go up into the Cascade mountains and near-by Mount Baker, that’s a totally different story.  Because we do get a lot of rain in the winter, our near-by mountains get a lot of snow and have set world records for accumulations over the winter.

February in 2008 has so far been pretty good to us. the best scenario for the Vancouver 2010 Winter Games would be to have a lot of snow on the ground up near Whistler, BC  and temperatures from 32F to 40F, and Dry.  Well we can only hope and see what happens.

Jerry Campbell - Muljat Group - Bellingham WA - Bellingham Real Estate

Just two years from today will be the opening of the 2008 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, British Columbia. The entire Northwest will have the spotlight of the world focused on the area and the events just north of the border. Tickets will actually go on sale starting in October 2008.

This week Canadians will kick off the two-year countdown. Opening ceremonies will start Feb. 12, 2010. That still seems like a long way off for people who want to attend, but for organizers this is a crucial time.

Loni Rahm, president and CEO of Bellingham Whatcom County Tourism, has been in regular contact with her British Columbia counterparts and described this stage as controlled chaos.

“It sounds like things are moving at a good pace, but they are very busy right now,” Rahm said.

Rahm’s agency is also getting busy. Along with a training company called Evergreen Team Concepts, they’ve organized a 2010 Service Initiative, a series of seminars to help local business owners prepare for the thousands of travelers expected to come through Whatcom County.

The Service Initiative will have an open house on Feb. 21, followed by its first seminar, called “Developing a Plan for Success,” starting March 26. Other seminars related to the Olympics will be held throughout the year.

Rahm said Whatcom County is already getting inquiries related to the 2010 Olympics. And the region is being visited by people who put together documentaries.

“They want winter footage now for documentaries they want to release in 2009,” Rahm said. “It looks like they are able to get some great footage with all the snow we’ve been getting in the mountains.”

Rahm also noted that as Vancouver, B.C., hotels start filling up for 2010, Whatcom County innkeepers need to start getting ready.

“Not only are local hotels starting to get inquiries from people who want to attend, but also from a variety of media outlets who are putting together stories that have hotel rates,” Rahm said. “Having a rate structure in place now is important, because publications from all over the world are already looking for that information.”

As Rahm sees it, this area is preparing to accommodate two very distinct groups in the next 24 months: One is the media, which will be hunting for stories about the Pacific Northwest. The other is the people attending the games.

“The first group is actually a much bigger market; what they end up reporting will go out all over the world,” Rahm said.

She said the best thing for businesses to start doing is making sure employees are familiar with the local resources and what makes this area special.

“Since we live here, it’s easy to forget about all the things that make this area special, and where people can find out more information.” Rahm said.

NORTHERN NEIGHBORS

The Canadian economy continues to show surprising strength even while the U.S. may be headed into a recession. Early last week the Canadian dollar dropped to about 98 cents compared to the U.S., as investors speculated that the U.S. economy would start dragging Canada down. On Friday the Canadian dollar jumped back up to parity after a report showed better than expected job growth. It’s been interesting watching their economy.

The theory used to be that when the U.S. economy sneezed, the rest of the world caught the cold. Several economists have speculated that the global economy has reached a point that a slowdown in the U.S. may not mean a recession elsewhere.

With it’s abundance of natural resources, including oil and timber, Canada is a good example to test that theory. Via BellinghamHerald

Jerry Campbell - Muljat Group Realtors - Bellingham Real Estate

You don’t need a chairlift to have a good time in the snow this winter. In fact, some days, the lifts just get in the way. All that time spent riding the lift and waiting in line is time you could be playing. Craig Hill a reporter for the News Tribune in Tacoma put together his list of 25 things to do in the Northwest during the winter. So, if you’re looking to save a few bucks, get a better workout or just try something new, here are 25 ways to enjoy winter without a chairlift.

1. MOUNT TAHOMA TRAILS ASSOCIATION: There is no better bargain in winter recreation than an overnight cross-country trip on the Mount Tahoma Trails System near Ashford, Wash. The MTTA grooms more than 50 kilometers of trails and maintains three huts and one yurt. You can spend the night in the hut for $5 per person per night; www.skimtta.org.

2. NORDIC SKI JUMPING IN LEAVENWORTH: Whistler Blackcomb started installing its ski jump for the 2010 Olympics this summer, so Leavenworth’s modest ski hill no longer has the Northwest’s only ski jump. However, it’s the only one you can use. While nordic skis are ideal for this jump, many use alpine skis on the two hills; www.skileavenworth.com.

3. SPEED SKATING: If you like to go fast on the ice, Tacoma’s Puget Sound Speed Skating Club offers lessons at the Tacoma Hockey Club. The club offers short track skating, but some members are training for long-track racing; (253) 272-1757, www.pugetsoundspeedskating.org.

