Winter Outdoor Activities or Stay Indoors and read? (Portland: house, job market)

[MtnSurfer]

I agree with Tesje,

Especially this time of the year after Fall colors things are pretty brown (grass and trees) in the front range cities. And no place is perfect that is for sure! But having the Rocky Mountains in your back yard will always be a special thing, especially if you enjoy outdoor adventures.

If I wasn't born at the beach with the Ocean in my 'blood' I would most likely never consider leaving CO for the PNW. But it sure is great fun for our family while we are here.

- Derek

[KarlaT2]

Originally Posted by MtnSurfer

I agree with Tesje,

Especially this time of the year after Fall colors things are pretty brown (grass and trees) in the front range cities. And no place is perfect that is for sure! But having the Rocky Mountains in your back yard will always be a special thing, especially if you enjoy outdoor adventures.

If I wasn't born at the beach with the Ocean in my 'blood' I would most likely never consider leaving CO for the PNW. But it sure is great fun for our family while we are here.

- Derek

Thanks so much for the pictures. Since you live in the area can you comment on housing prices compared to around Portland area? Just from a quick look it seems much less expensive out in your area. Have you found that to be true as you are researching Portland area? I really considered taking a look at Colorado Springs since there are so many aerospace companies out there. I have family in Oregon, so that's probably where I'll end up, but I really think Colorado looks beautiful. My Dad was born there too, so I may have relatives I don't know about there. LOL.
If you have any more pics of close to CS please post. Thanks again!
K

[MtnSurfer]

Karla,

I would say it is a buyer's market in the Springs right now. There is a lot of inventory on the market. Sellers are motivated. We moved here about 2 years ago and got a great deal on a newer home (2001) for $235K with 4 bdrms/3 baths, 3 car garage, a full basement, great view of the Mtns., big back yard in a nicer Northern CS neighborhood.

I recommend to friends to look at neighborhoods north of Constitution. While crime isn't bad in CS as a whole, there is definitely more of it in Southern CS near the airport. The better school districts like D20 are to the north nearer to the Air Force Academy and are a little higher in price. RE prices in the Springs are very closely tied to school districts.

From what I have seen of the nicer Portland neighborhood prices are higher, especially for newer homes. But I haven't check prices in detail there yet. I would imagine that if we wanted a newer home like ours with a view it would cost more.

You are right in that there is a lot of Aerospace work out here. I actually transfered out here with Northrop Grumman as a software engineer from CA. The job market for Aerospace is great here. Denver and CS are sort of the mid west Aerospace hubs of the nation. The east and west coasts of course have a lot of work. But there is far less in the PNW. So I am actually diversifying my skills currently in the commercial world to be better positioned to find work if we move to places like the PNW.

If I were you I would consider both the Springs and parts of Denver. Boulder and Longmont are very nice as well. I almost accapted a position in Longmont which is about 10 minutes east of Boulder and *Very* close to RMNP. We really like that area as well. Since I love the outdoors and hiking up in RMNP it would be even closer for us.

There are pros/cons with every location. CS, Denver and its surroundings areas all have their trade offs. It really depends on what is most important to you and how you plan to spend your time both during the week and on the weekends.

I work literally 5 minutes from the Garden of the Gods now. So in the morning before work I can go there and hike or do some photography. Closer to Boulder you have the Flatirons and RMNP in your back yard.

Here is a view from our house after the 30 year blizzard we had last year. This the picture to scare people away We normally do not have this much snow. There is no snow on the ground right now:
http://derek.zenfolio.com/img/v0/p523703606-4.jpg (broken link)

http://derek.zenfolio.com/img/v0/p337756986-4.jpg (broken link)

Our kids love sledding in our back yard when they can:
http://derek.zenfolio.com/img/v0/p133709911-4.jpg (broken link)

- Derek

[nancy thereader]

Your children are adorable (and how lucky you are to have that all ahead of you). Thank you, Derek.
Your photographs are wonderful. Do you sell them anywhere ? My brother is a photographer in Colorado, also. His photo was on the front of the phone book in Mesa County.

[MtnSurfer]

Nancy,

Thanks for the compliments. I don't sell my photos yet. It is more of a hobby and artistic outlet for me right now. But after moving to Colorado I have considered it. There are a lot of inspirational photo ops out here. I just don't want to take the fun out of it.

- Derek

[luv the outdoors]

Spectacular!! Thanks for sharing

[nancy thereader]

Thanks for the compliments. I don't sell my photos yet. It is more of a hobby and artistic outlet for me right now.

