Considering Moving to the Bolder Area

**pman** · 08-19-2018, 10:48 AM

I have been in So Cal for the last 15 years and am getting sick of the high costs and politics of the state as well as the long drives to an overcrowded and overpriced Mammoth mountain. I am thinking of the Boulder area and was wondering for the people that live there or have been there recently what your opinions are as I haven't been there in 20 years. I probably won't be looking at Boulder proper as those costs are ridiculous as well but one of the surrounding area like Longmont. I know the skiing is good but how are the drives and crowds to the slopes during the weekend. Also are the costs to ski decent an any of the surrounding resorts. F-ing mammoth is $260 for a day of lessons for each kids which makes it completely un-affordable to take the family and get them on the slopes more than once or twice a year. I grew up skiing and want to do the same with my kids.

I also have a 7 and 8 year old daughters so schools are important. Can anyone recommend any of the other good surrounding areas that have good schools and somewhat affordable houses (ie in the 600k range for a 4 bedroom). Also looking at Boise but job hunting there is a bit more difficult so get a well paying job (I am in aerospace). Thanks all

**m2711c** · 08-19-2018, 11:23 AM

“It’s a bold strategy there Cotton, let’s see if it pays off for ‘em.”

**SKIP IN7RO** · 08-19-2018, 11:24 AM

I would give this thread a read just to get a general feel for the area. https://www.tetongravity.com/forums/...?highlight=i70

**Danno** · 08-19-2018, 11:31 AM

First off, it's Boulder, not Bolder.

Been living here for 18 years, have a 7 year old.

Skiing is decent, the drives to the areas on the weekend can be horrendous if you don't manage them well (figure out how to beat them). Season passes make skiing reasonable (or Loveland 4 packs), day tickets are crazy. Still, season passes for the whole family isn't cheap. As for lessons, the way to do it is to sign up for one of the multi week programs, Winter Park has a 3 week that is maybe $340? Of course, you're committing to 3 straight weekend day trip drives (or renting a place for those weekends), so expensive or hellish, but the lesson is cheap!

As for schools, I know that BVSD (Boulder Valley School District) is very good, so it's hard to go wrong if your new home is in the district (Louisville, Lafayette, Superior). I think Longmont is in St Vrain, which I am sure is ok but I don't know it well. I think Erie may be in BVSD too, might be affordable-ish.

As for Boulder overall, it's hard to comment since you're looking at communities that aren't Boulder. I have a love hate relationship with this town, and while I do have a house here, it is too expensive for me (can't afford to eat out with any regularity). That would be a bit better in the outlying communities, which are filled with people who commute in to Boulder for work and love the life but talk shit about Boulder constantly.

The hiking in Boulder is off the charts good. Biking on road is also stellar (or so they tell me). Mt biking is only so so, you need to drive to all the good trails but the drive is doable for an evening ride.

Feel free to PM is more specific questions.

**alect47** · 08-19-2018, 11:41 AM

Is this a mock thread?

**Meadow Skipper** · 08-19-2018, 11:44 AM

Personally, I wouldn't consider 'Bolder' if I wanted to get away from high prices, weird politics, long drives, and crowded skiing. But now that I think about it, actually it's a good place for people fleeing SoCal to end up. Disregard my first thought.

Originally Posted by alect47

Is this a mock thread?

Maybe.

**Danno** · 08-19-2018, 12:02 PM

Originally Posted by Meadow Skipper

Personally, I wouldn't consider 'Bolder' if I wanted to get away from high prices, weird politics, long drives, and crowded skiing. But now that I think about it, actually it's a good place for people fleeing SoCal to end up. Disregard my first thought.

Maybe.

Yeah, all that.

**GeezerSteve** · 08-19-2018, 02:08 PM

I can seamlessly move between bolder, italics, plain, underline and various fonts. You can't teach that shit. I got the knack.

**Banh Mi** · 08-19-2018, 02:17 PM

Wrong spelling, bad sign. Move to Ft. Collins instead..

Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

**stuckathuntermtn** · 08-19-2018, 03:11 PM

Have you considered Rutland, VT?

**detuned** · 08-19-2018, 03:32 PM

Gotta say if yer sick of long drives and high ticket prices boulder wouldn't be my first recommendation

Boise has a large LDS population, also may be a bit of a culture shock/small town vibe for ya

**Supermoon** · 08-19-2018, 03:39 PM

Boise sucks. Stay away from here. Maybe try Bozeman or Missoula

**bluespark** · 08-19-2018, 05:04 PM

Sandpoint?

**yeahman** · 08-19-2018, 05:08 PM

Butte

**detuned** · 08-19-2018, 05:09 PM

Originally Posted by bluespark

Sandpoint?

this

they LOVE Cali transplants in north idaho

be sure to keep cali plates on yer rig for extra hugs

**SumJongGuy** · 08-19-2018, 05:12 PM

Originally Posted by m2711c

“It’s a bold strategy there Cotton, let’s see if it pays off for ‘em.”

Originally Posted by Danno

First off, it's Boulder, not Bolder.

Much better than the timid area..

