Teton Valley vs. CDA/Sandpoint for part time outdoorsman retirement (Coeur d'Alene: rentals, how much)

[blockzilla]

Hi All,
This forum has been fantastic over the years for gathering information for potential part-time "early retirement" destinations I've been looking at, and I think I've finally narrowed it down to either North Idaho around CDA/Sandpoint or the Teton Valley. I really love both, the sweeping majestic views of the Teton range and proximity to Yellowstone country that Teton Valley provides, and the mountainous, forested, lakes/rivers of North Idaho.

The only things I care less for in Teton Valley are the summer crowds flocking to Teton/Yellowstone, and perhaps the lack of heavily forested terrain right around town, given that where we live now and will continue to live part time (SoCal) is barren of trees as well. It is 6-7 hours closer when driving as well which is good. I really love North Idaho, it doesn't quite have the "grand" scale of Teton/Yellowstone, but maybe that's good as it doesn't get absolutely flooded with tourists in prime season and still is incredible country.

I've been an avid hiker/backpacker/camper for a long time, but at this point in my life I find myself getting much more drawn into hunting and fishing as well. How do the two compare in that regard? It would seem that both would be considered "good" for hunting/fishing type outdoorsman, but perhaps with a hunting nod to Teton Valley given the more open terrain? Perhaps better fishing in North Idaho given the plethora of lakes/rivers? If they're both "good enough" in that regard, then perhaps it isn't a strong enough differentiator between the two.

I really do love both though. Something about North Idaho drew me in right away though, the pine forests butting right up to huge beautiful lakes. I love the layout of the towns around CDA/Sandpoint, and the people have always been fantastic as well. It is a bit farther from our current home so I'd have to commit to always flying back and forth unless going for much longer stretches, but perhaps it is worth it.

Thanks!

[Boone1791]

Originally Posted by blockzilla

...I really love North Idaho... as it doesn't get absolutely flooded with tourists in prime season and still is incredible country....

Well, Sandpoint, as more or less a tourist town in season, is certainly moving that way.

Call me selfish, but I tend to view the area as a secret fishing hole. You don't want to broadcast its location else it become overrun with other fishermen.

Of course, it's hard to keep a secret with news like this.



Courtesy the Idaho Statesman

[nowhereman427]

Originally Posted by Boone1791

Well, Sandpoint, as more or less a tourist town in season, is certainly moving that way.

Call me selfish, but I tend to view the area as a secret fishing hole. You don't want to broadcast its location else it become overrun with other fishermen.

Of course, it's hard to keep a secret with news like this.



Courtesy the Idaho Statesman

How big can those salmon get?

[nm9stheham]

What hunting and game?


Can't speak much to northern ID as IDK about that area. For fishing in and around the Teton Valley ID (and I assume you speak of the west side of the Tetons), you have the Snake River nearby and the Warm River, and 6 large lakes/reservoirs within 1.5 hours, 3 north and 3 south. And then there is over east of the Tetons and further over in the area heading east, down the Wind River through Dubois WY and on north near Ennis MT on the Madison River for fly fishing. Probably a lot more that I don't know about.


Yes, on the lesser amount of trees right in the heart of ID's Teton Valley; it is mainly ag land in the bottom. You can find some forested areas with housing up to the north and east, and over to the west of the valley, and up on the eastern fringe. (Those areas are not the cheapest areas, though.) And the forests are more mixed, not just pine.


More forested areas are further north in and around Island Park ID but that has 200" of snow per year on average so you would need to be prepared for that.



More sun in that SE part of ID than NID, if that is of importance to you.

[volosong]

Spent a lot of time investigating Driggs and environs as my retirement home. Love the environment. But, during this lengthy process, I was exposed to North Idaho. It won out. Not that the Teton Valley lost. As you say, the trees right to the edge of town, and even inside the town limits is very appealing, as were the lakes and rivers.

Do not be fooled however. Both Coeur d'Alene and Sandpoint are tourist magnets. The past week or two, it has slowed down and started returning to a semi-quiet "normal". I guess summer is over and schools have started up again, whether in person on on-line. In either case, no time for the family to pack up and travel away from home.

p.s. Two day drive from SoCal to NID, (Palmdale to Coeur d'Alene). Winnemucca is a good half way point with a few hotels. Have made the drive in both winter and summer. Road almost always passable during the snow season.

[Boone1791]

Originally Posted by nowhereman427

How big can those salmon get?

That's a rainbow trout! A big rainbow trout.

[blockzilla]

nm9, pretty much upland birds to this point around SoCal, the extent of my big game hunting is sitting in tree stands on friends property in MI during high school. My dad didn't hunt so I never got into it any more than that back then. I think I'll have the time to get into in big game and waterfowl once I ease into this semi-retirement, I'd like to have some close to home options for single day hunts, and I would like to potentially go within a few hours for some multi-day big game hunts as well. Seems like that is all doable just about anywhere in Idaho from what I've been reading.

volosong, I know exactly what you mean about the trees and water, especially coming from Socal. It is a huge draw to me. I've definitely seen the tourists in the peak of summer, we've camped in Farragut and stayed in town during the prime months and it's busy, but not anywhere near coastal "SoCal busy" so it doesn't seem too bad to me. Although I was not there this summer, I can only imagine it was out of control this year like every domestic vacation spot with air travel mostly shut down. Jackson and Yellowstone however, seem absolutely "SoCal busy" in the peak of summer so I'm a bit wary of that. I'm thinking that I'd have to follow the crowds a little more in Teton/Yellowstone, just due to the nature of the landscape and concentration of the "good stuff", whereas in NID I'd have more room to spread out away from it with good stuff in all directions. Not to the scale of Teton/Yellowstone, but fantastic in it's own right.

I love the Teton Valley area, but I may end up like you and the love of NID can't be denied. Sounds like the extra driving has been worth it to you, seems like 14-15 hour drive vs 20-21 hour drive. I guess it's long and takes 2 days either way, so I shouldn't put too much emphasis on that difference. I'd be flying up there a good portion of the time as well.

[nm9stheham]

If you like vintage warplanes, there is a very active group at the airport at Driggs. My wife and I arrived one evening on a trip and watched an F-86 and a MIG-15 take off and form up on their way to Las Vegas for a show.

Don't know what airplane you have but.... Be aware of the altitude at the Driggs airport; at over 6000', it will challenge many small aircraft on a warm day. You have some fair distance for climbout off of either end of the airport but it is still something to consider. The airports around the CdA area are many thousands of feet lower.

As for tourists, it may be a tie. The traffic up and down ID33 through the Teton Valley in the tourist season is pretty steady. The good thing is that once you get off of ID33, it dies off; it's not like Jackson WY.

As for the hunting, again IDK about larger game up in NID, but I would guess that you would be closer to more varied few-hour-drive hunting by heading east into WY, or north into MT, or south towards Soda Springs (Caribou Mtns) and the mountains east of Star Valley (Wyoming Range) from the Teton Valley. IDK about land permissions in either area, and there lots of non-wilderness NF areas around both choices.

[NW Crow]

How much time per year are you expecting to spend up north? Parts out of 4 months? More? If it is likely to something like 8 -12 weeks, why not get vacational rentals in both the first year or two and then decide if you really want more and where? That way all your time is "activity" without all the time on "property" (which could cut time on activity by half or whatever depending on property and how much you are into creating / maintaining it.) How many family & friends would be joining you how often?

If you are set on property, what type and price range?

[NW Crow]

CDA salmon info

https://fins1.com/chinook-salmon/