I disagree. I'll take 1978-79, 1985-86, and 1992-93 over any strong la niƱa winter in my lifetime. I know that the 2008 calendar year had 132 inches of snow at Spokane, but 1978-79, 1985-86, and 1992-93 featured more consistent cold. 2010-11 had moments of greatness, but it had melt offs followed by long dull periods.
Not the right kind of work that could be good in the south Willamette Valley? Y'all can experience what it's like here with regularity and the cities themselves are quite nice apart from a few blocks in Eugene.