Searching for an outdoor community...

I would love some input on where to live next, as I am ready for a change. Things I'm looking for:

1.awesome outdoor community
2.good rock climbing crags nearby (<1 hr drive)
3.indoor rock climbing gym (if can't climb outdoors year-round)
4.lots of sunny days annually
5.population of the city under 100,000

I have been living in Palm Springs for the past year, amazing place as far as weather is concerned, and proximity to JTree is great. BUT, it is seriously lacking an awesome outdoor community by far. Places I've been thinking about moving to include: Bend,OR, Boulder,CO, Durango,CO, Flagstaff,AZ, South Lake Tahoe,CA, Ogden,UT, Cedar City,UT.

Would really love opinions, especially if you live in any of these places. Thanks!

I can only speak for Boulder, but it's pretty much what you are looking for. Also, the used sporting goods selection there is great. The sheer number of people that road bike there is incredible.

Durango might be pretty hard to find work in, but I do like the town as well.

Lived in SLTahoe for a year, community was there but also a lot of younger 'bros' more into the drug/alcohol/party scene. Terrain and climbing is exceptional though.

I now live in Bend, people are very nice, friendly, more my speed. Definitely a good outdoors community. You can pretty much find people into any outdoor sport here. There's world class mtn biking, backpacking, Smith Rock, Bachelor if you ski, etc.

Boulder/Durango would probably be my next choice, CO has everything too. Bend is just a little lower key I think, though probably similar to Durango.

Might want to add Moab, UT to the list.

Edit: noticed you have two other Utah towns so probably don't need to add anything.

I'd look at Saint George instead of Cedar City

I'm a big fan of Boulder but, if you're truly looking for some place that feels like it has a population of less than 100k, it may not be the city to put at the top of your list.

The population of boulder proper is less than that but, at least in my opinion, it feels like a much bigger town by virtue of the neighboring suburbs and the volume of people that head there on the weekends.

But, that being said, it's popular for very good reasons.

I spent last fall in South Lake Tahoe and here is my two cents:

A large part of the crowd there is younger people working at ski resorts, partying, and not giving a shit. There is a heck of a lot of transience in all age groups, which means that the "community" vibe is fairly week. And to top it off, the casino's kind of round out the weird vibe I get from the place. You might want to check out a Truckee. Didn't spend much time up there, but it sounds more your speed. North lake Tahoe is much more of a laid back outdoorsman's community. One thing that can't be beat though is your proximity to Yosemite and the eastern sierras. 2.5 hrs to Tuolumne, 4.5 to the valley, 5 hrs to lone pine. That is some of the biggest climbing in the lower 48.

Troll alert!!!!

Come to Australia!

The only thing that sucks more than Ogden is Primus!

I lived in Ogden, UT for about 10 years it's got alot good things going for it. Not a bad place in my book. If you could find a place near Weber State you would be 5 minutes from the approach to the School Room Wall and St Joes boulder field.

move up the hill

Bend, Oregon.

Dry side of the cascades. Smith Rocks holds a lifetime of sport and plenty of trad. Trout Creek for splitters. Climbable all year long. World class mountain biking. Acceptable skiing 25 minutes away. Awesome community. And low cost of living for such a great town with such great activities. 3 hours to Portland which is a fun town. 45 minutes to a rain forest when you get tired of lthe desert. 4 hours to sandy (and frigid) beaches.

+1 for Bend. Been here since '05 and still loving it, always finding new zones to climb at. Roughest part around here is the job scene, although there are plenty of happily unemployed people loving the outdoor activities here.

Jaren Watson wrote:Consider adding Lander, WY to the list.

I agree to a point. I've spent quite a few days in Lander and haven't noticed much of a community though. To me it seems like it would take longer than other places to become part of the "local family".

Don't get me wrong, I think Lander is one of the best little towns out there. I'd move there tomorrow if my wife would let me.

Chattanooga Tennessee...world class trad, sport and bouldering and world class whitewater kayaking and mountain biking. Can't speak for the community since I've never lived there, but I've always wanted to. Asheville North Carolina is another southeastern sleeper...once again world class trad and bouldering along with world class whitewater kayaking and mountain biking. Plus Asheville is the good beer and brewery capital of the southeast too. Tough to get a quality job in these areas though. Just had to throw the southeast into the mix.

Chattanooga, TN. Southern hospitality and southern cookin!

The community here is great! We have world class bouldering, amazing trad, stellar sport, and a couple fantastic gyms. The community is reasonably sized... there are several climber owned business in the area. Everyone is pretty nice. Within a two hour drive you have more awesome sport and awesome bouldering, two metropolis (ATL and Nashville). Within 6 you have the New River and the Red. There is somuch potential here and there are a handful of local spots. I encourage anyone to come join us, unless you're a dbag.

Good luck finding the best place for you!

Brad Caldwell wrote:Chattanooga Tennessee...world class trad, sport and bouldering and world class whitewater kayaking and mountain biking. Can't speak for the community since I've never lived there, but I've always wanted to. Asheville North Carolina is another southeastern sleeper...once again world class trad and bouldering along with world class whitewater kayaking and mountain biking. Plus Asheville is the good beer and brewery capital of the southeast too. Tough to get a quality job in these areas though. Just had to throw the southeast into the mix.

I did forget to mention the amazing kayaking and biking. We also have several fantastic breweries, but not at the magnitude of Asheville. Do realize that it will be harder to find a quality job in the south but the cost of living is relatively low and there are plenty of quality, lower cost housing opportunities outside the city limits. See Red bank, Soddy daisy, Hixson, Lupton City, St. Elmo. If you have any questions PM me or just respond to the thread.

Yeah there are a lot of flat-billed baseball cap wearers here, but in general I don't find them to be any sort of a bother. There are also a fair amount of people who have lived here a long time and have created a nice life for themselves and their families. Many of them ski, climb, mt. bike, etc. We rent a large 3 bedroom house with a yard with hiking and nordic skiing out the back door for a reasonable price. The trails around SLT are basically vacant once you get .1 of a mile from the trailhead and there are probably hundreds of miles of them for running, biking and hiking.

Honestly, I don't know why everyone flocks to Truckee. Sure it's a cutesy mountain town and all, but IMHO, the skiing and climbing around the South Shore is magnitudes better, has fewer crowds and has more options. (Note: I'm primarily a backcountry skier, and I'm aware Squaw is on the north shore). Employment is difficult, you'll need to bring your own job with or have something special to offer.

If you live on the west end of town you never realize the casinos are there until a band you like or Banff film fest comes through town and you actually make your way east of the college. Oh, the community college here is also a nice perk. They offer tons of classes with quality instruction, including a pretty cool wilderness ed program and I've found the college is a bit of a nucleus for the community. If what you really want is a gentrified mountain town, don't move here.

I was in Bend last week and I wish I would have had a local show me around or something. It kind of struck me as slightly geriatric and not as cool as I always pictured it. Although Smith is SICK. Lots of people live there and like it so it must have a lot going on. I got the feeling it's a very cycling centric town. Lots of biking to be had around there with lots of trails and lots of empty roads.

Still couldn't pay me a million $ to live east of the Mississippi again save for a few spots in New England.
Good luck, lots of options.