pagosa springs (Durango, Rifle, Aspen: crime, private schools, college)

[I_LUVNM]

Coltoncity, whenever I have been to Pagosa, the people have always been nice. They dont seem standoffish like up in the interior of Colorado ie Aspen, Vail. Sorry but the people up there are not the jolliest folks to outsiders. Anyhoo, Pagosa is more of a working town with middle income people but having retirees and summer home upper crusts moving there too. The backbone though is just regular people. Dont know about the schools. I would think being small they would have more attention to students. Altitude, the town doesn't seem high up to me. Silverton, you will feel it, Pagosa you wont. What I like most about Pagosa is the little downtown, it feels like you are living in a Norman Rockwall painting. HTH.
Pictures Are Of The Pagosa Springs Area





http://www.ownpagosa.com/1images/area%201/main_street.jpg (broken link)

http://www.pagosa-lodging.com/pagosa-resort.jpg (broken link)

[coltoncity]

Oh thank you so much for your post and pictures ... you dont know how comforting it is to hear those words. Norman Rockwell kind of town , regular people and oh how beautiful!!! I feel better and better about my choice all the time. You are very kind.

[I_LUVNM]

Sure, no problem. I like Pagosa and Durango too. Really the area from about Wolf Creek (east) to Mancos (west) is a pretty area and north of Durango. The area reminds me some of Oregon. About as close as you are gonna get to it.

Mancos Sunset:



More Pictures of Pagosa:
http://www.christiesgreatestates.com/images/property_image/0000007796_0000010312.jpg (broken link)

[coltoncity]

Is there a lot of ranching in the area or a lot of farming? that picture of Mancos is amazing. I want to visit the high desert as well. I am really looking forward to this trip now, I want to move the date up. Driving in from Denver I would assume. The roads that bad in Feb.?

[I_LUVNM]

Originally Posted by coltoncity

Is there a lot of ranching in the area or a lot of farming? that picture of Mancos is amazing. I want to visit the high desert as well. I am really looking forward to this trip now, I want to move the date up. Driving in from Denver I would assume. The roads that bad in Feb.?

Yes there is a lot of ranching and farming in the area. The roads are usually clear but up at Wolf Creek can be a real doozy so check with the weather data before going through there. Roads elsewhere arent bad at all. If it happens to snow, roads are usually dried off later when the sun hits but up higher though at Wolf Creek, make sure you check with the weather channel or your weather service to make sure Wolf Creek is fine to travel and you will be good to go.
So to make a long story short, you wont have any trouble except Wolf Creek if there is a lot of snow up there. They keep the roads plowed and usually it is Ok but I always throw a sweat going over Wolf Creek but when I am over it, I sigh a relief and dance a ***!

Oh, I want to add that if you fly in from Albuquerque, you wont have any trouble on the roads so for anyone wanting the easy route for winter travel, go via Albuquerque or even better, fly into Durango or Farmington directly if you can.

[coltoncity]

O! Here is an odd question for any one who can explain this to me!

Lets say Im driving up the mountian to Pagosa Springs. If I get stop at 4500 ft instead of 7000 ft in elevation ... Would I still be in the Pagosa Springs area?
This elevation is very hard to get a grip on, Im used to measuring distance on a flat surface.

Also, It looks like on a map that I would be crossing Wolf Creek as opposed to driving on it ... is this a seperate pass Im on or part of the snowy Wolf Creek pass?

45 minutes is a nice distance from a big city and Im wondering if the roads them selves are in good condition?

[duster1979]

Originally Posted by coltoncity

O! Here is an odd question for any one who can explain this to me!

Lets say Im driving up the mountian to Pagosa Springs. If I get stop at 4500 ft instead of 7000 ft in elevation ... Would I still be in the Pagosa Springs area?
This elevation is very hard to get a grip on, Im used to measuring distance on a flat surface.

At 7105 ft, Pagosa Springs is actually right around the average elevation for the area; the terrain slopes to the west, but Durango is still over 6500 ft. Elevations are higher to the east until you cross Wolf Creek Pass; Walsenburg, where you turn off of I-25 to head to Pagosa, is 6100 ft. Nothing close to Pagosa Springs is 4500 ft.

Also, It looks like on a map that I would be crossing Wolf Creek as opposed to driving on it ... is this a seperate pass Im on or part of the snowy Wolf Creek pass?

I assume that Wolf Creek Pass is named for Wolf Creek, but I don't know anything about the creek itself. And while Wolf Creek Pass gets some big snows in the winter, the road is very well maintained; unless you try to drive it while it's actually snowing, you shouldn't have any trouble at all.

45 minutes is a nice distance from a big city and Im wondering if the roads them selves are in good condition?

All the highways in and out of Pagosa are in good shape and are well maintained; they are all 2-lane, though.

[coltoncity]

Thank you I have a much better idea of what Im looking at now.

[I_LUVNM]

You might be thinking of Farmington, it has an elevation around 5200 feet or so. Like Duster1979 said, most all of Colorado that you are talking about is around 6,000 to 7,500 feet and more up in the mountains like at Wolf Creek.

[coltoncity]

I just revisited these pictures and Im in love with this place all over again! I really do want to visit it very soon. I was told once it was more artsy, was that wrong? Wish they had even just a small amount things to do, like indoor soccer or swimming ... maybe a Community Arts Center. I dont know how often we would be on the road to get to that and I dont want to drive all the time to Durango. Any thoughts?