Not claiming "the best" for anybody but check out Reno, Sacremento and Auburn.

Cali creeking is sweet! Skiing is sik and they are all a reasonable drive to the coast.

 

BV, Salida, Steamboat, Glenwood Springs, Bozeman, Boise.

 

Aspen...bring a few extra dollars

 

SKI/Paddle Towns

Southwest Colorado Rocks......Telluride, Rico, Ridgeway, even Durango

 

Durango!

Hey, I grew up in Durango, then spent half my time between Northern Wisconsin and Durango. Then I went to school in Madison. I spent several years traveling, came back to Durango to visit, and ended up staying for the skiing/boating hanging out in the mountains thing. It's not lush like the midwest, per se, but It's beautiful nonetheless... I didn't think I'd be back so soon, but Durango is home. How can you beat being able to go straight from work to the river in the summer, and a half-hour drive to skiing in the winter?

Just my two cents.

~Adam

 

Yeah, Madison's nice, but we were even looking at *gasp* Green Bay. The Wolf is 20 minutes, the Peshtigo is 45 and the Menominee is a little over an hour. Not the widest selection, but solid. However, the only one that flows into the late summer is the Menominee and while I like it, I get really sick of boating the same damn 1/2 mile stretch of river over and over again while I wait for snow.

Then there's the winter. While there's plenty of snow there's hardly a bump to ski up there unless you like thrashing in the woods or XC skiing.

It's just so hard to justify.

How's the NE? I was looking at Burlington and it looks like there's some good skiing AND boating and that both seasons last pretty well, too.

 

If you are such an avid skiier, how can you be considering anything but the Rockies? Northern Rockies have a lot of water, lots of skiing, but not a lot of jobs. If you can swing it, I can't imagine being anywhere else. Just don't tell anyone I said so.

Oh, and west of the divide up here is pretty lush, at least in comparison to areas east of the divide. Cedars and everything, but not like the midwest.

 

Yeah, the northern rockies rock, but the no jobs thing is a killer. Having a family puts a serious kibosh on moving someplace without a job.

Hell, alls y'alls reading this, give me a job in finance in a really cool place and I'm there. I have my series 6 and my series 63 and am tremendous at prospecting!

 

i would check out carbondale, co if i were you, that is where i live, and we have great boating right out of the door, and good skiing about 30 mins away in aspen, or in glenwood at sunlight, check it out, i love it

 

Yeah, if you are already in CO, don't leave, network. If you go back to the midwest, it is over. It is easier to get a job when you can blast over for an interview, vs if they have to fly you out. Look small, think creative. Jobs in the mountains don't take the usual path, don't just think about the job you want, think about the life you want. The job that you least expect might be the best. Check the want ads, try to picture yourself in some of those jobs that don't exactly fit into your mold.

good luck

 

I've lived all over the country and love Telluride. It's an amazing place and the skiing is some of the best anywhere.
The tradeoffs? It's expensive and the boating isn't quite as strong right here (although there's great stuff very close and a lot more in a short drive).
We went up to kayak in Steamboat w/friends who used to live here in T-ride and they really like it there. I must say I was impressed with the town and the paddling right there through town. The mtn.'s kind of flat (but many are compared to T-ride).
I'm down in Durango alot also. It's a great town with a lot to do and great paddling. But the mtn. sucks.

 

I've lived all over the country and love Telluride. I'm down in Durango alot also. It's a great town with a lot to do and great paddling. But the mtn. sucks.

Yeah but the backcountry is phenominal if you're into that. Also Gunnison. If you do leave colorado look into the areas surrounding Tahoe, Salt lake City (greatest snow on earth), Boise, Jackson Hole, Bozeman.

 

I ski BC more than I ride lifts. We looked at Bozeman, for sure, because there's some incredible skiing, some incredible boating, some incredible climbing and a good town with jobs. But, my wife didn't want to move there because it's so high and dry. The only reason I got her to Denver was for a stellar, can't pass it up job. If get one of those in Bozeman then I am there, for sure.

On an aside, let's say I just want to boat and don't care about skiing or snow...where's the best place then? NC?

 

We looked at Bozeman, for sure, because there's some incredible skiing, some incredible boating, some incredible climbing and a good town with jobs. But, my wife didn't want to move there because it's so high and dry.

Check out Missoula. It's a little more lush than the Bozone. Then again, I grew up in that neck of the woods, so "lush" is a relative term...Whitefish is like a rainforest to me...

 

BC, Canada! Ex-pat! Got more of everything! Vancouver! Less people. Cheap ganga! Free healthcare! Sick mountains! Water! Too bad they don't need anymore dirtbags. Someday I will reside there. And the ocean! BC!!!!

 

Yeah, before the baby I was actually considering going to get my PhD at UBC in Victoria. That woulda set me up nice for living in Canadia. I have to say, BC is kind of like the mythical land of perfection to me and I would jump there in a heartbeat if I could. That just happens to be once place I think my wife would actually go for, though someplace in Ontario or even Quebec would treat her better.

Heck, I also like Calgary. it's like the Denver of Canada with colder, snowier winters and not as hot summers. Plus they have glacier fed rivers

 

As far as NC - the obvious answer is Asheville, but if you can find the work then Boone or someplace further west like Sylva. If you look at Asheville, might as well look at Knoxville too, and Chattanooga perhaps.

 

South East



I will second the South East. I am biased as I grew up there, but Asheville, Knoxville and Chattanooga are really pretty decent places. The Cumberland Plateau is there and it is totally lush with over 115 different type of trees. The housing is way cheap and good jobs are starting really pop up in places like Knoxville and Chat. The life style is much more laid back and easy going than the west. I have considered heading back there myself. The big knock for me is they have bad air pollution.

 

Asheville for boating / lifestyle ? (not skiing)

Hearing good things about Asheville.
...love to hear more. Any thoughts?

Thanks all!

 

NC

Hearing good things about Asheville.
...love to hear more. Any thoughts?

Thanks all!

Do a google search on "Best Outdoor Towns" Western North Carolina Towns like Asheville and Cashiers will be among the first hits.

Check out:
Cherokee National Forest
Pisgah National forest
Nantahala National Forest
Linville Gorge

and the a river that runs into my neck of the woods (KY/VA) the Russell Fork. It's hillbilly central but can be a hell of alot of fun.
Russell Fork whitewater, grassy creek, hunts creek, guest river, little stony creek

 

My sis in law, my wife's sister that is, lives in Missoula. We've definitely thought about it and it's probably our most favorite option. My brother was also a Grizz, so I spent some time there. We love Whitefish, and Kalispell, and would be there right now if there were good jobs. If I could find a happy bank management job in N. Montana I'd take it.

Anyone offering?

 

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