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Hi, I've been thinking a lot lately about starting a new life out West in the rugged Rockies of Montana, I've been intrigued with the state of Montana for many years now ever since I was a teenager, and researched all of the US states and geography our great country has to offer. So many beautiful places in our great land, the upper peninsula of Michigan, the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, the North woods and coast of Maine, the beaches of Southern California, the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness of Minnesota, the swamps of Louisiana, the Adirondack Mountains of upstate New York, the Oregon Outback of Southern Oregon, the Olympic peninsula of Washington, the Canyons of Utah and Arizona, etc. But something about Montana draws me like metal to a magnet, calling me and saying go West young man. The distant wild wonderland of Big Sky Country seems so enchanting and soothing to the soul, a slower paced lifestyle where outdoor activities and time making memories with friends and family are what truly matters most.
I currently am living in Central North Carolina where it's flat, but I grew up in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia and really love mountain living and want to get back to the mountains.
A few years back when my brother and me were big rig truckers for a brief time, we drove through Billings to Three Forks Montana and loved the scenery and atmosphere, it seemed like another world out there and I've wanted to go back ever since, especially to visit Glacier National Park, The Bear Tooth Highway, and the Chinese Wall in the Bob Marshall Wilderness, as well as the Magruder Corridor that runs from Darby, MT to Elk City, ID. But I'd have plenty of time to do all that and then some if I actually lived in Montana.
From researching y'alls great state, the Flat Head Valley in North West Montana intrigues me the most, Kalispell and Whitefish in particularly. But In y'alls opinion which part of Montana or town there do you like the most?
Which part has the coldest winters? ( I like cold, although I've never experienced sub zero before, but it intrigues me
Is the most scenic and awe inspiring\ breath taking?
The most down to earth friendliest people?
The best outdoor activities? I'd love to get back into fishing and hunting, would like to learn how to ski and also get a snow mobile. Hiking and camping as well.
Also I would eventually start some kind of business venture or multiple business ventures out there, nothing like being your own boss and having FREEDOM, as well as earning a better living. What type of businesses would be successful there do you think? Run an Airbnb rental, an online business of some sort, a service business like a maid service, lawn care, snow removal, plumbing, etc. A country cooking or BBQ diner? Any land lords can recommend a good town for rental investment properties? There's gotta be a way to make a good living and be able to live in the beautiful state of Montana, where there's a will there's a way.
Anyway any tips or advice you can give me would be greatly appreciated.
Oh and I have a feeling once I get to Montana I'll feel the same as Brad Pitt from A River Runs Through It...
I would look for a job, unless you have a good deal of money to live on, while you build a business, something like running an air b n b is probably not enough to live on, most people seem to do it as a supplemental income, not as something to live on. I love Montana, my Grandpa lived there for years.
Montana is romanticized a great deal by locals and visitors. Yes, it is beautiful and apparently lots of freedom, so people seem to say. I tell anyone on here though, you cannot eat scenery and it won't pay your other bills either. Montana is difficult to make a living as there are not many good paying jobs around and it costs a lot to live in those pretty areas. And that's just making the minimal amount to pay for food, clothing, and shelter. If you want to hunt, fish, ski, and snowmobile, that also costs a lot.
If I lived in Montana I would choose Billings hands down. It always seemed more working class to me, It's not as pretty but places like Bozeman, the Flathead Valley, and Missoula have a very unsavory mix (IMHO) of extreme conservatives living with extreme liberals. That really can be unpleasant. Also plenty of pretentious wealthy people around.
As far as running a business goes, you would probably need to do some research on whatever town you specifically want to relocate to and see what there might be a need for. Running a business is something I know nothing about so I can't say too much.
Welcome to the Montana forum. I tend to offend some people on here but I'm sure you're smart enough to make an informed decision.
The Flathead is a great place to be if you can swing it financially. In my opinion, at least, we do have a dearth of good reliable lawn care folks. The guy who cuts my 1/2 acre lawn in Whitefish charges $60 weekly, to give you an idea of profit margins etc (I can't cut it due to asthma issues).
Outdoor activities are, in no order: fly fishing, lake fishing, boating, hiking, plinking, hunting, camping, alpine skiing, nordic skiing, snowshoeing, snowmobiling. We've got it all. Fishing pressure up here is much less than down in SW Montana, although our streams are not as famous, for what that's worth. Skiing is great at Big Mountain, and we're within a 5-6 hour drive of Big Sky, Fernie, and Revelstoke.
Scenery is also best in class here in NW Montana. Glacier Park is right next door, and the Canadian Rockies parks are 3-5 hours north of here, so it's worth investing in a passport. Flathead Lake is the largest freshwater lake in the West. We've got beautiful trees everywhere, including tamaracks douglas firs lodgepoles pondeBullBoxer31 etc.
NW Montana is super cloudy in the winter, and doesn't get chinook winds like further south and east. Because of this, we hold a snowpack really well, even in the valley floor, although this winter has been slow to get going so far. Large swaths of Montana have been in the 40s and sunny this week, while we've enjoyed 20s and overcast skies up here. Makes for great skiing and snowmobiling.
Montanans are friendly in our own way, but tend to be more introverted than rural Southerners. Still friendlier than city folks from the coast, however, IMO. You will feel some subtle pressure from the locals to assimilate into the 'Montana way of doing things' for lack of a better phrase, but you'd probably have a relatively easy go of it as a Southerner. People are super chill here, and there's not as much class separation as there can be in other places. Rich and poor parents send their kids to the same schools and universities (more or less), and I can think of plenty of examples of millionaires living on the same block as trailer homes. This is starting to change with crap like the Yellowstone club, but for the most part, MT is way better than most other states in this respect. We also have quantifiably less income inequality than most other states (lower gini coefficient).
