There are few better places for having the wilds at your fingertips while still being in the eastern part of the Northern Mountains!
Within 1 hour of where you are:
Byers Peak Wilderness
Indian Peaks Wilderness
James Peak Wilderness
Never Summer Wilderness
Ptarmigan Wilderness
Eagles Nest Wilderness
Vasquez Wilderness
Mt. Zirkel Wilderness
Neota Wilderness
Sarvis Creek Wilderness
RMNP
I’m up for some backpacking in Eagles Nest or Indian Peaks.
I’m not sure where you are moving from but you might end up altering your loadout for your new environs.
ETA I’m about 50 min away. I used to work in Grand. Unfortunately the area tends to be populated more by the ATV/snowmobile crowd… but then they aren’t in the park or the wilderness areas.
Your summers will be shorter so take up BC skiing… great terrain around there with Rollins/Jones/Berthoud pass plus you have WP/MJ for a ski area.