4. VISIT SUN MOUNTAIN LODGE: Tucked away in the Methow Valley, Sun Mountain Lodge is considered the ultimate base camp for a cross country skiing adventure. From the lodge you’ll find easy access to an ice rink, more than 200 kilometers of groomed cross-country trails and more than a dozen snowshoe trails; www.sunmountainlodge.com. 

5. GO TUBING: You don’t need to know how to ski to zip down a snowy slope. You can do the same with an inner tube from your local tire store. Summit at Snoqualmie has a tubing hill (you’ll have to use their tubes). You can find free tubing hills at Paradise and the Hyak Sno-P a r k; www.summitatsnoqualmie.com, www.parks.wa.gov/winter and www.nps.gov/mora.

6. TAKE A BIATHLON LESSON: You don’t have to go to Europe to try the biathlon. The Washington Biathlon Association, based at Stevens Pass, has events throughout the winter open to all skill levels, even gun-shy rookies; www.wabiathlon.org.

7. PARADISE: Whether you’re an alpine skier, nordic skier, snowshoer or tuber, Paradise, located on the south side of Mount Rainier, has places for you to play. Call ahead for road conditions; (360) 569-2211, www.nps.gov/mora.

8. PLAY HOCKEY: The Tacoma Hockey Club offers everything from hockey lessons and leagues for kids to adult leagues to lunch hour pickup games. The pick-up sessions are $5 and 90 minutes starting at noon Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays; www.tacomahockeyclub.com.

9. POLAR BEAR SWIM: You might need to be a little off center — not to mention thick-skinned — to enjoy this New Year’s Day tradition. Olalla Lagoon is home to Washington state’s biggest Polar Bear Club. When a cannon signals, participants dash — bridge-jumping is no longer allowed — into the frigid water. Why? Who knows; Al’s Grocery Store, (253) 851-4955. 10. CRYSTAL’S DUMMY DOWNHILL: Enter Crystal Mountain’s Dummy Downhill race. You won’t have to race, but you’ll have to build a contraption that will. The dummy mounted on skis or a snowboard will have to be sturdy enough to survive a jump. Don’t worry, there are awards for the best crashes. This three-year-old event benefits the Crystal Mountain Fire Department; www.skicrystal.com.11. MOUNT SPOKANE: Two-time Olympic cross-country skier Torin Koos of Leavenworth lists Mount Spokane as one of his favorite ski areas in Washington. Mount Spokane has 25 kilometers of groomed trails that Koos says is worth the trip; www.mtspokane.com or www.parks.wa.gov/winter.Two-time Olympic cross-country skier Torin Koos of Leavenworth lists Mount Spokane as one of his favorite ski areas in Washington. Mount Spokane has 25 kilometers of groomed trails that Koos says is worth the trip; or

12. SKI ST. HELENS FOR MOM: One of the Northwest’s coolest traditions returned this year with the reopening of Mount St. Helen’s’ climbing routes. It is tradition to climb Monitor Ridge on Mother’s Day, then — boy or girl — ski down while wearing a dress. The limit of 100 climbers per day is lifted on mom’s day. Permits are $24 per climber; www.fs.fed.us/gpnf/recreation/mount-st-helens.

