What about Calaveras County/ Valley Springs? (Lodi, Yreka: real estate, co-op, broker)

[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!

[DMenscha]

The other real estate broker in my town is from the UP, but I'm not going to give you his name

C'mon folks, so far melmich only has my opinions which are unabashedly biased

[humboldtrat]

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

That pretty much describes the area, although I don't know anything about the local farms. I have driven around Valley Springs only a couple of times and the area looks nice. Homes tend to be on large lots (little ranchettes). I also noticed a nice golf course there. I didn't see too much in the way of shopping while driving through the area. You might have to drive to Lodi for that. Welcome to Calaveras County

[jaada]

very nice area angels camp is nicer imo. love it i grew up in mt ranch

[family first]

Melmich, I sent you a DM, check it out. Good luck with the decision. Have you got employment ops secured out here? What price range are you considering for housing? Kids, how old? Some of my friends are from the UP in MI. I often hear stories about the state. Oh well, good luck and let me know if you have further questions.

[melmich]

Originally Posted by DMenscha

The other real estate broker in my town is from the UP, but I'm not going to give you his name

C'mon folks, so far melmich only has my opinions which are unabashedly biased

DMenscha, thank you for rallying the peoples! Without giving me his name, it would be interesting to hear stories from the OTHER guy.

I appreciate everyones input, it is very helpful. We are planning a trip to the area for early next year to get a feel for the area and to go play in the mountains. My husband works for a company that has locations all over the country and there are openings that come up regularly. For the rest of this year we will work on securing things to make it easier to move, who knows what may open up even sooner. We can't wait to come and see for ourselves! Keep the info coming if anyone has anything to say! Thank you Thank you!!

[Leeny]

Hearing a lot about West Nile Virus lately. With all the lakes and creeks in Calaveras county, wondering if there are a lot of mosquitos around there? Also, with all the lakes and creeks are there any flooding problems?

[huntman58]

I love the area and would like to live there my self. Bad points little work so plan on driving for work and I mean around at lest one hour each way. Shopping is all out of town in Lodi for the most part unless you just need a fast shop for eggs or the like. Summer heat can get up there in the hundreds easily with no rain to cool things off tell the end of summer starting around September. It is above the fog for the most part but if you have to drive down to say Lodi you need to add time to your drive just like a good old snow storm as it can get to zero Vis at times. go a little higher to around Hwy 49 and things change a bit for the better I feel but as hot still no real cooling off tell you get around 5,000 feet or so. Lots of lakes close by for fishing swimming and the likes also house boating. Lots to go and see in the area also as it is rich in history big time. But as I said every thing is a drive away so to speak like major shopping, movies, jobs, government buildings and offices. The town is not much more then a bedroom town for commuters. I will say from my visits to the upper Midwest (Wisconsin, Minnesota area) it will be a big change in both life style and weather along with people and how they do things for the most part. Best bet is to come out and have your self a look around at lest two times one winter and one summer. Drive routs that you may take for working and also to shop it may be worth it for you in the long run. I have live in Northern Calif most of the last 40 years plus. I am in the same boat as you but maybe moving to Yreka for at lest a few years tell we have saved some more so we can move back to the mid west and get away from Calif and the high cost of living here. I say that only as homes and land is so high in cost it is a shock and some have said it alone made it hard for them to make it here let alone move back home. so that is also why I say come and visit doing it you will know if you will like it personally or not and the two to me at lest worst times of the year are the wet rainy winters with there fog and the hot dry summers with the range fires. But good luck to you and may you find what you’re looking for

[huntman58]

Originally Posted by Leeny

Hearing a lot about West Nile Virus lately. With all the lakes and creeks in Calaveras county, wondering if there are a lot of mosquitos around there? Also, with all the lakes and creeks are there any flooding problems?

Some small creeks will flood now and then but not like the big floods of the Midwest. The lakes are drawn down to almost ponds by the end of summer because of the need for water out here in the west for farmers, city people, and such so lakes flooding is not very much a worry . now down stream from one of the dams that is another story as some times they do flood from the water releases but it is a some what controlled flooding for the most part as water out here is like gold some thing you do not waste if you can help it .also yes there are them little biting buggers out here but as for west Nile well I live were it is also and do not think to much about it just use the spray and stuff and do like you would there to keep them from biting and you will be good to go .

[DMenscha]

Originally Posted by huntman58

go a little higher to around Hwy 49 and things change a bit for the better I feel but as hot still no real cooling off tell you get around 5,000 feet or so. and the hot dry summers with the range fires. But good luck to you and may you find what you’re looking for

Hwy 49 runs at about the 1000 foot level more or less. Once you get up to the 2000 foot level you'll notice much more evening cooling than below. typically a 100 degree day at 2000' gets to the mid 80's overnight.

The fog in the winter is not a constant but usually shows up after a good soaking rain for a few days, just like the Valley floor. The fog usually doesn't get any higher than about 12-1500 feet. We use the tired old phrase "above the fog and below the snow" to describe our location. A couple of weeks ago we were 6" below the snow for a few hours.