Gunnison and Glenwood Springs (Denver, Grand Junction: real estate, condos, houses)

[Nea1]

My husband has two job offers one to work in Crested Butte which means we would live in Gunnison and the other to work in Aspen and we could live in Glenwood springs. I have kids so schools are an issue. What are both areas like?

[jazzlover]

I lived in Gunnison 30 + years ago and loved it. But, like all of western Colorado, it has changed--and not for the better. Housing is expensive--especially if you expect to work there. I have friends that have lived there for many years, and they are looking to leave. Also, Gunnison has brutally cold temperatures in the winter, and is regularly the coldest spot in Colorado, winter or summer. I personally love the irrigated ranch counttry around Gunnison, and the mountains are gorgeous--just remember, summer is about 2 1/2 months long.

As for Glenwood Springs, it is even more pricey than Gunnison, and the ambience of that town was wrecked when they built I-70 through it going on 40 years ago. Old time Coloradans (I'm a native) call the whole I-70 corridor west of Denver the "sacrifice zone." That's exactly what it is: a yuppie-infested suburbia of false-western trophy houses and Tyrolean shake-and-bake condos.

About the only way a person can live comfortably in most of western Colorado is to bring their money with them. Joke: How to make a small fortune in western Colorado? Start with a big one. It used to be that wages were awful, living expenses were high, but housing was cheap. Now, housing is expensive, and wages are still awful (unless you work in the gas fields) and living costs are still high. That's why I left and probably won't ever go back--at least not until the real estate bubble there bursts (and it will) and housing gets cheap again.

[silvina]

I've lived in Gunnison for about 4 years and didn't like it at all. Glenwood Springs and Aspen are WAY better. In everything. Better schools, healthy live, youth, jobs. Wages are great in Aspen and Basalt, not that much in Glenwood.

[ShellKing]

One thing to consider: CB & Gunnison are hard to get to and off the beaten path. So, it's less crowded and more remote. GS/Aspen is right on the 1-70 corridor and so it's busier, but easier to get other places (Denver). So one of the those options might sound better to you.

Of course, you'll visit both, right?

[janetmedina]

Who are you Jazz lover - cannot figure out who you are We have lived in area forever - plus what is your age - you seem to have lived everywhere foreever

Originally Posted by jazzlover

I lived in Gunnison 30 + years ago and loved it. But, like all of western Colorado, it has changed--and not for the better. Housing is expensive--especially if you expect to work there. I have friends that have lived there for many years, and they are looking to leave. Also, Gunnison has brutally cold temperatures in the winter, and is regularly the coldest spot in Colorado, winter or summer. I personally love the irrigated ranch counttry around Gunnison, and the mountains are gorgeous--just remember, summer is about 2 1/2 months long.

As for Glenwood Springs, it is even more pricey than Gunnison, and the ambience of that town was wrecked when they built I-70 through it going on 40 years ago. Old time Coloradans (I'm a native) call the whole I-70 corridor west of Denver the "sacrifice zone." That's exactly what it is: a yuppie-infested suburbia of false-western trophy houses and Tyrolean shake-and-bake condos.

About the only way a person can live comfortably in most of western Colorado is to bring their money with them. Joke: How to make a small fortune in western Colorado? Start with a big one. It used to be that wages were awful, living expenses were high, but housing was cheap. Now, housing is expensive, and wages are still awful (unless you work in the gas fields) and living costs are still high. That's why I left and probably won't ever go back--at least not until the real estate bubble there bursts (and it will) and housing gets cheap again.

[jazzlover]

Originally Posted by janetmedina

Who are you Jazz lover - cannot figure out who you are We have lived in area forever - plus what is your age - you seem to have lived everywhere foreever

Let's put it this way--past 50 . . . Yes, I haved lived numerous places in Colorado (and for awhile in Wyoming) over the years--currently in western Colorado. I also have traveled Colorado extensively for both work and pleasure for most of my life. Because of that, I have spent time in just about every nook and cranny in the state, and I literally know people in every single county of Colorado (as well as most of Wyoming and some of New Mexico). The geography, climate, and history of this region has been my passion since childhood, too. Because of the nature of some of my work, I won't be more specific than that on a public forum.

[sneedawn]

We live in Gunnison, my husband was born and raised here. We moved to the Denver area after getting married and moved back here to raise our kids. Gunnison is cold and we have alot of snow, but it is something that we have all learned to love, skiing is 10-30 minutes away, snowmobiling, snowshoeing and sledding. The summers and fall are wonderful here, depending on where you live in the valley the growing season is 72 - 61 days. The schools in Gunnison and Crested Butte are very good, lots of parental involvement and clubs for almost anything. Gunnison is a small town and we are a bit remote(Montrose is 60 miles, Grand Junction 120 miles) but we love it here. I would spend some time in both cities to see what is best for your family.