13. SKI ICICLE RIVER TRAILS: While Methow Valley has the reputation as a nordic mecca, Leavenworth’s trail system also draws cross-country skiers from around the Northwest. The town has trails along the Icicle River, on the golf course, at Waterfront Park and the Leavenworth Ski Hill. A $10 pass gets you access to all 26 kilometers of trails; www.skileavenworth.com. Two-time Olympic cross-country skier Torin Koos of Leavenworth lists Mount Spokane as one of his favorite ski areas in Washington. Mount Spokane has 25 kilometers of groomed trails that Koos says is worth the trip; or One of the Northwest’s coolest traditions returned this year with the reopening of Mount St. Helen’s’ climbing routes. It is tradition to climb Monitor Ridge on Mother’s Day, then — boy or girl — ski down while wearing a dress. The limit of 100 climbers per day is lifted on mom’s day. Permits are $24 per climber;While Methow Valley has the reputation as a nordic mecca, Leavenworth’s trail system also draws cross-country skiers from around the Northwest. The town has trails along the Icicle River, on the golf course, at Waterfront Park and the Leavenworth Ski Hill. A $10 pass gets you access to all 26 kilometers of trails; Two-time Olympic cross-country skier Torin Koos of Leavenworth lists Mount Spokane as one of his favorite ski areas in Washington. Mount Spokane has 25 kilometers of groomed trails that Koos says is worth the trip; or One of the Northwest’s coolest traditions returned this year with the reopening of Mount St. Helen’s’ climbing routes. It is tradition to climb Monitor Ridge on Mother’s Day, then — boy or girl — ski down while wearing a dress. The limit of 100 climbers per day is lifted on mom’s day. Permits are $24 per climber;While Methow Valley has the reputation as a nordic mecca, Leavenworth’s trail system also draws cross-country skiers from around the Northwest. The town has trails along the Icicle River, on the golf course, at Waterfront Park and the Leavenworth Ski Hill. A $10 pass gets you access to all 26 kilometers of trails;Two-time Olympic cross-country skier Torin Koos of Leavenworth lists Mount Spokane as one of his favorite ski areas in Washington. Mount Spokane has 25 kilometers of groomed trails that Koos says is worth the trip; or One of the Northwest’s coolest traditions returned this year with the reopening of Mount St. Helen’s’ climbing routes. It is tradition to climb Monitor Ridge on Mother’s Day, then — boy or girl — ski down while wearing a dress. The limit of 100 climbers per day is lifted on mom’s day. Permits are $24 per climber;While Methow Valley has the reputation as a nordic mecca, Leavenworth’s trail system also draws cross-country skiers from around the Northwest. The town has trails along the Icicle River, on the golf course, at Waterfront Park and the Leavenworth Ski Hill. A $10 pass gets you access to all 26 kilometers of trails;Two-time Olympic cross-country skier Torin Koos of Leavenworth lists Mount Spokane as one of his favorite ski areas in Washington. Mount Spokane has 25 kilometers of groomed trails that Koos says is worth the trip; or One of the Northwest’s coolest traditions returned this year with the reopening of Mount St. Helen’s’ climbing routes. It is tradition to climb Monitor Ridge on Mother’s Day, then — boy or girl — ski down while wearing a dress. The limit of 100 climbers per day is lifted on mom’s day. Permits are $24 per climber;While Methow Valley has the reputation as a nordic mecca, Leavenworth’s trail system also draws cross-country skiers from around the Northwest. The town has trails along the Icicle River, on the golf course, at Waterfront Park and the Leavenworth Ski Hill. A $10 pass gets you access to all 26 kilometers of trails;14. SCOTTISH LAKES HIGH CAMP: You can ski or snowshoe five miles into the back country at Stevens Pass to stay in one of nine private cabins, or you can hire a snowmobile driver for $60 per person. Cabins are $70-80 per person per night; www.scottishlakes.com.

Two-time Olympic cross-country skier Torin Koos of Leavenworth lists Mount Spokane as one of his favorite ski areas in Washington. Mount Spokane has 25 kilometers of groomed trails that Koos says is worth the trip; or One of the Northwest’s coolest traditions returned this year with the reopening of Mount St. Helen’s’ climbing routes. It is tradition to climb Monitor Ridge on Mother’s Day, then — boy or girl — ski down while wearing a dress. The limit of 100 climbers per day is lifted on mom’s day. Permits are $24 per climber;While Methow Valley has the reputation as a nordic mecca, Leavenworth’s trail system also draws cross-country skiers from around the Northwest. The town has trails along the Icicle River, on the golf course, at Waterfront Park and the Leavenworth Ski Hill. A $10 pass gets you access to all 26 kilometers of trails; You can ski or snowshoe five miles into the back country at Stevens Pass to stay in one of nine private cabins, or you can hire a snowmobile driver for $60 per person. Cabins are $70-80 per person per night;15. FREE SNOWSHOE TOURS: You can join free snowshoe tours at Hurricane Ridge and Paradise each winter. While it costs $15 per vehicle to enter the national parks, the free tours include snowshoe rentals. Check the national park Web sites for schedules; www.nps.gov/mora or www.nps.gov/olym.You can join free snowshoe tours at Hurricane Ridge and Paradise each winter. While it costs $15 per vehicle to enter the national parks, the free tours include snowshoe rentals. Check the national park Web sites for schedules;or

16. SNOWMOBILE: Western Washington has 80 snowmobile snow parks, most of which are in the Cascades. Some of the more popular destinations include Pyramid Creek, Gold Creek, Skate Creek and Marble Mountain; www.parks.wa.gov/winter.

