Pros and cons of living in the mountains?

Question

I live in a crowded area of Southern California. Sometimes I'd like to just pack up and move to the mountains, say...Idyllwild, Arrowhead, or Big Bear? Anyone that lives in the California mountains, can you give me some pros and cons of living in the mountains? Appreciate it!

Answer 1

Wow, this question sounds like it was made for me!! My husband and I just moved to Mt. Baldy (local mountains above Upland, Rancho Cucamonga area) and we are loving it. Had our first snow today! We are so happy up there, so quiet, forest everywhere, people are friendly, has that small town feel (only about 200 people live up there), yet it is still close enough for us to get to conveinences like the grocery store, restaurants, theaters, etc. (only a 15-20 minute drive down the hill to "civilization". The pros are peace of mind, better quality of life, quiet, beauty, the cons are the drive back to "civilization" when you need it, and occassional snow (having to put chains on your car). If you can find a job not too far away...I'd say go for it. Houses are actually affordable in Big Bear and Idyllwild unlike anywhere else in So. Cal.

Answer 2

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Answer 3

With every day pass, our country is getting into more and more trouble. The inflation, unemployment and falling value of dollar are the main concern for our Government but authorities are just sleeping, they don’t want to face the fact. Media is also involve in it, they are force to stop showing the real economic situation to the people. I start getting more concern about my future as well as my family after watching the response of our Government for the people that affected by hurricane Katrina.

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Answer 4

I just moved from Colorado..a tiny college town. Durango, Co to Washington D.C. I am having withdrawels of mountains...
I grew up in New Mexico..around mountains..hmmm
I can only think of pros..
If you are outdoorsy
You have hiking, skiing, camping, backpacking, running trails, taking your doggie out there...fishing..exploring nature, enjoying the fresh air. Contemplating on the world....it's just you and the mountains..peace and quiet....
I don't know the CONS...A lot of snow? but too me that's just more skiing and sledding...
soo much to say about mountains, yuck move from Southern CA...yucky place, never liked it..Go live in the mountains:)

Answer 5

I wouldn't want to live in the southern CA mountains because of the frequent fires. Home insurance must cost an arm and a leg. If you really want some elbow room, you should consider moving out of state. Most other places are so much more peaceful than the L.A. area.

Answer 6

In the Southern part of the US: The pros are beautiful, wooded areas, can live at peace in nature, often fantastic views spanning miles, plenty of free firewood and other resources, most people leave you alone, and or most people cannot find you. The cons are: you are isolated from your fellow man, the artwork, music and culture you may encounter only tends to be "of the local folk", you will most definitely encounter,and very probably will be a neighbor of, people who hold grand prejudices, use hard drugs, are running from something or someone, are uneducated hicks, are just plain crazy, as in Unibomber crazy, etc. Living on some mountains in rural areas means you will pay thousands of dollars to run electricity to the mountain home from a power company, and drilling a well will cost you a pretty penny as well. Getting up and down the mountain is hard if there are few paved roads or if the access is difficult. As you age, especially if you are female, life will become harder for you on the mountain (just think about it) unless you have adukt children who are willing to come and help you or who are willing to forgo their lives, friends, and jobs to come and live near or with you. There is often logging going on in this area and you constantly have to maneuver around logging trucks, the mess they make, and all their stuff, People in and around these areas are often touchy, suspicious of outsiders, defensive, radical or extreme in their views, have a cousin who just got out of prison and will do anything for 10 bucks, and they all have guns. They defend their property and resources fiercely. It's often a "rough" area. If you have a life with kids who must get onto school buses and who must travel to baseball practice, etc, life's going to be hard. Very few, if any, adequate day care centers. Hard to get to a decent medical facility, especially in a hurry. Emergency vehicles have a hard time locating your address. Judges and lawyers are sometimes über conservative and that can prove difficult in domestic violence and child abuse cases. Some people move to the mountains to "drop out of society" and you've got to wonder why they are so antisocial. And why they just have to live on their own so far away from others of their kind. Try to get into that person!s mind...think about his true motivations for wanting to go 'off grid', Yep. That person is now your neighbor. Hard to insure your home in some instances. Some outlaws and rapisrs/killers hide out in the mountains and may be somewhere on your property. You have to watch your domesticated animals carefully since dogs and cats will be injured by wildlife. Some outside companies come in and try to develop your property; then there are endless meetings at the local church or rec. center about will we or won't we with lots of strange folks showing up at the meetings to yell at and threaten the bureaucrats in charge. Hard to keep four wheelers, people who hunt, and those who hike off your private lands, You will need a tough, toothless woman at home, who knows how to use a gun, while you go to work each day...or you will need to quit your day job and stay at home. You will rely more and more on technology to communicate with the "outside world". In my humble opinion, if you really want mountain property, buy a small, conservative piece and build a "hunting structure" up there and just visit every other weekend. You can hunt, paint, read, write, take photos, play music, relax, pretend you are the King of a ancient kingdom, or slip away with your mistress, etc. But take your gun...and not just for the wild animals. You know.

Answer 7

I live in Culver City.I travel 50 miles a day.I don't think you will like the traffic commute. Benefits living upthere.Don't know.

Answer 8

The air up in the mountains are much more polluted than the basin. People don't realize it because they think they live in a pristine wilderness.

Answer 9

Pros: wonderful views, less people

cons: anti-social,

Answer 10

Mountain Lions is a bummer. But everything else is fab!