Best small, affordable mtn town near 14'ers/skiing?

[MountainEarth]

The only 2 on your list that are both small AND somewhat affordable are Buena Vista and Gunnison. I'd personally choose BV (eight 14ers out your back door) over Gunnison, though Gunnison probably offers better work opportunities. As others have mentioned Leadville is gritty and winters are looooong.

[SkyDog77]

Originally Posted by MountainEarth

The only 2 on your list that are both small AND somewhat affordable are Buena Vista and Gunnison. I'd personally choose BV (eight 14ers out your back door) over Gunnison, though Gunnison probably offers better work opportunities. As others have mentioned Leadville is gritty and winters are looooong.

I love BV. Would take it in a heartbeat over Gunnison. Great whitewater scene.

[Ztracks]

Originally Posted by NW Crow

Would you realistically expect 100 climbing / skiing / backcountry days per year, 50, 30, 15 or less?
Sometimes people give really high weight to facilitating hobbies / passions. But that weight is for you to assign. If your goal is 100 days out or more, yeah, maybe be near the mountains. 50? You could live near mountains or drive a bit from any CO city 3 days a month and hopefully 2 weeks of vacation. 30? Might be a pretty big financial and city life sacrifice but if you don't want that as much, fine. Lots of folks in mountain towns who mainly work, shop, go to restaurants / bars, watch tv / play video games and very occasionally go on those outings they thought they would go on / or did when they were younger and had less time pressures. Do what is the right level for you.

I'd definitely be looking to hit near 100 days/year. I'm really looking for a quieter setting where I can have a slower life and focus on my climbing/skiing fitness, etc.

[Dreaming of Hawaii]

Originally Posted by Ztracks

I'd definitely be looking to hit near 100 days/year. I'm really looking for a quieter setting where I can have a slower life and focus on my climbing/skiing fitness, etc.

A quieter setting and slower life don't necessarily go along with climbing/hiking/skiing activities. Over 100,000 people a year move to Colorado and many many more vacation there in search of the same activities. So finding an affordable quiet place to live close to these activities is going to be very difficult. The only time the areas close to ski resorts are quiet are during the shoulder seasons between lift closings and summer and then between summer and lift openings.

You might be able to score an affordable cabin away from town, but it will be a matter of being in the right place at the right time. For the BV/Salida area, check TheMountainMail.com or the Chaffee County Times classifieds to get an idea of what's available.

[TCHP]

Not sure Buena Vista and Salida fall into the affordable catagory any more. Sure, they are no where as expensive as a ski town, but they are getting pricey. You will pay $100k more for the same house in Buena as you will in Leadville.

[brown_dog_us]

It's going to be hard to work enough hours to pay the bills in these small mountain towns and have time to climb often. You might be better off finding a job that you can work remotely or go to school to be a teacher. fwiw, my wife works with 3 semi-pro outdoor people, and they all live up in the mountains and work remotely. They do come down to the Denver area for meetings about every week or 2.

Also, it might be best to move to the frontrange (Pueblo, Colorado Springs, Denver, Boulder, Fort Collins) for a year and learn the lay of the land. There are plenty of jobs a long the front range.

[Ztracks]

Originally Posted by Dreaming of Hawaii

A quieter setting and slower life don't necessarily go along with climbing/hiking/skiing activities. Over 100,000 people a year move to Colorado and many many more vacation there in search of the same activities. So finding an affordable quiet place to live close to these activities is going to be very difficult. The only time the areas close to ski resorts are quiet are during the shoulder seasons between lift closings and summer and then between summer and lift openings.

You might be able to score an affordable cabin away from town, but it will be a matter of being in the right place at the right time. For the BV/Salida area, check TheMountainMail.com or the Chaffee County Times classifieds to get an idea of what's available.

Thanks for the suggestions everyone! I guess my definition of 'quiet' might be quite different from what you all might assume - I'm coming from loud and bustling Brooklyn, NY...so most towns in CO will certainly fit that bill for me. I like the idea of maybe starting in a bit of a larger place like FT Collins or Grand Junction and seeing how that feels before moving farther out.

[CTC]

Originally Posted by otowi

Pagosa Springs probably belongs on that list.

I am in Pagosa right now. It is a great place, but long term rentals are in extreme short supply. There are literally hundreds of vacant condos that rent for vacation level prices on VBRO. I guess they rent mostly in the summer.

We were lucky to find a 6 month lease. Wife is a professional at the hospital.

[mayra285]

Canon City, Salida both belong on your list of small towns. Good luck!!

[Dogmama50]

Originally Posted by Ztracks

Thanks for the suggestions everyone! I guess my definition of 'quiet' might be quite different from what you all might assume - I'm coming from loud and bustling Brooklyn, NY...so most towns in CO will certainly fit that bill for me. I like the idea of maybe starting in a bit of a larger place like FT Collins or Grand Junction and seeing how that feels before moving farther out.

Moving to a place like Leadville may be a huge shock since you are coming from Brooklyn. Do you have time to come out for a visit first, even a week to get a feel for some of the areas you are thinking about would be very useful. A week would be hard and fast to investigate but you really need to see places for yourself.