Moving to Denver...A Primer on Living Life Where the Mountains Meet The Plains
Maybe it's a new job, a change of scenery, the pull of family, or retirement - whatever the reason, the Denver Metro Area is on your radar. If it weren't, you wouldn't be here right now (either that or you're really bored).
If you've never been to Denver at all, I hope these musings will give you some insight into what the area is like.
First and Foremost
Forget those TV shots of people skiing that you commonly see during NFL games. Denver isn't in the mountains. Western and southern suburbs have higher-elevation areas, but overall most of the metro area is on the high plains.
It's dry here. Not as dry as Phoenix or Las Vegas, but it's noticeably drier than anywhere east of the 100th Meridian. Consequently, Denver doesn't have a lush tree canopy like many cities. The further east you go the more sparse the vegetation becomes. If you want forest you have to head west to the foothills - generally above 7,000'.
You may be surprised at the cost of housing here. Prices have skyrocketed over the last 5 years and the average house price in the metro area is above $600,000. Property taxes are relatively low, though, so you may be able to afford more house than you think.
If you've never been here - plan a visit first. I cannot stress this enough. Spend a week in Denver when the weather's at its worst - typically late December/early January. Moving anywhere sight-unseen can lead to disappointment.
If I haven't scared you off, here are some pointers for when you finally get here:
Do:
Be prepared for a long snow season. It can snow here anytime between September and May, but it usually only snows from October until late April. Winters are generally mild with lots of sun so the snow melts rapidly and doesn't stick around for weeks or months on end.
Bone up on winter driving (especially if you've never done it before).
Keep yourself covered from the sun. It's intense, and you'll likely sunburn a lot easier and quicker than you're used to. Sunscreen is your friend.
Prepare for your body to take time to adjust to the altitude, especially if you're a flatlander coming here for the first time.
Drink plenty of water. The combination of the altitude and the lack of moisture will make you feel dried out at first.
Enjoy the outdoors. Go on a hike if you're capable of doing so. There are literally hundreds of miles of hiking trails of various skill levels within a couple hours' drive of Denver. Download the AllTrails app and/or REI's Hiking Project app and head for the hills. Random shots of a few hiking trails taken by yours truly can be found here.
Don't:
Be one of those cheapskates who keeps their car registered illegally in another state. Yes, we're all aware it's expensive, but if we can do it, so can you.
Drone on and on about where you came from and how it's different/better than Colorado. Nobody cares. Seriously. If it were so great, why'd you move here?
Refer to major arterial highways as "The ..." (e.g. "The 25," "The 70," etc. It's I-70, 225, 270, Boulder Turnpike (Us-36), and I-25 (or The Valley Highway if you're old school). It'll be a dead giveaway you're probably from California.
If you've never been to Denver at all, I hope these musings will give you some insight into what the area is like.
First and Foremost
Forget those TV shots of people skiing that you commonly see during NFL games. Denver isn't in the mountains. Western and southern suburbs have higher-elevation areas, but overall most of the metro area is on the high plains.
It's dry here. Not as dry as Phoenix or Las Vegas, but it's noticeably drier than anywhere east of the 100th Meridian. Consequently, Denver doesn't have a lush tree canopy like many cities. The further east you go the more sparse the vegetation becomes. If you want forest you have to head west to the foothills - generally above 7,000'.
You may be surprised at the cost of housing here. Prices have skyrocketed over the last 5 years and the average house price in the metro area is above $600,000. Property taxes are relatively low, though, so you may be able to afford more house than you think.
If you've never been here - plan a visit first. I cannot stress this enough. Spend a week in Denver when the weather's at its worst - typically late December/early January. Moving anywhere sight-unseen can lead to disappointment.
If I haven't scared you off, here are some pointers for when you finally get here:
Do:
Be prepared for a long snow season. It can snow here anytime between September and May, but it usually only snows from October until late April. Winters are generally mild with lots of sun so the snow melts rapidly and doesn't stick around for weeks or months on end.
Bone up on winter driving (especially if you've never done it before).
Keep yourself covered from the sun. It's intense, and you'll likely sunburn a lot easier and quicker than you're used to. Sunscreen is your friend.
