Outdoorsman moving to Pittsburgh: Help! (Washington, Butler: home, schools, living in)

[WAZZU]

I will be moving from Philly to Pittsburgh in June for a residency program at the Pitt Dental School and want to know where to live.

I am originally from Washington State and have been in Philly for the past four years for dental school. Since I am a big outdoorsman, everyone tells me that I will love Pittsburgh. Now I just need to find a great place to live.

I want to live outside the city with easy access to rural areas and an easy commute to school. Being fairly close to an area where horses can be boarded and areas to hunt are more important than being close to the city.

So where should I begin my search? I will be visiting with my girlfriend for three or four days sometime in the next month or so to find an area to live.

Thanks in advance for any help!!

[Tallysmom]

Originally Posted by WAZZU

I will be moving from Philly to Pittsburgh in June for a residency program at the Pitt Dental School and want to know where to live.

I am originally from Washington State and have been in Philly for the past four years for dental school. Since I am a big outdoorsman, everyone tells me that I will love Pittsburgh. Now I just need to find a great place to live.

I want to live outside the city with easy access to rural areas and an easy commute to school. Being fairly close to an area where horses can be boarded and areas to hunt are more important than being close to the city.

So where should I begin my search? I will be visiting with my girlfriend for three or four days sometime in the next month or so to find an area to live.

Thanks in advance for any help!!

I would check out Beaver County. Beaver itself is a cute little city (I'm biased because my hubby is from there), and I'm pretty sure there's stables up on Dutch Ridge Road. There's lots of ways to get into the city via car. And 30 years ago, there was train service into Pittsburgh -- there still might be.

You'd also be close to Buzzi's pizza in Rochester.... mmmm...

[greensburgpatty]

Pittsburgh is one of the most beautiful areas of the country! Rolling hills, gorges, creeks everywhere, rivers, and so fourth. Our weather here is FANTASTIC and you really get a feel for the 4 seasons! Pay no attention to the hateful posts here by some that the weather is dreary and cold. It's not. It's sunny or at least partly cloudy almost all the time. I would compare our weather to Northern California. If you are an avid outdoorsman, this is the best place in the country bar none.

[Hopes]

Look into O'Hara Township, Valencia and Gibsonia. These areas are within the northwestern part of Allegheny County (therefore closer than living in an outlying county), and have a variety of boarding facilities for horses. Here's a list of the stables in the area: http://www.google.com/maps?hl=en&q=s...t=more-results Results for Gibsonia, Allison Park, Glenshaw, Valencia and Mars will all be within these areas. (Allison Park and Glenshaw post office cities located in multiple townships, like O'Hara, in the area.)

You can hunt within Allegheny County. I'll have to ask my neighbor where he hunts. But Gibsonia, O'Hara and Valencia are only 30 minutes or less from Butler and Westmoreland counties where there are plenty of places to hunt.

[Pitt Chick]

Lots of horse people in Butler County and in Westmoreland County!





And here in Westmoreland, the schools are closed for the first day of buck season. Lots of hunters here....

[claremarie]

Pay no attention to the hateful posts here by some that the weather is dreary and cold. It's not. It's sunny or at least partly cloudy almost all the time.

Facts are facts, and there is nothing hateful in pointing out that Pittsburgh is the third most cloudy city in the country. There are fewer than 75 clear days in a year. The rest of the time, it's either completely or partly cloudy. Every day, there is a 50% chance of rain or snow. The weather in Pittsburgh can in no way be compared to the weather in northern California, which is considerably drier, hotter, and sunnier, especially in the summer. If you are from Seattle, you will feel right at home (except when it snows).
That said, there are lots of hunters in the area, and you might consider contacting a local gun or equestrian club for ideas on places to live.

[Hopes]

Originally Posted by Pitt Chick

And here in Westmoreland, the schools are closed for the first day of buck season. Lots of hunters here....

Many schools in Allegheny County are closed for the first day of buck season too.

[greensburgpatty]

Originally Posted by claremarie

Pay no attention to the hateful posts here by some that the weather is dreary and cold. It's not. It's sunny or at least partly cloudy almost all the time.

Facts are facts, and there is nothing hateful in pointing out that Pittsburgh is the third most cloudy city in the country. There are fewer than 75 clear days in a year. The rest of the time, it's either completely or partly cloudy. Every day, there is a 50% chance of rain or snow. The weather in Pittsburgh can in no way be compared to the weather in northern California, which is considerably drier, hotter, and sunnier, especially in the summer. If you are from Seattle, you will feel right at home (except when it snows).
That said, there are lots of hunters in the area, and you might consider contacting a local gun or equestrian club for ideas on places to live.

