Hating Winter? (Denver, Parker, Durango: for sale, transporting, hotel)

[BabyBoomers2]

Wonder just how many folks move to the Front Range, from a non-winter area, and end up totally disliking the winters here? How many endure the winters and how many end up moving back to a non-winter area?

Example: When we lived in Parker, we were at a auto repair shop for something. I talked to a mechanic that told me that he had just done a repair for a couple that had moved to Parker from Palm Springs, California. This was there first, and ended up being their last winter. Heck, apparently, the couple didn't even make it thru the entire winter. They told this mechanic, "We thought we could in Colorado winters, but have found out that we absolutely can't. Our house is up for sale, moving company coming next week and we go back to Palm Springs!".

As for us, wife and I, who are in our early 70's, we endured winter here for the 5 1/2 years we lived here before and now we are back. Still have our 2005 Dodge Durango SLT w/All-Terrain tires, AWD and 4-Lock Drive. Huntersville, NC and Jacksonville, FL just were no longer for us! Spent a total of 11 1/2 years gone. Didn't totally miss Colorado winters, but made it thru 2019-2020 winter and making it thru this winter. Funny, but, for the 11 1/2 years we were gone, we kept our winter parkas and our freshwater fishing gear!

[tambrose3]

I think it depends heavily on where they’re moving from. CA weather is beautiful, but if you’re moving from someplace like New England with cold, gray wet winters and hot humid summers then I think CO winters would be pretty manageable.

[BabyBoomers2]

Well, I was extremely surprised at how many Seniors live in Colorado. When we lived here before, I worked for a Senior Healthcare Company in Denver which has three Centers for transporting Seniors to for healthcare appointments, games and lunch. I had to deliver food to each Center sometimes and there were many Seniors signed up with this company.

Now we live in northern Colorado and, again, sort of surprised at how many Seniors live up here. We have only met 1 "Snowbird" that has a home in Florida, they go to during winters in Colorado.

[COcheesehead]

I moved here from Wisconsin so Colorado winters were tame in comparison, but after living on the front range for almost 26 years, the extended winters (snow in April, May, October and even June) got tiresome.
We now live on West Slope and though it gets cold, the snow is insignificant.

We see a lot of seniors out here. Many on the trails enjoying themselves year round. If the weather gets too bad, a quick trip to southern Utah or AZ is 3-5 hours away. Vegas is 7 hours. Palm Springs 10-11 hours. All good weekend or weekday getaway spots.

[LHS79]

Originally Posted by COcheesehead

I moved here from Wisconsin so Colorado winters were tame in comparison, but after living on the front range for almost 26 years, the extended winters (snow in April, May, October and even June) got tiresome.
We now live on West Slope and though it gets cold, the snow is insignificant.

We see a lot of seniors out here. Many on the trails enjoying themselves year round. If the weather gets too bad, a quick trip to southern Utah or AZ is 3-5 hours away. Vegas is 7 hours. Palm Springs 10-11 hours. All good weekend or weekday getaway spots.

A LOT of people who grew up on the Front Range are moving to the Western Slope or places like NM when they retire.

Wonder why?

[BabyBoomers2]

Originally Posted by COcheesehead

I moved here from Wisconsin so Colorado winters were tame in comparison, but after living on the front range for almost 26 years, the extended winters (snow in April, May, October and even June) got tiresome.
We now live on West Slope and though it gets cold, the snow is insignificant.

We see a lot of seniors out here. Many on the trails enjoying themselves year round. If the weather gets too bad, a quick trip to southern Utah or AZ is 3-5 hours away. Vegas is 7 hours. Palm Springs 10-11 hours. All good weekend or weekday getaway spots.

But, those "get away" spots cost to get there, stay there and return. And, with this virus thing going on, even if we had the money, "nope". Unless a Senior has a mighty nice pension and/or savings, plus their SS, many Seniors simply can't do those weekday/weekend things that much or at all.

However, for us, moving back here is so, so much better than when we lived in NC and Florida. Then, there are those that live in both of those states, that don't even know where Colorado, Wyoming, Montana and surrounding states are.

Funny, but when we told some people we knew in Jacksonville that we were moving back to Colorado, their response was "why?". Then, when we got back here, in August 2019, and still had Florida plates on our vehicle, Seniors would ask us "why did you live in Florida?"

[BabyBoomers2]

Originally Posted by LHS79

A LOT of people who grew up on the Front Range are moving to the Western Slope or places like NM when they retire.

Wonder why?

Don't know, but do know this...........from the way the freeway system looks in Denver and even up north here, very few people are moving anywhere from here. However, don't know how the "incoming" population is doing.

It is rather funny how people who moved here from New England, Wisconsin, Minnesota or some other state, will have complaints about the state they left, but all-in-all those states still have plenty of people living in them. Just like us. We can have a tendency to talk about things we didn't like about So. California, Huntersville, NC and Jacksonville, FL, but there are plenty of folks that live in So California, NC and Florida that love living there.

[COcheesehead]

Originally Posted by LoveBoating

But, those "get away" spots cost to get there, stay there and return. And, with this virus thing going on, even if we had the money, "nope". Unless a Senior has a mighty nice pension and/or savings, plus their SS, many Seniors simply can't do those weekday/weekend things that much or at all.

However, for us, moving back here is so, so much better than when we lived in NC and Florida. Then, there are those that live in both of those states, that don't even know where Colorado, Wyoming, Montana and surrounding states are.

Funny, but when we told some people we knew in Jacksonville that we were moving back to Colorado, their response was "why?". Then, when we got back here, in August 2019, and still had Florida plates on our vehicle, Seniors would ask us "why did you live in Florida?"

A lot of seniors have money though based on the evidence I’ve seen.

COVID in the spots I mentioned is very manageable. We just did a 4 day getaway to St George. Weather was great. We got a deal on the hotel and we hiked in remote areas without many people.
Restaurants in St George were COVID prepared - and busy with other folks like us.

The front range for us is a distant memory.

I work PT at a winery in Palisade. I talk to seniors and 30 - 40 somethings at least desiring and some taking action to get out of the front range. Weather is a part of that along with how quickly the front range has changed.

[COcheesehead]

Originally Posted by LHS79

A LOT of people who grew up on the Front Range are moving to the Western Slope or places like NM when they retire.

Wonder why?

Things that make you go hmmmmm.

I know the answer. I talk to a lot of them almost everyday. Some are my neighbors.

[ponyupgrl]

Moved from CA. Love the seasons. Winter is way more mild than I expected it to be with all of the sun.