Where to move for a snowy winter (40") and mild summer (75°)? (ski resorts, sales)

[Wenseslas]

Hey guys, I am not too sure where my post belongs (I did check other sections to be sure there wasn't a better suited one but couldn't find it) so I hope you will be able to help me.

I live in western Europe and am concidering moving the states. But I am looking for something a bit specific.

States where:
- you get some "real winter" roughly 40inches of snow, temperatures below 32F(obviously) a great christmas spirit and lasts 3 months (by that I mean you don't get a storm and the snow is out by january 1st). Oh and where you can go alpine skiing in about an hour drive.

-summer: 75F, for a couple of months. With lakes where I can have a summer house and enjoy some fine BBQ

This qualifies, if I am not worng as continental weather and I think Nevada, Utah, Colorado all qualify but surely I am missing a couple.

This is based on weather only, but other criterions should be concidered such as for one, presence of a major hospital and university, Mayo Clinic in Minnesota for example, open-minded, progressive etc etc open to new comers and europeans.

I hope some of you will answer my post and to everyone who took the time to read this post I wish you a Merry Christmas.

[David Aguilar]

How much money ya got?

Oh, never mind, the place doesn't exist anyway. Maybe somewhere in Alaska.

The big sticklers are your summer weather and the combined skiing/hospital/university/progressive element.

Alpine skiing is in these states:
Alaska
California
Colorado
Idaho
Montana
Nevada
New Mexico
Oregon
Utah
Washington
Wyoming

These states have it as well, but I'm not sure they can be directly compared to the skiing in the west (I don't know much about the sport):
Maine
New Hampshire
New York
Vermont

Fine BBQ is usually found in the South or Kansas City, where it doesn't snow that much, unless you are talking about just having a BBQ, which you can do anywhere.

75F is very cool for summer in the states. You can only really find that in the extreme higher elevations, and some northern, coastal, and Great Lakes areas.

Nevada, Utah, and Colorado really lack the kind of lakes you are thinking of. And living near them isn't cheap. A continental climate if more 4-seasonish, not what you are describing.

Major hospitals/universities aren't close to ski resorts, not usually within an hour. I live in Denver, CO, and we have everything but the cool summers, lakes, and skiing is 1-1.5 hours away.

I will help you narrow down further, but this is a start.

[Wenseslas]

How much money is concidered to be a nice amount without getting into indecent numbers? I would say money is not a problem, but just to have an idea.

Yhe university and hospital element is really essential, as far as it being progressive, I would think it depends more on the city. Wouldn't you say?

Now if it's hotter in the summer no problem, it's just that I am used to cool summers so I didn't want to get my hopes up and if you tell me there are states with 40inches of snow and 80+ summers I am all ears.

Appreciate your help.

PS: I thought about the Aspen region, or the likes because obviously there is more than one option I am sure. And like I said oppeness to europeans is critical (I can tell you I am caucasian but I'll probably never quite get the accent down perfectly).

[JMT]

Originally Posted by Wenseslas

Hey guys, I am not too sure where my post belongs (I did check other sections to be sure there wasn't a better suited one but couldn't find it) so I hope you will be able to help me.

I live in western Europe and am concidering moving the states. But I am looking for something a bit specific.

States where:
- you get some "real winter" roughly 40inches of snow, temperatures below 32F(obviously) a great christmas spirit and lasts 3 months (by that I mean you don't get a storm and the snow is out by january 1st). Oh and where you can go alpine skiing in about an hour drive.

-summer: 75F, for a couple of months. With lakes where I can have a summer house and enjoy some fine BBQ

This qualifies, if I am not worng as continental weather and I think Nevada, Utah, Colorado all qualify but surely I am missing a couple.

This is based on weather only, but other criterions should be concidered such as for one, presence of a major hospital and university, Mayo Clinic in Minnesota for example, open-minded, progressive etc etc open to new comers and europeans.

I hope some of you will answer my post and to everyone who took the time to read this post I wish you a Merry Christmas.

Salt Lake City is really close to matching your criteria. While the rest of Utah is very conservative, Salt Lake City is very liberal (to say the least). There's a major university in SLC, the University of Utah, which happens to have an excellent hospital and medical school.

You may recall that SLC was host of the 2002 Winter Olympics. You can be alpine skiing in less than 30 minutes from downtown.

