Where would you live?

[Sarah Kirkconnell]

Kathleen, I am jealous!

[Denis Hazlewood]

Central California: Lost Coast, four hours; Mount Shasta, five hours; Northern Sierra, three hours. No snow unless I want to see it. And… The Governator is termed out.

[Gerry Volpe]

I must back Ryan on this one Central Vt is a great place to be. Very central for outdoor activities with excellent social/cultural opportuntities for such a rural area. I do love the wilderness factor of the Western Maine mountains and the Baxter area but its tough to make a living and a long drive from anywhere.

This opinion of course is limited the area to the northeast as I consider it home. Going by pure staggering majesty of landscape, wilderness acreage, and trail miles we just cant compete with the many western gems.

[Ken Thompson]

Near an airport.

[Jim W.]

I mentioned Inyo County, CA with "-Four epic 20 mile hikes with around 10,000 feet difference from base to summit. (Owens Valley floor to Whitney, Williamson, and White Mtn plus Badwater to Telescope Peak)"

Tom said:
"Which route gets you up and down Williamson in 20 miles? George Creek? Or?
Actually, Seattle is my second choice. If I could talk my wife into it, I'd be in Bishop yesterday. Dave T had me pegged."

I wasn't thinking round trip for these hikes, but Williamson via Williamson Creek is incredibly direct.

Back to the subject at hand- Depends on how big a city you need to ply your trade, but San Francisco has a lot going for it. If you like the desert, LA is well situated with deserts, mountains, and ocean close. Plus plane flights to anywhere.

Worldwide though… if I had no roots it would be hard to decide.

[Dean F.]

I lived in the Puget Sound area for five years and agree- candyshop. Unfortunately I was a resident at the time and couldn't get out much. But you have forests, mountains, and the ocean all readily available, including several outstanding parks and wilderness areas. I took up sea kayaking. The region is pretty friendly to folks engaged in outdoor pursuits- even if you hate hiking if you move to Seattle it is mandatory that you take it up. I think it's a clause in the lease agreements, or something. Also, flights to Alaska are cheap. GREAT skiing, too. Whistler-Blackcomb is an easy drive, and possibly the best skiing in North America. (It consistently ranks #1 or #2 in all the skiing magazines.)

So, if you can't live in Bozeman or somewhere else a bit off the beaten trail, the SeaTac corridor is probably the best LARGE metro area I can come up with. And, since you work in computers there is the nest of the antichrist- Redmond.

At one point I toyed with the idea of retiring to Sequim. It's in the rainshadow of the Olympics so it isn't quite as rainy as the rest of the area. And I LOVE the Olympic peninsula.

Anywhere in the Front Range corridor probably works: Pueblo, Colorado Springs, Denver, Boulder, Cheyenne. I am now in Colorado Springs, so I guess in general I've had good luck with my postings. The problem with Denver proper is that so many people in the area hike that the closer dayhikes can get annoyingly crowded on summer weekends. So, I guess I'd pick elsewhere in the Front Range, ideally. Boulder is VERY nice, allowing easy access to hikes a bit too far north for the Denver weekend hordes.

Hawaii? I lived there about three months, once. The hikes are short, but spectacular. And, obviously, there are other attractions. The Na Pali Coast is on my life list, as is hiking Haleakala from the summit to the sea. (There is a route, but it crosses a short bit of private ranch.) Someday I'm going to figure a fun route in Volcanoes NP or elsewhere on the Big Island, too. Bonus- military members and retirees can rent cabins right in the park, at Kilauea Military Camp. It's an MWR facility about 200 meters from the lip of the caldera.

I truly don't understand all of the people who say they couldn't live in Hawaii because they'd get "island fever." I think they are all insane. I could live there happily.

I could name many more, but these are the only ones with which I'm very familiar.

And, I have to agree- you live in QUEENSTOWN and it's not good enough? What gives?

[Miguel Arboleda]

Hey Guys, how about some places besides the States? Adrian did ask about cities around the world.

