Move to Colorado?

[blueskyk]

DH was born and raised in Kitsap county and left in his 40s seeking sunshine. He ultimately found the abundant rain and grey skies left him sad. But when the sun shined, he thought it spectacular and felt he needed more of that.

[Rocky mtn high]

Estes Park and RMNP are being loved to death: million visitors in July alone.
Hiking trails have lines like an amusement park.
Local residents drive 30 miles to avoid the one grocery store this time of year.
60% of visitors come from the growth along the front range.
A few local residents actually move out of their home and RENT them out.
RMNP can’t handle the volume and so even though you live a mile from the entrance you must have a reservation during the day.

[WyomingLife]

Whatever you do, don’t move a bit further north to Wyoming.

You wouldn’t like it here.

(And we like it that way; that is an old Wyoming joke)

(Wyoming is what CO was 30 years ago. Plus no income tax; no potheads; no people. If you need malls, traffic, crowds to be happy, please do stay in Colorado, however.)

[Koolau]

Just recalled. My niece and her hubby bought land in CO with the idea they would retire there. They have spent the past 2 years trying to get approvals and building permits with NO success. It's the old "We won't tell you what the rules are - we'll just tell you when you are trying to break one of our 'double-secret-probation' rules." Worse than Hawaii with probably 50 times the potential living area (16 times if you don't account for areas lost to mountains in either state.)

Something to think about. Hawaii doesn't want anyone to move here. Maybe Colorado is similar. YMMV

[MRG]

Winter of 18-19. It's hard to describe what ten feet of snowfall is like but the sign doesn't lie.IMG_1550779866579.jpeg

[Koolau]

30+ years ago, I was staying at the Stanley Hotel in Estes Park (where the Shining was filmed - saw a screening of said movie at the Stanley!) Though there was some snow on the mountains, the hotel grounds (and town) were devoid of snow. One night, we got a foot of snow. Though I hate winter, the effect was truly magical. I enjoy snow - from afar or maybe out the window. YMMV

[BigMoneyJim]

Quote:

Originally Posted by WyomingLife Whatever you do, don’t move a bit further north to Wyoming. You wouldn’t like it here. (And we like it that way; that is an old Wyoming joke) (Wyoming is what CO was 30 years ago. Plus no income tax; no potheads; no people. If you need malls, traffic, crowds to be happy, please do stay in Colorado, however.)

Too late! Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho are on my "maybe someday" radar. But pre-pandemic I was targeting the Seattle area, and now mid-pandemic Colorado seems about as far as I want to go.

I guess I'm used to large population centers, but sooner or later I expect I'll check out less densely populated areas.

However, if I do end up going nomadic–which I'm rather suddenly in the past 24 hours considering–and the rest of family moves to Colorado (a distinct possibility as family is the only thing keeping any of us in DFW in the first place) I may try ranging out within a day's drive from CO.

[Rocky mtn high]

I actually do know some people who moved from Estes Park to Wyoming just for the reasons we have mentioned. No doubt as Colorado becomes California, Wyoming will become Colorado.

[timo2]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rocky mtn high I actually do know some people who moved from Estes Park to Wyoming just for the reasons we have mentioned. No doubt as Colorado becomes California, Wyoming will become Colorado.

I have plenty of Wyoming anecdotes:

My favorite town in Wyoming is Sheridan. It has character, is somewhat remote, but big enough to have adequate services.

Many people do not realize how windy Wyoming is. It's got to be the windiest State in the west. If you don't ever go outside, fine. I worked outside and have lived in every inter-mountain state for my proof.

Also, when I lived in Fort Collins, a reasonable portion of their commercial income was people driving down from Wyoming, as there was not much shopping in Laramie or Cheyenne.

[COcheesehead]

Quote:

Originally Posted by WyomingLife Whatever you do, don’t move a bit further north to Wyoming. You wouldn’t like it here. (And we like it that way; that is an old Wyoming joke) (Wyoming is what CO was 30 years ago. Plus no income tax; no potheads; no people. If you need malls, traffic, crowds to be happy, please do stay in Colorado, however.)

Few live in Wyoming for a reason. I drove to Buffalo for a wedding one summer. I think we saw a tree. Possibly.

[Hermit]

I had a friend that lived in Warland Wyoming one year. Said something about it being a bit cool and somewhat breezy there.