It can get hot in Salt Lake City in the summer (occasionally over 90), however it is a very dry heat and ALWAYS cools down at night. There is snow in the surrounding the mountains almost all year long.

Really the only thing you can't do in Salt Lake City (from your list) is live on a lake. However, the Great Salt Lake is adjacent to the city and you can certainly live close to it. There are also lakes up in the mountains that have cabins.

Here are some pictures of Salt Lake City.


Downtown SLC at Christmas:


http://farm1.static.flickr.com/156/3...abaa98f48e.jpg


http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3109/...d53a59.jpg?v=0


The Great Salt Lake:


http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2353/...33227762_b.jpg


http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1374/...df392b.jpg?v=0


Public transportation in Salt Lake City:


http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3215/...3fac83d5_b.jpg


http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3551/...597981afab.jpg


The University of Utah:


http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3623/...6e1c10.jpg?v=0


Alta ski resort in August (less than 30 minutes from downtown SLC):


http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2487/...7a0b21f653.jpg


Alta ski resort in March, with SLC in the distance:


http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2395/...6b7c9772bc.jpg

[David Aguilar]

Originally Posted by Wenseslas

How much money is concidered to be a nice amount without getting into indecent numbers? I would say money is not a problem, but just to have an idea.

Yhe university and hospital element is really essential, as far as it being progressive, I would think it depends more on the city. Wouldn't you say?

Now if it's hotter in the summer no problem, it's just that I am used to cool summers so I didn't want to get my hopes up and if you tell me there are states with 40inches of snow and 80+ summers I am all ears.

Appreciate your help.

PS: I thought about the Aspen region, or the likes because obviously there is more than one option I am sure. And like I said oppeness to europeans is critical (I can tell you I am caucasian but I'll probably never quite get the accent down perfectly).

To live next to a mountain lake in Colorado, you need several million. To live well in Aspen, you need several million.

Aspen does not have a major university, but I would imagine it has a hospital (but not a major one). All ski/mountain towns in CO are progressive.

Another area that fits well is the area near Lake Dillon, the towns of Silverthorne, Dillon, Frisco, and Breckenridge, but again, no university, but there is a hospital. Denver is about 1.5 hours away.

Vail is nice as well, but no lake.

I'm starting to think Denver is a good idea.
University? check
Major hospitals? check
Progressive? check

Summers can get up to the 90's, but it cools down nicely at night. It's not as bad as it sounds.

During winter, we get about 60 inches of snow, but it melts rather quickly. By the time it all melts away, we get another storm. Right now, the only snow left is the piles left by the plows and the snow in shaded areas, but it will snow again, and it can snow anytime between October and May around here (this goes for the mountains as well).

World-class skiing is within 2 hours, other resorts as close as 45 minutes, making it an easy day or weekend trip. We may go for the first time next week.

Being European will not be a problem, there are tons of Europeans in the CO mountains, and in Denver. Being accepted won't be a problem for you. I promise.

Which country are you from?

[Wenseslas]

Originally Posted by David Aguilar

To live next to a mountain lake in Colorado, you need several million. To live well in Aspen, you need several million.

Aspen does not have a major university, but I would imagine it has a hospital (but not a major one). All ski/mountain towns in CO are progressive.

Another area that fits well is the area near Lake Dillon, the towns of Silverthorne, Dillon, Frisco, and Breckenridge, but again, no university, but there is a hospital. Denver is about 1.5 hours away.

Vail is nice as well, but no lake.

I'm starting to think Denver is a good idea.
University? check
Major hospitals? check
Progressive? check

Summers can get up to the 90's, but it cools down nicely at night. It's not as bad as it sounds.

During winter, we get about 60 inches of snow, but it melts rather quickly. By the time it all melts away, we get another storm. Right now, the only snow left is the piles left by the plows and the snow in shaded areas, but it will snow again, and it can snow anytime between October and May around here (this goes for the mountains as well).

World-class skiing is within 2 hours, other resorts as close as 45 minutes, making it an easy day or weekend trip. We may go for the first time next week.

Being European will not be a problem, there are tons of Europeans in the CO mountains, and in Denver. Being accepted won't be a problem for you. I promise.

Which country are you from?

I am from Brussels, Belgium, which I am sure you've heard of as European politics headquarters.