17. BLUEWOOD BASH: Bluewood, a small resort near Walla Walla, throws a huge party every year called the BASH. You won’t need a lift ticket to try pond skimming, body bowling and polar swimming. The BASH, held the final day of the season, also includes a barbecue and beer garden; www.bluewood.com.You can join free snowshoe tours at Hurricane Ridge and Paradise each winter. While it costs $15 per vehicle to enter the national parks, the free tours include snowshoe rentals. Check the national park Web sites for schedules;or Western Washington has 80 snowmobile snow parks, most of which are in the Cascades. Some of the more popular destinations include Pyramid Creek, Gold Creek, Skate Creek and Marble Mountain; Bluewood, a small resort near Walla Walla, throws a huge party every year called the BASH. You won’t need a lift ticket to try pond skimming, body bowling and polar swimming. The BASH, held the final day of the season, also includes a barbecue and beer garden;You can join free snowshoe tours at Hurricane Ridge and Paradise each winter. While it costs $15 per vehicle to enter the national parks, the free tours include snowshoe rentals. Check the national park Web sites for schedules;or Western Washington has 80 snowmobile snow parks, most of which are in the Cascades. Some of the more popular destinations include Pyramid Creek, Gold Creek, Skate Creek and Marble Mountain; Bluewood, a small resort near Walla Walla, throws a huge party every year called the BASH. You won’t need a lift ticket to try pond skimming, body bowling and polar swimming. The BASH, held the final day of the season, also includes a barbecue and beer garden;You can join free snowshoe tours at Hurricane Ridge and Paradise each winter. While it costs $15 per vehicle to enter the national parks, the free tours include snowshoe rentals. Check the national park Web sites for schedules;or Western Washington has 80 snowmobile snow parks, most of which are in the Cascades. Some of the more popular destinations include Pyramid Creek, Gold Creek, Skate Creek and Marble Mountain; Bluewood, a small resort near Walla Walla, throws a huge party every year called the BASH. You won’t need a lift ticket to try pond skimming, body bowling and polar swimming. The BASH, held the final day of the season, also includes a barbecue and beer garden;You can join free snowshoe tours at Hurricane Ridge and Paradise each winter. While it costs $15 per vehicle to enter the national parks, the free tours include snowshoe rentals. Check the national park Web sites for schedules;or Western Washington has 80 snowmobile snow parks, most of which are in the Cascades. Some of the more popular destinations include Pyramid Creek, Gold Creek, Skate Creek and Marble Mountain; Bluewood, a small resort near Walla Walla, throws a huge party every year called the BASH. You won’t need a lift ticket to try pond skimming, body bowling and polar swimming. The BASH, held the final day of the season, also includes a barbecue and beer garden;18. CATT CREEK ROAD: This Forest Service road outside of Ashford is closed to vehicle traffic in the winter, leaving a snowy playground for families. When Mount Rainier National Park was closed last year, the road still lured people to Ashford; www.mt-rainier.com.

You can join free snowshoe tours at Hurricane Ridge and Paradise each winter. While it costs $15 per vehicle to enter the national parks, the free tours include snowshoe rentals. Check the national park Web sites for schedules;or Western Washington has 80 snowmobile snow parks, most of which are in the Cascades. Some of the more popular destinations include Pyramid Creek, Gold Creek, Skate Creek and Marble Mountain; Bluewood, a small resort near Walla Walla, throws a huge party every year called the BASH. You won’t need a lift ticket to try pond skimming, body bowling and polar swimming. The BASH, held the final day of the season, also includes a barbecue and beer garden; This Forest Service road outside of Ashford is closed to vehicle traffic in the winter, leaving a snowy playground for families. When Mount Rainier National Park was closed last year, the road still lured people to Ashford;19. SKI THE LIFTLESS HILLS: Martin Volken, a native of Switzerland, loves skiing on Snoqualmie Pass, but he isn’t a big fan of waiting in lift lines. So Volken carves his own runs. In 2001, he decided to share his secrets in a guidebook called “Backcountry Skiing Snoqualmie Pass” (The Globe Pequot Press, $16.95).Martin Volken, a native of Switzerland, loves skiing on Snoqualmie Pass, but he isn’t a big fan of waiting in lift lines. So Volken carves his own runs. In 2001, he decided to share his secrets in a guidebook called “Backcountry Skiing Snoqualmie Pass” (The Globe Pequot Press, $16.95).

20. ICE SKATING: If making leisurely laps on the ice in rental skates is your thing, there are two places in Pierce County that offer open skating Sprinker Recreation Center and the Tacoma Hockey Club; tacomahockeyclub.com and www.sprinker.org.

