Considering a move from Bend, OR to Evergreen, CO... (Denver: appointed, ski resorts)

[abcnme]

Happy Sunday Everyone!

My husband and I (and our 4 kids) are considering moving FROM Bend, OR to Colorado. Does anyone have any suggestions?? We have quite a few friends here that moved from Evergreen (the only reason they moved was to be closer to family) and have suggested that Evergreen might fit us well. Our whole family are avid snowboarders, so close proximity to the mountains are important. However, with the downturn in the economy, we also are VERY aware of the need to be somewhat close to a big city for jobs to remain somewhat stable. Here in Bend, we are SO far from any big city and the unemployment rates are sky-high....and it feels like more and more crime is creeping into our beautiful city . Snow and weather does NOT scare us one bit...we LOVE SNOW!! We are a very outdoorsy family, so we love nature and the beauty and lifestyle that the mountains offer.

We would love to live somewhere ski in, ski out...but are very aware of the priciness of that and some of the smaller resort towns. Schools are also very important. So input on that would be helpful. And any other pros and cons you can offer would be very much appreciated!

Thanks so much for your input!

[Count David]

Originally Posted by abcnme

We would love to live somewhere ski in, ski out...

I'm pretty sure this doesn't exist in Evergreen.


Denver metro's unemployment rate is 9.9% right now.

Evergreen is nice, virtually crime free, but not much of a town in comparison to Bend. It's more spread out. The commute to Denver isn't something I'd want to do every day, personally. Evergreen schools rate very high.

I'm not quite sure what else you want us to tell you, are there any other specific inquiries you have?

[delta07]

abcnme, I currently live in Bend and moved there after growing up and spending most of my life in Colorado. Evergreen is a nice community, but as David says, it's hardly the same as what we have here in Bend. If you choose to live in Evergreen you will most likely do the I-70 commute to and from Denver for work, as well as to and from the ski resorts. It will most likely feel awful after living in Bend, IMO. We have virtually no commute here, as you know, and it's a quick drive to the mountain with very little traffic. I would definitely recommend that you make a trip out there to check it out for yourself.

If you are looking for something similar to Bend, you might look at Boulder, although it's definitely more urban city than Bend with its proximity to Denver. However, Eldora Mountain isn't along the I-70 corridor, so you won't have as much traffic to get to the mountain. I love Durango and Salida too, but you'd essentially be trading one poverty with a view for another.

[tradethemarkets]

I would recommend Co. if you like to see the sun! I moved here from So. California believing the hype of 300 days of sunshine. It's more like 150 days of sun. So if you don't mind the gray and the snow on and off for 7 months it's a great place. Also another stat there's only 9 days a year that the temp doesn't drop below freezing here. Bring your coast. Also if you not older retired which is most people here than don't come. Allot of old cranky people here.

[delta07]

Originally Posted by tradethemarkets

I would recommend Co. if you like to see the sun! I moved here from So. California believing the hype of 300 days of sunshine. It's more like 150 days of sun. So if you don't mind the gray and the snow on and off for 7 months it's a great place. Also another stat there's only 9 days a year that the temp doesn't drop below freezing here. Bring your coast. Also if you not older retired which is most people here than don't come. Allot of old cranky people here.

I'm having a hard time understanding what you are trying to say. 150 days of sun in Colorado? Only 9 days above freezing in Colorado? Huh?

[pyrotech]

Originally Posted by delta07

I'm having a hard time understanding what you are trying to say. 150 days of sun in Colorado? Only 9 days above freezing in Colorado? Huh?

For a first post, tradethemarkets sure did miss the mark. While the "300+ days of sun" hasn't been my experience, I'd definitely say it was closer to the 300 mark than 150. It's also May, and I just got back from walking my dog in the well-above-freezing-temps beautiful weather out today. Just like yesterday. I guess we only have a week left of this above-freezing-temp weather? That's a bummer; it's not even summer yet!

OP, pretty much everyone I know wants to live in an area that has a low population, great schools, little to no crime, plenty of available jobs, mountain views, decent cost of living, and available back-country skiing right outside our back door. Please let us know if you ever find this place; I'll be on the next bus out there.

I live in the Vail Valley in an apartment that costs >50% of my salary, but has almost all of the above criteria. The only things missing are the jobs and decent cost of living. If something happens and I no longer have my job, there's about an 80% chance I'll have to move back to the Front Range. Since that goes against pretty much every requirement listed above, I'd probably be looking elsewhere (probably another state) to live instead.

[wanneroo]

Originally Posted by pyrotech

For a first post, tradethemarkets sure did miss the mark. While the "300+ days of sun" hasn't been my experience, I'd definitely say it was closer to the 300 mark than 150. It's also May, and I just got back from walking my dog in the well-above-freezing-temps beautiful weather out today. Just like yesterday. I guess we only have a week left of this above-freezing-temp weather? That's a bummer; it's not even summer yet!

OP, pretty much everyone I know wants to live in an area that has a low population, great schools, little to no crime, plenty of available jobs, mountain views, decent cost of living, and available back-country skiing right outside our back door. Please let us know if you ever find this place; I'll be on the next bus out there.

I live in the Vail Valley in an apartment that costs >50% of my salary, but has almost all of the above criteria. The only things missing are the jobs and decent cost of living. If something happens and I no longer have my job, there's about an 80% chance I'll have to move back to the Front Range. Since that goes against pretty much every requirement listed above, I'd probably be looking elsewhere (probably another state) to live instead.

Those 300 days of sun quotes I always felt misleading as just because the sun is out for 15 minutes doesn't count as a sunny day. I would agree though that Colorado does get ample sun in the winter. But cold and wind are still factors.

I've had a number of friends up and move from Vail to Denver recently as you can rent a house for what a cramped condo or apartment costs.

I think the main thing is that Colorado is a state of trade offs where you have to decide what is most important to you and there is no such thing as cheap cost of living, plenty of jobs and mountain living all in one place. One of the main reasons I left the state was I'd never have much of a chance in Vail to have a regular home with a yard and at the time I had lost interest in Denver living.

[ctr88]

Just a general observation about Bend...I thought Bend has a really cool downtown with the pubs, etc...and it is as pretty as any mountain setting when you drive up the Cascade Lakes Highway towards Bachelor. But... I didn't find the actual setting of the town of Bend that pretty. The mountain views are not really that great and it has more of a high desert feel than an that high Alpine "mountain town" feel. I was a little disappointed by that.

I am different than the OP in that I live in a city in another state and I'm searching more for a place to vacation or possibly live a few months in summers + Christmas to New Years. For what I'm looking for a I like the Colorado, Idaho and Montana towns more than Bend. I know this isn't what the OP asked but though I'd chime in.