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Try Weiser Idaho. It has a fiddlers' music festival each year that is the National Competition, so you know it will be rustic. Shopping wants you might want to try closer to Boise. Clarkston and Lewiston are north, but honey, when it comes to Idaho you have 3 towns. CDA up towards Canada, Idaho Falls/Twin Falls area down to the south, and Boise. That is not a highly populated state. The towns that are in Idaho are pretty small. You ought to do that satellite google of the state that gives you a birds eye view to see what it is. Wyoming is cattle ranches, National Park, some sheep ranches, and cattle ranches. I think there are two big cities- Billings and ... maybe that's it. Wyoming is flat, good for cattle ranching. Idaho is home to Sawtooth Mountain range, but the valleys have really good farming soil. Wyoming is part of the Rockies. Then it just goes flat all the way east to the Great Lakes. It is very dry in Idaho, the air, too. You want shopping in less than 2 hours, maybe there is something around Billings. Idaho has shopping in Twin Falls, Idaho Falls, CDA, Nampa, Boise, Lewiston. Walmart and Target shopping. Snake River isn't that humid or buggy, are you sure you didn't wander into the Gorge area? Oregon is wet. All the time. So is South WA. up the coast to Seattle. Actually up to Canada.
Last edited by workingonit; 10-01-2013 at 08:49 PM..
Reason: Page 1 Moving again 2012 reply
Try Weiser Idaho. It has a fiddlers' music festival each year that is the National Competition, so you know it will be rustic. Shopping wants you might want to try closer to Boise. Clarkston and Lewiston are north, but honey, when it comes to Idaho you have 3 towns. CDA up towards Canada, Idaho Falls/Twin Falls area down to the south, and Boise. That is not a highly populated state. The towns that are in Idaho are pretty small. You ought to do that satellite google of the state that gives you a birds eye view to see what it is. Wyoming is cattle ranches, National Park, some sheep ranches, and cattle ranches. I think there are two big cities- Billings and ... maybe that's it. Wyoming is flat, good for cattle ranching. Idaho is home to Sawtooth Mountain range, but the valleys have really good farming soil. Wyoming is part of the Rockies. Then it just goes flat all the way east to the Great Lakes. It is very dry in Idaho, the air, too. You want shopping in less than 2 hours, maybe there is something around Billings. Idaho has shopping in Twin Falls, Idaho Falls, CDA, Nampa, Boise, Lewiston. Walmart and Target shopping. Snake River isn't that humid or buggy, are you sure you didn't wander into the Gorge area? Oregon is wet. All the time. So is South WA. up the coast to Seattle. Actually up to Canada.
Billings as in Billings,MT?
I think the largest WY cities still are Cheyenne and Casper, both more in in southeastern WY closer to NE and CO. But I will leave WY info to WY thread as I don't know much except Jackson.
I too am trying to choose between Western Wyoming ( I prefer mountains/forests over flat plains) and SE ID. My pros for ID is all the outdoor things to to do in a relatively short distance; remote, smaller towns, but not too remote. My concerns is all the reports on the wind. Like how bad are we talking? Chicago windy city blowy blow all the time Wisconsin artic tundra wind? Or occasional? I am also an agnostic; so reading a lot of LDS and Mormons not being friendly to outsiders is a bit disconcerting. I am in my early 40s, single and would like to eventually find a nice outdoorsy gal; but unsure of the dating scene. I know it will be pretty non existent in WY due to the remoteness of the towns.
I've seen a lot of comments regarding costs. WY has no state income tax; ID is 6%; thats a decent cost decrease right there and WY sales tax is also a tad bit lower. Those were my two biggest positives for WY.
I currently have lived in Phoenix for the past 18 years and just getting sick of the heat and all the Californians! Getting way to crowded. I was born and raised in WI and lived there for 30 years. The winters were very brutal at times and miserable. Just cold and miserable with little snow. I am not looking to get back to extreme cold, brutal miserable winters, but enjoyable, above 20/30ish degrees and at least i can go out and play in the snow via hiking/snowshoeing and snowmobiling. I'm pretty big into the outdoors and love to backpack, canyon, hike, WW raft and mountain bike.
I am currently focusing my search in the ID falls area and Pocatello (because of the mountains). Both look like very nice areas to live; and just big enough to have all the amenities, but small enough to still feel like a community.
I too am trying to choose between Western Wyoming ( I prefer mountains/forests over flat plains) and SE ID. My pros for ID is all the outdoor things to to do in a relatively short distance; remote, smaller towns, but not too remote. My concerns is all the reports on the wind. Like how bad are we talking? Chicago windy city blowy blow all the time Wisconsin artic tundra wind? Or occasional? I am also an agnostic; so reading a lot of LDS and Mormons not being friendly to outsiders is a bit disconcerting. I am in my early 40s, single and would like to eventually find a nice outdoorsy gal; but unsure of the dating scene. I know it will be pretty non existent in WY due to the remoteness of the towns.
I've seen a lot of comments regarding costs. WY has no state income tax; ID is 6%; thats a decent cost decrease right there and WY sales tax is also a tad bit lower. Those were my two biggest positives for WY.
I currently have lived in Phoenix for the past 18 years and just getting sick of the heat and all the Californians! Getting way to crowded. I was born and raised in WI and lived there for 30 years. The winters were very brutal at times and miserable. Just cold and miserable with little snow. I am not looking to get back to extreme cold, brutal miserable winters, but enjoyable, above 20/30ish degrees and at least i can go out and play in the snow via hiking/snowshoeing and snowmobiling. I'm pretty big into the outdoors and love to backpack, canyon, hike, WW raft and mountain bike.
