Tell me about lake city (Gunnison, South Fork: houses, employment, school)

[hinher]

Has anyone ever been their? whats the culture like? is it a good place to live? Hows the school system?

[jazzlover]

Tiny town--mostly seasonal (summer) residents--most of them Texans. Beautiful in summer, brutal cold in winter. Small K-12 school in town. 55 miles one-way on a highway to Gunnison, with frequent bad winter road conditions, for any basic shopping or services.. Very little year-round local employment and local incomes are very low compared to housing prices. Beautiful area, but only a few hundred residents manage to live there year-round--there is a reason.

[DOUBLE H]

I worked for the USFS in 1968 and spent a lot of time in both Rio Grande and the San Juan Forests as a road crew laborer. Along with Creede, Wagon Wheel Gap and South Fork, that area of SW Colorado has always been what Jazz described. Hinsdale county has always been the least populated county in the state. Always.

[Idunn]

Once upon a time, not that long ago, if driving northwest from Creede, CO on CO 149, the vista from the narrow two-lane blacktop would be of a largely empty valley with a few dude ranches scattered along the banks of the Rio Grande River.

That has changed some, with now many more second homes throughout this valley. Something else as well. Once, at the far end of this valley, where the narrow road began to turn up, there was a cattle guard, and beyond it simply turned to dirt. It remained as such, a fairly good dirt and gravel road on over Slumgullion Pass, only returning to pavement shortly before Lake City, after its long descent down the mountain.

The view from the far Lake City side remains much as I have always seen it, although those with longer familiarity surely have noticed some changes. There are more vacation houses here and there than before. But compared to what one may have come to expect from much else in Colorado, it remains a remote and quiet place. With an emphasis on remote.

[wanneroo]

I remember the first time I went to Lake City. Early August and found this small deli open for dinner and got some sandwiches. The sun was disappearing behind the tall mountains and burrrrr it was getting cold sitting outside eating sandwiches. Got back in the car and the temp was already 35 F.

Beautiful area, but don't be fooled by the map, it is remote and isolated. Stunning in the brief summer and early fall but I would go cabin fever crazy there in the winter.

There is really no industry or jobs to speak of, so you have to bring your own wealth or job.

[dynimagelv]

Originally Posted by DOUBLE H

I worked for the USFS in 1968 and spent a lot of time in both Rio Grande and the San Juan Forests as a road crew laborer. Along with Creede, Wagon Wheel Gap and South Fork, that area of SW Colorado has always been what Jazz described. Hinsdale county has always been the least populated county in the state. Always.

Wonder if that was partly becuase of ol Alfred??????

[jazzlover]

Originally Posted by dynimagelv

Wonder if that was partly becuase of ol Alfred??????

Actually, it's spelled Alferd.