Culturally liberal and educated smaller towns in Boulder County? (Denver: crime, houses)

[fallstreak]

My husband I currently live in the San Francisco Bay Area and like so many others are looking to live. Yes, we are tech workers, but we are also good people that really want close community and to be great neighbors, so please hear us out.



My husband and I are outdoors enthusiasts. We hike and backpack, I sport climb and trail run, and my husband likes to ski. We are expecting a daughter, our first baby, in 2022, and for some reason are just really struggling with the idea of her growing up here in the Bay Area. Crime has gotten worse, and it's hyper-competitive everything here.



We want to spend more time outside, make closer friends that are planning to stay in the city where we live, send our kid to a forest preschool, have a slower pace of life.



I grew up in Tahoe City, CA so I understand what it's like. I loved growing up there. We are technically outside the Bay Area currently, we live in the Santa Cruz mountains in a town called Boulder Creek. We have spent a lot of time in the mountains of Washington (Leavenworth, I lived in Packwood for a while as well) and we love the Rockies of course, we have stayed Estes Park multiple times and spent time in Boulder. We are also considering Packwood WA area and Sandpoint ID but are wondering about possibilities in CO for more sunny days.



Here is our list of wants:

* Decent public schools (does this limit us to Boulder County? It might, from the reading I have done so far) and options for Montessori, forest preschool, etc

* Not total Trump-land. Definitely okay with a purple area but would like to find like-minded community (we are not actually liberals but rather left libertarians, so we aren't anti gun etc, we are firearm owners and in get a long well with do-it-yourself mountain folk but are certainly anti-racist, anti-sexist, pro-trans rights, etc, and would prefer our kid to grow up in an environment that is friendly towards trans kids for example)

* Under an hour drive to national forest land (not national park or state park land)

* 2-3 hours max from a city with a decently large airport

* 15 mins max from a town center that has a couple coffee shops, bookstores, a farmers market, library

* 3-4 bedroom houses that don't need a ton of work for under 1M$

* This one is tough and probably impossible outside of Denver, but it would be great if there were a decent amount of diversity of people. Racial diversity sure, but also diversity of thought and interests. I appreciate that the Boulder area is full of people who are active and outdoorsy but it would be nice if it were a town where people with other interests felt at home and had options too. I don't know, cooking classes, or roller derby, or book clubs.


* Less touristy than Estes Park and Tahoe, and less affluent/bougie than Boulder. Yes, perhaps this is hypocritical given we can afford a 900k house and are educated tech workers, but what can one do? We want our daughter growing up with people who weren't born with a silver spoon in their mouths.


* Along the lines of the above, trails that aren't insanely crowded.


* This is subjective, of course, but real community. We are the type of people that want to be giving, connected neighbors. We want the kind of community where kids still play outside together unsupervised. We will bring bread and eggs from our chickens to our neighbors, we'll feed their cats when they are out of town, help shovel snow, etc.



Some places we have thought about are Lyons and Nederland but I'm not sure what they are like culturally. We aren't in a huge rush to do this, but would love any suggestions on towns to check out as we'll be back in the Boulder area in the spring. Thank you!

[brightdoglover]

Consider Ridgway. Not very diverse but outside the town itself, a different world of thought etc. Excellent small public schools. Twenty-six miles to Montrose airport, with four gates and more planned. Often called "the Pebble" versus "Boulder" for the number of tech workers who live here and work from home (something like ten percent or so of the population). Borders Uncompahgre National Forest. This county voted light blue and adjoining San Miguel dark blue (Telluride) and the rest of the Western Slope is ruby red. We are in Boebert's congressional district 'sob' but there's some diversity of thought there!

Ridgway/Ouray/Telluride (34 miles away) are jewels of presentations, book readings, music presentation and arts. Good programs for kids right here in Ridgway, thanks to the marvelous Sherbino Theater/Weehawkin Creative Arts. I don't have kids but think it's a fine place for them. Best wishes on your search.

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by brightdoglover

Consider Ridgway. Not very diverse but outside the town itself, a different world of thought etc. Excellent small public schools. Twenty-six miles to Montrose airport, with four gates and more planned. Often called "the Pebble" versus "Boulder" for the number of tech workers who live here and work from home (something like ten percent or so of the population). Borders Uncompahgre National Forest. This county voted light blue and adjoining San Miguel dark blue (Telluride) and the rest of the Western Slope is ruby red. We are in Boebert's congressional district 'sob' but there's some diversity of thought there!

Ridgway/Ouray/Telluride (34 miles away) are jewels of presentations, book readings, music presentation and arts. Good programs for kids right here in Ridgway, thanks to the marvelous Sherbino Theater/Weehawkin Creative Arts. I don't have kids but think it's a fine place for them. Best wishes on your search.

