Me and my husband want cold weather, snow (but not necessary), seclusion (although I prefer a town somewhat nearby) and a cabin with a fireplace and plumbing (for me).
We do not ski and we would like to find some employment as well just to pay for food and the light bill.
We're not retirees and we're not rich. We have money saved. We just want cold, quiet and simplicity.
It has to be Colorado though. Hubby insists on it. I tried talking him into Alaska or Michigan, but no luck. Colorado it is.
So all you small town Coloradians, please step up and recommend an area in which we can start looking.
2006-11-14 04:41:26 · 8 answers · asked by michituckygirl 2 in Travel ➔ United States ➔ Denver
Grand Lake is a nice area try Creede it is secluded and very simple living. Grand lake will be closer to Denver if you ever need to go to the big city, and creede is down there by colorado springs but still quite a drive out in the wilderness. You should be able to find simple jobs to pay the bills in both places, but keep in mind that living in the mountains means higher grocery bills as well as gas and other things because it is harder to get them up there.
Also any towns right off of I-70 Frisco silverthorne georogetown etc are going to be way too busy and touristy. make sure that when you pick a town you go deep into the heart of the mountains and away from the super touristy I-70 towns
2006-11-15 04:25:16 · answer #1 · answered by dang 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
First of all, you're asking for an awful lot from Colorado. Colorado is expensive. Not all areas are as expensive as the Front Range but you have to realize that there have been millions (count 'em) that have felt just like you do and have already made the move. Land I know of that I can remember selling for $100 per acre is now going for $1000+ per acre. It's nothing but sage brush, jack rabbits, and rattlesnakes. If you want to drill a well and plan on having a garden or livestock of any kind, the water laws require you have a minimum of 35 acres. Even then, there is no guarantee that you will get a well permit. Colorado is getting crowded. There are more people in the Denver Metro area than the whole state of Montana. If you find a place for solitude it's not going to have much in the way of nearby towns (and jobs). If you are near a town (with basic amenities) , you're not going to find a lot of solitude. Are you getting the picture? You might find a cabin in the woods at a price you can afford, but are you willing to make the drive to where your work is during the winter? There are a lot of vacant cabins near Denver that people just like you have bought, thinking they would commute. Before long they move to town and go to the cabin on the weekends. I work with a guy who drives 54 miles one way from the mountains to our work in the Denver area. When we had snow a couple of weeks ago it took him three hours to get home and the last half mile he had to walk through three feet of snow. Consider what it must cost him to drive a much needed SUV 108 miles a day. I'm not saying don't come, but I am saysing to know what you're getting yourself into, because it's not as easy as you make it sound.
2006-11-15 01:49:17 · answer #2 · answered by Spud55 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Employment will be the problem. Areas in the Colorado mountains with economies and jobs tend to be very expensive places to live. Areas that are inexpensive have few jobs.
Most people in the mountains have money, or commute long distances (often 50 miles or more) to get from inexpensive housing to jobs. Or they're young, living in very basic housing, working summers in the tourist trade and surviving winters.
A lot of people want to live in the Colorado mountains. If they don't have money they generally wind up making some serious compromises to do so.
You might try the Alamosa area. Since it's not right in the mountains (but it should satisfy your desire for cold), it's less popular and more affordable. I'm not sure what you'd do for work there, the area is mostly poor farms.
The Craig suggestion might also be good, but I'm surprised that there are jobs there. It's on the high plains, ranching country.
2006-11-14 19:12:06 · answer #3 · answered by Bob 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm very partial to the San Juan Mountains of southwestern Colorado.
Durango is the largest town in the region and the home of Fort Lewis College. Pagosa Springs, Ouray, and Ridgway have wonderful hot mineral springs. Ouray and Telluride sit in magnificent mountain canyons. Silverton, Rico, Ophir, Creede, and Lake City are quiet former mining towns.
2006-11-14 05:05:38 · answer #4 · answered by Deep Thought 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
What is your background? Perhaps you could find jobs in the hotel industry or as caretakers for somebody's McMansion.
Living in seclusion finding someplace to work are generally not hand in hand in Colorado unless you have the skills to care for a facility of some kind.
2006-11-15 07:01:45 · answer #5 · answered by kramerdnewf 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I live in Craig, Colorado. Population is about 7,500 most of the people are farmers / ranchers. Quiet, not a lot of crime. Plenty of job opportunities. It's up in the mountains. You can log on to:
www.craigcolorado.com
www.moffatcounty.com
www.craigdailypress.com
You can look at these sites for homes or jobs. The last one is the newspaper we get.
2006-11-14 17:18:24 · answer #6 · answered by kim_in_craig 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Southwestern Colorado is great!
Evergreen and Genesee are also nice little towns, located more in the central west part, both not too terribly far from Denver.
2006-11-14 05:23:57 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
You should move to minnesota. It is cold there and there is snow. you could find a cabin anywhere, for cheap too. minnesota is a good state.
2006-11-14 04:50:11 · answer #8 · answered by Brian 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