21. SKI WHITE PASS: The White Pass Nordic Center has one of the best cross-country ski area among Northwest resorts with 18 kilometers of groomed trails; skiwww.whitepass.com. Martin Volken, a native of Switzerland, loves skiing on Snoqualmie Pass, but he isn’t a big fan of waiting in lift lines. So Volken carves his own runs. In 2001, he decided to share his secrets in a guidebook called “Backcountry Skiing Snoqualmie Pass” (The Globe Pequot Press, $16.95). If making leisurely laps on the ice in rental skates is your thing, there are two places in Pierce County that offer open skating Sprinker Recreation Center and the Tacoma Hockey Club; tacomahockeyclub.com and The White Pass Nordic Center has one of the best cross-country ski area among Northwest resorts with 18 kilometers of groomed trails;Martin Volken, a native of Switzerland, loves skiing on Snoqualmie Pass, but he isn’t a big fan of waiting in lift lines. So Volken carves his own runs. In 2001, he decided to share his secrets in a guidebook called “Backcountry Skiing Snoqualmie Pass” (The Globe Pequot Press, $16.95). If making leisurely laps on the ice in rental skates is your thing, there are two places in Pierce County that offer open skating Sprinker Recreation Center and the Tacoma Hockey Club; tacomahockeyclub.com and The White Pass Nordic Center has one of the best cross-country ski area among Northwest resorts with 18 kilometers of groomed trails;Martin Volken, a native of Switzerland, loves skiing on Snoqualmie Pass, but he isn’t a big fan of waiting in lift lines. So Volken carves his own runs. In 2001, he decided to share his secrets in a guidebook called “Backcountry Skiing Snoqualmie Pass” (The Globe Pequot Press, $16.95). If making leisurely laps on the ice in rental skates is your thing, there are two places in Pierce County that offer open skating Sprinker Recreation Center and the Tacoma Hockey Club; tacomahockeyclub.com and The White Pass Nordic Center has one of the best cross-country ski area among Northwest resorts with 18 kilometers of groomed trails;Martin Volken, a native of Switzerland, loves skiing on Snoqualmie Pass, but he isn’t a big fan of waiting in lift lines. So Volken carves his own runs. In 2001, he decided to share his secrets in a guidebook called “Backcountry Skiing Snoqualmie Pass” (The Globe Pequot Press, $16.95). If making leisurely laps on the ice in rental skates is your thing, there are two places in Pierce County that offer open skating Sprinker Recreation Center and the Tacoma Hockey Club; tacomahockeyclub.com and The White Pass Nordic Center has one of the best cross-country ski area among Northwest resorts with 18 kilometers of groomed trails;22. BUILD AN IGLOO: There’s something cool about spending the night in an igloo. You can do this any place where there is ample snow and winter camping is permitted. Olympic National Park is a popular destination for igloo campers. Check out this Web site for some good igloo construction instructions; www.primitiveways.com/igloo.html.

Martin Volken, a native of Switzerland, loves skiing on Snoqualmie Pass, but he isn’t a big fan of waiting in lift lines. So Volken carves his own runs. In 2001, he decided to share his secrets in a guidebook called “Backcountry Skiing Snoqualmie Pass” (The Globe Pequot Press, $16.95). If making leisurely laps on the ice in rental skates is your thing, there are two places in Pierce County that offer open skating Sprinker Recreation Center and the Tacoma Hockey Club; tacomahockeyclub.com and The White Pass Nordic Center has one of the best cross-country ski area among Northwest resorts with 18 kilometers of groomed trails; There’s something cool about spending the night in an igloo. You can do this any place where there is ample snow and winter camping is permitted. Olympic National Park is a popular destination for igloo campers. Check out this Web site for some good igloo construction instructions;23. TRY CURLING: Curling might look like shuffleboard on ice, but you might be surprised how fun the Scottish game can be. The Granite Curling Club, the Northwest’s only curling club, is in Seattle and offers open houses Nov. 17, Dec. 1 and March 8 and 22 for $10 per person or $25 per family; www.curlingseattle.org. Curling might look like shuffleboard on ice, but you might be surprised how fun the Scottish game can be. The Granite Curling Club, the Northwest’s only curling club, is in Seattle and offers open houses Nov. 17, Dec. 1 and March 8 and 22 for $10 per person or $25 per family;

24. TAKE A LESSON: Ed Strauss offers two-hour cross-country lessons for $16 for adults and $10 for kids 12 and younger. He’ll also guide you on a four-hour tour of Rainier for $80 and $20 for each additional hour; www.mashell.com/~mtrretail/Skiing.htm. 

25. WATCH THE BEST: Get a look at future Winter Olympic athletes at future Olympic venues in February. The World Cup Freestyle circuit makes a stop at Vancouver, B.C.’s Cypress Mountain on Feb. 9-10. Whistler Blackcomb hosts World Cup alpine racing Feb. 18-24; www.cypressmountain.com,www.whistlerblackcomb.com. Get a look at future Winter Olympic athletes at future Olympic venues in February. The World Cup Freestyle circuit makes a stop at Vancouver, B.C.’s Cypress Mountain on Feb. 9-10. Whistler Blackcomb hosts World Cup alpine racing Feb. 18-24;Get a look at future Winter Olympic athletes at future Olympic venues in February. The World Cup Freestyle circuit makes a stop at Vancouver, B.C.’s Cypress Mountain on Feb. 9-10. Whistler Blackcomb hosts World Cup alpine racing Feb. 18-24;Get a look at future Winter Olympic athletes at future Olympic venues in February. The World Cup Freestyle circuit makes a stop at Vancouver, B.C.’s Cypress Mountain on Feb. 9-10. Whistler Blackcomb hosts World Cup alpine racing Feb. 18-24;Get a look at future Winter Olympic athletes at future Olympic venues in February. The World Cup Freestyle circuit makes a stop at Vancouver, B.C.’s Cypress Mountain on Feb. 9-10. Whistler Blackcomb hosts World Cup alpine racing Feb. 18-24;Get a look at future Winter Olympic athletes at future Olympic venues in February. The World Cup Freestyle circuit makes a stop at Vancouver, B.C.’s Cypress Mountain on Feb. 9-10. Whistler Blackcomb hosts World Cup alpine racing Feb. 18-24;