I am currently focusing my search in the ID falls area and Pocatello (because of the mountains). Both look like very nice areas to live; and just big enough to have all the amenities, but small enough to still feel like a community.
Western Wyoming has a lot of LDS members too. They rely on SE Idaho for their cultural fix.
I dont care really who is what as far as religion; to each their own. You be you, I'll be me. Lets have a beer (ohwait, gingerale) together and be buds. Most outdoor adventures are just more fun with people
I too am trying to choose between Western Wyoming ( I prefer mountains/forests over flat plains) and SE ID. My pros for ID is all the outdoor things to to do in a relatively short distance; remote, smaller towns, but not too remote. My concerns is all the reports on the wind. Like how bad are we talking? Chicago windy city blowy blow all the time Wisconsin artic tundra wind? Or occasional? I am also an agnostic; so reading a lot of LDS and Mormons not being friendly to outsiders is a bit disconcerting. I am in my early 40s, single and would like to eventually find a nice outdoorsy gal; but unsure of the dating scene. I know it will be pretty non existent in WY due to the remoteness of the towns.
I've seen a lot of comments regarding costs. WY has no state income tax; ID is 6%; thats a decent cost decrease right there and WY sales tax is also a tad bit lower. Those were my two biggest positives for WY.
I currently have lived in Phoenix for the past 18 years and just getting sick of the heat and all the Californians! Getting way to crowded. I was born and raised in WI and lived there for 30 years. The winters were very brutal at times and miserable. Just cold and miserable with little snow. I am not looking to get back to extreme cold, brutal miserable winters, but enjoyable, above 20/30ish degrees and at least i can go out and play in the snow via hiking/snowshoeing and snowmobiling. I'm pretty big into the outdoors and love to backpack, canyon, hike, WW raft and mountain bike.
I am currently focusing my search in the ID falls area and Pocatello (because of the mountains). Both look like very nice areas to live; and just big enough to have all the amenities, but small enough to still feel like a community.
Read this over several times. The desire to be close to the mountains and outdoor activities points to western WY. If you are in Dubois, Star Valley, or Pinedale, you are right there. But Dubois and Pinedale are pretty remote. Star Valley is not so much so.
Pinedale is going to be colder than WI unless you were up in the Superior area, but it wil be drier. But temps are very cold there; Sublette county competes with International Falls MN for being the coldest any day in the winter in the lower 48. Dubois will be less so. Star Valley is the most snowy of them all. All these places are going to be driy climate areas so that helps the cold flee less penetrating.
For being near town, then IF or Pocatello are much more populous, and the interstates are right there. Snowmobiling is best around Dubois (Togwotee Pass) and up in NE ID in the Island Park area. The Salt River and Wyoming Ranges east of Start Valley have some trails too. There are a few trails in the Caribou-Targhee NF east of IF but not as many. Snowshoeing would be good where the snowmobiling is good.
For nearby backpacking, Dubois wins, IMHO. The Wind River Range and the Absorka's are right there. But, really, you can drive easily from any of these towns and get to some good trail areas. And the roads are kept pretty clear all winter long, so you can get to the snowier areas from IF.
WW rafting? IDK in that region.
IF sets in a flat area... You can see the mountains but you are not 'in' them by any means. In increasing order of being more 'in' the mountains would be Pinedale, then Poky, Star Valley, and Dubois leading the pack.
On the Idaho side, you need to consider Driggs ID, in the Teton Valley of ID. It is growing and might just be a good place for you to look. It is right in the middle of this patch of country, has mountains on either side of a fairly flat valley, decent shopping and town size, and not very far from the 'big' town in the region, IF.
BTW, the wind in ID is less so than over in western WY. Western WY is not as bad as eastern, SE and south central WY for winds in the winter but the forecasters love to use the word 'breezy' a LOT LOL. Star Valley is a north/south valley the does not get nearly as much wind; it is similar to Jackson in that regard. IDK what part of WI you grew up in, but I did live in northern IN for a few years and the wind never stopped; that 'constant-ness' of the midwestern winds was more bothersome to me than stronger winds that will stop on some days.
FYI< we just ended a 4 year search in that region and settled on Dubois WY. We like being 'in' the mountains. Snowmobiling is a big deal and we like the town, But it is quite remote; 3 hours to either IF or Casper for big shopping, or 1.3 hours to Jackson, Riverton, or Lander for middle sized shopping. Land is still not outrageous there, but houses are in short supply like so many places.
That is one thing to consider.... are you renting or buying? If renting, then the Idaho side is the easier choice. But you have not said if you will buy or rent.
Last edited by nm9stheham; 04-16-2021 at 04:22 PM..
Well Pokey sounds like a well rounded area. Compromise
Idaho Falls?
But there is just something about Wyoming-No state income tax for now.
Low density population per mile like Alaska.
Places like Gillette, Buffalo are not surrounded near other towns as these places are rural surrounded with nothing so you shouldn't get traffic problems or any congestion with other motor vehicles
I think the largest WY cities still are Cheyenne and Casper, both more in in southeastern WY closer to NE and CO. But I will leave WY info to WY thread as I don't know much except Jackson.
MSR
I miss MSR
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Same boat!
