Western Slope V Colo Springs pros and cons.....aaaaand go!! (Colorado Springs: real estate, rent)

[SwampyNeedsMountains]

Kidding, few more details. Looking to re-locate in 12 months. I'm a teacher, wife runs a public library, one high school aged boy. We have visited the Springs a few times and headed to Durango next week. Durango is definitely appealing, but we are not limited to that area.

Outdoors stuff is huge to us: Rock climbing fam, hiking, wife big into ornithology.

Size of house is of little importance, we'd likely rent for the first 1-2 years.

Jobs - we would prefer to stay in education.

I know the obvious stuff:
Front range - busy. getting busier. more opportunities
Western - $$$. isolated. maybe prettier?

Would love to hear some other angles that i may have missed.

[townshend]

Wouldn't finding a job be a decisive factor, if not the most decisive factor, esp. if you want to stay in education?

I know you don't want to hear this, but in terms of jobs, Colorado Springs is a clear winner. In the western slopes, the jobs will be fewer and farther between, and lower paying.

[COcheesehead]

We're retiring to the western slope and after much research picked Grand Junction. Milder temps year round. Lots and lots to do in the area and within an hour or two. More options for hiking and water sports than the Springs. Lots and lots of trails many with evidence of Native American heritage, petroglyphs and such. The Colorado National Monument borders the town on the south and is one of the more hidden gems in the national park system. Close to the Grand Mesa with all of its lakes and forests. Its also the fruit growing region so lots of fresh fruits and veggies.
The town is big enough for good hospitals, airport, fun/fine dining, college town with Mesa State, but also not so big that you can't get around. I would at least check it out and see if it appeals to you.

https://www.visitgrandjunction.com/

[NW Crow]

West slope: access to Utah. distant from big cities. nightlife may be modest or less. pick your snowfall & summer heat levels. internet service varies. barely ok to terrible in some areas. higher % of country folk or recent descendants of country folk.


CS: better airfares, for you and visitors. access to national level concerts. more traffic, during commute and weekend getaway / get back. more nearby higher ed and future job opportunities for kid. more specialty shopping, organized social groups. more dining options. not that snowy or hot compared to extremes available in west. internet should be ok to pretty good. mostly city folk, from CO or elsewhere. some big schools and big libraries.


Other: local politics (varies by location). amount of population growth coming (varies).

[Dreaming of Hawaii]

Agree with Townshend. Finding a job should be your priority. It doesn't matter how wonderful a place is to live in if you can't find a job. I suggest that you search job listings in Colorado Springs, GJ, Montrose, and Delta just to see what's being advertised. Then look at real estate listings and see what you can afford. Then, with that information, you can start narrowing down based on other factors relevant to you.

[otowi]

I personally think Colorado Springs is prettier than most cities on the Western Slope and has more amenities, access to health care, etc., and still has tons of outdoor activities. But yeah, see where you can get the jobs.

[StarrySkiesAbove]

Originally Posted by otowi

I personally think Colorado Springs is prettier than most cities on the Western Slope and has more amenities, access to health care, etc., and still has tons of outdoor activities. But yeah, see where you can get the jobs.

I agree. I think the Western Slope has a greater natural beauty (and better access to it) i.e. San Juan Mountains, the desert canyons, the Black Canyon, the Grand Mesa, the rivers, the North Fork Valley but as far as the towns of Montrose, Grand Junction or Delta they are not overly attractive to me. Although I do like the Spring Creek Mesa west of Montrose quite a bit. As far as recreation I do prefer the western slope to the front range, and Montrose has some of the nicest people you will ever meet.

Swampy you mentioned hiking and rock climbing. The Colorado Springs area does have very good access to hiking and there is excellent rock climbing in town and close by. Several climbing gyms in the city too.