[WyomingLife]

"10 REASONS WHY I LOVE THE WYOMING WIND:

"It reminds me I still have hair.

"I don't have to carry a comb, I always have an excuse.

"It blows the grasshoppers into Colorado.

"Eagles stand still trying to fly against it.

"That's why we don't have clouds: they hate the wind.

"It irritates tourists.

"It dries out snow puddles.

"Our cats won't go outside in it.

"I can feed horses in the North pasture and in 2 hours, they have hay in the South pasture too.

"My Granddaughter can fly a kite without running."

Source: 10 Things To Love About Wyoming Wind | https://kgab.com/10-things-to-love-a...edium=referral

[38Chevy454]

Just adding to the CO and specifically Grand Junction discussion. I was pretty serious looking into moving there as retirement spot. I was in Albuquerque NM area, and wanted to get out of there for retirement. I liked the GJ area, especially the suburbs below the CO National Monument. I prefer a little land and away from typical dense populated suburbs and their packed in houses. GJ being kind of isolated did not bother me, I like road tripping. Have a big motorhome I take on trips all over. GJ has everything a big enough city needs for medical and shopping. GJ metro area is bigger than just the formal GJ city population. I am not a big arts/concerts fan, so that isn't on my list of requirements. Having ability to be outside and the beautiful scenery around is important for me, GJ has that. Also appreciated the agriculture and winery areas. I grew up in CA, and prefer the drier SW type climate vs humidity. While a couple weeks long stays are nothing like actually living there, I am pretty sure I could have lived there just fine. But in the end, moving to be near family was a bigger factor. Weather here in Cincinnati is definitely worse than GJ. I will agree that western slope CO is more conservative, which is better to me than the eastern slope. CO is definitely changing politically (trying to be nice here) and the western slope has too few population to overcome the dominant state politics. Kind of like the conservative CA central valley has no chance in overall state politics.

CO Springs is a nice area as many have suggested. It was also a consideration I looked into. I liked GJ better than COS for my preferences.

Another area I was considering was Prescott AZ. I still like that area from my visiting there, but I am not moving from current location now. A good friend in CA is considering Prescott to move to. Be interesting to see where he ends up.

[gerntz]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 38Chevy454 But in the end, moving to be near family was a bigger factor. Weather here in Cincinnati is definitely worse than GJ

You don't say - as I look out from our back porch to the tops of Cincy DT buildings. Not the best, not the worst, but as you mention, other factors more important.

Other thing is I've been to CO a lot between ski trips & other vacations. Great place. I'd pick mountain living over anything. At least there are hills here. Beaches are nice but become a bore to me.

[timo2]

This thread of the size and extent of potential retirement geographic areas reminded me of this map. I think that this gives an insight into where a less crowded non-urban retirement spot would go for shopping and activities.

From the site: "By ignoring borders and looking purely at commuter data, geographer Garrett Nelson and urban analyst Alasdair Rae looked to map the relationship between population centers in their paper, An Economic Geography of the United States: From Commutes to Mega-regions.
The study used network partitioning software to link together 4 million commutes between census tracts. This gives us a very granular look at the “gravitational pull” of America’s population centers, and helps us better understand the economic links that bind a region together."

https://www.visualcapitalist.com/map...s-megaregions/

[braumeister]

Quote:

Originally Posted by timo2 This thread of the size and extent of potential retirement geographic areas reminded me of this map.

It reminded me of this map. A famous look at how native New Yorkers see the world.
"The view from 9th Avenue"

[street]

Colorado has the hottest real estate market in the US right now. It is the highest in numbers with people moving there.

[gerntz]

Quote:

Originally Posted by street Colorado has the hottest real estate market in the US right now. It is the highest in numbers with people moving there.

It's the highest or near the highest in a number of categories.

[Koolau]

Quote:

Originally Posted by braumeister It reminded me of this map. A famous look at how native New Yorkers see the world. "The view from 9th Avenue"

Heh, heh, probably couldn't print a similar map of the way much of the middle of the country views NYC - this from a guy who loves NYC, so don't shoot the messenger.

[ivinsfan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by timo2 Glenwood Springs is indeed very nice. It would be my choice in Colorado if I ever moved back. My old bones miss the Vapor Caves.

Glenwood Springs for sure for me. But you all know I would have to go to UTAH instead...