Moving to Sandpoint from Upstate New York this summer (buying, place)

[Toyman at Jewel Lake]

Originally Posted by mistyriverranch

I love going up Baldy on the quads...haven't done it in several years. Heck, I just miss hurtling over Baldy Rd to Sandpoint in my Wrangler. I miss my Wrangler!

Hey, if you're not doing anything Saturday, we have a club ride going up on Baldy. You're welcome to come along. I love the view from Baldy...hope the snow drifts are down enough that we can get to the peak. Last weekend we went through Canyon Gap, up on Baldy, down Fox Creek and back on Baldy Road from your side of the mountain. One of these times I need to camp on Baldy Road, there are a lot of little camp sites along there. We had planned on crossing Gisborn and coming out the experimental forest, but got blocked by snow.

[mistyriver]

Originally Posted by Toyman at Jewel Lake

You'll see FAR more dirt roads. In most of NY, even roads in pretty rural areas are paved. Here, many if not most residential roads outside of the cities are gravel.

Good point about the gravel roads.. If you find a potential property on a county gravel road, find out whether the county applies dust control. We live on a county gravel road and it was hard packed and we had no dust issues for the first few years. Then the county decided to start putting gravel from a new pit on it. We had huge dust issues..unbearable. We paid a couple of thousand dollars every summer to have an approved dust control company put down "oil" so we could breathe. Fianlly the county took over putting mag chloride down.
Of course, the other problem is mud on the roads. If they aren;t duty or icy, they'll be muddy. If clean vehicles are your thing...stay on the paved roads.

[mistyriver]

Originally Posted by Toyman at Jewel Lake

Hey, if you're not doing anything Saturday, we have a club ride going up on Baldy. You're welcome to come along. I love the view from Baldy...hope the snow drifts are down enough that we can get to the peak. Last weekend we went through Canyon Gap, up on Baldy, down Fox Creek and back on Baldy Road from your side of the mountain. One of these times I need to camp on Baldy Road, there are a lot of little camp sites along there. We had planned on crossing Gisborn and coming out the experimental forest, but got blocked by snow.

Thanks for the invite! My daughter has a horse thing on Saturday but maybe next time. Meanwhile...look out when you're on Baldy Rd.. I've been taking her up there to practice driving. She wants practice before she hits the streets of Sandpoint with her drivers ed instructor.

Is there a way to get to my my area if you head up into the mountains from Laclede? I want a map of the back country!

[Toyman at Jewel Lake]

Originally Posted by mistyriverranch

Thanks for the invite! My daughter has a horse thing on Saturday but maybe next time. Meanwhile...look out when you're on Baldy Rd.. I've been taking her up there to practice driving. She wants practice before she hits the streets of Sandpoint with her drivers ed instructor.

Is there a way to get to my my area if you head up into the mountains from Laclede? I want a map of the back country!

Oh man, that makes me nervous!

With regard to Laclede, I've poured over every map I can find, I don't think any of the roads go through. We'd really like to be able to stop in at the Klondike when we ride Baldy. Looks like all the roads just dead end, and at one time some were gated. Having said that, I really need to get over there and ride, there may be trails I don't know about.

[Mountain Rose]

Thanks so much, CFF! I did a search but didn't find the thread; I'll keep looking, because it sounds very informative. I didn't realize that about the trains but it's definitely something to consider. I don't think I want railroad tracks running through the homestead.

Toyman, two to three times--really? Wow! I had no idea it was so much snow. I think it's kind of amazing that you still found so much snow this late in the year. I like the idea of taking the kids on a nature hike or drive and then to make a snowman in June. Would that even be feasible?

Do you find the roads (like Highway 95) are well maintained in the winter? I don't mean pristine and salted, but at least somewhat plowed? We have a Jeep and are looking at getting a second one, but we also considered a big extended cab pickup because I'd like the hauling capacity but need a decent backseat for the little ones. Is plowing your own driveway doable with the right truck? There's a neighbor down the road from our new rental out there who apparently does the whole neighborhood for a nominal fee, so we're planning to arrange something with him as soon as we arrive. Once we have our own place, we'll probably need to figure something else out though. Do you plow your own driveway(s) or have someone else do it? If you do it yourself, do you use a tractor or a truck or something else I haven't even thought of?

Thanks for the further info about the culture shock and weather. We love warm days and chilly nights so this is very good to hear--there's nothing worse than sweating in your bed on a hot summer evening. And about the political differences...well, that's one major reason we're leaving the East coast. Gravel roads don't bother or surprise me one bit, having grown up in the South where that's pretty much all there is outside the cities and main streets of small towns.

