Cottonwood or Sedona (Yuma, Flagstaff, Prescott: new home, camp, living)

[jrgleason2003]

Originally Posted by thedirtman

It might sound impossible, but I live in Flag, I don't like snow, and I'm happy to live here. As a two-time resident my strategy is to hunker down until it passes. I live very close to work. The mountain powder makes tremendous piles, but it melts off quickly except for two or three bigger storms annually. That part I find bearable. The schools will close and most people will take the day off. Driving in snow is what I like the least. A long drive from Cottonwood or Sedona would be stressful. No way could I stand it!

Can I ask what about snow is most unbearable for you - driving? shoveling snow? being cold? I may be able to help you find a strategy to avoid the worst part and make it bearable. If you don't mind driving in snow, but don't want to be cold, you might enjoy Camp Verde or Lake Montezuma, but they are more rustic than VOC.

I hate driving in it and I hate shoveling it. I especially hate driving in it but it is hard to not leave the house for months on end during the snow season.

Being cold I do not mind. In fact I welcome it after living in Raleigh for 9 years. I do not welcome extreme humidity, but at the same time, I don't want to be buried in snow from October-May like in Buffalo. Its tough to have the best of both worlds I guess

[thedirtman]

Originally Posted by jrgleason2003

I hate driving in it and I hate shoveling it. I especially hate driving in it but it is hard to not leave the house for months on end during the snow season.

Being cold I do not mind. In fact I welcome it after living in Raleigh for 9 years. I do not welcome extreme humidity, but at the same time, I don't want to be buried in snow from October-May like in Buffalo. Its tough to have the best of both worlds I guess

It won't be possible to completely avoid the snow. My tip: look to the east.

1) East Flagstaff, the Sunnyside, Greenlaw, and Smoke Rise neighborhoods, receive less snow, and/or live close to work. East Flagstaff is less charming, but costs tend to be less, so there is a trade-off. There will still be snow.

2) Doney Park is between 3 to 6 miles northeast on highway 89. These tend to be 2 to 4 acre ranchettes.

3) Winona is 8 to 10 miles east on the interstate. Lots are frequently 5 acres. Winona is very rustic and small, but they have been going very cheap. There is no local water company. You will be out of half the snow this far out.

4) Winslow is 50 minutes east on the interstate. Winslow is a real town with a few stores. It's possible to like Winslow, but check it out close to make sure it's for you before buying. Winslow averages a puny 11 inches of snow per year.

If you go other directions from Flagstaff you will run into even more snow driving than you would if you lived in Flagstaff. Munds Park and Bellemont both get tons.

[jrgleason2003]

Originally Posted by thedirtman

It won't be possible to completely avoid the snow. My tip: look to the east.

1) East Flagstaff, the Sunnyside, Greenlaw, and Smoke Rise neighborhoods, receive less snow, and/or live close to work. East Flagstaff is less charming, but costs tend to be less, so there is a trade-off. There will still be snow.

2) Doney Park is between 3 to 6 miles northeast on highway 89. These tend to be 2 to 4 acre ranchettes.

3) Winona is 8 to 10 miles east on the interstate. Lots are frequently 5 acres. Winona is very rustic and small, but they have been going very cheap. There is no local water company. You will be out of half the snow this far out.

4) Winslow is 50 minutes east on the interstate. Winslow is a real town with a few stores. It's possible to like Winslow, but check it out close to make sure it's for you before buying. Winslow averages a puny 11 inches of snow per year.

If you go other directions from Flagstaff you will run into even more snow driving than you would if you lived in Flagstaff. Munds Park and Bellemont both get tons.

Do people call it "God Forsaken Winslow"? Or is that just the people I know?

[LadmoFan]

I'm only picking up the most recent posts of this thread but here are my comments:

I was born in Arizona and I do remember how beautiful and peaceful Sedona was....we went to Sedona two weeks ago and I was saddened to see how "Californiaized" it's become. Sedona has been ruined.

We went to Cottonwood too. Cottonwood was a very nice town but not much different from where I live now.

When hubby retires we will probably end up in Prescott as the weather is cooler and there is good shopping. The medical care seems to be better too.

Hope this helps.

[jrgleason2003]

Originally Posted by LadmoFan

I'm only picking up the most recent posts of this thread but here are my comments:

I was born in Arizona and I do remember how beautiful and peaceful Sedona was....we went to Sedona two weeks ago and I was saddened to see how "Californiaized" it's become. Sedona has been ruined.

We went to Cottonwood too. Cottonwood was a very nice town but not much different from where I live now.

When hubby retires we will probably end up in Prescott as the weather is cooler and there is good shopping. The medical care seems to be better too.

Hope this helps.

Thanks for the input. I keep hearing the term "Californiaized" in these forums but I don't really know what it all entails. Is it like liberalization or something?

[LadmoFan]

As I have lived in California for a very long time this is my take on the term:

When you go to California you will see New Age based shops, plenty of liberal ideas, and a new take on reality.

For example: The Sedona I remember was a sleepy little town that had more of back-to-nature feel and NO psychic shops that I knew of. Granted I was a young girl. What I did find was fresh grown peaches, some of the best you'd ever eat, and a chance to swim in Oak Creek. Also, I had the opportunity to take a trip down Slide Rock. The area was a lot smaller and less built with pricey homes.

During my last trip to Sedona we were afraid to park as there were signs stating you could not unless you had a NFS sticker. As we were driving through, with no plans to stay, we did not feel like spending the cash to purchase the sticker. I never had the opportunity to stop and took at Sedona as we drove on. Later I found out we could have stopped to take photos.

I also saw a lot of pricey homes and New Age stores. The buildings also seemed to be built as to not match the area BUT more like what Californians expected to find in Sedona. I hope this makes sense.

[curly5759]

Originally Posted by jrgleason2003

Thanks for the input. I keep hearing the term "Californiaized" in these forums but I don't really know what it all entails. Is it like liberalization or something?

It is referring to the perception that the folks from Cali come here expecting what they left behind and not finding it, try to change Arizona into something that fits their expectations. I hear the same comments from friends in Oregon.

Curly

[Lostone1413]

Originally Posted by curly5759

It is referring to the perception that the folks from Cali come here expecting what they left behind and not finding it, try to change Arizona into something that fits their expectations. I hear the same comments from friends in Oregon.

Curly

I'd say it is safe to say the vast majority of the ones who come from Ca want to make us like Ca. To me it is funny that people can live in a state they don't like that is just as nice many ways as AZ Pack their things and move only one state over they try to make AZ just like the state they messed up so bad that they didn't even want to live in it. Was a time S. Ca was Conservative Not anymore

[LadmoFan]

I alluded to, but did not state, I am a native Arizonan who ended up in California.

It looks like we'll be heading home to my beloved state as hubby dearest has placed Arizona near the top of places he's thinking moving to when he retires.

[jrgleason2003]

Hmmmm...oddly I can understand where you are coming from with all the transplants from up north down here in NC. I don't really mind it all though so long as people leave me alone