Moving to cody.. (dare I try it in winter?) (Sheridan: apartment, rent)

[sampkamp]

My friend and I are planning a move to cody ASAP. I went through there twice back in 2003 but dont remember a whole lot about it. From what I gather by reading classifieds and job sites, there doesnt seem to be a problem with lack of jobs/housing there. Things actually
seem to be cheaper there than in SubDivision hell here in Wisconsin. Are my ignorant assumptions correct? :-)



Also, Ive lived in WI all my life so snow is nothing new to me.. with that being said.. would I be stupid/crazy to attempt the move in Winter? My main concern would be HWY 14 through the bighorns. Is this often closed down or dangerous in winter? Lots of steep grades? Do semi's run it all season? Maybe Im just being paranoid.. Ive never driven mountains in the winter.

THANKS!

[sunsprit]

Not knowing the pricing/wage scale/housing situation in your location in WI makes it very difficult to compare to Cody's. Cody is not a particularly inexpensive place ....

However, I can tell you that driving in WI winter snow is nothing like driving in Wyoming in the winter. Here, it is a much more variable set of conditions due to ice, snowmelt in the sunshine that re-freezes overnight, road grades (+ north facing slopes that don't get sun), and wind. I've seen more than one vehicle being driven wheels straight ahead and have so little traction that it was slowly sliding off to one side of the road.

My wife, who grew up in WI and knows the winters there says that driving there doesn't begin to compare with Wyoming winter driving ... even though there was more snowfall/humidity in WI.

So, if you haven't driven mountain roads built to Wyoming standards and in our conditions, I wouldn't say you're being paranoid or too careful to move out here before the winter season. Like many regional roads, Hwy 14 can be closed due to road conditions, heavy snowfall, wind, or low visibility throughout the winter.

[sampkamp]

Thanks sun... I guess its best for me to wait till spring ( as much as I'd hate to! ).. even though I know spring ends late at those altitudes. I wanted to get out there this fall but I doubt the money situation will allow it. Looks like Im stuck waiting till next may'ish. I suppose thats a good thing anyway.. I'll be able to save up more money. Im aiming to have 3 months worth of rent money+deposit... plus $1-2k stashed away for food and little things. With my friend going the bills will be split in half so that will really help out. I may even get a job here at wal mart just so I can transfer to the one out there so I have something lined up. We're looking for something in the $600ish range which doesnt seem too hard to locate out that way. Who knows how things will be next year though. Do any of you know of any good 'relocating to cody' websites? I found the chamber of commerce but their site seems more tourist based.. and I ordered their relocation packet but havent gotten it yet.

Its $700 a month for my DUMPY 3 ( small ) bedroom apartment that has mold growing on the walls with heat included. Out there I only need a one or two bedroom.. I dont really care what condition its in as long as its liveable. We're taxed bad here too, if I remember correctly (dont quote me! )we are like #5 in the nation for high taxes. The house nextdoor is close enough to spit on. I cant handle this much more! Someone save meeee

[WyoMama]

Sampkamp, I live in Cody. $700 for a 3-bedroom apt - even a nasty one - isn't a bad deal here at all. You'd be jumping on it. We don't have a mold prob so much here, but there are other issues - like old buildings where things are not up to code & don't have to be as long as they do not remodel. Cody does not have the best wages - unless you are a professional in your field & even then you will likely make less than in most locations. And Cody IS an expensive place to live. You can buy a double-city lot (norm size lot for most ppl) for about $35,000 in most areas. No, not exaggerating - and may NOT have hook-ups (right terminology??) to gas/electric/water - may be extra. You need to have some $$$$ in your pocket to move here - even if renting, most places want rent, & deposit of course, but then about $200 in deposits for gas co. & city (or rural) facilities to get these things turned on. Cody itself does not get near as much snow as a lot of Wyo - but getting here from WI could be pretty wicked - all the way across SD & WY. Might consider I-90 so at least you would have more traffic to help if you have probs. I would wait until spring just so that you have a chance to save some $$. Unless you already have a job lined up in Cody you might consider Powell - a little less expensive, tho is catching up. I KNOW the housing (renting or buying) situation is a lot better there & is a pretty nice little town. Just a thought. PM me if you have any specific questions...been in Cody for 21 yr.

Originally Posted by sampkamp

Thanks sun... I guess its best for me to wait till spring ( as much as I'd hate to! ).. even though I know spring ends late at those altitudes. I wanted to get out there this fall but I doubt the money situation will allow it. Looks like Im stuck waiting till next may'ish. I suppose thats a good thing anyway.. I'll be able to save up more money. Im aiming to have 3 months worth of rent money+deposit... plus $1-2k stashed away for food and little things. With my friend going the bills will be split in half so that will really help out. I may even get a job here at wal mart just so I can transfer to the one out there so I have something lined up. We're looking for something in the $600ish range which doesnt seem too hard to locate out that way. Who knows how things will be next year though. Do any of you know of any good 'relocating to cody' websites? I found the chamber of commerce but their site seems more tourist based.. and I ordered their relocation packet but havent gotten it yet.

Its $700 a month for my DUMPY 3 ( small ) bedroom apartment that has mold growing on the walls with heat included. Out there I only need a one or two bedroom.. I dont really care what condition its in as long as its liveable. We're taxed bad here too, if I remember correctly (dont quote me! )we are like #5 in the nation for high taxes. The house nextdoor is close enough to spit on. I cant handle this much more! Someone save meeee

[sampkamp]

Thank you wyomama. Im sure I will be PM'ing you plenty.