Get a look at future Winter Olympic athletes at future Olympic venues in February. The World Cup Freestyle circuit makes a stop at Vancouver, B.C.’s Cypress Mountain on Feb. 9-10. Whistler Blackcomb hosts World Cup alpine racing Feb. 18-24;

 With the Vancouver Winter Olympics set to begin in Febuary 2010, Whatcom County could be at the forefront in assisting our Canadian neighbors the most in preparation for the Games. Whatcom County will be able to provide accommodations with our local motels, bed and breakfast locations, and even private citizens renting homes, rooms and mother-in-law suites to an expected shortage of places to stay while attending the games.

Ray LeBlond of Tourism B.C., recently noted that with all the visitors expected, there will be a need for 500,000 of what he called room nights for the Games. There are even reservations booked already at Vancouver, BC area motels two years in advance. “We do believe that people are going to be looking for reasonable accommodations elsewhere,” he said of Game attendees. “There’s Calgary, about an hour flight away, Victoria and you guys. We do believe the opportunity is there for our neighbors to the south to assist the games with housing.”

I’ve even noticed on the Northwest Living blog here that people are doing searches for “homes for rent during Vancouver 2010 Olympics” and many other combinations of similar searches.  So as the Winter Games gets closer, I’m quite certain many of those travelers will end up in Whatcom County. In fact, I’m betting there won’t be a room available for that period, in all of Whatcom County, months before the games begin.

I would actually expect that travelers to the Winter Olympics will be looking for accommodations in many of the surrounding counties of Whatcom, Skagit, Island, San Juan, Snohomish and even King County. The border crossings are within twenty to thirty minutes from most places in Whatcom County and within an hour of Skagit County. I think that even if someone were to stay at locations in the other counties and had to drive an hour or two…it would be worth it to see a big event like the Winter Olympics.

Whatcom County is the closest U.S. destination to the 2010 Winter Olympic Games and is expected to help out by providing available rooms to the traveling public.  While in the area, visitors to the games and Whatcom County will be able to enjoy this beautiful place we call home.  After all, It’s the experience that matters to many attendees, not just the Olympic sporting events.

LeBlond noted that the 1986 Worlds Fair Exposition, and the 1988 Olympics in Calgary, Alberta were both catalysts to dramatic growth in tourism in Canada, noting that in both events, tourism rose sharply and never did settle back to the old growth trends.

With over three billion television viewers world wide tuning into the Winter Olympics our area will once again be put on the spot light and center stage.  I really believe that this whole area will see a boom time sometime between 2012 and 2015 following the Vancouver 2010 Olympics.  With real estate down here in the states going through tough times, right now or fairly soon would be the perfect time to look at buying Whatcom County real estate.  Time will tell, but one thing’s for sure…this buyers market won’t last for ever and we’ll soon be back to normal.

I’m going to post an article in a couple weeks about the bed and breakfast accommodations we have available in Whatcom County and some of the surrounding counties.  I will also later post about the rest of the available accommodations that are possible up here in the Northwest area of Washington state.  I’m hoping this might help travelers that are making plans for the up coming Olympics and for tourism in general to our area.

Jerry Campbell - Muljat Group - Bellingham, WA 98225 - Bellingham Real Estate

 Mt. Baker Ski season is about to open with a 35 inch base and lots more snow on the way.  This allows the Mt. Baker Ski Area to open today, Thursday November 29, 2007 in full normal midweek operation out of the White Salmon Base Area. Chairs 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 & 8 will be operating from 9:00am to 3:30 pm.

Forecasts are calling for increasing snow today, clearing for Friday and Saturday, then increasing snow again on Sunday. Freezing levels should continue to stay low through the weekend.

With this additional snowfall in the forecast it looks promising for Mt. Baker to be able to run all lifts and both base areas for this weekend! It is time to gear up and look forward to skiing on the mountain starting today!  Mt. Baker is considered one of the top ski areas in the country for snowboarding as well

With the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics only two years away, My guess the Mt Baker ski area is going to be getting a lot of use this year and for years to come.  There’s even talk that Mt. Baker will be possibly used for practice runs a quiet a bit over the the next two years in the build up to the Vancouver 2010.  It’s said that the conditions on Mt. Baker are similar to the conditions that the Olympic skiers will experience at Whistler, BC.

Mt. Baker is well known for the record amounts of snow that usually falls each winter. This is not hype. Back in 1999, Mt. Baker set a new world record for a winter season’s snowfall of 1,140 inches.

