Thinking Colorado, what are the pros and cons? (Denver, Colorado Springs: appointed, rent)

[ByebyeWisconsin]

We're contemplating a move. It's not necessary, we are retired. Hwvr, our kids are living in Casper and they have the audacity to keep our grandkids with them! So, we are considering the move.

We are thinking Greeley, Loveland area. We currently live in central Wisconsin on a small lake. Population 607. No, they did not change the sign when we moved here, I'm SO disappointed! Pretty much ideal except for family being so far away. Sigh...feeling sorry for me yet.

We're good with city, small town or rural. Raised our family in Milwaukee, moved here 3 years ago when we retired. We're flexible.

Winter here is cold. Very, very cold. Summer are hot and humid. I love the snow but the incredibly cold temps are a bit too much now.

Hoping to find the new ideal place to live, within about 4 hours drive of Casper. Yes, it would be ideal to be down the block from our family, but Casper is also incredibly cold and they apparently test the mettle of citizens by adding ferocious wind. It takes someone stronger than I to live there.

Open to thoughts, opinions, ideas. We've already been helped so much by this forum, grateful for any input.

Thanks.

[bluescreen73]

Either Greeley or Loveland will work for you. Greeley is gonna be cheaper because it's a ways farther out on the plains.

Even though they're only separated by 20 miles, Greeley does occasionally get a bit colder than Loveland and Fort Collins because it's in a little bowl and the colder air of a temperature inversion settles in there quite nicely.

[Indigo Cardinal]

The Fort Collins/Greeley/Loveland area would meet the drive criteria (about three to four hours, depending on which way you take), but bear in mind in winter, making that drive may as well put you in Wisconsin, for all the problems it could cause to make the drive (there have been times that I-25 has been shut down at the Wyoming border.) But summertime, you'd probably enjoy the drive--my sister and I did it a year and a half ago and just marveled about the landscape going on forever with hardly a house/soul in sight. It was breathtaking.

The only thing I can think of is budget (how much house can you afford). Since you're retired, you have a lot more flexibility with the 'where' (since commuting's not an issue for you.)

We don't have the humidity, so you probably won't find the winters as hard to deal with. Snow on the Front Range tends to melt fairly quickly, we don't typically hang on to the cold as long as Wisconsin does. This isn't to say it never happens, though. Summers are drier.

[SkyDog77]

Originally Posted by Indigo Cardinal

The Fort Collins/Greeley/Loveland area would meet the drive criteria (about three to four hours, depending on which way you take), but bear in mind in winter, making that drive may as well put you in Wisconsin, for all the problems it could cause to make the drive (there have been times that I-25 has been shut down at the Wyoming border.) But summertime, you'd probably enjoy the drive--my sister and I did it a year and a half ago and just marveled about the landscape going on forever with hardly a house/soul in sight. It was breathtaking.

The only thing I can think of is budget (how much house can you afford). Since you're retired, you have a lot more flexibility with the 'where' (since commuting's not an issue for you.)

We don't have the humidity, so you probably won't find the winters as hard to deal with. Snow on the Front Range tends to melt fairly quickly, we don't typically hang on to the cold as long as Wisconsin does. This isn't to say it never happens, though. Summers are drier.

The nice thing about driving is you can check the weather before you leave and cancel the trip if it's bad. People make that drive all the time in the winter. Just don't do it in a storm.

Loveland or Ft Collins would be great.

[Arrby]

It gets fairly brisk in Greeley too, and there is more than just a gentle breeze from time to time as well.

But taken as a whole, you should find the climate to be a significant improvement over Wisconsin, with much, much more sunshine.

[StealthRabbit]

Consider:
income tax free Powell, Lander, and Sheridan, WY (quite nice) or Spearfish, / Custer SD

Loveland or Berthoud (small town) fits if you can stand living in Colorado.
Need a small Lake?, look for props near here (shortcut to Ft Collins / Berthoud . Estes Park, Drake, Masonville, and several regional lakes. )
Loveland Chamber of Commerce - Loveland Parks
Boedecker Reservoir - Loveland, Colorado - Fishing Report & Map by Fish Explorer
Boedecker Lake Map - Colorado - Mapcarta

Let me know if you are around Loveland on Aug 8th , I will get you an invite to a local Homemade Ice Cream party (30- 50 flavors + bluegrass entertainment). You will meet several old-timers who live near Boedecker Lake (and other places nearby).

[davebarnes]

I would choose the northern part of Fort Collins.
Measure the distance to the nearest hospital.

Colorado gets wind the same as Wyoming.

[ByebyeWisconsin]

Needless to say we will be visiting before moving and if/when we move will rent at least a year prior to buying.

It's the weather that has me confused. Yes, I've looked at maps but I have to say it still stumps me. I understand weather streams and how it moves across Wisconsin, but then I've been learning it for 54 years.

Is it the proximity of mountains, valleys, open plains that affects the temp differences? The wind in Casper was something to behold. In October I was laughing at the truly mammoth traffic light posts. In December I worried that they were not large/strong enough to withstand the wind. Yeesh!

So, can anyone give me a bit of a clue where between Casper and say Loveland the wind begins to dissipate? Perhaps I'm just not looking in the right places.

StealthRabbit, thanks for the info on lakes. Now if we found a place on/near a lake, with all the other beauty and delights in the area my life would be pretty darned close to perfect. I will do more research.

[lurtsman]

Loveland sounds like a good choice given your requirements.

Understanding why Colorado is so much warmer than Wyoming can be difficult. High elevations are generally associated with being cold, but the difference is that the main urban area in the front range is being protected from the Northern jet streams. It is actually those jet streams that cause several states to be so cold. As I understand it, the layout of the rocky mountains causes many cold wind cycles from the North to just miss the urban corridor. Some clearly still hit us and we get crazy winter storms when the cold jet streams reach us at 5000 to 7000 feet (depending on location).

I live well south of Denver, in Colorado Springs, so I'm not to familiar on where the wind patterns are beyond Denver.

[ByebyeWisconsin]

Fairly familiar with Colorado Springs as I have family that is from there and family that is still there. Beautiful area just outside of the Garden of the Gods. Truly lovely.

Thanks for the input, I appreciate it. I'm a bit slow sometimes, but I can be taught.