All You Know About Elko (Reno: how much, casinos, pros and cons)

[atlantis7]

If have an offer to go to Elko and I am not in mining. The owner of the business tells me he is not an outdoorsman and never pays attention to whether its beautiful or not - which says to me, it is a hole.

This person is originally from L.A. and moved to Elko for a business opportunity. People who are only driven by money and don't care where they live are frightening to me.

So what IS the scoop on ELKO? Is it a jewel in the rough - or a lump of coal?
Is there any appreciable culture there bsides drinking beer after a day at the mine?

I am told that most people from Elko do not use Salt Lake as the big city outlet and instead, go to Twin Falls or Reno for big fun.

JUst wondering what fun is in Elko and if one with a pretty good sense of the world and aappreciation for nature, can be happy there?

Also - how are winters and how long are winters?

ANYTHING YOU KNOW, WILL BE APPRECIATED. I want to make sure beforeI travel all the way from Tennessee to Nevada.

[debhere]

I'm sorry I didn't get back to you sooner but I have not checked that email account for awhile. Tried to send you private message but would not deliver?

[NVDave]

There are many, many days the weather in Elko is very, very nice. During August, there can be a hot spell, and during late January/early February, it can get rather cold and snowy, but on the whole, the weather in Elko is very nice.

Californians who move to small(er) towns in Nevada are often pissed off that there isn't a huge mall next door, that they can't find a latte on every street corner, etc. These people, Nevadans would like to leave on the other side of the Sierras.

Culture? There's an artist colony up in Tuscarora. There's pockets of art all over Nevada, but you have to seek them out. If you are expecting that there will be a place like the Met or Guggenheim (if you're from NYC) or the Moma (if you're from LA), then you'd best keep going down the road. Elko as a whole does tend to pack it in pretty early by big city standards, but then almost all small towns do, regardless of what state you're in.

[GregW]

There are towns all over the country like Elko. Even here on the overcrowded eastcoast ther are quiet small towns. I expect to retire to one in New Mexico in a few years. i'll plan on visiting Nevada after I retire.

[matchsticktgt]

So Atlantis7 - what did you decide? We live currently in the deep south and have an opportunity to relocate to Elko - if you took the job, what do you think of Elko? How much of a "culture" shock did you experience? I know from experience what a hot summer is like, so I'm not afraid of that.....

[tdnranch]

Elko is a gorgeous area. You won't find mountains any prettier than the Rubies and the amount of water in the forms of lakes and streams is amazing. It's everywhere. The only drawback if you're not into winter sports IS the winter. It's long and cold. If you are into winter sports you'll love it.

[MtnBikeNV]

Elko doesn't get that horridly hot.... 90s are common. Winters though seem to last forever. Last winter I felt like all we did was dig out our driveway so we could even go to work. It just kept dumping it! We moved, we're in Reno now. The Rubies ARE pretty. I was an avid mtn biker/runner/cyclist there. Loved the outdoors. But last winter was the deciding factor and we decided to do some travelling. There isn't much for shopping there, there is no mall. Pretty basic choices for food. If you want decent shopping, you'll be heading to other boise, twin falls, salt lake city or reno.

It's got pros and cons. If you love the outdoors, it's awesome. If you love the winter sports, even better. If you like the open space, you'll like it there.

[bobmonger]

I feel sorry for your boss if he hasn't bothered to at least look up once in a while and see the beauty around him. Elko is isolated, to be sure, roughly 200 miles to the nearest mall!!, but that isolation gives this town its character. The town itself is nothing to get excited about but it does provide the basic neccesities. As far as "culture" goes I guess art is in the eye of the beholder. There are more cowboy poets and musicians around there than you can count and it seems everyone has at least one family member that writes, paints, sings, sculpts, etc. You may have to do a little hunting but there is "culture" in Nevada's small towns. Oh, and yes, the winters can be harsh and long. Consider the town is north of 40 degrees north latittude and above 5000 ft. so yeah, it gets cold for too long sometimes, but the summers are glorious and the countryside is absolutely magnificent all year round. Hope you decide to stay a while.

[tomdonaldson]

Go to e-cola.com and pull up the Elko, Nev. news paper that may help you.
Elko, Nev is a great place to live IMO. Good luck in your move.

Tom.

[Tiger Beer]

I drove through ELKO...I just recall basic chain fast-food stuff, gas stations and some casinos. I recall people in casino uniforms here and there as well, as if they were between work shifts or lunch or whatever else.