Is anyone from Estes Park or Grand Lake (Boulder, Longmont: ski resort, rentals)

[estesparkbound]

I am thinking of relocating to Estes park and would like some opinions of people that live their or have lived their in the past, I know it is a tourist town in summer but what is it like in the other 3 seasons? What are the people like that live their year round? Is it as beautiful in winter as it is summer? What is the average age group that live their? I am 35 and from the independence,mo area, I have been here my whole life and looking for a change, I love the mountains and I hate the wet winters here, I hate the humidity here! From all the research I have done, Colorado seams like it would me great and I have narrowed it down to Estes Park or Grand Lake, advise would be great, Thank you!

[onthamove]

i'd go whith the one that has the best career opprotunites/highest snowfall/highest in elevation then again i am a new breed: HIGH COUNTRY JUNKY!

[laurbell]

Estes is awesome! But be ready for some winters. We actually had snow in June one year. But it is usually pretty calm. It is a total tourist trap, but you can get around it once you know your way around. BUt it is very expensive and not alot to do if you dont want to deal with all the people in the summers. And the winters everthing shuts down. Hope you have a good savings

[Tom Emmerling]

Estes Park is very expensive and there is not a lot there in the winter. The town pretty much dries up. I would rethink your decision to move there. Being 34 I would think you would want a little more action than Estes has to offer. Plus the expense of starting over somewhere cost enough already. You do not need the added expense of living in a tourist town. You may want to pick a town like Loveland which is only a 30 minute drive to Estes and more cost efficient. Good Luck.

[Idunn]

As Colorado has so many options for living in or near the mountains, you must have specific reasons for thinking of Estes Park or Grand Lake. All the more as these two communities are so dissimilar, save for proximity to Rocky Mountain National Park.

The only direct route between the two is via Trail Ridge Road through RMNP, which closes all winter, only reopening come late spring. Thus you will be in a small resort community at some distance from anything else. The closest town of any size would be Granby, with truly any size or activity in winter the resort town of Winter Park. Access to the larger communities along the front range even further removed from there via Berthoud Pass and a fair distance down I-70. In other words, you had better like and be able to deal with a fair amount of seclusion.

Estes Park is an entirely different enchilada as it enjoys good access to the front range summer or winter. Particularly during the summer you can expect to reach such towns as Ft. Collins, Loveland, Longmont, or Boulder in less than an hour. And, yes, it is absolutely gorgeous any time of year. But even here you are contemplating a small town which is very quiet most of the year, save summer when deluged with tourists.

Many, if not most, of the residents are either the well off with second homes or the retired with enough income to afford a higher than average cost of living. You will find locals of your own age, finding in most cases they creative in trying to make a viable living. It would be easier elsewhere, so the sacrifice has to be worth it to you.

At an elevation of 7,522, you will find a sub-alpine climate with cool evenings and warm to hot days in the relatively brief summer. Come winter you can expect cold nights and days not appreciably warmer. But it is a dry climate that enjoys a fair amount of sun, so if you like such a climate you should find it fairly comfortable. Compared to the Pacific mountain west there isn't much snow, but it will snow regularly and tend to remain in shaded areas.

Whether renting or buying you should expect to pay more than many other areas within Colorado, save the even more expensive ski resort towns. However if you must, early fall may be a good time to secure lodging. During the summer it is absolutely crazy, but that largely past until next season. Some rentals can only be secured through the winter since the owners wish them for the far more lucrative vacation rentals come summer.

But people manage. If it is your true desire you will find a way, even if the process not always easy. For one, much of the employment in Estes Park is seasonal, so you may have to be creative. But if it is calling to you, why not? Just don't put all your eggs into one basket and be prepared to be flexible. If it is meant to be you may live within the mountains for a lifetime.

You'll never know unless you try.

[Market Mama]

Living in the Mountains is romantic, but the narrow roads, which wind and twist and have lots of blind curves, get to be a total pain in the patooty after a while (and are also often dangerous). Plus everything costs more because it all has to be hauled up those winding, twisting, narrow roads, so you'll always be paying tourist prices for food, fuel, etc.

It is much more practical and economical to live somewhere along the Front Range. Just pick a location adjacent to whichever part of the Rockies rings your chimes, so you can easily drive up whenever you have free time AND the weather is nice.

If you have to work for a living, find plan everything else around where the jobs are -- because they sure aren't up in the mountains. Even waiting tables is seasonal up there.

Right now the ski industry is hiring. If you are single and fancy free, get a winter job there for just one season. That will give you a good taste of what it is really like to live with lots of snow, and will give you a good reality check about the practicalities (and cabin-fever) of living where the winters are verrrry long. After that, you can make a more permanent decision based on your own tolerance for winter, snow, bad roads, etc. which lose their charm fast for many people.

I love Estes Park, it is in a very beautiful setting, so I even drive up there occasionally in the winter (just before Christmas on a nice day can be a winter wonderland and the town is full of elk then). But it's not a practical place to live, even for those who can telecommute. I also love Grand Lake, but it is even more isolated and has even fewer jobs and resources.

It's not all or nothing when it comes to enjoying the mountains. Live where the jobs are, play where your heart is -- they're not that far apart here in Colorado.