[James Patsalides]

Somebody mentioned Connecticut, and I have to agree! Connecticut is pretty good if you're a hiker and an IT guy… in that you have:

1. Major financial services commercial zones – therefore lots of solid (if a little dull) IT opportunities
2. Two hours by train or car to Boston or New York City (more exciting opportunities)
3. Nice suburbs with good public school systems located around Hartford, some of the top universities in the world right here in the state (Yale, Wesleyan, …), a great state university system with many campuses
4. A brand new urban/suburban trail system (the east coast greenaway), which winds through many of the smaller cities and towns… almost complete throughout the state
5. An historic network of "blue blazed" hiking trails (maintained by the Conn Forest & Park Association), mostly stays away from heavily built up areas, but has some gorgeous ridge hikes and country walking
6. An excellent, well maintained and supported state park system (although no national parks except this little piece of #7 below)
7. A few sections of the Apalachian Trail
8. Easy driving to Whites, Greens, Vermont Long Trail, Adirondacks, Presidentials, …
9. Nice public beaches, many with hiking trails
10. Manageable provincial airport (BDL) has direct links to major cities around the US, plus a few international routes – you can be in Montana, Colorado in 5 hours, California or Texas in 8 or so
11. "European" style politics, very pragmatic and centrist (right wingers have been heard using "Connecticut Republican" as an insult!), I feel quite at home here as a British Social Democrat, but have many conservative friends who are right at home here too

Downsides?
1. Well, it is a bit dull in Connecticut. Lots of insurance people live & work here.
2. It can be a little expensive (but generally higher professional salaries make up for that – has the highest per-capita income in the US).
3. The state itself is NOT very high in terms of altitude, I think the highest point is <3,000ft.
4. People think it is dull, so be prepared for "why did you want to live THERE???"…

Just my 2cs. I think this is a great place to live.

Peace, James.

[Keith Selbo]

Punta Arenas

[David Neumann]

I can't imagine living in the east…sorry. I'll take a relatively unpopulated state with lots of mountains and rivers, like Idaho. But we would prefer that nobody actually move here.

[Walter Carrington]

Vermont is tempting. I like Brattleboro, VT and Amherst MA, both are close to hiking and are interesting communities.

Where I live now is a couple of hours to the White and Green Mountains and has lots of nice local hiking and xc skiing. In a year, when the commuter rail is upgraded, I'll be an hour by train to Boston.

Other places that would be tempting if I wanted to move would be Huaraz, Peru in the Cordillera Blanca (but what would you do for a job) and Colorado.

My family and roots are in New England, so I'll stay here.

[BlackHatGuy]

"Hey Guys, how about some places besides the States? Adrian did ask about cities around the world."

I've only backpacked in the States, so can't comment on other places. That's why you're here! ;-)

[Ian White]

It's not a very populated area, but I think that Northern California and Southern Oregon boast a lot of wilderness opportunities. It is surrounded by National Forests and Wilderness areas. From where I live I can be at Mt. Shasta, the Trinity Alps, Mt Lassen, the Marble Mountains, and the Sierras in an hour to an hour and a half. And Redwood NP is only a few hours away. Plus there is lots of sunshine year round, living is cheap, and it's only actually cold in Mt. Shasta.

However, unemployment is high and the largest population centers, Medford Ore. and Redding Ca. have only about 100k people in them. This does mean less people using the wilderness.

[Anonymous]

I would like to put a little cabin on that hill back there and stare at my view of the ocean :)

[Dean F.]

Wait!

Portland, Oregon.

Similar advantages to the Puget Sound region, but a smaller, friendlier city. The Columbia River system is easily accessable, the Cascades, the Cascade volcanoes (I climbed Mt Adams once), the Pacific Ocean, etc. And, like Idaho, Oregon is determined to remain a low-population state. I LOVED Portland, and toyed with the idea of retiring there, too. (Yet again my wife- who hates PNW weather- nixed it.)

Or, consider Bend. If you are more nautically minded, Cannon Beach or Astoria.

[Mary D]

And, as I mentioned quite a few posts back, Portland is a lot closer than Seattle to a real ocean beach (with sand and waves). There's lots of great hiking over there, too, year-around.

[Lynn Tramper]

Adrian, perhaps you could tell us what you are looking for (that you can't get on the South Island of New Zealand)? I mean, Europe has a lot going for it if you like lots of people, and huts and restaurants and quick access to towns and cities along the way. Do you need to have a job, and if so what kind? A lot of kiwis live and work in London and just fly to Europe on really cheap fares. If you want to get away from the maddening crowds, Canada is a good bet. Does it need to be an English speaking country? If not, South America has a lot of natural beauty. Do you want snow in winter, or something more tropical? Is tramping your main activity, or is mountaineering and ski-touring important too? tell us a bit more about what you are looking for in your perfect city/town.

[Author]

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