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lindsaym
Jan 13, 2004, 1:57 AM
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So, in June I'll be leaving Utah for a new job. Although I can't completely choose where I'll be going, I have some say in the matter. The major contenders right now are Raleigh-Durham, Tucson, Portland, and Denver. I'm a crappy climber but I enjoy it, and I also want good biking and hiking in the area. If you consider the accessibility and quality of an area's outdoor recreation, its weather, relative ease of meeting single people, general "quality of life" issues, and the fact that I'll often be working 80 hours a week, which city is my best option?
And please DON'T reply with "stay in Utah!"
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asaph
Jan 13, 2004, 2:00 AM
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I vote tucson. I've lived there for a good long while and it has everything close by. amazing climbing on mt. lemmon, amazing biking in the area (though i dont know where... my cousin competes and says we have great areas) beautiful hiking etc... and all right around the city
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kyhangdog
Jan 13, 2004, 2:01 AM
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Denver or Tucson. I'd probably lean toward Tucson for all the aforementioned reasons.
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sandbag
Jan 13, 2004, 2:01 AM
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You can come to denver if youre working 80 hours a week, thats cool, youll be on the roads less and out of the way. Otherwise keep you car out of here, we got enough people already...
jk
Denver/front range is a traffic nightmare, due to poor planning, but, its navigable if you get up super early and leave super late. The mountains and the resources rival only California, we just dont have the ocean.
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curt
Jan 13, 2004, 2:04 AM
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In reply to: Denver or Tucson. I'd probably lean toward Tucson for all the aforementioned reasons.
Agreed. I would vote Denver or Tucson as well. Between these, Tucson has much more of a small town feel.
Curt
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ottoman
Jan 13, 2004, 2:14 AM
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nc has mtn.s and the ocean....and prob the best climbing on the east coast
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rrrADAM
Jan 13, 2004, 2:15 AM
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rrrADAM moved this thread from General to Regional Discussions.
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ncclimber
Jan 13, 2004, 2:41 AM
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Where your talking about is a long drive to the mountains and you need to be closer with the type of hours you look like you'll be working
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tucsonnative
Jan 13, 2004, 2:49 AM
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Tucson. Great weather, great rocks. Plenty of recreational opportunities - mountain biking, hiking, etc. within a short drive (or walk depending on where you live). Skiing and scuba diving no more than 6 hours away. The beach is less than 8 hours. Close enough to Joshua Tree for a weekend trip.
Mostly its the weather. I have climbed every Sunday this winter - mostly in tee shirts.
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climbingaz
Jan 13, 2004, 2:55 AM
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Tons of awesome climbing on Mt. Lemon and Cochise Stronghold within an hour of Tucson.
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davidcollins
Jan 13, 2004, 3:40 PM
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I lived in Raleigh for nearly three years. It's a poor climbing destination. The nearest decent roped climbing (Moore's Wall, Sauratown and Pilot Mt) is just beyond a two hour drive. Stone Mt is more than 3hrs and the other areas in western NC are more than 4hrs away. These are almost all trad.The nearest significant well established sport climbing is at the New River Gorge, WV (5hrs drive). There are a few insignificant boulders closer to Raleigh than the roped areas but you will spend a lot of time driving if you want to climb.
I was also told that I would be conveniently located to the mountains and the coast but both are more 2hrs from Raleigh. If you have anything else going on the weekends you'll be hard pressed to enjoy these features of the state.
Try Tucson. It's hot in the summers but Mt Lemmon is less than an hour from downtown and there's a lot of climbing out there.
David Collins
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climbincajun
Jan 14, 2004, 3:43 PM
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Definitely not Tucson. You would not like it.
Denver is a much better choice.
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j_ung
Jan 14, 2004, 3:47 PM
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Yah, if you're moving to NC, you really need to be further west than Raleigh, especially with the hours you'll be working.
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freeclimberchris
Jan 14, 2004, 3:54 PM
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Most of the climbing is in the western half of NC which is a few hours drive from raleigh/Durham And raleigh is a pit but hey if you don't mind the drive move there
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dwm81281
Jan 14, 2004, 4:09 PM
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Having grown up in NC and then moved to Denver...
You definitely have to drive for a while to find good climbing from Raleigh. Although I think the gyms in the Raleigh area are nice if you like that scene. If I had to pick a city in NC to live in, I'd pick Charlotte.
I love Denver. Yeah the traffic sucks and everything seems expensive (coming from Podunk, NC) but gorgeous with a lot of possibilities for climbing, biking, and all sorts of other activities. Its hard to beat the view of the Front Range around sunrise on the drive west into town! (Sunrise being when you have to leave to beat most of the morning traffic.)
Good luck.
