Tell me about Nederland, CO

[timberdude52]

Cold in winter nice in summer,, Try Evergreen

[mmross105]

While it was a long time ago now, we lived in Gilpin County, about 8 miles from Nederland (between Nederland and Central City) between 1979 and 1982. We used to go to Nederland for a veterinary for our animals. I was just there last month on a visit (we now live on the East Coast). It did not appear to have changed much. The most notable thing about the living around there is there is no zoning, so you can have a very nice home, and someone can put a mobile home next to you, or trash their lot. We had that happen with someone who decided to build onto a small summer cabin, and ended up with a lot of junk cars and other junk on their property. It is concerning for property values and general aesthetics.

The scenery is beautiful, and while the snow can get deep (our first initiation to mountain living was three feet of snow from a storm 2 days before Thanksgiving), the roads are well maintained. Up where we lived (about 8,000 ft.) we had snow on the ground for about six months of the year. We had hundreds of hummingbirds in the summer.

I believe Nederland has a small emergency medical clinic, a small grocery store, a bar/restaurant, gas stations, and perhaps a few other shops.

Golden Gate State Park is within 10 miles, and very nice. Little lakes, trout fishing, picnicing, etc.

The drive to Boulder is fine, and there are 2-3 routes to get there from Boulder. Boulder would have all the stores and services you would need. While we lived in the mountains we always did our food shopping in Golden or Boulder before heading home.

[chilaili]

I believe Nederland has a small emergency medical clinic, a small grocery store, a bar/restaurant, gas stations, and perhaps a few other shops.

Actually, I think the grocery store has expanded considerably and now takes up and entire side of a parking lot/strip mall on the other side of the river. It's pretty substantial! The public library has also moved into that mall. There are a few shops just as you come into Nederland and they are mostly tourist-related, selling crystals, antiques and knick-knacks. Opposite the strip mall are a couple of 2nd-hand shops, florist and coffeeshop. There are a few bars/restaurants and the Tibetan/Nepalese one (Himalaya) is quite good (speaking as one who used to live in Nepal ) There is even a large "Bavarian Gasthaus" overlooking the town. I like Nederland but it gets very windy up there and yes, the housing is a bit of a mishmash.

[Nederland]

Its been several years since I lived in Ned. Michigan Mike really made the improvisational music scene happen in Nederland, winter of 1997. Cold in Nederland with Chinook Winds or the Jet Stream blowing across the Rocky Mountain Range from the west. Used to live in the trailer park near Barker Lake. Some days in winter chunks of ice would be blowing down the road 5-6 ft off the ground towards the lake, and the trailers were all anchor bolted east-west so the winds would not blow them off their foundations and into or onto the frozen lake. No way to drive a vehicle into town or have ice chunks smash out the windshield of my old 65 Ford truck. No way to even walk into town without a baliklava-face/mask and goggles for eye protection. The Colorado weather station has clocked over 200 mph winds on top of Pauite Horn Indian Peaks. I forget how to spell Nywatt Ridge. Single digit temperatures and windchill factor way below zero makes for extreame risk of frost bite. I would seek a sheltered place to live and avoid the main area of town where the winds are strongest. Find a forest location where tree's provide a wind break.

I would say some days if you have to get down to Boulder that the Bus is the way to go. Lots of cars comming up the canyon (right near the summer water fall attraction, and winter ice climbing that happens in Boulder Canyon: which is the steepest part of the drive from Boulder to Nederland) squirrel all over the road if its snowing and getting deep, and most cars are driving with out chains, and studded snows offer little traction when the snow gets deep. The bus transit system offers more protection from a possible accident during snow storms, and parts of Boulder Canyon are steep.

Getting around the Pearl Street Mall in Boulder helps to break some of the winter-cabin-closed-in-for-the-winter-feeling when one seeks to find a wider social scene and some excellent books stores in Boulder where one can always find interesting places to hang out, and have a hot cup-o-coffee.

Colorado is amazingly beautiful in summer and in winter. I hope this helps with considering Nederland as a winter place to live.

Michigan Mike has a website. This is by far the most fun and amazing happening in Nederland. I didn't know how Michigan Mikes Improvisational Music gigs have progressed. This makes winter living in Nederland most worthwhile. No town I have ever lived in has this kind of musical talent every week. Go for it and see and hear it for yourself.

