need advice - been thinking about moving to Colorado for years! (Denver: ski resorts, low crime)

[deethompson]

Move to Puyallup, Washington

Very nice people, low traffic and perfect skiing!!! Great waters to fish in. Lakes are the freshest and cleanest lakes ever. Air quality is great with all the beautiful green pine and evergreen trees, very rain foresty parks to hike and camp in. Don't let what you hear about the rain scare you. It rains but mostly seasonal rain during winter months. There is no racism in Washington, many locals are from other countries and higher class of acting people with good attitudes. I lived in Denver and would never go back after being in beautiful Washington State!
Excellent schools : )

[Katarina Witt]

Originally Posted by skiaddict

See, that's just it. That would freak me out. I live in an upper class neighborhood, my kids go to private schools, my house here is worth quite a bit, I drive a BMW and just to think of going to a place that I will be treated like a migrant worker (not that I have anything against them, but I am just not used to that kind of atmosphere) would put an unnecessary stress on me and my kids.

Ironically my oldest got accepted at U.C. Bolder and at the last minute I decided not to send him because the Governor of Colorado had made some very strong comments about Hispanics. I don't even have an accent, I have lived in this country almost my entire life but...it scares the heck out of me to move to a place that I absolutely love (I ski in Colorado every year) and find out that I am not welcome.

What?? Explain this, please.

[Count David]

Originally Posted by deethompson

Move to Puyallup, Washington
perfect skiing!!!

I could be wrong, but if you ask anybody who has skied in Colorado, it's hard to beat. WA isn't exactly known as a ski-haven.

Originally Posted by deethompson

There is no racism in Washington,

Agreed. People are truly on the same level there.

Originally Posted by deethompson

beautiful Washington State!

Most beautiful place I've ever seen, or had the pleasure of living in part-time.

[vegaspilgrim]

If you want skiing and a place with more Hispanics than Colorado look into northern New Mexico.

[Bob from down south]

Originally Posted by vegaspilgrim

If you want skiing and a place with more Hispanics than Colorado look into northern New Mexico.

If you want skiing and a place with more hispanics than northern New Mexico, look into Chile.

[vegaspilgrim]

Originally Posted by Bob from down south

If you want skiing and a place with more hispanics than northern New Mexico, look into Chile.

True. I'd like to visit Chile some day, actually. From the pictures I've seen it looks gorgeous!

[vfrpilot]

My nephew just completed 4 years at Boulder and had a great time. He did an awful lot of snowboarding that was his first priority when chosing CU. He is Hispasian(half Mexican,half Asian).
We live in a development in Monument that is packed with retired Air Force officers and engineers working for defense contractors. The area is mostly white and very well educated. I don't sense any issues based on skin color, but than again I am neither Black or Latino. It seems that the more educated and traveled folks have less issues accepting different groups.
I wouldn't fear CO in that respect. Southern states seem much worse.

[skiaddict]

I never thought about Washington, is the skiing the same as Colorado though? I am from Chile, the skiing there is awesome, but my kids were born and raised in the U.S. so I want them to get educated here as well. I seriously doubt they would want to move there. As far as I understand New Mexico has a larger Mexican influence than South Americans, I may be wrong though.

How is Vail off season? Good schools? Good Community? Or is it just a vacation town for the winter season?

How about Boulder? I read an article the other day that it is one of the best places to retire. How is Boulder off season? Is skiing far from the city? if so, how far or how long does it take to get to the mountains?

I also just found out my neighbors are moving to Breckenridge, can anyone tell me about Breckenridge? What makes it different than Boulder and Vail?

It gets better, a very, very good friend of mine is moving to Colorado Springs...it is beginning to sound like exodus from Florida to Colorado....hmmm

[DgoNative]

The ski areas in Washington can't really compete with those in Colorado. They have far less acreage and not nearly as much vertical. I think the most vertical is at Alpental (only an hour away from Seattle) which has 2200' but only like a dozen runs. Mt. Baker up by Bellingham gets the most snow in the world; hold the record of 1,140". Last winter they almost exceeded their title, I had heard they had, but I guess not. And they average about 700" a year. But, the snow in WA is a hell of a lot wetter and heavier than the champagne powder CO is used to. It is no excuse to call off skiing some days just because it's raining on the mountain, although it does suck.

Overall, I think the only comparison the Pacific NW can have with CO is Whistler in British Columbia. They have over 6000' vertical with two huge mountain faces to tackle. It is about a four hour roadtrip from Seattle to Whistler, not that bad.

So if skiing is one of your must haves, I would say that CO's skiing trumps WA's anyday.

[20yrsinBranson]

Originally Posted by skiaddict

I am a single middle aged mom with a kid in college and another one in middle school. I live in Florida and I despise it, I hate the heat, the humidity, the crime, drugs and I am really sick and tired of this place.

I have been thinking of moving to Colorado for years now, we used to go skiing / snowboarding there every year. I also grew up in the mountains of South America and have been skiing almost my entire life.

I am afraid to move to Colorado because I don't know anyone there, I don't have family and I hear there is a lot of racism towards Latin Americans. Although I am an educated woman with a prosperous online business...I still have my reservations.

I think my biggest scare is if there are a lot of middle aged, single women in Colorado who like skiing (I assume when my kids finish school, I will be an empty-nester)...or will I be making a BIG MISTAKE by moving there with no family, no friends and my kids about to move on their own...and not being Anglo to top it off.

...any suggestions, ideas, comments would be greatly appreciated. What place would be my best option? Since I still have a child in middle-school, good schools is a must.

Well, to each his own. My advice is don't do it. LOL But then I'd trade 1,000 big, ugly pointy mountains for a beach any day. Florida is my dream, Colorado was my nightmare. Different strokes.

20yrsinBranson