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afiveonbelay
Jan 14, 2004, 4:44 PM
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Plus Raleigh-Durham has some terrible traffic congestion.
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flechenbones
Jan 14, 2004, 4:46 PM
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NC is nice but as pointed out, your location will be inconvienent.
Colorado- great but Denver is crowded.
Oregon - I've heard good things but weather?
AZ- great and you won't have to worry about rain spoiling your plans:)
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flamer
Jan 14, 2004, 4:52 PM
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You folks complaining about the traffic in Denver are cracking me up!! We have it so much easier than alot of places! And it's going to get better once T-rex is complete. Any city the size of denver will have bad rush hour traffic, that's just the way it goes.
I would say Tucson and Denver are you're best choices as well. Weather wise they are both nice- although Tucson is extremely hot in the summer. Denver is actually very temperate in the winter, It was in the upper 50's low 60's all last week! Plus you can climb Ice and Alpine stuff. The biking within an hours drive of Denver is top 5 in the country(when you consider quality and quanity). And then there's the snowboarding/skiing.
You want rock? With in 2 hours of Denver there is high quality granite, Sandstone, Gneiss, and Basalt. Trad, Aid, sport, Bouldering. Extend the boundries a touch farther and the opportunities are limitless.
josh
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mother_sheep
Jan 14, 2004, 4:53 PM
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In reply to: You can come to denver if youre working 80 hours a week, thats cool, youll be on the roads less and out of the way. Otherwise keep you car out of here, we got enough people already... jk Denver/front range is a traffic nightmare, due to poor planning, but, its navigable if you get up super early and leave super late. The mountains and the resources rival only California, we just dont have the ocean.
I disagree a little with you here. I live in Centennial (South of Denver). I have to commute through the tech center to downtown and back every day. The traffic is bad and a pain but it's really not that bad. I leave for work at 7:00 and am here via I-25 at 7:30. If there is an accident, then you're talking traffic nightmare. But I wouldn't consider that to be enough of a deterrant to keep you from coming out here. The quality of life far out weighs the daily stresses of traffic and such.
3 years ago I relocated myself and my 2 sons from Louisiana. Scary move for a single mom as Amber can attest to. At that time I was just big into hiking/backpacking. Never imagined that I would EVER climb. I took a job out here making a mere $36k per year and as a single mom, that didn't cut it. It took me about 8 months to negotiate weasle/beg/worm myself into a comfy salary.
17 hours after I rolled into town, boxes were piled everywhere. I could see the mountains from my patio for the first time in my life. I had to go to them. I jumped into my car and headed West and found myself in the middle of the Arapahoe National Forest hiking up to 12,000'. Met my first friend on the trail, who is now one of my best friends and a guy from Czechoslovakia at the ranger station who invited himself on my hike. So we went on the coolest hike and I met 2 really great people.
I'm very happy living out here. Denver is a neat cultural small city surrounded by some amazing peaks and crags to the North and West. Not to mention you are just a roadtrip away from some amaxing climbing in UT and NM. Seems like everything a diversified person/outdoor enthusiast would want is all right here. I think every weekend since I moved here I have done something fun whether it be climbing/backpacking/hiking/city stuff. The summers are the best though! I can ride my bike at lunch and after work get in about 4 hours of climbing!!! Then head up some 14K peaks and or hit the crags on the weekend.
As far as being single here, let's just say that when I moved here, between the mountains and the good looking men, I was a danger on the road. The view for both is great. The night life in Denver too can pretty much satisy just about every taste/desire/flavor. . .I could go on.
Let's just say I really like it here. So my vote is for Denver.
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best_girl_climber_ever
Jan 14, 2004, 4:55 PM
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go to denver! sounds cool! where in utah by the way?
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mother_sheep
Jan 14, 2004, 5:02 PM
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Oh yeah, I almost forgot another cool thing about CO:
mtngeo
amber_chk
flamer
kcrag
reno
pdoidy
skibby
shorty
just_me
wigglestick
and yours truly! :D
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pdoidy
Jan 14, 2004, 5:13 PM
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I made the list!! I made the list!! I made the list!!! Guess I have to climb with you tommorow now huh?
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mother_sheep
Jan 14, 2004, 5:16 PM
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Thread hijack. . .
Damn right you HAVE to climb w/me tomorrow. So is that a YES?
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pdoidy
Jan 14, 2004, 5:18 PM
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O.k if I have to......Email me those directions. So as to avoid a thread hijack my vote is for Denver to. What was the question again?
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bluto
Jan 14, 2004, 5:20 PM
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What kind of work do you do? That is going to make a big difference in which location you should choose. For example, Tucson may be a nice city to live in, but isn't exactly overflowing with skilled positions.
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