Carson City NV compared to the Front Range (Denver, Colorado Springs: appointed, crime)

[soulpatch]

I have an acquaintance from baja who really thinks I should check out the Carson City area. From reading about it it looks beautiful but it seems like crime might be a significant issue.
Having never been there I can't tell from personal experience so if any of you have input I would appreciate it.

[Josseppie]

There is no comparison. Carson City is only about 50,000 people while the Pueblo metro area alone has over 150,000 people not to mention Colorado Springs, Denver and northern Colorado.

[soulpatch]

At this point we are concentrating on FC/Loveland areas.
Generally anywhere from Denver north is our plan at this time.

[CAVA1990]

I can think of lots of good reasons not to move to Carson City. Crime would be at the bottom of the list unless you're talking about the state government.

[Idunn]

Compared to Carson City, NV most Front Range communities in Colorado will seem very fecund. The general aura in Carson City, especially towards the east, is dry, near desert. The Front Range is far more lush, watered, with trees and grass.

Carson City has some trees as well, especially some lovely old cottonwoods. The state capitol, right downtown, has lovely landscaping, everywhere else not so much. The best aspect of the place, as far as I'm concerned, is that it resides at the edge of the Sierra Nevada mountains, with the view west rather lovely. It is a short drive to nearby Lake Tahoe, which is beauty itself. From Carson City one might never guess Lake Tahoe is as close, or the other way round.

This not to dish Carson City, as it has certain select charms. Only that your experience there surely distinctly different from Colorado. The closest you might come to it would be at Lake Tahoe, but then why move farther east?

[Idunn]

The author Mark Twain traveled by stagecoach to Carson City, NV with his brother Orion, who had been appointed secretary to the territorial governor of Nevada, James W. Nye.

His brother was employed; he was at loose ends. He did some prospecting, unsuccessfully, eventually finding more luck as a willful journalist with the 'Territorial Enterprise' of nearby Virginia City. In the interim he spent possibly more time at Lake Tahoe than Carson City. Weeks at a time, in fact, in idle pursuits such as drifting about the lake in a rowboat with a friend, gazing far down into the impossibly clear waters.

His travels are detaied in the excellent book, 'Roughing It.' Carson City is mentioned, Lake Tahoe lovingly described at length.

[CCCVDUR]

Absolutely your friend is exactly right. Carson City / Reno / Gardnerville / Minden / Genoa are very nice communities at the eastern edge of the Sierra. Above all of these Nevada cities are towering mountains to the West, just as above many towns on the Front Range. And you get lots of west winds, just as you do along the Front Range. Going up to Lake Tahoe, Mammoth Lakes, and Yosemite is very similar to driving westwards to Rocky Mountain National Park and Summit County / Frisco / Dillon / Silverthorne / Breckenridge / etc.

Right now, unemployment in the Reno-Carson City area is well over 10%, double that of towns along the front range. And, depending on your political persuasion, Reno-Carson City-Gardnerville is conservative, whereas towns along the front range trend liberal except for Colorado Springs, etc. Lake Tahoe voted mostly for Bush in 2004 according to City-Data.Com, whereas Breckenridge and Summit County voted about 90% for Kerry in 2004.

Carson City is one of my favorite towns, and has A LOT of potential to grow and bounce back as what I call a "yuppie" outpost of Reno, if and when the land use issues involving growth management are ever resolved between Nevada and the feds.

Another similarity worth noting is US 395 extending South from Minden, NV to Bishop, CA. In a strange way, it's very similar to I-285 from Minturn, CO to Alamosa, CO (through Salida). These are two of the most scenic drives that I've ever been on. And, they both begin in towns w/ similar names: Minden and Minturn!

Below:
1. Sheep along US 395 south of Topaz
2. Mammoth Lakes new trails project
3. Mammoth Lakes - Lake Mary
4. Looking SW from US 395 to the crest
5. All roads are open on this fall day on US 395
6. CARSON CITY looking Northeast from the Best Buy parking lot (downhill over 395)
7. Gardnerville probably doesn't like big corporations!
8. For Comparison, Frisco bicyclists around Dillon resorvoir, west of the Front Range, just as Lake Tahoe supports bicycling and watersports, just west of Reno-Carson City

CLICK to enlarge:

[soulpatch]

Really beautiful pictures.
At this time the biggest factor for CO over NV is my wife's relatives live in Loveland and they have the potential to pave the way to part time employment(which is all we will want) and family structure....
Time and visits will tell.

[SheridanL]

Berthoud Colorado is really nice and close to Loveland.

[soulpatch]

I am seriously open to anything at this point.