And Misty, clean cars are definitely not my thing. I'm "that guy" on our little rural road because I tend to let the rain take care of washing my car. It rains enough here that I only bother washing it to get the salt off every spring. DH and I were joking that our next car should match the color of the road so that no one will know the difference.

Oh, I was wondering--what kind of survival kit do you all keep in your cars? I'm thinking blankets, flashlight, road flare or glow sticks, tea lights and matches or other source of fire/heat, water, energy or granola bars, spare rifle and a box of ammo, and the usual spare tire/jack/patching kit and tools. Anything else I should have? Would hate to freeze to death in my own car because I didn't have the foresight to know I might be stuck there overnight in a ditch or during a bad storm or something.

Do many people have CBs or find them useful? I know cell phone coverage is spotty to nonexistent in many areas. What about your car battery in winter--does it get and stay cold enough that you have to plug it in?

Thanks again for your kind responses and replies! I have to tell you, I've been reading a ton of Idaho-specific blogs, boards, and newsletters, and the people of Idaho--transplants and locals--have been incredibly helpful and warmhearted. I can't wait to get out there and thank you in person.

[Clark Fork Fantast]

Originally Posted by Mountain Rose

Thanks so much, CFF! I did a search but didn't find the thread; I'll keep looking, because it sounds very informative. I didn't realize that about the trains but it's definitely something to consider. I don't think I want railroad tracks running through the homestead.

</p>
Here it is! I guess my post didn't mention Samuels, so it was no wonder you couldn't find it. But the property was actually between Samuels and Elmira. If the link isn't working, do a search on Reload Road in the North Idaho Front Porch thread. //www.city-data.com/forum/idaho...l#post13575051</p>

[Toyman at Jewel Lake]

Toyman, two to three times--really? Wow! I had no idea it was so much snow. I think it's kind of amazing that you still found so much snow this late in the year. I like the idea of taking the kids on a nature hike or drive and then to make a snowman in June. Would that even be feasible?

Snowfall is very dependant on elevation and where you are in relation to the mountains. Samuels is just east of the Selkirks, and it tends to dump pretty good. Just the same, probably no worse than where you are now. At hwy 95 in Samuels, there is significantly less snow than just a few miles up Pack River road. As to building snow men in June, we were up on some 6 foot drifts yesterday! It was up high, and on the north side of the hill, in the shade. But plenty of snow for a snowman. It's amazing how much snow melted since last weekend. We were stopped by some 3-4 foot drifts last week-gone yesterday.

Do you find the roads (like Highway 95) are well maintained in the winter? I don't mean pristine and salted, but at least somewhat plowed?

The state does a great job with highway 95. Very rarely is there an issue with snow. Bonner County plowing crews also do a very good job. If you live in town or mostly travel main roads, 2wd and all season tires will get you around just fine. On the twisty, hilly back roads, studded tires would be a good investment, you'll be on a layer of ice all winter. Winter temps here are milder than in your area, lots of days that go from below freezing to above. So you get a lot of ice and slippery conditions on more rural roads. 4 x 4 really isn't necessary, but it's nice just to get out your own driveway, or if you leave early before the plows have been out. It also helps out a lot on hills. A 2 x 4 pickup can be pretty helpless on ice!

As far as plugging cars in in winter...we have very little weather below 10F and even less below zero. Single digits 3-4 times a year, significantly below zero every 2-3 years I'd guess. I don't know anyone that plugs in gassers. I do sometimes plug in my diesel pickup when it's getting down in single digits, but have never had a problem with it when I forgot.

[eviemae]

I'm excited for you Mountain Rose! North Idaho is pretty much heaven! I wouldn't worry too much about being new to the area. It's not nice young families that move there to live in the mountains and enjoy everything Sandpoint has to offer that bother people. It's the rich, uppity people that come in and drive up the cost of living so high that people like me (my great grandparents helped found Sandpoint over 100 years ago and my family has been there ever since) can't afford to live there. I would give anything to be moving back there in July. I hope you like it. Great place for your kids to grow up!

[Toyman at Jewel Lake]

DH and I were joking that our next car should match the color of the road so that no one will know the difference.

You now, when I got my current car, I asked the dealer what they had that would match the mud on my old car Gold hides dried mud really well.

[northwestpeach]

As long a you like long gray winters, it is drier here, but the gloominess is pretty, well gloomy.