My brother used to take photos for fun (and for his book on Petrified Wood) , but now he sells them & I think for quitye a lot. They are in a beautiful website. Your Photo are so nice. You could check his site for an example if you want (just pm me and I'll tell you the name as I don't think we are supposed to put other web sites on this board, even though it is not an advertisement).

[michael49]

]

Originally Posted by Tesaje

Those pics make me nostaligic....

But what he isn't showing you is the brown prairie where most people in CO live (Greeley-Ft. Collins-Denver). That and the dryness is what some people don't like about CO. It has great thunderstorms and you can see them, unlike here on the humid east coast. The weather ranges from great to harsh. The mountains are gorgeous where ski resorts haven't ruined them. The Springs is an especially lovely setting for a city. I remember the San Juans - remote but breathtakingly beautiful. An odd thing about the CO mountain towns is they sit in these gorgeous valleys but the town is full of rusting heaps and look pretty trashy with the exception of maybe Aspen where the celebrities live.

Derek, Great photos.

My wife and I spent a week in CO hiking this past Sept and really enjoyed it. Much of it is much more "brown" and dry than I expected it though. RMNP is amazing, however. CO is an odd place. Boulder and the Flatirons are beautiful, but travel 10 miles east and its brown, ugly and barren - the difference its so striking.
The Rockys are incredible.




Here's are two of mine from RMNP....





Aspens....

[KarlaT2]

Originally Posted by MtnSurfer

Karla,

I would say it is a buyer's market in the Springs right now. There is a lot of inventory on the market. Sellers are motivated. We moved here about 2 years ago and got a great deal on a newer home (2001) for $235K with 4 bdrms/3 baths, 3 car garage, a full basement, great view of the Mtns., big back yard in a nicer Northern CS neighborhood.

I recommend to friends to look at neighborhoods north of Constitution. While crime isn't bad in CS as a whole, there is definitely more of it in Southern CS near the airport. The better school districts like D20 are to the north nearer to the Air Force Academy and are a little higher in price. RE prices in the Springs are very closely tied to school districts.

From what I have seen of the nicer Portland neighborhood prices are higher, especially for newer homes. But I haven't check prices in detail there yet. I would imagine that if we wanted a newer home like ours with a view it would cost more.

You are right in that there is a lot of Aerospace work out here. I actually transfered out here with Northrop Grumman as a software engineer from CA. The job market for Aerospace is great here. Denver and CS are sort of the mid west Aerospace hubs of the nation. The east and west coasts of course have a lot of work. But there is far less in the PNW. So I am actually diversifying my skills currently in the commercial world to be better positioned to find work if we move to places like the PNW.

If I were you I would consider both the Springs and parts of Denver. Boulder and Longmont are very nice as well. I almost accapted a position in Longmont which is about 10 minutes east of Boulder and *Very* close to RMNP. We really like that area as well. Since I love the outdoors and hiking up in RMNP it would be even closer for us.

There are pros/cons with every location. CS, Denver and its surroundings areas all have their trade offs. It really depends on what is most important to you and how you plan to spend your time both during the week and on the weekends.

I work literally 5 minutes from the Garden of the Gods now. So in the morning before work I can go there and hike or do some photography. Closer to Boulder you have the Flatirons and RMNP in your back yard.

Here is a view from our house after the 30 year blizzard we had last year. This the picture to scare people away We normally do not have this much snow. There is no snow on the ground right now:
http://derek.zenfolio.com/img/v0/p523703606-4.jpg (broken link)

http://derek.zenfolio.com/img/v0/p337756986-4.jpg (broken link)

Our kids love sledding in our back yard when they can:
http://derek.zenfolio.com/img/v0/p133709911-4.jpg (broken link)

- Derek

Actually that snow looks nice. I've been in the desert for a few years, so I miss the snow. It looks so cold and refreshing.... Sigh.

Your kids are so cute. They look like they are having a blast in the snow.

It does look like housing is less where you are at. I looked at a few sites. Not sure though how the salaries compare though.

Thanks again for the pictures. Loved them.

[MtnSurfer]

Nice photos Michael! RMNP is truly a beautful place.

When I used to live in S. Cal. I had to drive 6+ hours to get an area with this type of scenery. But from front range cities like Ft.Colins, Denver, Boulder and CS it is really quite close. I don't hesitate going there for a day trip from CS.

You are right about the varied climates and micro climates along the Front Range. Because of the Continental Divide, Rocky Mountains and Great Plains all merging together, weather patterns and terrain really do varying a lot.