Info needed on Plains Montana (Missoula, Thompson Falls: appointed, apartment, lawyer)

[horslvr123]

After doing some research and whatnot.. weve kinda narrowed it down to a couple of towns that seem like what were looking for.. The main one is Plains.

Id like as much information as I can get from anyone that has lived there.. or is currently living there....

Ive been kinda comparing the weather for there as well as where im at (Yelm, WA).. So far they seem to be pretty comparable, except for 2 little things... One...Its colder in plains. (Give me good boots and a warm coat and im good to go)
Two...It doesnt RAIN nearly as much in Plains as it does here, which is half my reason for wanting to move.

So.. any info is good...

Thanks.

[MTSilvertip]

Like to help, but I have only passed through there a couple of times.

Nice little town though.

[Rickers]

I wouldn't compare Yelm Wa. to Plains Mt.
Two different worlds, climate, politics, people, landscape and almost everything else. You need to visit.

[horslvr123]

I plan on visiting.. just hoping for info before hand...

[Rickers]

Plains is growing fairly fast and is in a very arid area as it lays in a rain shadow of sorts. The little grocery store there is not very well stocked and if you like good prices and variety you'll be making regular forays to Zootown or Kattlesmell for pantry stocking. In my snotty and spoiled opinion there really aren't any really good restaurants anywhere near except perhaps Quinn's Hot Springs. Hope this helps a bit. It is a nice little town though in many ways, mostly it's the location that makes it nice.

[montygarlic]

We lived in the Plains valley for a couple of years in the early to mid 1990's. We were across the river from the town of Paradise. Best garden and orchard production we've ever had were on that property.

I loved the climate - neither too cold nor too hot. It is a low-humidity area, but was originally named Wild Horse Plains, partly because the settlers perceived it would be a great area to grow grass. And they were right, so long as you have a method of irrigation between June 30 and September 15, which approximates the annual drought conditions.

It is an area that contains many micro-climates, somewhat due to the narrowness of the valley (where the Flathead joins the Clark Fork river just outside the town of Paradise) to its widest point somewhere between Plains and Thompson Falls. The Lawyer Nursery complex lies in the stretch between those two towns and provides nursery stock all around the country. So the climate is adequate for growing all kinds of things, once you figure it out in your own particular neighborhood.

I have to disagree with rickers (just a bit): We found McGowan's Food Store adequate for the vast majority of our needs when we lived over there. But like most other rural Montanans, we did make a monthly trip to Missoula (Zootown) for Costco stock-up visit, etc. Get a freezer and you'll do fine in the food department.

As for the people: rickers is right in mentioning the growth in population, but it is still no metropolitan area. Schools are average and, if the students have good motivation from home, they'll do fine. I substitute taught in the High School and a couple of grads from PHS were appointed to Service Academies (one to the Air Force, another to the Coast Guard) while we were there - no small feat for small townies.

The principle 'industries' are agriculture and logging, and the logging is mostly gone. This fact has contributed greatly to the population shift as folks have had to move to find work; those moving in behind are often retired or work-from-home or commute to Missoula.

My take on it is that you'll find folks you enjoy and some you might not enjoy so much, but, as anywhere else, that'll largely be what you make of it.

Feel free to ask more specifics as you continue to narrow your search.


mg

[Mt-7]

?I heard that nursery was closing, do you think it is true?

[Rickers]

Originally Posted by Mt-7

?I heard that nursery was closing, do you think it is true?

They have been selling off equipment lately.

We shop at plains when we have to and where we live now it makes sense to go to Sandpoint Idaho for big shopping. We also have found that our tiny little store here in Trout creek has better prices than almost every store within half a days driving distance but they don't carry my favorite sardines and olives.

I know one thing for sure I won't buy meat from McGowan's, no way, they are so overpriced and the steak cuts are disgusting compared to most other local stores. Harvest Foods is a much better store for us.
The new little restaurant that was the Hilltop Cafe for years that was recently reopened under another name was good but didn't last for more than a month or two. Their Mexican plates were actually pretty decent by Montana's standards.

I am a spoiled brat from California and I grew up in a city with over 4,000 restaurants so when we want any ethnic food we have to make it ourselves.

I'm not complaining, my family has had property in Montana for over 50 years and I have been visiting Montana for years on ski vacations for many years before moving here over 13 years ago so I knew that most of the affordable food here sucked way before moving.
I may move someday but I'm not done photographing Montana yet !!!
We may become snowbirds at some point. Below are pictures of the
old Plains jail and the Plains side of mount Baldy.

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_9a8nDInPVGE/TPV1gQFk9yI/AAAAAAAAH90/8Nmyml7iCmE/s512/IMG_1058.JPG (broken link)

I have hiked up to the top of this mountain 6 times so far.
There used to be a fire lookout up there, it's been gone for years.
You can do a one way, (sort of long) hike, go up on the Plains
side and go down the east side down to the town of hot Springs.

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_9a8nDInPVGE/TPVybuJ3jVI/AAAAAAAAH9k/esvExAnJCC4/s512/IMG_1130-1.JPG (broken link)

[horslvr123]

The pictures are great. I look forward to seeing more.

[montygarlic]

Originally Posted by horslvr123

The pictures are great. I look forward to seeing more.

Ask and ye shall receive:

This is part of the Clark Fork River just upstream from Plains about 1 1/2 miles...


This would be a neighborly visit in the early fall:



And of course, the Mother-in-Law apartment where we used to live:



And the creek (pronounced: 'crick') which supplied us with water year round:



Enjoy!

mg