Where should we visit? (Missoula, Polson: spring break, student loans, home) - Montana (MT) - City-Data Forum

Lunabell · 02-15-2011, 11:22 AM

Back again, looking at Montana!

My husband became a licensed school counselor, after working in corporate/facilities security for many years. Then the economy tanked. There are so many laid off experienced school counselors here in the Twin Cities (MN), that he can't get hired. One rejection said that there were 135 applicants for one position. So we are looking anywhere and everywhere in mostly northern tier states. Since moving to Minnesota 5 years ago, we have discovered that we actually like winter! Though after the last few weeks, I am not complaining that it is a balmy 38F right now!

He recently applied for a job in Hamilton. We have decided to come out over spring break to see what the Bitterroot valley is like. While we are out there, we figure we might as well travel around the western side of the state to see other areas, so if other jobs are posted, we will know more about those areas. So far we have really only been to Glacier and Gardiner/Yellowstone and I doubt that those visits gave us an accurate representation of the state.

If anyone has any recommdations for other areas to visit, I am all ears. We would prefer smaller towns in Western Montana, that are good for families. We have 3 daughters. It would be a bonus if anyone has any restaurant suggestions for restaurants that are knowledgeable about Celiac or gluten free issues. This will be our first attempted road trip since our youngest was diagnosed will Celiac. It will be an adventure! Thanks!

bongo403 · 02-15-2011, 12:47 PM

You should definitely spend some time in Missoula, even though it's a bigger town, it will be the nearest city to Hamilton so it will give you some idea of what you can expect relatively nearby for shopping, entertainment, etc. I know the deli in the Good Food Store in Missoula has some gluten-free options, and I'm guessing Missoula probably has other options I"m not aware of, but it might be hard to find that kind of food in the smaller town's restaurants.

The southern end of the Bitterroot Valley, south of Hamilton, is very pretty and Darby is a nice little town to visit. Stevensville has some nice local history and a neat little museum in one of the earliest Missions from the area.

Some other suggestions of places that I personally like to visit are
*Philipsburg - quaint little town with lots of neat little shops and a fabulous candy store where they make most of it on site, they also have a place nearby where you can mine for your own sapphires, which is fun for the kids - not sure how early in the spring they open though.
*Polson - very pretty, on Flathead lake. They also have a very large, rather eclectic museum that has a little bit of everything and my kids enjoy it.
*Deer Lodge - not as pretty a town itself, but a place we like to take the kids because you can tour the old prison, which is pretty cool, they have a Ford auto museum, and the Grant Kohrs ranch which is a historic cattle ranch you can tour.

NDak15 · 02-15-2011, 04:33 PM

Lunabell, are you looking for jobs in school districts? If so I would strongly advise staying out of Montana. Their wages are some of the lowest in the nation. Look at Wyoming instead.

Lunabell · 02-15-2011, 08:59 PM

Bongo-thanks for the suggestions! I will research them. I know there has been a job opening for Ronan posted forever. It might be worth checking out Polson, just in case.

WyoEagle-Yes, he is looking for jobs in school districts. We hadn't considered Wyoming before now. I am not sure why. I did a quick search and there are postings for school counselors in Lander, Green River, and Big Piney. After an even quicker search of the Wyoming boards, I am not sure that Green River would be for us. It sounds very windy. I don't mind cold, but below 0 with constant wind isn't something that I am sure I want to contend with day after day. I told my husband about the other two places and all he cared about was whether the hunting is good! He will be calling to get the info to apply for his Wyoming license tomorrow. Thanks for the suggestion.

NDak15 · 02-16-2011, 06:42 AM

I would check out Lander. It is a pretty little town in the mountains. It is pretty isolated though. Riverton has a Wal-Mart and Kmart but otherwise you have to go into Rock Springs or Casper to do your major shopping. I haven't been to Big Piney but I know it is very small. I live in Rock Springs which is very close to Green River. It's not as windy as some of the places I've lived in. I would strongly recommend Wyoming in general though. The schools are at least a decade ahead of Montana and you make twice as much money. The two states are otherwise pretty similar although I think Wyomingites are much more welcoming of outsiders than Montanans, and especially people in western Montana. I lived near Missoula for a year and it was the worst place I've ever lived.

Rickers · 02-16-2011, 09:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lunabell

Bongo-thanks for the suggestions! I will research them. I know there has been a job opening for Ronan posted forever. It might be worth checking out Polson, just in case.

Polson is also on C.S.K.T. federal lands. If you commit to a defined period (I think it's two years), you can get your student loans partially or entirely forgiven.

Lunabell · 02-16-2011, 11:50 AM

WyoEagle- Lander looks very nice! I don't mind being being a good distance from major shopping. Thanks to internet, I can order all of the gluten free dry goods that we use from Amazon. I like hearing that the schools are good, as well. Not only for my husband, but for my kids as well. Plus it has a medical center which is a bonus as my oldest is disabled. Yes... we are a medically complicated family. During the summers, we live at our cabin(aka small house, not log) in Northern MN, so I am used to not having fast access to emergency services. But I will never complain if they are nearby. Thanks for your help!

Rickers-If he had student loans to pay off, that would definitely be a lure! He got his masters in counseling psychology years ago and just had to take a few extra classes to fulfill the licensure requirements. Since we are going to be in the "neighborhood" though, we have added Polson to our itinerary.

NDak15 · 02-16-2011, 05:53 PM

Don't let the student loan deal fool you. It is five years and is not worth the drama, heartache, and low wages.

nature's cathedral · 02-22-2011, 02:11 AM

Go to Lake Como. Hike Some of the canyons. Blodgett Canyon Overlook, Bear Creek Overlook (if it is open). Drive up the Skalkaho to the dead end and then just walk. Make sure to drive up on the East side to get a good look at the Bitterroots. Golf Course Road towards Skalkaho is a really good choice. Go Check out Lost Trail Ski. The Big Hole is also quite beautiful and accessible this time of year. I would check out what your future home really offers. There are so many places to hike and enjoy here in the Bitterroot that you couldn't do them all in a life time.

Rickers · 02-22-2011, 07:08 AM

Other areas to consider may include the two northwestern river corridors containing highways 2 and 200.

The Seeley/Swan area between the Mission mountains and the Swan Range is a bit secluded but really nice. It is a bit pricey as is the Bitterroot Valley but both seem to be worth it for many. We happen to be priced out of those two areas for the most part.

There is lots of reasonably priced property east of the divide that is not too flat or windy. It seems that there are still many relatively affordable areas that are nice and livable that are not ridiculously priced. The problem with those areas is that there are absolutely zero jobs.