The long term plan is to use cody to get settled in the state.. then begin to look for some land to build a little cabin on once Im able to start saving money again. Im waiting till next spring for sure.... those long sections of I90 in SD are pretty windy in summer.. I cant imagine them with winter wind and blowing snow. I hit a snow storm out there in march of this year that wasnt any fun. The ex got so scared she started to cry and made me pull over.... paid $75 for a 5 hour hotel stay. Precious memories :-)

[ElkHunter]

Traveling through Wyoming. 14 from Ranchester to Burgess and then to Greybull is open year round and not a bad road. No, semi's don't regularly travel on it because it's too steep and crooked.

14A from Burgess to Lovell is closed during the winter. It's a good road, but they just don't have the resources to keep it open so they close the gates during the winter.

[NVDave]

You don't want to move into Wyoming during the winter. Been there, done that.

I grew up where we had "real winters." I've seen blizzards, -40F temps, and so on. Thought that Wyoming would be "more of the same."

I was wrong.

Winter in Wyoming is a level of winter you probably have not seen before.

Let's just put it this way: Have you ever been driving a loaded F-350 (and I mean loaded with a ton+ of stuff), with all-weather tires, in 4-wheel drive, at 30 MPH... and been blown off the road?

I have. In Wyoming. Three times. Over three months.

When you're driving in winter in Wyoming, you see all manner of stuff blown off the roads here: 18 wheelers, campers, vans, pickups, small cars. I've seen U-haul trailers 100 yards out into the sagebrush, with the bumper hitch still attached. The car from which it was ripped was nowhere to be seen. I've seen cars up on embankments, down in ditches, flipped over, barrel-rolled, you name it.

So as someone who has moved into Wyoming this past winter, my recommendation is to give this particular adventure a miss.

[dictionary]

The winter roads out here are very different than Michigan, WI etc. Sneaky ice and sudden storms. I agree with WyoMama that you should really look into having more of a "plan" before you come out. A "little cabin" where I live now sells for 285K and plus. Very few rent those "little cabins" and many of them aren't winterized. I don't like to be a downer but if you have this fantasy of a "simple life" curled up in your cabin ie. the classic "Legends of the Fall/A River Runs Through It" fantasy.. visit a dude ranch for a week, don't move.

The reality is Wyoming people work very hard to live here, and that's fine, but it's hard to enjoy the quality of life when you are working three jobs and living in a dump for 800$ a month. And when I say dump, I mean, looks like a ghetto. The subdivision homes like you probably live in now? 350-500K easily. Our builder here told us that a 469K home would be be worth maybe, maybe 225 or less somewhere else.

And a lot of things are expensive, eating out, groceries, it's hard to get certain items, flying in or out is expensive and hassle. But that said, it IS a simpler life in some ways.

I just know that we're going to move in a few years because frankly, we can't afford to live in Wyoming.

However that said, if you have a plan and some savings - or if you just want to take the plunge, by all means, go for it.

[ElkHunter]

As far as moving in the Winter, when during the winter? What month?

Up til about 1 Jan, there should really be no problem with hwy 14. After the 1st it's good to keep an eye on it. Last year it was only closed about 4 times and each time was only for hours.

There is a ski lodge up on top so they tend to keep the road open. Won't say it will be dry, but it will be drivable in a front wheel drive car.

I've driven 14 over to Greybull (from Sheridan) in just about every month of the year and have not had problems.

[StealthRabbit]

Originally Posted by sampkamp

...The long term plan is to use cody to get settled in the state.. then begin to look for some land to build a little cabin on once Im able to start saving money again. Im waiting till next spring for sure.... ...

Might re-evaluate your master plan.

It would be a mistake to move to an area with high cost of living and few jobs with the intent to save. One thing you are doing right is moving to a state w/o Income tax. First find a job with mega income there. or...

consider a HIGH paying job that provides housing and you can meet the goal in 2 yrs instead of MAYBE meeting it in 20...

look to
1) overseas
2) remote projects (Canada / Alaska )
3) energy related
4) exploration posts (I'm considering Antarctica for a season or two)
5) dangerous areas (like war zones, but in support area)

I had a friend who did the Saudi oil fields for a few yrs @ $150k +
also some who have done IT consult type work in Iraq for ~ $130k / yr.
Off shore oil pays good and ships you home every few weeks (but then you need a home ). I'd get rid of the home / car / any expenses and start fresh.

Land, cabins and building permits (and wells) aren't cheap. Once you get started laying out the cash it goes fast, and you won't replenish it on 'tourist-wages' + Tourist expenses (Cody).

The drive would be the least of my concerns, as some (most) days the roads are clear, just that when the rough weather occurs, you don't want to be doing an 'optional' drive (moving). Since my employ was driving WYO roads, I had to go do it, no excuses. After reading the comments of horror (which are true... ) I feel lucky to have spent 7 yrs on WY roads every night and never in an accident or stuck. I will say the night we moved and were driving across I-80 I was surprised to come out of the restroom and find our truck blown sideways across the icy parking lot (I should have remembered to park it against the 'down-wind' curb, for 'containment'.) But 'off-we-went', 8.5 months pregnant and all. No time for motel breaks if the gates on the highway aren't closed.