Alamosa; anyone know how it is to live there? (Gunnison: buyer, school)

[JMM64]

Originally Posted by jazzlover

I remember waking up to a 23° F. temperature in Gunnison one year on . . . June 21st, the first day of summer.

Well sure, but it was most likely 60 to 70 degrees by noon.

[Hani_tip]

If we are planning on putting a vacation cabin on land 25 min directly north of Alamosa, is that a good area? How hard would it be to get well water, electricity, cell service and such things? We found a property but being 25 min north of Alamosa and 30min west of Blanca. The land is incredible, we just want to make sure it’s safe to live!

[interloper1138]

Originally Posted by Hani_tip

If we are planning on putting a vacation cabin on land 25 min directly north of Alamosa, is that a good area? How hard would it be to get well water, electricity, cell service and such things? We found a property but being 25 min north of Alamosa and 30min west of Blanca. The land is incredible, we just want to make sure it’s safe to live!

Cell service should be decent if you have Verizon. There's also a local cell provider, Viaero, that has the best coverage in the valley, but is pretty much useless outside of it. Verizon's your safest bet for the area you're looking at.

Electricity will vary based on the land you're looking at. It could be at the nearest road, it could be on the property, it could be a couple miles away.

Water is your biggest concern. You might be buying land which does include any rights at all to dig a well - and even if you do have rights to drill a well, there's no guarantee you'll hit water. Assuming you do have water rights, if the property is less than 35 acres then your potential water rights extend only to use within your potential home - no watering outside of the home. Some basic information can be found here. It's extremely important that you understand the water situation of the property you're looking at BEFORE you buy. Otherwise you could be left with a situation where you need to have a cistern which requires regular water deliveries. Not good!

Have you been to the San Luis Valley before, Hani_tip? If you're looking at the middle of the valley floor, which based on your description of the area, it is - be prepared for COLD winters and relatively mild summers. There's not much out there at all, and that includes vegetation - let alone people. Anything you need as far as supplies is going to require a trip to Alamosa. Just be aware of that. Hooper, Mosca, and Blanca have next to nothing in terms of supplies.

That all said, the San Luis Valley is a beautiful place and for the right kind of people it's a perfect fit, otherwise it might not be what you're picturing nor what you're looking for. It's a desolate, harsh, mostly empty, and often lonely place. But it also has a rich history, many hidden gems, and a special kind of magic that I haven't found anywhere else in the state.

[Lunabell]

Originally Posted by Hani_tip

If we are planning on putting a vacation cabin on land 25 min directly north of Alamosa, is that a good area? How hard would it be to get well water, electricity, cell service and such things? We found a property but being 25 min north of Alamosa and 30min west of Blanca. The land is incredible, we just want to make sure it’s safe to live!

I live over nearish Del Norte and have to drive 45 miles over to Alamosa if I want to hit Walmart. It is not as cold at my house as down on the valley floor but from what I understand, this winter has been late coming so I keep waiting for the (in)famous cold people talk about. I have lived in the Arctic but all the locals act like their cold is the worst and I won't be able to handle it. I find it amusing.

How easy utilities are going to be depends on things like whether there is a well already on the lot, and if not, what the size of the parcel? It is my understanding that a lot needs to be 35 acres or more to get a well permit. Don't hold me to it, I have only been in Colorado for four months and we bought a 40 acre property with an existing well. People do have cisterns and have water hauled. I think that would get spendy full time but might not be too bad for a vacation property. Electricity will depend on how close it has already been run. We don't worry about that since we have solar with a back up genny, so that is an option.

I have AT&T and I can get service most places in the Valley, except my house. Judging by the neighbors, Verizon would reach my house.

The Valley is beautiful, in a sort of desolate way. It is wide open which freaked me out at first but has grown on me. It never gets lush though with monsoon season, things turn greenish for awhile. The mountains are close, which is nice. Good luck deciding.

[wilberry]

it is not far from Crestone , Co

home of the Crestone Intergalactic gathering


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=btMIT3pthRY

[DougStark]

Freezing cold, poor, and depressing. No, no, no.

[TCHP]

Freezing cold? Sometimes. And windy too.

Poor? depends on where you are at. There are some ranchers in the central valley who make as much or more than many professional urban dwellers. Sargent school district is full of these rancher's kids and is actually very high performing compared to a lot of the rest of the schools in the state.

Depressing? Depends on how much man made stimulus you require to be entertained.

[DougStark]

Climate of Alamosa: source- Wikipedia

The altitude and dryness of the air cause day-night temperature differences to be severe year-round. Alamosa’s geography and nighttime temperatures account for it being listed as the coldest city in the contiguous United States, with a record average of 227 nights per year with a minimum temperature of 32 °F (0 °C) or less,[16] and 48.7 nights with minima below 0 °F (−17.8 °C).

I'd say that qualifies as "freezing cold"

[MountainEarth]

Originally Posted by Lunabell

...this winter has been late coming so I keep waiting for the (in)famous cold people talk about.

It has definitely been late in coming. Relatively speaking, it has been downright balmy across much of the state so far. You are correct that Del Norte is not nearly as cold as Alamosa. Alamosa sits in the bottom of the bowl so to speak, and when the inversions set in & the cold air pools at the bottom, it can be brutal. I wouldn't say it's as consistently bad as, say Fairbanks and north of the Arctic Circle. But Alamosa does often beat even those areas as the coldest recorded temp in the US many days in Winter. So does Gunnison. So does Fraser.

[McGowdog]

Originally Posted by bluescreen73

The San Luis Valley is one of the most beautiful places in the state, but it's also one of the poorest, most desolate, and coldest areas as well. Takes a special breed to live there. Jazz can probably fill in the details.

I think Jazz might be Longmire.