# Bozeman, Portland/Corvallis, Boise - good places to live?



## Yonder_River (Feb 6, 2004)

Bozeman is a great town- I lived there for about 5 years until last summer. If you have job potential there, that is good since decent jobs are hard to come by. You don't make a whole lot, but the cost of living is cheap except for the price of housing which is skyrocketing (Lots of people are moving there). That being said, I hope to return sometime in the future when it is realistic. There is a great sense of community there, super friendly people, great outdoor scene, lots of professional atheletes (kind of like Boulder, but not as pc). 
Recreation wise, you have the Gallatin 30 minutes away with 8 miles of III/IV plus plenty of other stuff nearby (see Montana Surf). Skiing is 20 minutes away at Bridger or 1 hour to Big Sky (it was pretty easy to get at least 50 ski days in a season). Averages btw 350 and 400 inches a year with terrain that is comparable to the steeps of southern Colorado. Great ice climbing in Hyalite and plenty of rock climbing within 30 minutes of town. Mountain biking and hiking trails 10 minutes from town and, of course, world class fly fishing all over the place. 
It's pretty easy, as with any smaller town, to meet people. If your female, don't worry about the dating scene- it's skewed in your favor. The college definitley helps out balancing the ratio though. If you have any more questions, let me know- I'd be happy to help. 
-Dave


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## Id725 (Nov 22, 2003)

Hi, Mountainbuns.

Just from what I've seen on this site, you're a better boater and you'll want more boating than what the Bozeman guy lists.
Think Boise.
Amazing paddling - everything you could want within one hour, and some stuff right in town.
But within one hour are fabulous class 4 runs, nice class 3's and a quintessential Idaho class 5 run (N. fork of the Payette).
Plus within three or four hours are all the great Salmon River runs, Hells Canyon, not toooo far from the Lochsa/Selway area ....
Great park and play nearby, though Idaho does not have the developed play parks Colorado has (I see this as a plus). You'll want the Bliss Wave on the Snake r. (runs 365 a year, 45 minutes from Boise), look for Climax on the Main Payette near (I think Horeshoe Bend), the South Fork (Payette) Play Wave, etc....
Boise is a good-sized city with a great social scene and lots of outdoors folks. Find Idaho River Sports downtown, and that's a great neighborhood to live in. (Called Hyde Park, or something like that? Something Park)
For skiing, Sun Valley is a couple of hours away and it's world-class. There are also decent, smaller resorts nearby.
I'd be in Boise now if it had a better newspaper to work for.
If boating is a higher priority than skiing, Boise is the place.
My 2 cents.
-Mike
Good luck, and tell us where you land.


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## Dude (Jul 1, 2004)

Move to Boise. We have an eight month paddling season right here. Class I to Big water class V. Mountain biking/climbing 365 days a year. Skiing within 45 min. Great size town. Real cool people. Great boating community. I think you won't have a hard time meeting dateable (sp?) people. I have a buddy who would love to meet you. He actually moved here because he made a similar post 2 yrs ago and I answered it. We later met in the river and made the connection. It's a great story. College, great weather,...Blah, Blah...email me if you want more info.


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## mattyb (Oct 31, 2003)

*the front range is not all CO has to offer*

The Roaring Fork Valley is a a heck of a lot more than Aspen. Lots of small to mid-size locally-owned business. Rivers, 4 ski mountains, 4 towns+ , world-class art, culture and food. It's not cheap but if you love someplace, you can make it work. Oh, but wait, we ran out room. Sorry, nevermind...


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## Ken Vanatta (May 29, 2004)

*Mountainbuns, move to salida!*

Outside mag ranked us in top 20 places to live. Yah, it's not Aspain, thank goodness, but it's a great place. And, I'm here. The weather is always great. Let's see... I can boat class III-VI within twenty minutes to two hours from home, can rodeo in the play park two minutes from home, ski 25 minutes from home, rock climb 5.9 and up within 20 minutes from home, mountain bike and dirt bike from my house and all across the Continetal Divide, swim, fish, hike , camp, hunt, hang glide, drink beer, dance, and breath clean air ... everyday. How about a date this weekend or next? Come enjoy the Banana Belt Mountain Bike race this weekend. Cheers!


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## mattyb (Oct 31, 2003)

*oh yeah I forgot...*

1 1/2 from Crested Butte and 1+hr from Salida when the passes are open and when they're not, you want to be here anyway. 3 1/2 from Moab, 1 1/2 from Vail , Copper, etc. We also have a little here that runs all year called the CO. I'm gushing sorry and I don't live in Aspen.


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## mountainbuns (Feb 19, 2004)

You guys are great, thanks for all the input! I've got an application in for Bozeman now, if I get an interview guess I'll have to check out the paddling options firsthand. Just missed a deadline for a boise job, damn, b/c it sounds like an awesome place. I'll be keeping my eyes open there. I'd move to the Ark or Roaring Fork Valley definitely, just not as many job options, uh, unless i find my sugar daddy there and don't need a real job :wink: Keep me in mind if you hear of opportunities in any of these places (I'm in fisheries/water quality research). I'm gonna keep your emails in case i get out to any of these places to look. Thanks again, I'm excited to check out all these options now!!


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## cosurfgod (Oct 10, 2003)

I keep hearing this 8 months of paddling a year in Boise, Idaho. I have not been to Boise but I find this very hard to believe. So you don't paddle in January and February. Are you telling me there is good kayaking in December and March? Come one. :roll: I can paddle the Animas all winter but I would not say I have year round paddleing. I have to go to the Salt in AZ for March boating which makes sense, but Idaho? Lets see a pic of that sweet Nov/Dec or early spring boatin'.