Prepare for your body to take time to adjust to the altitude, especially if you're a flatlander coming here for the first time.
Drink plenty of water. The combination of the altitude and the lack of moisture will make you feel dried out at first.
Enjoy the outdoors. Go on a hike if you're capable of doing so. There are literally hundreds of miles of hiking trails of various skill levels within a couple hours' drive of Denver. Download the AllTrails app and/or REI's Hiking Project app and head for the hills. Random shots of a few hiking trails taken by yours truly can be found here.
Don't:
Be one of those cheapskates who keeps their car registered illegally in another state. Yes, we're all aware it's expensive, but if we can do it, so can you.
Drone on and on about where you came from and how it's different/better than Colorado. Nobody cares. Seriously. If it were so great, why'd you move here?
Refer to major arterial highways as "The ..." (e.g. "The 25," "The 70," etc. It's I-70, 225, 270, Boulder Turnpike (Us-36), and I-25 (or The Valley Highway if you're old school). It'll be a dead giveaway you're probably from California.
Total Comments 7
Comments
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That's great, thank youPosted 11-09-2018 at 02:33 AM by asiapackagetravel
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Duly noted!
Posted 12-25-2018 at 11:39 PM by FloridaNative93
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Pretty accurate info. I'm a former resident of Denver metro, and I concur. The house I used to own has more than doubled in value since I lived there, and not in that much time. Denver has all of a sudden become the "HIP" place to be.Posted 07-22-2019 at 06:52 AM by Pilot1
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Thank youPosted 09-06-2019 at 04:14 PM by bl415tx
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Flatlanders:
Avoid altitude sickness by drinking lots of water; go easy on the alcohol until acclimated in a day or two.
Avoid sun damage by using sunscreen, sunglasses, hat, chapstick, and long sleeves.
Avoid dry sinus nosebleeds with saline spray.
Air is thinner here, less oxygen content, and the sun's rays will burn you much faster in the thinner air.
Vehicles with carburetors lose 3% of their power for every 1000 feet of altitude gain -- again, less oxygen.
If hiking in the high country you especially need to beware of altitude sickness, drink lots of water and be off the mountain before noon to avoid lightning strikes in the afternoon thunderstorms during summer.
Any questions? Ask them in the forum.Posted 10-14-2020 at 11:23 AM by Mike from back east
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Hi! I have been living in Los Angeles for 20+ years and am a single mom with twins off to college this fall. I am so over the prices out here, the fires, the mud slides etc. My rent is more then most people's portages on large houses. I was thinking of possibly renting in a suburb out there (Arvada?) and seeing how I do. I am 55, a therapist, and would love to date, find a great community and settle. I love wildlife and nature but am not a skier or snowboarder just a warm, fun person looking to find a place to call home. Is this completely crazy to think of? I have one relative in Denver, know it takes time to adjust but am a bit concerned it might be too much. Been out there 3 times and love the nice, nice people and of course the land.
Any thoughts so appreciated!Posted 02-12-2021 at 09:19 PM by Karla Barnett
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Well we do have fires here, too, and it's not exactly cheap these days. That being said, I don't know how the costs here compare to LA. I don't think it's crazy, no, especially if your relative here can help you get settled in. You'll have to get used to driving on snow and ice, but the roads only get really bad a few times a year. I'm not a skier or a snowboarder, but I do hike a lot.Quote:Originally Posted by Karla Barnett
Hi! I have been living in Los Angeles for 20+ years and am a single mom with twins off to college this fall. I am so over the prices out here, the fires, the mud slides etc. My rent is more then most people's portages on large houses. I was thinking of possibly renting in a suburb out there (Arvada?) and seeing how I do. I am 55, a therapist, and would love to date, find a great community and settle. I love wildlife and nature but am not a skier or snowboarder just a warm, fun person looking to find a place to call home. Is this completely crazy to think of? I have one relative in Denver, know it takes time to adjust but am a bit concerned it might be too much. Been out there 3 times and love the nice, nice people and of course the land.
Any thoughts so appreciated!Posted 02-14-2021 at 07:22 PM by bluescreen73
