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best relocation options in the west (mountain/area)?

gladerider

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this winter and the epic pass thread got me thinking. i know quite a few folks in this forum regularily travel out to the west to get some powder fix. i know some always dream of moving out there, but for many of us with family and growing kids, it's just a pipe dream. so here is a question:

if all the stars align and you are picking a place to relocate, which home mountain / metro area would be your top pick?

of course there are some factors to consider:
1- weather pattern in general and duration of the season
2- city size big enough to find a job
3- distance to the home mountain
4- affordability to ride throughout the season

here are a few i think about often:
a- vancouver/whistler
b- seattle/mt baker
c- portland/mt hood

what is your list????
 

mlctvt

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The three you mention are also good but my wife and I have already decided on SLC / Park city area for either part time home or full time retirement in a few years.
Going out this summer to check out the summer hiking / biking and get an off season view.
 

ScottySkis

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Slc Utah, less then hour to 4 snowy mountains that average like 600 inches of snow and very cheap to live.
 

AdironRider

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SLC is not a very "nice" place. Like anywhere, there are good and bad areas, but outside of proximity to skiing, I think you can be better served in other areas.

Golden CO if you absolutely need to be near a city. Otherwise Id go for Telluride, Jackson, and the sleeper pick of Whitefish Montana.
 

Puck it

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SLC is not a very "nice" place. Like anywhere, there are good and bad areas, but outside of proximity to skiing, I think you can be better served in other areas.

Golden CO if you absolutely need to be near a city. Otherwise Id go for Telluride, Jackson, and the sleeper pick of Whitefish Montana.

Agree, SLC proper is just nasty looking.

Jackson
Telluride
Bozemon/Big Sky

for me!!!


Wife would be Nantucket!!!
 

abc

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if all the stars align and you are picking a place to relocate, which home mountain / metro area would be your top pick?

of course there are some factors to consider:
1- weather pattern in general and duration of the season
2- city size big enough to find a job
3- distance to the home mountain
4- affordability to ride throughout the season
If ALL stars align, one wouldn't need to bother with a job. Affordability is also relative. When all stars align, it's not going to be a problem! :D

Sorry, this question has been asked many times, by different people. What you find is it's very individual, both in taste (type of skiing, non-skiing activity etc) and circumstance (retired, freelance job etc). So it's too open-ended to be worth going into detail.
 

gladerider

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The three you mention are also good but my wife and I have already decided on SLC / Park city area for either part time home or full time retirement in a few years.
Going out this summer to check out the summer hiking / biking and get an off season view.

i envie you
 

gladerider

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SLC is not a very "nice" place. Like anywhere, there are good and bad areas, but outside of proximity to skiing, I think you can be better served in other areas.

Golden CO if you absolutely need to be near a city. Otherwise Id go for Telluride, Jackson, and the sleeper pick of Whitefish Montana.

interesting you say whitefish. i just found out that a family friend is out there. 1/2 hours away from whitefish. thinking about checking it out soon.
 

gladerider

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If ALL stars align, one wouldn't need to bother with a job. Affordability is also relative. When all stars align, it's not going to be a problem! :D

Sorry, this question has been asked many times, by different people. What you find is it's very individual, both in taste (type of skiing, non-skiing activity etc) and circumstance (retired, freelance job etc). So it's too open-ended to be worth going into detail.

i hear you. it's open ended, that's why it's interesting to hear from different people. :)
 

skiersleft

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this winter and the epic pass thread got me thinking. i know quite a few folks in this forum regularily travel out to the west to get some powder fix. i know some always dream of moving out there, but for many of us with family and growing kids, it's just a pipe dream. so here is a question:

if all the stars align and you are picking a place to relocate, which home mountain / metro area would be your top pick?

of course there are some factors to consider:
1- weather pattern in general and duration of the season
2- city size big enough to find a job
3- distance to the home mountain
4- affordability to ride throughout the season

here are a few i think about often:
a- vancouver/whistler
b- seattle/mt baker
c- portland/mt hood

what is your list????

Seattle is much more than just Baker in terms of skiing. Crystal is closer and offers equally good skiing. You also have Stevens Pass and you're a couple of hours away from Mt Hood.
 

skiadikt

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love the skiing but just wouldn't want to live in utah. a compromise for me would be be frisco, co, right in the middle of summit co. easy access to breck, keystone, a-basin, loveland, vail, beaver creek, mary jane and even steamboat is an easy day trip for the best trees anywhere.
 

Smasandian

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I would probably move to Kelowna, BC. 5-6 hours away from Whistler, Kicking Horse and other resorts/operations.

I wouldn't move to Vancouver considering it's one of the most expensive places to live in NA.
 

snoseek

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Really tough decision but my short list:

Ogden, Ut
Grand Jct Colorado (good cebtral location, good local hill, cheap, great mtb)
Telluride-beautiful
Golden Co.-close to Denver, good community, good recreation, free beer (former home)
SLT-current home, cheap, good vareity of areas and recreation, affordable, big ass lake
 

abc

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I wouldn't move to Vancouver considering it's one of the most expensive places to live in NA.
Vancouver isn't just a ski town. It's actually a REAL city! So it's got city prices!

What that means is shopping, concert, real jobs rather than tending lift and driving groomers! And an international airport if your moods takes you, to say... Japan!

If all the stars are aligned, THAT is where I will move to.

The only drawback? Canadian health care.
 

jlboyell

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Mar 16, 2010
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i just moved to bozeman. it is really nice being an hour from big sky and 25 min from bridger bowl. it is different here, and what is considered a metro area is different from what i consider a metro area. i do miss the city, having grown up in new jersey im used to being able to go to new york or philadelphia when i want or need to. foods bad. job market is tough. other than that, i really like it. i went on a 4 hr hike the other day, trailhead was 15 min from my front door, and it was absolutely mind blowing scenery. i think the hardest thing to consider, you wont be skiing or riding all the time, and visit the area first. my sister was set on moving here also, she came and visited me and decided montana might not be for her
 

steamboat1

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i just moved to bozeman. it is really nice being an hour from big sky and 25 min from bridger bowl. it is different here, and what is considered a metro area is different from what i consider a metro area. i do miss the city, having grown up in new jersey im used to being able to go to new york or philadelphia when i want or need to. foods bad. job market is tough. other than that, i really like it. i went on a 4 hr hike the other day, trailhead was 15 min from my front door, and it was absolutely mind blowing scenery. i think the hardest thing to consider, you wont be skiing or riding all the time, and visit the area first. my sister was set on moving here also, she came and visited me and decided montana might not be for her
I have one off topic question.

Is there still a Sinclair gas station in Bozeman?

I was surprised to see one last time I was there.
 
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