[cisco2007]

Hi there....Although the other posts are quite dated I felt the urge to reply anyways. Perhaps it can help somebody else out that is looking to move to nederland.

I think that 1st and foremost when moving to Ned (as the locals call it) You have to be cut out for harsh winters. The winds can get gusts of up to 80mph at times. After all of the snow , that can create some pretty crazy snowdrifts that you have to contend with day after day after day....The windchills can get well below 0.....We actually got over 3ft of snow this past weekend (April 18th) and expect to get more even into May and not unheard of into june....However...today is reaching almost 70....

Ok....that being said....You will get alot of great days in between with lots of sun and no wind...You may even get a near 70 day in February. Mountain living is always expecting the unexpected. Make sure that you always have the right gear on you...good snow boots...gloves..snowpants...gortex/down/fleece....good tires!!!!!!!!!....4x4...plenty of firewood....and all of the essentials to make it a couple of days through a storm (unless you live right in town)......

If that doesn't bother you you will fit right in to the Nedhead mentality. Sure we get annoyed with the weather but we love Nederland and mountain living that much! And summer time is your reward. The weather is absolutely perfect! The wildflowers incredible! There can be fire danger so beware but not EVERY summer is there a serious threat....but I have lived through a couple of summers with a serious threat....again expect unexpected and prepare just for "in case"

JOBS.....not many in Ned ....there are schools...and mostly service jobs. Driving to Boulder isn't so bad. The buses run back and forth and even through the winter they do pretty well. I drove 45 min to Boulder for 3 years. (Ned to Boulder approx. 30 min) It just becomes what you do. Way better than city driving that's for sure. There is a little road rage I guess you could say in that canyon. The locals know that road so well and kind of pressure the newbies driving too slow. Don't get caught up in that...go at your own pace. Soon you will know the road well. And PLEASE make sure that you have good tires!

People....Love them! Quirky and liberal....yes and darn proud of it. To me we are some very well educated and artistic people that are cultured but don't fit into city living. During the summer we do have some transient kids going through. They look homeless but most are being funded by mom and dad while they are on summer vacation from college....or touring with a band. They get a bad rap but are for the most part harmless. We welcome new people but roll our eyes at them until they make it through a winter...if they stay we welcome them with open arms....but we have seen a whole lot of people come and go.

I Love having Boulder and Denver so close for recreation! Denver is about 1hr away...airport about 1 1/2 away both routes have buses from ned. Fort Collins a little over an hour....

Homes can be pricey but there are some affordable homes as well. For more affordable living you will probably have to live a little further out (like myself) I am 15 min to ned 45 to boulder...Neighboring Gilpin county has lower taxes and better zoning than boulder county

I hope this helps anyone with a dream of living in Ned. It was my dream 18yrs ago when I was one of those college deadhead transients hanging around and I made it a reality for 16 years and think that it is heaven on Earth!

[bellewether]

I was born and raised in Boulder, and we now live near Nederland. Concoulor3 sums Nederland up pretty well. There is the Mountain People's Co-op in Nederland for when you don't care to travel down the canyon. When we first moved here, we travelled into Boulder for our main monthly groceries. We rarely travel down to shop anymore. Know in advance the winters are long and extremely windy. There is good public bus service down the canyon to Boulder.

Terrific location for telecommuting. My husband and I were both working at home this last Friday in the middle of a spring blizzard. The electricity blipped out a few times throughout the day, but came back on. Then in the evening it went out again, this time for 21-22 hours. Things you adjust to...

A thought: rent first, make sure you can live with the winters. A lot people buy, and then sell within three years when they get tired of the winters.
..."In the depths of winter I finally learned there was in me an invincible summer." --Albert Camus.
And the summers are wonderful, better yet when you earn them!

[torma]

Guess it depends on your personal perspective and expectations. It would take a certain adjustment for most people. The one thing that I remember about Nederland, a few years back, some guy had his father or some relative in the freezer for some time. I think he might have been a Norwegian. I used to live in Boulder; Nederland to me was way out there.

[Neditate]

Yeah, the Frozen Dead Guy... legendary.
There's a festival dedicated to him. FROZEN DEAD GUY DAYS Nederland Area Chamber of Commerce
The Frozen Dead Guy in Nederland Colorado