What can you tell me about Story, WY? & a base camp for research (Cheyenne: rental, condos)

[Wyoprairie]

Originally Posted by DAXhound

Make a list of what basic amenities you require your town to have. I wanted an airport and a home depot.. wound up buying an old fixer in historic downtown Gillette on a 3500 sf lot. Nice, small city... You could be out in the middle of no where in thirty minutes. I walked to the airport recently at 4am, because Uber wasn't running that early.. I think two cars passed me on the three miles highway stretch north of town. Was on the look out for bears and snakes. Natural gas and good internet are two advantages of in town living. I am paying 42.9 cents per Therm of nat gas... That is like 39 cents per gallon of LPG, but reality is more like 2.75 pg.

You are being kind of modest. It's 3 miles from the Kum N Go at Warlow Dr. You did more like 5 miles from downtown. But natty gas is a luxury in Gillette since many neighborhoods are all electric only. The bears in Gillette are late risers, they aren't up til 9 AM sometimes...

[1811Girl]

Originally Posted by nm9stheham

OP, motorhomes and trailers in winter are not a great idea in such a cold climate. The potential for very cold temps is great and getting your piping and sewage tank(s) frozen and busted up is a real possibility. And you have to get water into the camper, which is not going to be possible through the usual hose connection in sub-freezing temps. So you might just have to use it out of jugs which is a pain for showering.. and there is still the problem of flushing into the holding tank.

Plus just keeping warm is a problem when the temps get really low. You can get a winter option in some models with more insulation but that only does so much good. If you do try this, then make sure you have spare propane tanks handy and know how to switch them out. A good cold snap will drain them very fast and if you get snowed in and run out of propane, then both you and the camper are in trouble.

Most owners just drain all the water and fluids and store them for winter in this type of very cold climate.


What we have done is to make multiple trips of a week or more each to the area, and spend time looking at specific areas. We have avoided the main summer tourist season (as our searching was in a big circle around Yellowstone). If you want to see winter 'at its best' in WY, then explore eastern WY mid winter, and central WY in mid spring, to catch the expereince of the windy days in each area.

Yeah, I was afraid of this, but somehow kinda knew it might be a difficult way to live in the winter months. I appreciate the candidness of your answer and experience. Where did you stay when you were researching different areas?

[1811Girl]

Originally Posted by NW Crow

Rent a campervan for a week or two and drive around. Throw in a motel night here and there if you feel like it.

Take it from there. Get an airbnb or motel for a week or a month in your top target. Do it for a couple others if necessary. Then decide on place.

Don't buy a campervan until you try it and decide if you'd use it a lot. Motels occasionally is simple way unless you want to spend nights fairly deep into forest, desert.

Good advice! Thank you for this.

[1811Girl]

Originally Posted by DAXhound

Make a list of what basic amenities you require your town to have. I wanted an airport and a home depot.. wound up buying an old fixer in historic downtown Gillette on a 3500 sf lot. Nice, small city... You could be out in the middle of no where in thirty minutes. I walked to the airport recently at 4am, because Uber wasn't running that early.. I think two cars passed me on the three miles highway stretch north of town. Was on the look out for bears and snakes. Natural gas and good internet are two advantages of in town living. I am paying 42.9 cents per Therm of nat gas... That is like 39 cents per gallon of LPG, but reality is more like 2.75 pg.

Nice going. I have looked online at Gillette too. Will still consider it as well. Thanks!

[1811Girl]

Originally Posted by OneDawg

A) Rent a camper van or a class C
B) Spend at least six weeks driving all around the state - not just in the Summer
C) When you find a town you like, walk into the Chamber of Commerce office and introduce yourself. Tell them you want to talk with a realtor.
D) TELL the realtor you want to RENT a place

I lived a couple of years in my horse trailer. The first fall, I got bales of straw that had bagged and duct taped closed. I arranged them in a footprint and got the neighbor to help lift the trailer on top. It only compressed it about 3 inches. It was insulated for one winter. I spent the next winter in southern Texas.

Oh for sure. I know I need to experience the weather in many areas at all times of the year. I don't want to be foolish thinking I can handle it when really I can't and then I'm committed to a house in an area I don't like or a state where the weather is too much for me.

You must be pretty tough to be able to live in your horse trailer during the winter! Thank you very much for your input too, good advice to remember here.

[DAXhound]

Originally Posted by 1811Girl

Nice going. I have looked online at Gillette too. Will still consider it as well. Thanks!

Thanks, I had also considered Evanston, Rock Springs, Rawlins, Casper... they actually had some fixers in my price range. Evanston is very LDS.. Rawlins is too small. Casper had the most amenities, but also a reputation for meth and litter. Minimal litter in Gillette. Sheridan is more upscale with much more of a mountain presence, but is $$$$. Gillette isn't flat, but you keep wondering where the mountains are... Job market is solid in Gillette, but just decent money, not big money.. The service sector job market is better than Phoenix, with some fairly affordable housing options.. 660 for a 1 br apartment, across the street from fast food starting at 10-11 per hour.. Many are in far worse positions than that.

[jody_wy]

Grew Up in Star Valley, But sold out didn't like the development. but it is a nice mountain valleys( upper-lower, then some off to the sides. Settle now on a ranch on the ecosystem divide between prairie and ponderosa covered hills . Gillette and Spearfish are same distance for us . Like both , each has something the other doesn't. We go to Belle Fourche too more for ranch supplies. From where we are Hulett , Sundance , and Moorcroft are all about the same distance . Each are nice small towns. Western Wyoming Star Valley, Cokeville, Kemmerer, big Pinny , Pinedale. each have thier bright spots.

[DAXhound]

I might add, that I thought being on an interstate would be beneficial, and that made places like Rawlins and Evanston acceptable, and seemingly less isolated. That is also a plus for Buffalo and Sheridan. Tracking packages to Gillette is interesting.. mostly a mix of those coming from Billings and those from Casper, but they can zigzag everywhere to get to those places. Rapid City hasn't been a part of the equation, but that is where my gas servicer BHE, is based, but they have a field office in GCC. Amazon deliveries have been efficient.

[1811Girl]

Originally Posted by DAXhound

Thanks, I had also considered Evanston, Rock Springs, Rawlins, Casper... they actually had some fixers in my price range. Evanston is very LDS.. Rawlins is too small. Casper had the most amenities, but also a reputation for meth and litter. Minimal litter in Gillette. Sheridan is more upscale with much more of a mountain presence, but is $$$$. Gillette isn't flat, but you keep wondering where the mountains are... Job market is solid in Gillette, but just decent money, not big money.. The service sector job market is better than Phoenix, with some fairly affordable housing options.. 660 for a 1 br apartment, across the street from fast food starting at 10-11 per hour.. Many are in far worse positions than that.

This is really insightful info. Thank you for this. This is why I’m a follower on this forum. To learn stuff from the experts!

[1811Girl]

Originally Posted by jody_wy

Grew Up in Star Valley, But sold out didn't like the development. but it is a nice mountain valleys( upper-lower, then some off to the sides. Settle now on a ranch on the ecosystem divide between prairie and ponderosa covered hills . Gillette and Spearfish are same distance for us . Like both , each has something the other doesn't. We go to Belle Fourche too more for ranch supplies. From where we are Hulett , Sundance , and Moorcroft are all about the same distance . Each are nice small towns. Western Wyoming Star Valley, Cokeville, Kemmerer, big Pinny , Pinedale. each have thier bright spots.

Thank you! I’ll have to look some of these places up to learn more. Much appreciated!