[COcheesehead]

Originally Posted by StarrySkiesAbove

I agree. I think the Western Slope has a greater natural beauty (and better access to it) i.e. San Juan Mountains, the desert canyons, the Black Canyon, the Grand Mesa, the rivers, the North Fork Valley but as far as the towns of Montrose, Grand Junction or Delta they are not overly attractive to me. Although I do like the Spring Creek Mesa west of Montrose quite a bit. As far as recreation I do prefer the western slope to the front range, and Montrose has some of the nicest people you will ever meet.

Swampy you mentioned hiking and rock climbing. The Colorado Springs area does have very good access to hiking and there is excellent rock climbing in town and close by. Several climbing gyms in the city too.

Montrose, Delta and Grand Junction are all very different. It would be like comparing Colorado Springs, Canon City and Fairplay. They are all so different in size and amenities.

[StarrySkiesAbove]

Originally Posted by COcheesehead

Montrose, Delta and Grand Junction are all very different. It would be like comparing Colorado Springs, Canon City and Fairplay. They are all so different in size and amenities.

Not comparing amenities, Otowi was referring to the attractiveness of the towns themselves. Colorado Springs has a very attractive setting sitting the base of Pikes Peak and with all the views of the red rocks and the foothills. And it’s downtown although not very big is quite pretty.

Although there are attractive neighborhoods in Montrose, Delta and Grand Junction the main town cores and immediate setting in each on the Grand Valley floor is not as immediately stunning (again this is personal preference). Montrose and Delta suffer from having their older city center located along Highway 50 and surrounding areas are commercial strip development, some newer some run down.

Grand Junction has a more attractive central business district than Montrose and Delta, they have definitely made improvements. I was there a few weeks ago and some areas have cleaned up quite a bit although alot of the town is still rundown and and unkempt. They also are struggling with more homeless and panhandlers than Montrose, as is sadly a lot of Colorado. I do think Grand Junction does have a lot of potential and hopefully these improvements will continue.

[COcheesehead]

Originally Posted by StarrySkiesAbove

Not comparing amenities, Otowi was referring to the attractiveness of the towns themselves. Colorado Springs has a very attractive setting sitting the base of Pikes Peak and with all the views of the red rocks and the foothills. And it’s downtown although not very big is quite pretty.

Although there are attractive neighborhoods in Montrose, Delta and Grand Junction the main town cores and immediate setting in each on the Grand Valley floor is not as immediately stunning (again this is personal preference). Montrose and Delta suffer from having their older city center located along Highway 50 and surrounding areas are commercial strip development, some newer some run down.

Grand Junction has a more attractive central business district than Montrose and Delta, they have definitely made improvements. I was there a few weeks ago and some areas have cleaned up quite a bit although alot of the town is still rundown and and unkempt. They also are struggling with more homeless and panhandlers than Montrose, as is sadly a lot of Colorado. I do think Grand Junction does have a lot of potential and hopefully these improvements will continue.

I think folks come into Grand Junction through Clifton which is an armpit and associate the trailer parks and general lower quality of the area with being in Grand Junction. Much like if someone associated Widefield or Fountain with Colorado Springs. Coming into town through the vineyards in Palisade or spending time south near the Monument or west near Fruita and Mcinnis Wilderness gives a completely different impression of the area.

We talked to people out there who said some folks complete impression of Grand Junction is a potty stop on Horizon Dr as they head west on I-70. LOL.

Downtown Grand Junction harkens back to another time. Farmer’s market, local stores and farm to table restaurants. What is more amazing is the serpentine Main Street was designed like that almost 50 years ago.

I used to live in the Springs. It’s nice, but downtown is getting odd quickly with some of the people that hang out there. There are a few good restaurants. Old Colorado City has declined from what it was even a few years ago. Manitou misses out on its greatest asset: the springs. They hardly publicize them and they are magnificent if you can find and taste them. We always fill our water bottles before returning home. A couple are even effervescent.

The trails west of town like Gold Camp, last time we hiked there was littered with fireworks and graffiti. Though Red Rocks Canyon has been a nice addition to the city’s park system. We like hiking there. Some of the better trails are no longer accessible because of the fires. I think if you live there you overlook things like that. As an occasional visitor they seem to stand out more.