Best location to live (Live to hike !)

[Puppy]

What would be the best state/area to live in....for the access to great hiking very close by, (and hopefully some snowboarding too within a couple hours drive)...not interested in a big city - I like a smaller population.

I decided am going to move to live where I can do the stuff I like to do easily - I like the NC mountains and Southern Utah - but would like to know of any great areas I could consider. Thanks !

Puppy

[NICKTHEGREEK]

What would be the best state/area to live in....for the access to great hiking very close by, (and hopefully some snowboarding too within a couple hours drive)...not interested in a big city - I like a smaller population.

I decided am going to move to live where I can do the stuff I like to do easily - I like the NC mountains and Southern Utah - but would like to know of any great areas I could consider. Thanks !

Puppy

Flagstaff AZ, altitude, snow, Grand Canyon, Sedona and the Coconino NF.

[DapperD]

What would be the best state/area to live in....for the access to great hiking very close by, (and hopefully some snowboarding too within a couple hours drive)...not interested in a big city - I like a smaller population.

I decided am going to move to live where I can do the stuff I like to do easily - I like the NC mountains and Southern Utah - but would like to know of any great areas I could consider. Thanks !

Puppy

I would have to say Colorado. Believe it to have won the fittest state "award",and that speaks for itself. Also it has some of the most rugged,coolest, and I believe the most states bordering it. But if you want the ultimate, I would have to say Alaska!

[Lone Wolf]

Damascus, Virginia

[mts4602]

Boulder Colorado..

I want to move there myself.

[A-Train]

Boulder CO, Burlington VT, Lake Placid NY, Asheville NC, Big Bear CA, Ashland OR.

Really any place in the mountains will have hiking and provide some skiing/snowboarding. If you're looking for smaller more rural places, there are tons and tons. Aren't all small mountain towns the same anyway,

[Lone Wolf]

Damascus, Virginia

or Jay, Vermont

[Mrs Baggins]

Lived in Denver CO for 3 long years - - 9 months of winter, and please, spare me the outcry of "not true!" I lived it. It can easily start snowing in September and still be snowing in June. And then there are the 70 mph sustained winds across the high prairie. Boulder is extremely socialist and controlling. And the Rainbow family arrives every year to take over Pearl Street Mall. Yes, it can be beautiful.........but you won't be hiking anywhere til mid-late June after the snow melts and you'll be done hiking after the first heavy snowfall in the Rockies - anywhere from mid-September to late October.

Flagstaff AZ - lived down in Phoenix for 3 years. We really liked both Flagstaff and Prescott. Lots of great hiking and decent skiing/snowboarding. And when you're sick of the cold you can escape south to soak up some sun and heat even in mid-Winter. Of course, you'll have to dodge the 1000's of 90 yr old Snowbirds that show up there in their brand new Caddies (poor fixed income seniors you know).

Maryland and Virginia - my vote goes here. Lived in Maryland for 7 years and now we're moving to northern Virginia. Endless hiking possibilities and there are ski/snowboard slopes nearby. Winters generally don't really set in til late November and are over by mid-March. NOTHING like the deep cold of Colorado -- not even close. And Colorado is subject to tornadoes and some spectacular hail storms. Just look at the cars in Boulder - - they look like they were attacked with ball peen hammers. Once watched a tornado come through downtown Boulder at mid-day and finally touch down in a lake just outside of town. People were running and screaming like a 50's horror flick. But it was 1998.

[Montana Mac]

Cooke City, Montana

Small town: approx year round population is 77 people.
Altitude: 7,600 feet
Hiking: YNP - Beartooth Mountains
Winter time: Snowboarding wherever you want
Demographics: Cooke City is a "younger crowd" town
Work: Most places are looking for help - most business is tourist orientated - ie, restaurants, motels
Drinking: Yes, especially after spending a day boarding
Hooking up: If you are a gal you are outnumbered by the guys.

Winter and summer brings a lot of tourists - spring and fall are the "dead" times of year

[Jim Adams]

Monson, Me.

geek

[Kirby]

Bethel, Maine.

Gorham, NH.

Rangeley, Maine.

Lincoln, NH.

Boone, NC. Not sure what the skiing is like, but it sits in the Appalachians. Home of Appalachian State University.

A little more upscale would be Hanover, NH.

I know people who live in Boulder, they love it.

Kirby

[fiddlehead]

Salt Lake City

[fiddlehead]

Or Interlaken, Switzerland if you can afford it

[TwistedToad]

north east TN is a great place!

[rlharris]

I wouldn't include Lincoln, NH, in the list. There are small, less expensive, more livable towns in the area that have equally good access to hiking, snowshoeing, and snowboarding areas. Among other downsides to Lincoln, it usually has the highest gasoline prices in the state

Bethel, Maine.

Gorham, NH.

Rangeley, Maine.

Lincoln, NH.

Boone, NC. Not sure what the skiing is like, but it sits in the Appalachians. Home of Appalachian State University.

A little more upscale would be Hanover, NH.

I know people who live in Boulder, they love it.

Kirby

[Roots]

Brevard, NC

*30 minutes from Asheville
*5 miles from Pisgah National Forest
*Land of over 250 waterfalls
*at least 5 state parks around area
*Just a great little town!

[taildragger]

Missoula Montana (plus the have great beer!!!)

Spokane WA, if you're willing to put up with Spokane

Logan UT

Silver City, NM

Flagstaff, AZ

Durango, CO (by far the coolest city I've listed )

Anywhere in Wyoming

Seattle WA (on the outskirts would be cool)

Hood River, OR

[Jah]

This thread has me thinking I want to move to Flagstaff.

[Serial 07]

my vote is for vermont...

[Jah]

I went to college in Burlington, and while a very fun place, the college atmosphere that dominates the area gets old.