I know, another couple looking to retire to CDA (Boise: hotels, homes)

[Wulf335]

The snow here in CDA may be even worse than you think. According to the city street dept website we typically get closer to 70 inches of snow per year.

After living through four winters here I'd say they are the more accurate resource. The nice thing is it melts down fairly quickly and you typically don't have a huge amount on the ground for too long.

"Our snow-fighting challenge is a big one. The City Of Coeur d'Alene’s average snowfall is 69.8 inches per year. This is more than double that of neighboring Spokane!"

https://www.cdaid.org/613/department...now/snow-guide

Originally Posted by NC_Cpl

Well, I think we've accepted the fact that if we were to go with CDA or Sandpoint, we'd have to become snowbirds in the process. I've been in denial and fighting it, but 42 inches of annual snow is too much for us to live with. It's the same as
Fargo, even parts of Alaska!! It's more than Chicago, and I swore I'd NEVER return to Chicago winters.

In light of that, we'll just have to figure out what winters will look like for us and how/where it will play out. I suspect we'd leave right at the 1st of the year for about 3 months at a stretch. Would love to here from anybody doing this or knows of people doing it - I'm not keen on buying a second property, esp. with all the tax breaks gone, and not interested in being an AirBNB host or long-distance landlord either. Big RV maybe? This would be new territory for us, but the appeal of escaping for 90 days to warmth is hard to argue with.

So, any snowbirds out here willing to share their experiences? (and I don't need a checklist of all the things we'll need to do to prepare our home for extended absence - those are plentiful. I want to hear how being a snowbird has worked out for you in general.)

[NC_Cpl]

Wulf - thanks for the additional data. We've decided that if CDA ends up being our location, we must become snowbirds and be somewhere else for a minimum of 3 months every year.

[Valley Native]

Originally Posted by NC_Cpl

Wulf - thanks for the additional data. We've decided that if CDA ends up being our location, we must become snowbirds and be somewhere else for a minimum of 3 months every year.

I'm just the opposite. Not retired yet, but I thrive on summer getaways to places further north to escape the heat, as well as enjoy TRUE nature. So in many ways, I'd be considered a "sunbird". I'm heading to northern Idaho next week for a relatively short vacation, and I know I'm going to love it for many reasons. Being up there in the winter wouldn't suit me very well either, but the summers are fabulous.

[NC_Cpl]

Thats precisely what we're thinking, so whether sunbird or snowbird, thats what we want.

[Clark Fork Fantast]

Originally Posted by Valley Native

I'm just the opposite. Not retired yet, but I thrive on summer getaways to places further north to escape the heat, as well as enjoy TRUE nature. So in many ways, I'd be considered a "sunbird". I'm heading to northern Idaho next week for a relatively short vacation, and I know I'm going to love it for many reasons. Being up there in the winter wouldn't suit me very well either, but the summers are fabulous.

Have a great trip! If you get a few sunny days, consider driving from Sandpoint to the Montana border on Highway 200. Amazing scenery. Look for elk. Good luck with the weather!

[Valley Native]

Originally Posted by Clark Fork Fantast

Have a great trip! If you get a few sunny days, consider driving from Sandpoint to the Montana border on Highway 200. Amazing scenery. Look for elk. Good luck with the weather!

Actually, the cooler & somewhat rainy weather will be a nice change a pace for me, but the scenery & recreation are definitely tops on my list. I'm staying in Bonners Ferry, and compared to where I'm from, it'll be quite a culture shock (in a good way). No blazing sun, no heat, no red flag warnings, no congested traffic, no riots, and absolutely no reported COVID 19 cases! I'm also planning on spending a day in Canada, possibly driving up to Banff.

[volosong]

Originally Posted by Valley Native

I'm also planning on spending a day in Canada, possibly driving up to Banff.

Not sure when you're coming, but as of right now, the border is still closed. Haven't heard when it will reopen.

[Clark Fork Fantast]

Originally Posted by volosong

Not sure when you're coming, but as of right now, the border is still closed. Haven't heard when it will reopen.

As an alternative, drive over to the spectacular Kootenai Falls in Montana, only about 20 miles east. Maybe not even that much. And you can also explore the Kootenai Wildlife Refuge just outside of Bonners. There ought to be a million birds this time of year .

[banjomike]

Originally Posted by Clark Fork Fantast

As an alternative, drive over to the spectacular Kootenai Falls in Montana, only about 20 miles east. Maybe not even that much. And you can also explore the Kootenai Wildlife Refuge just outside of Bonners. There ought to be a million birds this time of year .

The Montana border is still closed too, though not as tightly. You can stay in Idaho, where the closure isn't as tight, but you can take a day trip in and out of Montana. You just can't stay there without a 2-week quarantine.

The thinking is kind of strange to me. If a person is infected, any day trip in and out could spread the infection just as easily as staying could, and if someone came and stayed with only one family or one individual, there would be less spread of infection than if he was confined in a motel.

But Montana has one of the lowest infections in the nation, so maybe their thinking isn't so strange.

[Valley Native]

Originally Posted by volosong

Not sure when you're coming, but as of right now, the border is still closed. Haven't heard when it will reopen.

Originally Posted by banjomike

The Montana border is still closed too, though not as tightly. You can stay in Idaho, where the closure isn't as tight, but you can take a day trip in and out of Montana. You just can't stay there without a 2-week quarantine.

The thinking is kind of strange to me. If a person is infected, any day trip in and out could spread the infection just as easily as staying could, and if someone came and stayed with only one family or one individual, there would be less spread of infection than if he was confined in a motel.

But Montana has one of the lowest infections in the nation, so maybe their thinking isn't so strange.

Thanks for the tips. I'm leaving tomorrow, and the person I spoke with at the lodge where I'm staying listed some of the sights around there ... some of them were in Montana and north of the border. He gave no indication of anything being closed or restricted, but I wouldn't be surprised about the Canadian border being closed due to the COVID 19 fear. My understanding about Montana was the Governor recommended not visiting during the mitigation efforts, but the border wasn't completely closed. That was also back in April, so I hope things have eased since then. A good part of my trip will be through Montana.