What about Calaveras County/ Valley Springs? (Los Angeles, Jackson: houseboats, theatre, elementary school)

[17271]

Calaveras County is one of the nicest-looking counties I've been to in California. The scenery is really nice and there's a lot of hills with houses on them. It's basically open land, nothing ever built on most of it. But the country still has thousands of residents. There's not much in the way of shopping or things to do though, it's a very rural county. It's a good choice for families.

[jaada]

one thing you want to watch out for the deeper back into the woods you get the creepier the people are, i see alot of scary things growing up in those woods. alot of homeless sqwatters who live in their cars and dont like to be bothered

[DMenscha]

It's changed quite a bit since those days jaada, part of the joy of living at the end of the road is not having to live up to expectations of others.

[Dean Trails]

Originally Posted by melmich

I was wondering if anybody else has anything to say about Calaveras County. I was especially interested in Valley Springs. What I love about what I have heard so far:

Mediterranean Climate
Lots of co-op type farms and local agriculture - love it!
Housing reasonably priced
Close to skiing and snowboarding
Living without snow, but driving to play in it!
Dry heat

But now , is there anything that an open minded, love the earth, ready for a change family from the conservative midwest needs to know about before bringing our young family to Calaveras County? What are the challenges of living there? Can you trust everything you read? Is it too good to be true (in relation to our isolated area, the Keweenaw Penninsula of Upper MI)?

I appreciate all realistic, honest input! Thank you!

In my opinion, it is a very nice area but lacking in reasonable health care and shopping. I think you have to drive to the valley for doctoring...

Other that that it is a great place!
I don't know the burger situation though.

[DMenscha]

Originally Posted by Dean Trails

In my opinion, it is a very nice area but lacking in reasonable health care and shopping. I think you have to drive to the valley for doctoring...

Other that that it is a great place!
I don't know the burger situation though.

My wife successfully overcame cancer surgery (5 years and counting) without leaving the county, except for a second opinion at Stanford, where she worked for 20 years as did her Dr. father. I don't know of anyone who goes to the valley for regular medical care.

Depending on the type of shopping one does, you don't have to go to the valley either, but you might have to cross one of the rivers to hit Wal-Mart or Trader Joes.

As for burgers, we don't have a McDonalds yet (Thank you) but we do have a couple of BK's, Taco Bells, KFC. There's at least a dozen local places that make great burgers.

We did loose the city of Angels Camp to civilization a couple of years ago when Starbucks moved in.

[jaada]

Originally Posted by DMenscha

It's changed quite a bit since those days jaada, part of the joy of living at the end of the road is not having to live up to expectations of others.

yeah but what i saw was completely different, not sure where you lived but i lived on sheep ranch road almost to sheep ranch by o'neil creek, know who i am yet? i would love to go back to the mountains there but i have heard that unemployment is real bad there and its extremely expensive now unlike it use to be

[jaada]

Originally Posted by DMenscha

My wife successfully overcame cancer surgery (5 years and counting) without leaving the county, except for a second opinion at Stanford, where she worked for 20 years as did her Dr. father. I don't know of anyone who goes to the valley for regular medical care.

Depending on the type of shopping one does, you don't have to go to the valley either, but you might have to cross one of the rivers to hit Wal-Mart or Trader Joes.

As for burgers, we don't have a McDonalds yet (Thank you) but we do have a couple of BK's, Taco Bells, KFC. There's at least a dozen local places that make great burgers.

We did loose the city of Angels Camp to civilization a couple of years ago when Starbucks moved in.

where are you living cause mt ranch doesnt have any of that. and i like the angels camp starbucks they are pretty good.

[Leeny]

I'm hearing about floods lately and crumbling dams - I'm wondering about the possibility of the Hogan Dam ever busting loose. I know it's probably as safe as can be - but if it ever did, by some chance break - would the Rancho Calaveras area (in Valley Springs) be safe to live in? Would the lake come crashing out over the nearby areas and spread out, or would it be more likely to stay close and follow down with the flow of the river? I guess this is basically a topography question.

[DMenscha]

Rancho Calaveras would be likely to survive OK, but downstream toward San Joaquin County might get walloped. There isn't much likelihood of that happening in any case. million to one in the next 50 years I'd bet. There's no chance of a seismic event that would cause a problem and the original dam built in 1930 lies "upstream" from the present dam anyway, so wouldn't empty completely.

I think I'd worry about falling objects from space more than Hogan dam failing.

[shericontrary]

We're looking at moving to Mountain Ranch. This will be a huge change for us. We're from Detroit area. I'm a city girl who always seems to want peace and quiet. I would miss my family terribly, and it seems a tough adjustment for kids. I'm quite sure we'll make it work regardless, but not without some stumbles. Why do it? Better question for me is why not!