My oldest daughter lives in Lewisville, adjacent to Boulder, and it has a lot of nice nearby shopping with a decent "fem-to-male" ratio.

I pretend to visit her but she knows I really come to backpack and ski in the Indian Peaks range.

Hey all,



Been really busy last couple days and just wanted to mention a couple of brief things...and thank you guys for your feedback/participating in the thread.

Put a cash bid on my first house!

Also about Crested Butte, it's priceless to live where most people come to vacation. Got some epic rides, backpacking and even barefoot hiked to Avery mountains peak this summer. :0)

On the fem/male ratio, I just have to keep raising my vibration and stay true to my passions & goals in life. Things will work themselves out no doubt. :)

Love & blessings, off to a late dinner party.

Will report back soon!

Oh, wait...

I spent the summer there in 1981 and have wanted to go back ever since. I can understand it's a hard place to live for the reasons you list, but what a gorgeous place. Crested Butte, Gothic, Whetstone, Axtell, Purple, Owen, Ruby, Avery--some of the local peaks I bagged.

Sorry, just reminiscing. :)

I'd put some thought into how much of the year want to ski vs. backpack. Some of these areas seem to get snow earlier and stay snowed under a lot longer.

Hi Michael, I loved reading through this thread, and it's exciting to see so many BPLers as lovers of the Colorado lifestyle. I'm in Denver and love it here. I also love visiting Crested Butte. I was there for Thanksgiving last year and performed a summer concert in your town. It is a very strong community with good energy.

I'm in the opposite position of you-- I daydream about moving into the mountains (as a single female) and what that would be like.
But, I'm learning about sustainability, and permaculture is something I have been pursuing over the past two years. I have successfully established one in my front yard in Denver and want to grow into my backyard. Using permaculture principles, I produced a lot of food this year, even with the drought. It's all very exciting and it feels so good to make my own food. This has become such an important part to who I am now, that I know that the front range lifestyle is better for me, mostly because I have access to better growing conditions, and all of the local farmers. Urban homesteading is growing by leaps and bounds here. I have a dream to buy a couple of acres on the front range somewhere and start a food forest.

I do know that the Rocky Mtn. Permaculture Institute is supposed to have a successful food forest in the Basalt area (about 9000 feet?) Have you been there?

Anyway, let me know if you would like to talk off line about permaculture in Colorado. I have a bibliography of local resource I put together to share if you are interested.

I really think you can't go wrong in Colorado wherever you are! Life is so beautiful here. Sounds like you have the right attitude.

I moved here in March and I love it. Great fishing and hiking, and Yellowstone National Park about ninety minutes away. Cost of housing has dropped considerably in the past few years - though still higher than Missoula. Not a great place for high paying jobs either. Social scene is better than its size would indicate thanks to the presence of the main campus of Montana State University. Give us a look.

Richard