The mountain offers all-day possibilities to skiers and snowboarders alike, with plenty of faces and woods that bring out the pioneer spirit. This is truly snowboarder heaven, where the hardcore insist “snowboarding was born.”

Jerry Campbell - Muljat Group - Bellingham, WA 98225 - Bellingham Real Estate

 The countdown to the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Winter Games has already begun. A digital clock in downtown Vancouver shows the remaining time to the opening ceremony by day, hour, minute and second.

A new highway entrance signs have been added to promote the Olympics.

The arena housing a new ice rink has gone up in Richmond near the Vancouver International Airport. Light-rail lines are being added. And the Vancouver Convention Center is being expanded to serve as the main media center for the games, which will take place February 12 to 28, 2010 and will be followed by the Paralympic Winter Games in March.

“This is a big year for construction in Vancouver,” Raymond Chan, spokesman for Tourism British Columbia, said this week.

Organizers expect about a million people to visit British Columbia during the Olympics in which about 5,000 athletes and officials from 80 countries are set to participate, Chan said. An estimated 10,000 accredited media members will report on the games and three billion television viewers are expected to watch them around the world.

“For us, it’s really a great opportunity to showcase our region to the world,” Chan said.

Business owners are working with Olympic organizers to reap economic benefits from the event, said Greg Holmes, director of sales at the popular Vancouver Aquarium. “We will create significant exposure,” Holmes said.

Area residents are gearing up for the big event as well. Organizers have already secured about 25,000 volunteers needed for the Olympics, Chan said. More and more people continue to show interest in volunteering.

Volunteers and businesses are receiving training to welcome athletes, officials and tourists to British Columbia, Chan said. “We are really looking at ensuring all the volunteers and businesses are well-trained to treat visitors,” he said.

The Olympics will also benefit and affect the Pacific Northwest on the US side.  With Whatcom County being right on the border with British Columbia, they should see a lot of tourism benefits.

Some visitors will fly in to Washington airports. Snohomish County has created its own group, SnoGold 2010, to help local businesses and organizations be ready for the opportunities created by the Olympics. It’s trying to bid for skating or skiing teams to establishing training camps in the county.

Organizers expect many residents of Washington, Oregon, and Idaho to take the drive upto Vancouver spending time and money with our Northwest neighbor during the winter games.

The U.S. government is set to start a new border crossing requirement in summer 2008. The new rule requires passports for all travelers, including drivers when they re-enter the United States after a few hours of shopping in Canada. A driver’s license now suffices.

Washington state Gov. Chris Gregoire and British Columbia Premier Gordon Campbell are trying to streamline the crossings in preparation for the Olympics. State officials plan to authorize new enhanced driver’s licenses, which will allow drivers to cross the border without presenting passports.

The new passport rule could hinder traffic during the Olympics and send a chill through tourism and trade on both sides of the border, critics say. There is some concern by the tourism industry.  Partially via HeraldNet

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Seven of the largest Canadian media companies including CanWest have come together as a consortium to share news and resources for the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics.

These media giants represent 49 daily newspapers across Canada, including the Vancouver Sun and Toronto Star, will band together for the purposes of advertising and news sharing to give 3.5 million daily subscribers (35% of all daily readers in Canada) the same exact viewpoints, because everyone knows people’s information needs are best informed by a single, omnipresent voice!

Seven publishing companies, representing 49 daily newspapers in Canada, have taken the unprecedented step of forming a coalition to package and present Olympic news and advertising, beginning with the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.

The group includes CanWest Media Works, Torstar Corp., Gesca, Metro International SA, FP Canadian Newspapers LP, Transcontinental Media and Brunswick News Inc.

“This consortium is a first for the Canadian daily newspaper business in Canada,” Dennis Skulsky, president of CanWest Media Works, said in a statement. “We’re excited by the concept and by the opportunity to develop some strong and enduring partnerships with national advertisers and agencies with this unique endeavour.”

CanWest publishes dailies across Canada - including the National Post, Montreal Gazette, Vancouver Sun and Vancouver Province.

“This enriched coverage of Olympic news and information leading up to Vancouver 2010 and beyond will be welcomed by Canadians from coast to coast,” said Jagoda Pike, publisher of the Toronto Star, property of Torstar. “Daily newspapers are the perfect medium to provide the in-depth and ongoing coverage of the people, places and events involved in the many facets of the Games.”

Advertising sales for the newspaper group will be handled by the Sport Media Marketing Group. Principals in this firm have “extensive experience in Olympic television sales and production,”the newspaper consortium said.

“This innovative initiative by 49 of Canada’s leading daily newspapers will deliver a circulation of 3.5 million and an estimated reach of 35 per cent of Canada’s adult population, while their online sites add an additional 17-per-cent reach,” said Jim Byrd, chair of SMMG. “This combination provides greater reach than any television network and offers advertisers a superb tie-in to ongoing interest in the Olympics between now and London 2012.”

