If you are still searching, I would HIGHLY recommend Flagstaff.I went to school in Flagstaff, AZ for 5 years, so I can give u a pretty good idea of what to expect. This town is a true gem in America. Let me give you a brief run-down of the city. The town is situated at nearly 7,000 (which, lets face it, already puts MANY "mountain" towns to shame), and is named "first international dark sky city" due to the specific low-light emission city lamps. The town is surrounded by the San Francisco mountains (of which, the ski resort Snowbowl utilizes-elevation 12, 600 ft!), national forrest service land, and native american reservation land. There is a great deal of pride from the roots of Native American culture in this town, and thus most of the Museum of Northern Arizona is dedicated. Due to the fact that the town is surrounded by such amazing natural features (lava caves, ancient volcanos, mountains, forrests, etc), there is a quite a "green" mentality that resonates throughout the town. The people are extremely laid back, and the downtown area eagerly opens its doors to the thousands of Grand Canyon visitors each year. (The Grand Canyon is a mere hour and 45 minutes away). If you drive south of Flagstaff for about 45 minutes on Route 89A, you reach the beautiful red rocks and vortexes of Sedona. Please consider my old home. It is beautiful, rich in culture and diversity, and offers that amazing sense of family that people look for in a small town. If you have a minute, check this out:
http://www.flagstaffarizona.org/
http://www.flagstaff.az.gov/
WOW, i just read their website, and they said almost exactly what I just wrote...so, I probably sound like I should work for the city, right? Na, I just dearly love that city!