My online map shows Ridgeway as just south of Durango. That can't be right, can it? Montrose airport is a long way away from Durango. But that whole area is a breathtaking part of CO; exceptional in a state of breathtaking locations! And Durango has Fort Lewis College, which has a significant tribal enrollment. IMO There's more diversity in Durango, and it has its charm, too.

I'll be following the OP's decision-making process with interest.


OP, it's interesting that you're in Santa Cruz County, which you find too crowded and competitive. Or were you referring to the Bay Area proper? Santa Cruz County strikes me as a great place to raise kids, right in the middle of the redwood parks, and with a beach within easy drive distance. In those mountain towns, I would think kids would be sheltered from the hustle-bustle of Silicon Valley and other overpopulated parts of the Bay Area. Is crime really that bad in Boulder Creek (of all places)? Or is it more the fire risk that has you considering moving?

[interloper1138]

Originally Posted by fallstreak

We want our daughter growing up with people who weren't born with a silver spoon in their mouths.!

I respect this, but most of your other criteria are not in line with this goal.

[fallstreak]

Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth

My online map shows Ridgeway as just south of Durango. That can't be right, can it? Montrose airport is a long way away from Durango. But that whole area is a breathtaking part of CO; exceptional in a state of breathtaking locations! And Durango has Fort Lewis College, which has a significant tribal enrollment. IMO There's more diversity in Durango, and it has its charm, too.

I'll be following the OP's decision-making process with interest.


OP, it's interesting that you're in Santa Cruz County, which you find too crowded and competitive. Or were you referring to the Bay Area proper? Santa Cruz County strikes me as a great place to raise kids, right in the middle of the redwood parks, and with a beach within easy drive distance. In those mountain towns, I would think kids would be sheltered from the hustle-bustle of Silicon Valley and other overpopulated parts of the Bay Area. Is crime really that bad in Boulder Creek (of all places)? Or is it more the fire risk that has you considering moving?

I'm referring to the Bay Area proper when I say it's crowded and competitive. I love Boulder Creek but we had to evacuate from the CZU fire in 2020 and it was pretty traumatic. Also, we want snow.

[brightdoglover]

Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth

My online map shows Ridgeway as just south of Durango. That can't be right, can it? Montrose airport is a long way away from Durango. But that whole area is a breathtaking part of CO; exceptional in a state of breathtaking locations! And Durango has Fort Lewis College, which has a significant tribal enrollment. IMO There's more diversity in Durango, and it has its charm, too.

...

As the crow flies, over the mountains. Ridgway is 26 miles from Montrose on the road and a hair-raising some 3 hours' drive over the famous Million Dollar Highway, to Durango. I only drive it in the daytime when it's dry and summer. Durango is its own little metro, Ridgway is a town of about 960 people. Some silver spoons, more retirement income and then there's the tech workers (usually the people with kids).

[fallstreak]

Originally Posted by interloper1138

I respect this, but most of your other criteria are not in line with this goal.

I'm aware of that, and I noted that in the post. I understand that it's probably not possible to hit every line on this list, and that's okay! I'd choose a less educated and less left place with great mountains over somewhere like Palo Alto every time.

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by brightdoglover

As the crow flies, over the mountains. Ridgway is 26 miles from Montrose on the road and a hair-raising some 3 hours' drive over the famous Million Dollar Highway, to Durango. I only drive it in the daytime when it's dry and summer. Durango is its own little metro, Ridgway is a town of about 960 people. Some silver spoons, more retirement income and then there's the tech workers (usually the people with kids).

OK, I found Ridgway by looking up Montrose. You're right. For some reason Google maps had it wrong.

Yes, it's a region of hair-raising drives. "Breathtaking" in a whole different way, than is normally meant by that word! And how is the level of health care there, and access to specialists and emergency facilities?

If the OP wants to be near an airport, Ridgway would be better. Not sure a moderate-sized regional airport is enough for her/them, though.

[brightdoglover]

I get my primary care in Montrose and the regional hospital there is one of the best in rural areas and expanding services. I certainly considered health care at my age (now 68) and moving from medical mecca in Boston. The ER at Montrose is a Level one trauma and then you move up to the trauma center in Grand Junction, some 60 miles from Montrose. Medflight for trauma if need be.
Very car dependent area, like any rural area. You can walk to stuff right in Ridgway.

[brightdoglover]

Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth

OK, I found Ridgway by looking up Montrose. You're right. For some reason Google maps had it wrong.

Yes, it's a region of hair-raising drives. "Breathtaking" in a whole different way, than is normally meant by that word! And how is the level of health care there, and access to specialists and emergency facilities?

If the OP wants to be near an airport, Ridgway would be better. Not sure a moderate-sized regional airport is enough for her/them, though.

The drive from Ridgway to Montrose is pretty normal, not breathtaking or anything. Two lane highway, well maintained. Snow clears quickly, one afternoon of blasting sun is enough after plowing.