where would you live?

A very personal question, sure. But I'm curious. More personal for me is I have a chance to do that this summer. Come June I'll be moving from Sacramento to... well I'm not sure yet. I plan to work, but it's been dang difficult to get anywhere with jobs while I'm not in the places where I want to work.

There's tons of places out there, and tons of adventure. I want to make money to return to college with in the fall, and I want to hike, and train so that this summer I can take 2 weeks to hike the crest of the Sierras.

Any recommendations? If you could just get on a plane and work a simple job or in the mountains or even the city, where would you pick?

I've thought a lot about Moab, Boulder, and other places. East coast or west coast, they're all options. Alaska and Hawaii, too. Although I'm afraid if I strand myself that far away without work ahead of time I'll run out of money quick.

Chaff away. Recommendations warmly accepted please!

How about working at a National Park, National Forest, or State Park?

Summers in Crested Butte are epic! Great backpacking, mtn biking, you name it and it's here.

A stone's throw from the Maroon Bells, surrounding by amazing scenery every where you go. Town is around 8,600 or so feet. Not too far from the West Elks & San Juans.

Epic trips abound. Mtn bike mecca in our backyard plus hut trips from durango/telluride to moab...conundrum hot springs.

I'd love to hear other's recommendations too. I haven't been to Montana for much too long, not to mention the whole PNW.



Cheers,
Michael

I'm actually doing this myself. As of April 1, I am on mini-retirement/extended-sabbatical. I've been divesting myself of all my useless crap and this Saturday I am loading up what's left in a moving van and heading to Telluride, CO for the indefinite future.

As an ex-resident, I can tell you to not bother with Moab in the summer. Hot.

If I could live anywhere this summer I'd live a little closer to Glacier than I do right now. Glacier and the Bob in the summer cannot be beat.

CB is pretty sweet though.

It's nice in the summer. A lot of places to get away

@Ben - look into guiding whitewater rafting either in the PNW, Montana, CO, CA, or WV, NC/GA/TN [roughly in order of preference, but it depends on your digs - everywhere has it's perks and pecks]

Where ever my wife says I can.

Thought about this dodging lightening bolts on New Mexico and Colorado mountains a few summers back and after researching storm seasons, and being sent to Seattle over a number of summers with my employer, the Pacific Northwest. Consulted a lightning strike map if the US on the NOAA website too, since ....

My reason:
The rest of the country is getting hit by t-storms and after one close call with a lightning bolt, I'd prefer non-electrical hiking. the desert southwest is great May to June (unless a drought like presently) and Sept-Oct into winter, as is the rest of the USA, but height of vacation season usually means storms. Hot in the morning, and flooding rains in the afternoon. Kind of strange having to wear a jacket about a mile north of Mexico due to cold, wind, and rain, especially after being in shorts the same morning but there you are.

Edited by hknewman on 05/17/2011 14:28:58 MDT.

In the Upper Kern Basin/Great Western Divide.

Glacier Park. East side, west side, wouldn't matter. It's all good.

I'd go back to Montana, Bozeman area, with a reliable car.
Lots of great places to go but many miles between them.

It's awesome to see so many replies. I'd never heard of Ouray before--and google maps puts it right in the mountains. How cool.

Lets keep the ideas flowing. I've also been thinking about someplace in Georgia. Living in the south would be different, and the mountains wouldn't be as steep as I'm used to, but they still would be stunning. Or New Hampshire's White Mountains? Is that correct? Sadly, I might know some of the terrain of the rest of the country, but really I know very little--too little.

I've found a lot of job opportunities in NYC. It's not the mountains, but maybe living slightly outside the city (as I write this I worry--there'd be so few stars)... yup, never mind.

Other nice places in New York? Or is summer really just not the right time for the best weather?

Glacier Nat'l Park... where does one live to be close to GNP but still in a... city of sorts?

Upper Park Creek Patrol Cabin
Glacier National Park
Montana, USA



Map of Upper Park Creek cabin location.

'I'm actually doing this myself. As of April 1, I am on mini-retirement/extended-sabbatical. I've been divesting myself of all my useless crap and this Saturday I am loading up what's left in a moving van and heading to Telluride, CO for the indefinite future.'


You're living my dream.................

Al

Edited by everready on 05/19/2011 11:14:45 MDT.

> Glacier Nat'l Park... where does one live to be close to GNP but still in a... city of sorts?

Kalispel is the nearest "city" but to really live near Glacier then someplace like Hungry Horse, Martin City, Coram, West Glacier, East Glacier, Baab, or Polebridge are the answer.

Bishop CA. Plain and simple, many great hikes nearby and if you need a city fix, LA is 5 hours away. Also, Mammoth and Tahoe for snow fun too.

The coast is also a nice place that has a lot to offer...west coast that is

Have you spent any time in NYC? It can be a schlep to get in and out of town for backcountry trips, but if you have the desire and make it a priority, it's do-able. The Catskills are 2-3 hours by car, Adirondacks 4-6 hours, and White Mountains 5 hours or more (all of these are highly variable). There is a great state park right next to the city called Harriman, where the first section of the AT was built, but it is a very mellow place. It's close enough to where certain shelters have views of the NYC skyline.

Basically I wouldn't choose NYC unless the city itself was part of the draw. The mountains in NY state have some gorgeous and surprisingly wild spots, but these are nothing compared to virtually everything out West. What the West doesn't have is the density and energy of The City. Or should I say, The Urban Heat Island.

The BearTop lookout in the Bob Marshall Wilderness Area



Newman

Edited by JackNewman on 05/22/2011 06:13:09 MDT.

Lick Skillet, VA



Downtown