Hi, I've been thinking a lot lately about starting a new life out West in the rugged Rockies of Montana, I've been intrigued with the state of Montana for many years now ever since I was a teenager, and researched all of the US states and geography our great country has to offer. So many beautiful places in our great land, the upper peninsula of Michigan, the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, the North woods and coast of Maine, the beaches of Southern California, the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness of Minnesota, the swamps of Louisiana, the Adirondack Mountains of upstate New York, the Oregon Outback of Southern Oregon, the Olympic peninsula of Washington, the Canyons of Utah and Arizona, etc. But something about Montana draws me like metal to a magnet, calling me and saying go West young man. The distant wild wonderland of Big Sky Country seems so enchanting and soothing to the soul, a slower paced lifestyle where outdoor activities and time making memories with friends and family are what truly matters most.
I currently am living in Central North Carolina where it's flat, but I grew up in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia and really love mountain living and want to get back to the mountains.
A few years back when my brother and me were big rig truckers for a brief time, we drove through Billings to Three Forks Montana and loved the scenery and atmosphere, it seemed like another world out there and I've wanted to go back ever since, especially to visit Glacier National Park, The Bear Tooth Highway, and the Chinese Wall in the Bob Marshall Wilderness, as well as the Magruder Corridor that runs from Darby, MT to Elk City, ID. But I'd have plenty of time to do all that and then some if I actually lived in Montana.
From researching y'alls great state, the Flat Head Valley in North West Montana intrigues me the most, Kalispell and Whitefish in particularly. But In y'alls opinion which part of Montana or town there do you like the most?
Which part has the coldest winters? ( I like cold, although I've never experienced sub zero before, but it intrigues me
Is the most scenic and awe inspiring\ breath taking?
The most down to earth friendliest people?
The best outdoor activities? I'd love to get back into fishing and hunting, would like to learn how to ski and also get a snow mobile. Hiking and camping as well.
Also I would eventually start some kind of business venture or multiple business ventures out there, nothing like being your own boss and having FREEDOM, as well as earning a better living. What type of businesses would be successful there do you think? Run an Airbnb rental, an online business of some sort, a service business like a maid service, lawn care, snow removal, plumbing, etc. A country cooking or BBQ diner? Any land lords can recommend a good town for rental investment properties? There's gotta be a way to make a good living and be able to live in the beautiful state of Montana, where there's a will there's a way.
Anyway any tips or advice you can give me would be greatly appreciated.
Oh and I have a feeling once I get to Montana I'll feel the same as Brad Pitt from A River Runs Through It...
My advice to you is to rent first especially if, as you say, you have not experienced subzero weather. You can find the answers to all your questions after that.
If you are not in one of the traditional professions-law, medicine, banking, etc., then look to skilled trades, electrical, plumbing...
Montana traditionally provided well paying jobs in extractive industries logging, mining, & oil drilling. These tend to boom & bust, but there may be opportunity.
Agricultural jobs are steady employment but most are not well paid positions, though many provide housing.
If I was starting from scratch, I would look at employment with UPS as a driver. Or working up the ranks of a Costco.
I would not move here without a job & definitely do not move a family without a nest egg & a job. Montana has a high cost of living compared to neighbor states. This site gives an idea. https://montanaworks.gov/
Pretty much everywhere in Montana will have at least 2-3 months of pretty steady winter lows averaging 10-20 degrees and flings of more winter earlier and later depending on the year. Imo it is not bad with layers, hat, gloves as long as you don't get wet. But some freak out at lots of time below 30, 15 or zero. Wind and dark skies can make it worse and seem worse but preparation, the right attitude and keeping on the move can make it work.
West of continental divide typically get 10-15 days with a low below zero per year. East of divide tends to be 20 plus due to easier path for Article air to come down.
Pluses and minuses for every city / town. Best depends of your mix of interests. If you want Montana, pick one, try it, move if you decide there is a better spot.
The right business depends on how much capital you got, what & when you can borrow (or partner), how much you want to work vs. hiring / paying / supervising others and intense research of the competition. Many niches are filled and locals tend to support locals unless / until they get a superior product / service and / or better price. Unless you have everything figured out, may be better to start a business as a side project first in addition to a steady paycheck. Whatever reserves you have, I wouldn't risk more than half of it in one venture unless you are a gambler and psychologically ready for the possibility of the worst outcome.
Kalispell, Hamilton, Helena, Billings... probably better to start with the bigger places. Can always move to smaller when you know how to make it work. Probably tougher to start there unless you really want small and hate big places.
Thanks y'all for the responses! After doing some more research, I think I like Kalispell and Whitefish. Which of these two towns would be best in your opinion for a single guy in his lower thirties looking to find a good woman to settle down with and raise a family, ( any single ladies in here ) and start a business? Much difference in cost of living and housing prices? Things to do downtown?
Off topic but just curious what NFL team do most Montana folks pull for? I like the Redskins myself, do local native Americans not take kindly to Redskins gear being worn around town?
Another question I just thought of, are there lots of Grizzly and Black bear roming around where people live in the flat head valley? What about rattle snakes, ever see any under your house in the crawl space?
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I love that movie. ( I know it wasn't actually filmed in MT though.)
