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While we are still researching a move, I would like to get some different perspectives from people who are familiar with both areas. We really like Steamboat Springs, but are concerned that it may be a bit too isolated. We have also considered the Aspen valley or Vail/Edwards area, but we are hesitant after reading some opinions in my previous posts and others about how life can be in a Colorado ski town with the strong presence of drugs and how transient they seem to be. So my question is, is Steamboat different (more families and more sense of community)and if anyone knows about Park City, which would you choose and why? We have visited each and there are great things about both. We have three small children so schools are definitely important, we are looking for a family oriented community. Park City seems to be more affordable, our income is about $115k a year, would it be difficult to live in either of these places financially? Any insight and info is very much appreciated!
If I had children, I wouldn't live in any ski town, period--especially with the affluent, hedonistic, "anything goes" attitude that pervades most all of them. Steamboat used to be less that way, back when it still had a more sizable population of ranchers, coal miners, and other "ordinary" folks, but more and more of those people have been forced out by high living costs.
I'm not a fan of Park City, either. I think it has pretty much the same "vibe"--except it's a kind of isolated cultural island in otherwise pretty family-friendly Utah.
I know there will be those from "resort country" who will disagree with my assessment of the "family friendliness" of the ski towns, but I've seen too many really messed up kids come out of those places--despite (or maybe because of) all the fancy schools, programs, and money lavished on them. Those towns just aren't socially "normal" places. Much better to raise your kids in a "normal" town and visit the ski areas.
While we are still researching a move, I would like to get some different perspectives from people who are familiar with both areas. We really like Steamboat Springs, but are concerned that it may be a bit too isolated. We have also considered the Aspen valley or Vail/Edwards area, but we are hesitant after reading some opinions in my previous posts and others about how life can be in a Colorado ski town with the strong presence of drugs and how transient they seem to be. So my question is, is Steamboat different (more families and more sense of community)and if anyone knows about Park City, which would you choose and why? We have visited each and there are great things about both. We have three small children so schools are definitely important, we are looking for a family oriented community. Park City seems to be more affordable, our income is about $115k a year, would it be difficult to live in either of these places financially? Any insight and info is very much appreciated!
I think based on the info you gave you could probably live fairly well in either place. Not sure about steamboat exactly but most ski towns in colorado will average about 500k-800k for a decent home.
In resort towns, everything is more expensive. Grocery stores and gas stations are built on overpriced real estate, and their labor costs are high. An extra $1 a gallon for gas, and 50% more for groceries isn't surprising to see.
A problem with kids that grow up in resort towns is that they only see two classes. The only jobs are in the service industry, and the vacationing elite are there to party. Its hard for them to picture a middle class life.
The real question comes down to "what is your motivation to live in a ski resort town"?
If you have an independent income that will allow you to purchase housing that you're comfortable to be in and afford to live in the area, than what is it you're seeking to accomplish? Do you want to live in the mountains, do you want to have skiing on your doorstep, do you want to have the full time party atmosphere of the tourists or 2nd home owners who come up infrequently? or do you just want the prestige of the address and the chance to rub elbows with those who vacation there?
As far as costs of living go in the choices you're mentioned, the Vail Valley is pretty reasonable for shopping. There's everything from big box stores to grocery stores with comparable prices to the Front Range of Colorado, although gasoline is higher priced (mainly due to transport costs and higher costs of doing business). This region of Colorado has a lot of year around activity, so offers a lot of reasons to live there.
Steamboat Springs is a bit remote, and it's rather pricey due to the remoteness. But it is a year around resort, too.
Park City is not remote, being only 30 minutes up Parley's Canyon from SLC. Land and shopping in the area is a bit steep, but with SLC so close, you can shop there for all your needs. If you want to see "expensive", head over to Heber City ....
Aspen is the leader in pricing of these choices, and it is expensive due to exclusivity, demand, and remoteness. You'll definitely pay a premium to live here full time, and frankly ... a low six-figure income isn't enough to buy a condo and afford to live there.
In talking with my friends who have lived in all the places you've mentioned, the schools appear to be well funded and very adequate.
The problems of substance abuse are not unique to these towns, by any means.
You have the same challenges of keeping your kids on the right track as anywhere else.
While it may appear that these towns are divided by the affluent and the service workers, the fact is there's a signficant middle class presence in the year round residents. There's a number of management jobs, sales jobs, professionals, and small business owners that do very well in the area. It's all in your ability to seek that community out and become part of it instead of only seeing the very affluent as your neighbors.
sunsprit and I agree on many things, but I generally disagree with him on this one. The "social structure" in a resort ski town like those mentioned here just isn't "normal"--the nature of transience in both visitors and residents, the relative absence of a middle class, the "party" atmosphere won't allow for normalcy. I have friends who lived in both Steamboat and the Vail Valley, and they left those places because of those very reasons. Spend some time around most resort towns and you will indeed find the drug problem more pronounced there--maybe not for meth, which is a big problem everywhere, but certainly for drugs like cocaine, which still have some favor with the more affluent recreational drug user. I would agree with sunsprit that schools are generally academically pretty good in resort areas. They have 1) the tax base to support them (at least for now) and 2) a common thought of many of the quite affluent (misguided to a large extent, in my opinion) being that any problem with a kid can be solved by lavishing money on him or her. Sterlinggirl summed up kids growing up in a resort area pretty well.