**fastfred** · 08-19-2018, 05:12 PM

bolder is great
largest collection of hot women on the planet
easy access to epic ski passes and endless resorts, eldora is great too, just as long as your not skiing on weekends
I'd move there in a sec just waiting for the right chick to let me "crash" at her place for awhile and I'm in
on the other hand phonix has a great areospace industry and the cost of living is probably a third of bolder
lots of micro breweries and dispenseries so you'll be able to be waist case like the rest of colorado residence, just pick your poision
Maybe littleton/highlands ranch is more your style?

oh and PM bunny he knows everything there is to know about colorado he'll set you straight

**pman** · 08-19-2018, 05:59 PM

Yah yah I can't spell. I am the first to admit it. I am an engineer but luckily I am really good with numbers and program management!

On a serious note I am from Vancouver WA and my wife is from rural st louis so we are both used to smaller towns and very much prefer that to the city. We both found ourselves in So Cal due to the great career opportunities there but now that we are older and have small kids we want to get back to our roots and a more laid back lifestyle so we can focus more on enjoying out family and not focusing on making enough money to live in a completely overpriced area. Our little beach community is great that we live in now but with a 1400sq/ft crap hole costing 1.5M it just isn't worth it to us any more. I want to stay in aerospace and my company has places in Los Angeles, San Diego, Boulder, Denver, Phoenix, Melbourne FL, and OK so I am just trying to find a way to stay in my company and the Boulder area seems like a good option. That or just start from scratch somewhere else.

**Meadow Skipper** · 08-19-2018, 06:14 PM

Originally Posted by pman

...I want to stay in aerospace and my company has places in Los Angeles, San Diego, Boulder, Denver, Phoenix, Melbourne FL, and OK so I am just trying to find a way to stay in my company and the Boulder area seems like the best option.

Fixed, and yeah. Go Bo(u)lder, but expect high prices, weird politics, long drives to skiing, and crowds.

**dunfree** · 08-19-2018, 06:19 PM

Originally Posted by yeahman

Butte

moving from one superfund area to a much cheaper one closer to the mountains. to me, a win

**smmokan** · 08-19-2018, 06:37 PM

Originally Posted by pman

I want to stay in aerospace and my company has places in Los Angeles, San Diego, Boulder, Denver, Phoenix, Melbourne FL, and OK so I am just trying to find a way to stay in my company and the Boulder area seems like a good option. That or just start from scratch somewhere else.

If you can find the right area outside of Boulder (NOT in Boulder), it's actually not that bad. Light years better than SoCal.

Look into Niwot, Lyons, SW Longmont, maybe Louisville, and even Nederland. Most all of the school districts are really good in the area (my wife is a teacher)- Boulder Valley, St. Vrain, JeffCo, and even the right parts of Adams 12. There are plenty of little nooks in the Front Range that can keep you sane. That said, the access to skiing sucks balls these days with I-70 traffic. But the pass options are kick-ass now, at least.

**yeahman** · 08-19-2018, 06:59 PM

If you're an aerospace guy, Boeing has been establishing itself in Helena the past few years, and I've heard of plans to expand that operation. There are some other companies located here as well that do contract work for Boeing.

**pman** · 08-19-2018, 07:00 PM

Originally Posted by smmokan

If you can find the right area outside of Boulder (NOT in Boulder), it's actually not that bad. Light years better than SoCal.

Look into Niwot, Lyons, SW Longmont, maybe Louisville, and even Nederland. Most all of the school districts are really good in the area (my wife is a teacher)- Boulder Valley, St. Vrain, JeffCo, and even the right parts of Adams 12. There are plenty of little nooks in the Front Range that can keep you sane. That said, the access to skiing sucks balls these days with I-70 traffic. But the pass options are kick-ass now, at least.

Yah those are the areas that I was kind of looking in. Boulder proper is just as expensive as So Cal which I am trying to avoid so thanks so much for the focus areas. Also when you say access to skiing sucks what kind of times are you looking at to get to the hill on the weekends? My dive to Mammoth is 6 hours so that pretty much calls for a weekend trip with lodging which adds up quick. Are we still talking about day trips?

**The SnowShow** · 08-19-2018, 07:00 PM

Check out Golden. Commute up to Boulder. You’re at the foot of the mountains and 20 mins ahead of the Denver/Boulder weekend ski zoo. 40 mins on I70 to Loveland. Denver is 20 mins east. Awesome mountain biking out your back door, kayaking, climbing and fishing on Clear Creek. Cycling up Lookout Mtn. Good breweries and small town vibe. Good schools.

Daytrip skiing on the weekend just requires flexibility and patience. Go early, leave late. Was much easier 10 years ago but now you’re fucked past 7am. However, even with the mind numbing crawl of traffic, you can get to the general resort area in 2-3 hours, unless there’s a huge accident or storm and the tunnel is closed.

I ski weekdays because of a flexible work schedule and do every other weekend my 6 year old and wife. We either go early Sat or Sun AM and expect it to take 2-2:30 from Denver to Copper (usually 75 mins without traffic) and have dinner in Summit County and leave late and miss most of the traffic back. The volume of people sucks but it is what it is. The weekday skiing I get keeps me sane. If I didn’t have that, I’d go crazy.

I love visiting Boulder and hiking there. But personally prefer Denver, especially these days as it’s grown up.