The consortium will produce two special publications this summer. “A Celebration of Canada’s Olympic Athletes” will be published on July 1, Canada Day. On Aug. 8, it will publish “One Year to Beijing,” in reference to the 2008 Summer Olympics.

The Winter Olympics in 2010 will be held in Vancouver, Britsh Columbia from February 12-28.  There will be much written about this huge event over the next 3 years and we plan to contribute links, stories and other useful discussions on the 2010 Winter Olympics. We will provide many links to the games and events in Vancouver and Whistler, as well as the Whatcom County area.

The city of Bellingham & Whatcom County are preparing for the event as well because of the close proximity to the games.  Whatcom County is expecting well over a million people traveling thru, on their way to Vancouver, BC.  Washington State’s 2010 Olympics task force was formed to plan for the state’s involvement in the games and make forecasts of the number of travelers to the event. 

Having the Olympics just across the border could bring lots of benefits without all the cost and headaches of actually hosting the Games, according to local officials. But, the other though is that the Games could instead bring a big headache with not much benefit.  The headache could be Olympics traffic getting stuck on area roads and at the border. In an effort to avoid this, officials have moved up several road projects and are discussing other steps. 

The benefit could be getting in on Olympics business opportunities and attracting tourists south of the Canadian border. In any event, every one is pretty excited about the upcoming 2010 Winter Olympics.  

I personally can’t wait for the Winter Olympic Games to get here.  I’m planning to take a couple weeks off and go explore Vancouver and take in as many events as I can work in.  This is the closest any Olympic games have ever come to my area of the country, so you bet I’m very excited for Canada and BC.

Here’s a few of the article’s I read this week that I’m adding here for my viewers.  Each and every week when I’m posting to the blog, I read and review a lot of news articles and blogs.  It’s imperative that one studies this market constantly to be a well informed source when on the subjects I write about.  So here is my list of articles for the week of Dec. 16 to Dec 22, 2006.

$14.5M slated for Bellingham Bay in States budget - Via Bellingham Herald - Dec 20, 2006.  The Port of Bellingham requested money from the state’s Model Toxics Control Act budget to help with cleaning up mercury in Whatcom Waterway. The Model Toxics Control Act is a voter-approved initiative adopted in 1989 to identify, investigate and clean up contaminated sites in Washington.  This is great news for Bellingham Bay and the cleanup efforts in the Whatcom Waterway in preparation for the New Whatcom project going forward.  This whole area in downtown Bellingham presents an exciting time for Bellingham residents and visitors to our great city.

Best and Worst Housing Markets in the U.S. - Via Real Estate Journal - Dec 20, 2006.    Tacoma area rated 3rd best market to outperform the rest of the western states and Seattle-Bellevue area were rated 4th. Portland, Oregon was rated the 5th best on the list.  There were a lot of cities in California that ranked pretty low, because they were overvalued in the survey.

Bellingham Boat Builder thrives in an ‘incredibly dynamic market’ - Via HeraldNet.com - Dec 18, 2006.  In the past four years, All American Marine has grown annually at a 30 percent clip. Matt Mullett CEO, says these days their in the enviable position of choosing what projects the company should go after. His only limitation is having enough qualified workers to do the job. 

Whidbey Island Takes Storm’s Biggest Punch - Via HeraldNet.com - Dec 16, 2006.   All of Whidbey Island lost power last Thursday night when Puget Sound Energy’s main transmission line to the island was taken out by falling trees.  Winds exceeded 90 mph on many parts of the island.  My father in-law Jack Hill, who lives on the western side of Whidbey Island and had spent 20 years in the Navy said, “It’s the worst storm that he’d seen since he got out of the navy 25 years ago”.

VANOC on track and on budget heading into 2007 - Via Vancouver 2010 - Dec 19, 2006.  VANOC and its partners are planning a number of exciting milestone events in February and March 2007 to celebrate the three-year countdown to the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. Details will be announced early in 2007.

Boston Ready to go Green - Via The Boston Globe - Dec 20, 2006.    Boston is expected to become the first major city in the nation to require private developers to adhere to a strict set of so-called green-building standards, officials said yesterday.  The goal is to make new buildings more energy efficient and environmentally friendly, by promoting, for example, use of efficient heating and cooling systems, recycled building materials, and careful separation and disposal of waste.

There is an added cost for doing so, but I think the long term benefits of building with green standards will far out weigh the upfront cost of construction.  Infact I think the Bellingham area already has had some of the best examples of builders that have gone green already, especially Rick Dubrow of A-1 Builders in Bellingham, WA.  If Whatcom county ever took on the standards for building Green, Rick Dubrow should definetly be one of the advisors, if not running the committee.  A-1 Builders has literally been building Green for at least 10-15 years.  Good job Rick Dubrow!

Jerry Campbell - Muljat Group - Bellingham WA - Bellingham WA Real Estate