I do not agree with you. Pittsburgh is well known for it's pleasant weather and lush greenery. I will grant you that it does get a bit nippy for a few days in the winter and we get a little snowfall but it's nothing compared to many other areas of the country. I almost always have to wear sunglasses every morning when I walk my kids to the bus stop. I think you are calling a few white fluffy clouds "completely cloudy". I've read some outrageous posts here about how horrid Pittsburgh's weather is, and I just want to debunk that notion thank you very much. Pittsburgh's weather is quite lovely. We have four distinct seasons although our winters are quite short and mild. In Summer our forests sport a lush tropical array of vegetation and our climate is rather tropical and sometimes humid, although never unbearable. In Autumn, We have very mild temps with abundant sunshine almost everyday and a dazzling display of colors from the leaves. Our spring is quite beautiful as well with warm weather, sunny skies, and lush greenery abounds. I highly doubt you could ever find a climate as diverse and pleasant as this anywhere but Pittsburgh and surrounding areas. I am truly convinced that for the outdoor lover, Pittsburgh is the one and only place to be!

[subdivisions]

Originally Posted by greensburgpatty

I do not agree with you. Pittsburgh is well known for it's pleasant weather and lush greenery. I will grant you that it does get a bit nippy for a few days in the winter and we get a little snowfall but it's nothing compared to many other areas of the country. I almost always have to wear sunglasses every morning when I walk my kids to the bus stop. I think you are calling a few white fluffy clouds "completely cloudy". I've read some outrageous posts here about how horrid Pittsburgh's weather is, and I just want to debunk that notion thank you very much. Pittsburgh's weather is quite lovely. We have four distinct seasons although our winters are quite short and mild. In Summer our forests sport a lush tropical array of vegetation and our climate is rather tropical and sometimes humid, although never unbearable. In Autumn, We have very mild temps with abundant sunshine almost everyday and a dazzling display of colors from the leaves. Our spring is quite beautiful as well with warm weather, sunny skies, and lush greenery abounds. I highly doubt you could ever find a climate as diverse and pleasant as this anywhere but Pittsburgh and surrounding areas. I am truly convinced that for the outdoor lover, Pittsburgh is the one and only place to be!

I want to preface by saying I LOVE Pittsburgh. It's a terrific place to live. I am certainly not one of the Pittsburgh haters on this forum.

However, I do think this description is a little bit "silver lining" and not enough cloud (so to speak). The weather here is not quite as perfect as you describe. Here's my take:

Pittsburgh does have lush greenery, especially in the summer. In fact, that's one of the things I love best about living here - it's a beautiful natural jungle, even in the city. Part of the reason we have this lush greenery is because it rains here. A lot. Especially in the summer. Statistics about cloud cover here don't lie: we have about the same amount of sunny days as Seattle. I personally like gray weather, so I don't mind it. But others might, and they shouldn't be misinformed before they move here. It's actually a health issue for some people, so let's make sure we tell them the truth about the weather here.

Also, Spring and Fall here are gorgeous. I think Fall is probably the best season in Pittsburgh - moderate temps, amazing colors, and little rain. The city is as beautiful as a picture in about mid-October, and as pleasant to be in outdoors. And yes, hunting and other outdoor stuff is big here, especially outside of the city.

Winter...not so much. Gray skies, sometimes lots of snow, pretty depressing and cold. There are several months of the year (Jan, Feb) I would describe as "brutal" because of low temps, wind, and sometimes a solid ice coating over everything in sight for weeks on end. It's not pretty, and probably intolerable for people who love temperate climates like Hawaii.

Summer....not so much either. Again, two months of the summer could be described as "brutal" (July & August). Temps in the high 90s, humidity in the high 90s, feels like you are in a sauna for two months straight. That combined with the heavy vegetation and sometimes cloud cover makes one feel like they are trapped in a tropical rain forest. Probably not so good for people who hate heat and humidity. My husband, who isn't heat-tolerant, is in misery two months out of every year living here (and he puts up with it because he loves so many other things about Pittsburgh).

I am tolerant of both gray skies and humidity, so I actually prefer this climate to others I have lived in (the very dry and sunny southwest, for instance). Others may not feel the same way, and they should really know what they're getting into before they move here. This is not a I-hate-Pittsburgh post, it's just my honest opinion.

[Hopes]

I love the four seasons, but I could do without summer.

Although I love sunny days, bright sunshine also tends to give me a headache sometimes.

And the humidity will be the death of me. I'm certain of that. I simply can't function when it's humid.

I'm sure there's a name for my disorder!

Where else can I live where I can get Pittsburgh type fall, winter, and spring, without summer?

If we have to be honest with people, why just be honest about the cloudy skies?

The humidity is killer!!!!!

People coming here from southern California think they can handle it.

They have absolutely no idea what Pittsburgh humidity means though! Not by Pittsburgh standards!

I really do love Pittsburgh though. The cloudy skies are part of what I love. They protect me from sweltering more. And they make beautiful sunsets!