Hi y'all. There is a good possibility I will be moving from south Cowlitz up to Okanogan County within a couple months (Omak/Tonasket area) for work. That's a part of the state I have little knowledge of. Is there anyone local to that area that can get me up to speed on ranges, shops, and etc? Oh, also possible sources for rental homes until we can sell this place off. Thanks.
Yep, I live up here in the Highlands...mail address is Tonasket even though it is almost 20 miles to town.
City of Tonasket has a couple laws on the books that need to go away, I'm working on that. They are promising me that they will comply with state law.
Tonasket is a nice town. Rents are reasonable, and there are quite a few places for sale that are reasonablely priced too (not right in town, but close) May even be a couple in town, I haven't been looking. I have a house built in 1972, about 1800 square feet, garage/shop, machine shed, garden shed, large storage building, and 10.25 acres of open forest at 3000'...cost us $100k 8 years ago, but the prices haven't moved much since. I do know a nice new cabin up here about the same size, but new, on about the same size property that is for sale for $150k. Anyway, that should give you an idea...(there are $500k places here too if you are more interested in super large)
Gun shops, Daves in Riverside is where I do business, nice place good people, they have reloading supplies, will order new guns but do not carry a lot of new, they do have quite a few used/consignment guns though. BigR in Omak has a big gun store, Al's over by Spectical lake, he had a lot of ARs last time I was there, Murphey's just outside Tonasket up the Havilliah Rd...There are a couple more in Omak, and up here, we do not lack for gun stores.
Ranges, there is a BIG (CMP) range south of Okanogan, there is a range in Omak, the gun club outside Tonasket is $25 a year. and $5 per competitive shoot that you wish to participate in. Locked gate, you get a key with your $25..ask at Al's gun shop about it. There is a range just outside Riverside, ask at Dave's Gun and Pawn in Riverside about it...I think it is $25 a year too. There is a free range west side of the river, just south of Oroville, but I've never been to it. We just shoot up here on our property (as does everyone else)
Unlike Viper, I much prefer Tonasket to Omak, but then that is a personal opinion. It is what you want. Tonasket and Oroville are about 1000 pop. We can purchase 99% of what we want between those two towns. We go to Omak about once every month or two. What we can't obtain in town, we can get on the net. If you are looking for $$$$$$$ lake front property, Oroville is the place...Lake Osoyoos is a nice lake. Just remember this...it gets HOT down in the valley in the summer...up here where we live it never gets really that hot. However, we do get quite a bit of snow up here, so choose your weather preference too. You will find the Okanogan quite dry, and quite warm in the summer, quite cool in the winter.
Okanogan County is very carry friendly, openly or concealed, neither is a problem. You can operate an ATV in several of the small towns and surrounding roads, (Tonasket is working on that one, by the time you get here, you may be able to operate an ORV in Tonasket too) and the county is working on opening up another 69 miles of county road to ORV. Lots of lakes and steams to fish in, lots of NF, State Forest, State wildlife areas and wilderness to hunt on. Miles of ORV trails and roads, miles of horse/hike trails too. Absolutely a great place to live (and for us, to retire to)