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## climbaks (Sep 10, 2004)

*Paddling in Idaho? There no stinking whitewater in Idaho!*

Come on? .. Sounds like you think were a bit delusional up here in spudsville. I lived in CO last year and believe that the quality of the paddling may be better there overall, but the season is short in comparison. We typically dont paddle November through February. However, there were some folks that were running the North Fork of the Payette regularly through some of the "off" months this past year. My first run of the year on the NF was probably in early March and I ran it this weekend at a solid flow and will likely run it into October (granting that the farmers dont cut it off). NFKA


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## Livingston (Jan 8, 2004)

Claire, look what you've done. You should know better than to bring up dating on a forum like this. Most of us kayakers only use our computers to "alt-tab" between mountainbuzz and porn all day. You really got "comathgod" flustered.

Anyway, sad to hear you are lookin to leave the front range. We are all sure you will do fine wherever you land. Be sure get a place with extra floorspace and post an update so we know where to plan our next extended w/e.

-d


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## cosurfgod (Oct 10, 2003)

Comathgod....Ok I deserve that. I like that one. My bad, but someone has to agree that Idaho is freakin cold. I have a good friend from Sand Point, Idaho and he decribes the weather in Idaho as cold and dreary 8 months a year. I was in Idaho in February this year and it didn't fell like paddleing was right around that corner. 




PS- I'm just bitter I'm not surfing. :x


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## mitgreer (Oct 22, 2003)

Hey Claire

If you decide on Bozeman or Montana, I'm moving from Leadville to Jackson Hole. Lets do some skiing this winter.

Good Luck to you

Tim


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## mitgreer (Oct 22, 2003)

Ooopps! I mean Bozeman or Idaho.

Take Care Claire

Tim


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## mountainbuns (Feb 19, 2004)

I've paddled in Idaho mid-february and it was fun (Malad Gorge and Snake R)... a bit chilly but no different from winter (or summer for that matter) paddling in Washington state. Cosurfgod your picture proof is at photos.yahoo.com/xyztimber go to the kayaking album and find the "Malad River" picture- i don't know how to post it on the message. That's a very short but fun little run and you can then hit a good play wave just downstream on the Snake the same day (i think that's the Bliss Wave?). The photos in that album from Maine were in March... you want freaking COLD go paddle Maine in March. Horribly cold! 

Livingston... I for sure will keep y'all posted and will definitely have LOTS of floorspace and open doors for my CO buds wherever I end up. Who knows, I could end up staying in CO,... just feeling out the options and the options are feeling good! 

Tim definitely stay in touch about where you end up. Holy cow is it time to think skiing already?!

Thanks again for the info!!!


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## Dude (Jul 1, 2004)

Just a friendly response here...The solid eight month season in central to southern ID months include March thru Oct. This is because there are things that run early here and then we have a killer dam release in the NF Payette. If the res has a bit too much water the releases will start as early as March. There are waterfalls and Big volume surf waves in the Snake drainage that run all year long. This is sort of a Bannana belt area and on a sunny day it can be very comfy down there. So, really, eight months is the high quality part of the season. In reality it's year round.


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## progers (Jan 27, 2004)

*Bozeman is the shit*

I moved here about 3 weeks ago, and love it. The town is great, I'm from steamboat spgs, and it remindes me of it alot. The only things is that it's bigger and better. Kayaking all over the place, if you have ever watched a tgr film, so much footage is from the bozeman area. buy the montana surf book, and then you'll be sold. Big sky is steep, and big. Bridger is fun, but small. The people here are diverse, so you'll meet anyone. It's a big town with a small town feel.


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## Livingston (Jan 8, 2004)

One more plug for Idaho, me and some friends were up there on the Payettes two 4th of Julys ago. The NF of the Payette was 78 degrees!

Sorry Cosurfgod, couldn't help myself, glad you were a good sport.

-d


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## dvanhouten (Dec 29, 2003)

*Bozeman*

Claire,

There is some pretty quality boating near Bozeman, just not sure what the quality of afterwork boating is on the Gallatin as I have never been on it. I've done several weekend trips north for the Beatrap (30 minutes from Bozeman) and Quake Lake, both on the Madison. These both have flow year-round. East of Bozeman are some great run-off rivers, Hell's Canyon of the Boulder (IV+-V), some great play. If you haven't already, pick up a copy of Montana Surf. I've been thinking of another trip to the Madison this fall--if you're headed this way, let me know. Skiing at Bridger and Big Sky is awesome!

Doug


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## Arn (Nov 8, 2003)

*Off subject*

Claire,
Sorry for interupting your thread, but could you email your fishery/whitewater park paper to me at [email protected]. I need it for a new drop I am pursuing.
Arn


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## MBK (Apr 6, 2004)

Hey mountainbuns,

I thought it might help to get a female persective. I lived in Montana (Missoula) for 7 years and I absolutely loved it. Bozeman is an awesome place too. The only reason that my husband and I aren't back there is that good jobs are hard to come by and the cost of housing is high. But if I had a good job opportunity I would move back to Montana is a heartbeat!!! The boating around Bozeman is great and the boating in Missoula (5hrs) is also great. Here are other perks: Yellowstone Nat'l Park is practicly your back yard, there is awsome skiing and riding all over the area. The hiking, backpacking, snowshoeing, etc. is fantastic! Everyone is really nice and the women totally out number the men. So, if you are looking to date you will have the upper hand. 
I have heard good things about Boise too but I just know that I left part of my heart in Montana. Oh, the Lochsa is a 2 hour drive over Lolo pass from Missoula. There is also Glacier Nat'l park in Montana, which is 3 hours North of Missoula, not sure how far the drive is from Bozeman. 
Anyway, good luck,
MBK


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## Montana Manker (Jun 22, 2004)

Most of it has already been said about Bozeman. All in all it can't be beat. Plus...........its SNOWING THIS MORNING!!!!!!!!


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