A resort can be a fun place to visit, but actually living there is usually something much different. The novelty of it can wear off pretty fast. By the way, most middle class folks I know living in resort towns don't get to enjoy them much, anyway--they're working 12 hr. days and 70 hour weeks in order be able to afford to live there.
The saying here in CO goes something like "The billionaires are pushing the millionaires from (Aspen, Vail, Beaver Creek) into ____ (insert name of former bedroom community town 1-2hours away from said resort here) "
Living in 'ski country' is a fantasy most common folks can't afford nowadays.
To answer the question about our motivations, we want to live in the mountains, in a smaller town but would still like to have some amenities and conveniences of a bigger city. We like that these towns have festivals throughout the year, we like the athletic opportunities and the beautiful scenery. But we are not looking to be a part of the party atmosphere, it doesn't so much bother me that it is there unless it starts encroaching upon our lives ( I don't want for my kids to have to face an extreme amount of temptation with drugs and drinking, I know that this is a factor no matter where you go these days, but I also realize that some places are worse than others and this is one of the things that I am looking to find out from people who are more familiar with these areas on a daily basis.) I do like the fact that Park City is close to SLC and the couple of times we have visited there it has seemed to be less glitz and glamour than places like Vail and Aspen, but I could be wrong about this. We are just looking to find out as much as possible about both Steamboat and Park City and are certainly open to new ideas. Basically we are looking for a very family friendly community in the mountains with great schools, skiing nearby, and somewhere we can live comfortably on the income that we have.
To answer the question about our motivations, we want to live in the mountains, in a smaller town but would still like to have some amenities and conveniences of a bigger city. We like that these towns have festivals throughout the year, we like the athletic opportunities and the beautiful scenery. But we are not looking to be a part of the party atmosphere, it doesn't so much bother me that it is there unless it starts encroaching upon our lives ( I don't want for my kids to have to face an extreme amount of temptation with drugs and drinking, I know that this is a factor no matter where you go these days, but I also realize that some places are worse than others and this is one of the things that I am looking to find out from people who are more familiar with these areas on a daily basis.) I do like the fact that Park City is close to SLC and the couple of times we have visited there it has seemed to be less glitz and glamour than places like Vail and Aspen, but I could be wrong about this. We are just looking to find out as much as possible about both Steamboat and Park City and are certainly open to new ideas. Basically we are looking for a very family friendly community in the mountains with great schools, skiing nearby, and somewhere we can live comfortably on the income that we have.
What you are asking in that last sentence is a near impossibility. I would suggest you look at Hayden as opposed to Steamboat--it's at least a more "normal" town (though you have to go to Steamboat or Craig for shopping). You can look at Heber City, Utah, which is a lot more "normal" than Park City (just know that Heber City is about 80% LDS). If you don't want your kids in a "party" atmosphere, Heber City would be good for that.
Do you plan on getting jobs and working in those areas?--that's whole 'nuther nut to crack. Do you need to be close to an airport to get out? I must admit that I'm prejudiced. I love the mountains as much or more than anyone--been around 'em all my life--but there is no way I would live in a ski town. Not now, not ever--for all of the reasons I've listed. Put bluntly, I liked Vail a lot better when it was a sheep pasture, when Park City and Telluride were mining towns, and when Steamboat was a ranching town (and I'm old enough to remember when that is pretty much what they were). Too bad it all changed.
To answer the question about our motivations, we want to live in the mountains, in a smaller town but would still like to have some amenities and conveniences of a bigger city. We like that these towns have festivals throughout the year, we like the athletic opportunities and the beautiful scenery. But we are not looking to be a part of the party atmosphere, it doesn't so much bother me that it is there unless it starts encroaching upon our lives ( I don't want for my kids to have to face an extreme amount of temptation with drugs and drinking, I know that this is a factor no matter where you go these days, but I also realize that some places are worse than others and this is one of the things that I am looking to find out from people who are more familiar with these areas on a daily basis.) I do like the fact that Park City is close to SLC and the couple of times we have visited there it has seemed to be less glitz and glamour than places like Vail and Aspen, but I could be wrong about this. We are just looking to find out as much as possible about both Steamboat and Park City and are certainly open to new ideas. Basically we are looking for a very family friendly community in the mountains with great schools, skiing nearby, and somewhere we can live comfortably on the income that we have.
And thus lies the root of the problem, and why so many former hamlets in CO are being ruined. The things that made them unique are leading to their demise. Montrose, Summit County, Avon, Golden...all come to mind as former sleepy little towns that got 'discovered' and are suddenly becoming urbanized, expensive, homogenized with WalMart, Starbucks. Hopefully you have a lot of money and low expectations on what kind of income you'll draw in places like these...you'd be far better off finding work in the greater Denvoid area and taking weekend retreats to the mountains, and then you'll get to experience the I-70 Crawl...
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