As I thought Utah and Colorado are high up there on the list of possibilities. And I've heard some very good things about Colorado, as one of the leading experts on Obesity has his entire research team there and it so happens this is my line of work.

My move is planed in the next 3-5 years, so slowly but surely it is time to get prepared.

What are the wages like in the Denver area? I have a BA.Degree in dietary science, a Masters in Nutrition and Bio. Med research and am thinking of applying for a Ph.D. (Bio med sciences nutrition) in the states, or an MBA, although I am not sure that's the best line of work to choose right now.

What are taxes like? And housing/appartments prices? And how many universities are there in Colorado, I've heard of CSU.

I am a down to earth person, do not like to show off, so although I have what you could call "luxury taste", I do not enjoy the company of shmucks.

I'd be interested to get the same info for SLC, if JMT feels like.

Thx for the help, guys.

[David Aguilar]

Originally Posted by Wenseslas

I am from Brussels, Belgium, which I am sure you've heard of as European politics headquarters.

As I thought Utah and Colorado are high up there on the list of possibilities. And I've heard some very good things about Colorado, as one of the leading experts on Obesity has his entire research team there and it so happens this is my line of work.

My move is planed in the next 3-5 years, so slowly but surely it is time to get prepared.

What are the wages like in the Denver area? I have a BA.Degree in dietary science, a Masters in Nutrition and Bio. Med research and am thinking of applying for a Ph.D. (Bio med sciences nutrition) in the states, or an MBA, although I am not sure that's the best line of work to choose right now.

What are taxes like? And housing/appartments prices?

I am a down to earth person, do not like to show off, so although I have what you could call "luxury taste", I do not enjoy the company of shmucks.

I'd be interested to get the same info for SLC, if JMT feels like.

Thx for the help, guys.

Wages are above average when compared to the rest of the nation, though some will say wages aren't in line with cost-of-living, but don't get me wrong, there are tons of affluent people here. Your qualifications should ensure you a very good income.

Federal taxes are a complicated subject, with the government taking anywhere from nothing to half. A good tax professional or accountant can help you with that. State income tax is a flat 4.63% of your taxable income, regardless of what you make. Sales tax is around 8%. Property taxes are much lower than the national average, should you buy property.

Apartments start at $500 and go up. Average is probably around $800. Houses average around $210,000, if you include the entire metro area.

I don't think you'd have a problem finding what you are looking for in a social sense. Every type of person lives here.

[Wenseslas]

Originally Posted by David Aguilar

Wages are above average when compared to the rest of the nation, though some will say wages aren't in line with cost-of-living, but don't get me wrong, there are tons of affluent people here. Your qualifications should ensure you a very good income.

Federal taxes are a complicated subject, with the government taking anywhere from nothing to half. A good tax professional or accountant can help you with that. State income tax is a flat 4.63% of your taxable income, regardless of what you make. Sales tax is around 8%. Property taxes are much lower than the national average, should you buy property.

Apartments start at $500 and go up. Average is probably around $800. Houses average around $210,000, if you include the entire metro area.

I don't think you'd have a problem finding what you are looking for in a social sense. Every type of person lives here.

I just checked Boulder, it's 55F, I was hoping I'd get no more than 32. You know the real winter experience, snowy roads, white Christmas.

PS: I must say I've always liked the Broncos, this may be the sign I am looking for. But for real what's up with the no snow in winter?

[redjan1225]

You may want to also check out Flagstaff, Arizona. Lot of ice and snow in the winter with gorgeous summers. Northern Arizona University is located in Flag along with at least one large hospital.

[aaronstlcards]

Spokane, WA
-Average Summer Temperature: 66F
-Annual Snowfall: 50.4 inches
-"Spokane lies on the eastern edge of the Columbia Basin steppe, a wide sloping plain that rises sharply to the east towards the forested Rocky Mountain foothills, the Selkirk Mountains. The city lies in a transition area between the desert-like Columbia Basin of central Washington and the forested mountains of north Idaho and northeast Washington. The highest peak in Spokane County is Mount Spokane at an elevation of 5,883 feet (1,793 m), located on the eastern side of the Selkirk Mountains." Wikipedia

Colorado Springs, CO
-Average Summer Temperature: 69F
-Annual Snowfall: 42.6 inches
-Rocky Mountains