Bozeman, Portland/Corvallis, Boise - good places to live?
I sortof know all of the above are good places to live, but I'd love to hear any firsthand info. I've got job potential in all of these places. I love Colorado, but don't mind moving if i get to go somewhere cool. Looking for great boating, skiing/running, nice people, good dating scene (i.e., kind yet fun men), and decent weather.
Where would you recommend? Bozeman is a real possiblity, would it be a good place to live?
I really appreciate any info on any of these places... esp. how they compare to the front range in the above.
Bozeman is a great town- I lived there for about 5 years until last summer. If you have job potential there, that is good since decent jobs are hard to come by. You don't make a whole lot, but the cost of living is cheap except for the price of housing which is skyrocketing (Lots of people are moving there). That being said, I hope to return sometime in the future when it is realistic. There is a great sense of community there, super friendly people, great outdoor scene, lots of professional atheletes (kind of like Boulder, but not as pc).
Recreation wise, you have the Gallatin 30 minutes away with 8 miles of III/IV plus plenty of other stuff nearby (see Montana Surf). Skiing is 20 minutes away at Bridger or 1 hour to Big Sky (it was pretty easy to get at least 50 ski days in a season). Averages btw 350 and 400 inches a year with terrain that is comparable to the steeps of southern Colorado. Great ice climbing in Hyalite and plenty of rock climbing within 30 minutes of town. Mountain biking and hiking trails 10 minutes from town and, of course, world class fly fishing all over the place.
It's pretty easy, as with any smaller town, to meet people. If your female, don't worry about the dating scene- it's skewed in your favor. The college definitley helps out balancing the ratio though. If you have any more questions, let me know- I'd be happy to help.
-Dave
Just from what I've seen on this site, you're a better boater and you'll want more boating than what the Bozeman guy lists.
Think Boise.
Amazing paddling - everything you could want within one hour, and some stuff right in town.
But within one hour are fabulous class 4 runs, nice class 3's and a quintessential Idaho class 5 run (N. fork of the Payette).
Plus within three or four hours are all the great Salmon River runs, Hells Canyon, not toooo far from the Lochsa/Selway area ....
Great park and play nearby, though Idaho does not have the developed play parks Colorado has (I see this as a plus). You'll want the Bliss Wave on the Snake r. (runs 365 a year, 45 minutes from Boise), look for Climax on the Main Payette near (I think Horeshoe Bend), the South Fork (Payette) Play Wave, etc....
Boise is a good-sized city with a great social scene and lots of outdoors folks. Find Idaho River Sports downtown, and that's a great neighborhood to live in. (Called Hyde Park, or something like that? Something Park)
For skiing, Sun Valley is a couple of hours away and it's world-class. There are also decent, smaller resorts nearby.
I'd be in Boise now if it had a better newspaper to work for.
If boating is a higher priority than skiing, Boise is the place.
My 2 cents.
-Mike
Good luck, and tell us where you land.
Move to Boise. We have an eight month paddling season right here. Class I to Big water class V. Mountain biking/climbing 365 days a year. Skiing within 45 min. Great size town. Real cool people. Great boating community. I think you won't have a hard time meeting dateable (sp?) people. I have a buddy who would love to meet you. He actually moved here because he made a similar post 2 yrs ago and I answered it. We later met in the river and made the connection. It's a great story. College, great weather,...Blah, Blah...email me if you want more info.
The Roaring Fork Valley is a a heck of a lot more than Aspen. Lots of small to mid-size locally-owned business. Rivers, 4 ski mountains, 4 towns+ , world-class art, culture and food. It's not cheap but if you love someplace, you can make it work. Oh, but wait, we ran out room. Sorry, nevermind...
Outside mag ranked us in top 20 places to live. Yah, it's not Aspain, thank goodness, but it's a great place. And, I'm here. The weather is always great. Let's see... I can boat class III-VI within twenty minutes to two hours from home, can rodeo in the play park two minutes from home, ski 25 minutes from home, rock climb 5.9 and up within 20 minutes from home, mountain bike and dirt bike from my house and all across the Continetal Divide, swim, fish, hike , camp, hunt, hang glide, drink beer, dance, and breath clean air ... everyday. How about a date this weekend or next? Come enjoy the Banana Belt Mountain Bike race this weekend. Cheers!
1 1/2 from Crested Butte and 1+hr from Salida when the passes are open and when they're not, you want to be here anyway. 3 1/2 from Moab, 1 1/2 from Vail , Copper, etc. We also have a little here that runs all year called the CO. I'm gushing sorry and I don't live in Aspen.
You guys are great, thanks for all the input! I've got an application in for Bozeman now, if I get an interview guess I'll have to check out the paddling options firsthand. Just missed a deadline for a boise job, damn, b/c it sounds like an awesome place. I'll be keeping my eyes open there. I'd move to the Ark or Roaring Fork Valley definitely, just not as many job options, uh, unless i find my sugar daddy there and don't need a real job Keep me in mind if you hear of opportunities in any of these places (I'm in fisheries/water quality research). I'm gonna keep your emails in case i get out to any of these places to look. Thanks again, I'm excited to check out all these options now!!
I keep hearing this 8 months of paddling a year in Boise, Idaho. I have not been to Boise but I find this very hard to believe. So you don't paddle in January and February. Are you telling me there is good kayaking in December and March? Come one. I can paddle the Animas all winter but I would not say I have year round paddleing. I have to go to the Salt in AZ for March boating which makes sense, but Idaho? Lets see a pic of that sweet Nov/Dec or early spring boatin'.
Paddling in Idaho? There no stinking whitewater in Idaho!
Come on? .. Sounds like you think were a bit delusional up here in spudsville. I lived in CO last year and believe that the quality of the paddling may be better there overall, but the season is short in comparison. We typically dont paddle November through February. However, there were some folks that were running the North Fork of the Payette regularly through some of the "off" months this past year. My first run of the year on the NF was probably in early March and I ran it this weekend at a solid flow and will likely run it into October (granting that the farmers dont cut it off). NFKA
Keep me in mind if you hear of opportunities in any of these places (I'm in fisheries/water quality research). I'm gonna keep your emails in case i get out to any of these places to look. Thanks again, I'm excited to check out all these options now!!
I can paddle the Animas all winter but I would not say I have year round paddleing. I have to go to the Salt in AZ for March boating which makes sense, but Idaho? Lets see a pic of that sweet Nov/Dec or early spring boatin'. 
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