Grand Lake vs. Pagosa Springs? (Durango: living in, prices, pine)

[gc57]

Any opinions on which one would be better for relocation year round? Work isn't that much of an issue.

[mcolo]

I would suggest Pagosa for one major reason. The pine beetle infestation around Grand Lake and Rocky Mountain National Park is horrible! The views aren't near as beautiful as they were a few years ago. At least half the trees are brown and dead and many more are dying. They say it will get much worse before it gets better.

I don't know if this has affected Pagosa Springs as well but I have seen what it has done around Grand Lake. Pagosa would also have larger city amenities much more accessible in Durango. Grand Lake is a much longer trip to such things.

[gc57]

Thanks, good info.

[brightdoglover]

Also, wouldn't an area of dead trees, especially pines, be a wildfire waiting to happen?
Last summer, I rode a horse up to the burn area at Vallecito, known as "the Durango fire" in 2002 (I think). Very impressive to see the damage, and the many signs on the road to be cautious because of the burned watersheds- possible debris falling on the road, more chances of flash floods. It'll be a long time before/if the area is treed again.

[jazzlover]

Beetles are killing off the lodgepole forests all across Colorado. Lodgepole is relatively uncommon in the southern half of Colorado, but there are plenty of ponderosa forests there that are susceptible to the pine beetle. Pagosa is one of those areas. The same ingredients that are causing the beetle outbreak in lodgepole forests--a century-plus of fire suppression, overmature forests, latent effects of a multi-year drought (hopefully ending), and warmer than normal winters--are present in most all Colorado forests. There WILL be beetle-kill and there WILL be mega-fires--that die is already cast.

I will also beat my dead horse again about the probable folly of living in relatively isolated areas that are totally automobile-dependent and totally economically dependent on industries (a la tourism) that rely on the automobile. Living in such places will likely be looked at retrospectively in a few years as a very unwise decision when petroleum scarcity and high fuel prices make such lifestyles unaffordable to the average American. Unfortunately, that describes much of rural Colorado.

[multitrak]

Originally Posted by jazzlover

I will also beat my dead horse again about the probable folly of living in relatively isolated areas that are totally automobile-dependent...<snip>

and speaking of horses, the future may hold a return to horseback and pack mules for rural/mountain travel...now about those rising hay prices...