Adjustment to higher altitude living (Denver, Colorado Springs: house, college, versus)

[Amy WJ]

We live in Clifton, VA (essentially sea level) and just returned from a trip to CO. We bought land last year near Canon City at 7900' elevation where we'll eventually retire. My husband and I are both active and work out daily. Despite that, we both felt the effects of the elevation at 7900' even after a week of being there. Simple things like walking up and down our "hill" were strenuous! The best advice is to take it easy at first, drink lots of water, and don't expect too much all at once. Also wear lots of sun screen. It's amazing how differently the sun affects you at the higher elevations. Bottom line is your body is working harder to process oxygen but after you adjust you'll be much more efficient physiologically! Definitely a worthwhile endeavor, IMHO. In the mean time, do nothing and look around at all the natural beauty.....WOW!

[Mike from back east]

[quote=2bindenver;85842]I grew up in Rockville, and Potomac, and Gaithersburg....I go back to DC for the NAR mid year meetings each year and have breakfast with my aunt. I take the CO women to see the monuments, and go out for crabs - something they have never, ever dreamed of doing.[quote]

Wow. I grew up in Baltimore, can tell you all about cracking crabs, crab cakes and all that jazz. Know many great places to eat crab. I worked in Cabin John, MD (near Potomac) for several years in the mid 1970's at the Navy tow tank there along the river. Met my wife there.....

s/Mike from back east

[Marylandmama]

I grew up in Silver Spring, have lived in Gaithersburg and now between Baltimore and Annapolis. I have to say that living near the water is wonderful, and I definitely would miss crabs! That being said, the high cost of living, the traffic, the stress of this area would not be missed. Since I was a little girl I dreamed of oneday living in Colorado (must have been John Denver singing Rocky Mountain High). Ends up my husband has, too! So we are seriously looking at making the move. The kids are very excited as well. Is there really a big difference between living in a Denver suburb (Highlands Ranch, Parker) vs. a Colorado Springs suburb (Briargate) or is it just wonderful to live in Colorado?

[Mike from back east]

Originally Posted by Marylandmama

....Is there really a big difference between living in a Denver suburb (Highlands Ranch, Parker) vs. a Colorado Springs suburb (Briargate) or is it just wonderful to live in Colorado?

It is wonderful here, just about everywhere. Understand that east of I-25 you get into the great grassland prairie that runs all the way to St Louis and the Mississippi River. Staying near the I-25 corridor gets you mountain views or downright mountain living.

Generally, Col Spgs, and Briargate is fairly conservative, with several excellent school districts (Briargate is in D20, and D12 stands out on the south end of town)

Denver area is way larger, a bit more expensive, more liberal and diverse, has lots to offer. I'm not terribly well versed in all that's there, so others will advise you with more clarity than I can. You can generally find anything you want here in the way of a place to live and good schools. Traffic is a bit of a concern, check the new light rail lines in Denver to see if those areas work for you.

Fort Collins is nice, a college town, near the mountains, I like it.

Boulder is pricey, lovely, big college town, right against the mountains.

There is a lot of data on these areas already in the various CO Forums.
s/Mike

[2bindenver]

I can get crabs fed ex'd to DIA. I do that at least once a year.

I am sure you could get them delivered to the springs.

[TornadoAlley]

Originally Posted by Mike from back east

We came here from the DC area, essentially sea level.

No problems at all for us, and I'm 58 with cardiac angina and sleep apnea. I detect no change at all in myself, living at 6650 feet.

When we took the train up Pikes Peak to 14,110 feet, we both felt odd from the altitude.

Most folks have no problem at all.

s/Mike

Hello Mike,

How is the crime there? Jobs (adminsitration)? Schools? We currently are in the high desert (4200ft ASL). We have adapted well. Is 6200ft the lowest point there?

[sillygal]

When I visited, I had my water bottle with me, and I noticed it slightly when I was walking around the Garden of the Gods. Other than that, I had a very large case of "chapped lips" to the point of cracking. I kept forgetting to get something for it when I was out in the stores. I was having so much fun that was the last thing on my mind.

[TornadoAlley]

Originally Posted by sillygal

When I visited, I had my water bottle with me, and I noticed it slightly when I was walking around the Garden of the Gods. Other than that, I had a very large case of "chapped lips" to the point of cracking. I kept forgetting to get something for it when I was out in the stores. I was having so much fun that was the last thing on my mind.

What is the lowest anf highest living (where people live) elevation point?

[Mike from back east]

Originally Posted by TornadoAlley

Hello Mike, How is the crime there? Jobs (adminsitration)? Schools? We currently are in the high desert (4200ft ASL). We have adapted well. Is 6200ft the lowest point there?

Crime is lower than most places, up here on the north end its very low. A good discussion of crime is in messages 25-28 of:
//www.city-data.com/forum/color...o-springs.html
Crime stats are on city-data on the main page, not the forum pages.

Schools are excellent here. Districts 20 and 12 are considered best. We discuss it in:
//www.city-data.com/forum/color...rformance.html
Zip codes for D20 are GENERALLY these: 80920, 80921, 80908, 80919.
Zip codes for D12 are GENERALLY these: 80906
Zip codes are good for using realtor.com to locate homes/prices

Jobs are fairly steady, lots of growth here, bound to be opportunities.

Elevation is 6000+ feet, 7300 atop Monument Hill a few miles north of here on I-25. Coming from 4200 feet you should be okay.

s/Mike

[Kaligirl]

To: Mike from back east & 2Bindenver and anyone else with input

Hi I am from California
My husband, three small children and I are looking to relocate, hopefully next year. We love the beauty, culture and weather of California, but it comes at a huge cost, especially to the quality and quantity of family time we get to spend together, due to commute and housing.

We took out a pen and a map of the USA and left on it are, CO, NC, VA, and OR.
Can you please tell me, since you have "back east" experience (I have none) why you are in CO and not still there? I love the ocean and the architecture I see there on the east coast. But I am not thrilled with the idea of humidity and hurricanes etc. My husband is partial to the Pacific Northwest (he's originally from MI). But the idea of continual gray days, keep me from jumping in to OR. So help me....please.....What are the comparisons to what you know? Why CO for you? Where in CO, would you go for the following life...

We are looking for a new way of life for our children who are young enough
(3,6,8) to take this move well, but I want to make sure I do not need to continue to up root them over and over while we search for our ideal life. My dream is to build someday on a half acre to 1 1/2 acres, but I would like to live where we might make this happen so that once the children are living in the community they would get to stay in the same community after we build. Great schools are a must, our ratio out here for 4th graders is 34 to 1. My husband commuted for 3 hours a day for over two years....so he was never home to participate in the great weather and family time. These are the things we wish to change. He needs access to a major airport once we move, but we do not need to live in a major city. I will miss the ocean, so are there great lake communities there or lakes at least we could boat in...

What cities should I focus on....I was looking at Highlands ranch (kind of pricy from what I see) and Parker (where do I find buildable land, that's a good neighborhood?) and the heard good things of Fort Collins, but was afraid that wouldn't be as sunny and the Denver area? I hear wonderful things of COsprings (incidently I was born there, army brat, lived there 3 months, go figure, LOL) Should we live and build there, is the weather as good?

I am not sure where to really focus. Where should a young family live and are CA transplants accepted? Your input would be so helpful, especially given you have experience with the East and coastal communities. Big city, congestion, weather (snow, tornados and hurricanes, help I am only used to...earthquakes ) etc...

Thanks so much, sorry to go on....