May 21,
2014 — If you are an outdoor oriented person the chances are you have dreamed about
retiring to a town in the mountains. You might love to ski, hike, camp, fish,
mountain bike, or just
plain admire the beautiful scenery mountains have in such ample supply. This
article is a
companion to our other articles about great retirements near the water, in
cities, college towns, and small
towns (see Further Reading at end of article for more about them). When some
people think of mountain towns they might be thinking of a small community pushed up
against the edge of towering peaks. Colorado and much of the American west have
plenty of those. Yet for others the mountains might just mean having some
nearby foothills. With that
in mind we have tried to present a range of communities in this article. There
are so many
great mountain towns to choose from that we promise a Part 2 in these series.
Advantages
For those
who aspire to a mountain retirement, here are some of the advantages that come
with
them:
- Cooler
summers. Altitude means an escape from hot summers, even in some otherwise warm
states.
- Lower
humidity. Particularly in the western part of the U.S., humidity tends to be
lower in the thinner
air.
-
Beautiful scenery. Any time you look you will see a dazzling array of cliffs,
trees, peaks, and more. At
the higher altitudes there might even by snow in summer.
-
Recreation. Mountainsides are hard to develop. So there is usually plenty of
pristine land right
outside your door where you can hike, ski, hunt, fish, kayak, camp etc.
-
Spectacular home sites. Just as some people treasure a view of a lake or ocean,
so do many
others enjoy the thrill of big overlooks and distant mountains from every
window and deck.
Disadvantages
- Colder
winters. Take the Blue Ridge mountains of western NC for example, where
retirees experience
snow and colder temps than do those who live in the rest of the state.
- More
difficult transportation. Mountain towns tend to be smaller and more remote, so
your car might be more important to your daily transportation needs than you might have hoped. Driving
on snowy roads can be dangerous. Likewise, biking can be a challenge (or better
buy one of
the new models with auxiliary battery power!)
- Fewer
cultural resources. This isn’t always the case, but many mountain towns tend to
be on the
smaller side, which can mean fewer town resources with cultural offerings
- Fires
and natural disasters. Of course any location can have its share of natural
disasters, but
living in the mountains can come with serious hazards. Wildfires, blizzards,
and landslides
are just
some of them.
- Not so
great for older people. Once you get to a certain age you do have to consider
the disadvantages
of going up and down hills, slippery streets, and thin air.
- Less
daylight. One friend of ours thought he wanted to live in a great town in
western Colorado,
only to realize that the winter sun was hidden by tall peaks until mid morning
and disappeared
again in late afternoon.
Some of
the more popular mountain towns at Top retirements
Based on
their popularity with our members,and along with some attempt at regional
diversity, here are
10 examples of mountain towns that might be perfect for your retirement: Prescott, Arizona.
Located at an elevation of 5400 feet in the mountains of north central Arizona,
the City of Prescott (population just under 40,000 in 2011), was the original territorial
capital of the Arizona Territory. This old mining town now popular that now
attracts so many
active adults borders the Prescott National Forest to the south and west.
Talking
Rock Ranch near Prescott
Knoxville, Tennessee . Knoxville is particularly attractive
because it is home to the Vols of the
University of Tennessee. It is a vibrant college town with big-time sports and
many cultural
events. Tennessee has wonderful mountains and hills nearby.
Las Cruces, New Mexico.. Las Cruces shows traces of civilization
going back 8,000 years. The
ancient Anasazi people had communities here, which seem to have disappeared by 1300 A.D.
The town is 4000 feet above sea level and claims to enjoy 350 days of sunshine
per year.
Lake and
mountains in Blue Ridge
Blue Ridge, Georgia.
This very small town in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Georgia is located at the
very top of the state on the border near where Tennessee, North Carolina, and
South Carolina
come together. The town has about 1200 residents. Blue Ridge is one of the most popular
tourist destinations in Georgia because of Lake Blue Ridge, the Toccoa River,
and the Blue
Ridge Mountains. The southern tip of the Appalachian Trail is quite close.
Santa Rosa, California.
Santa Rosa is the largest city in California’s wine country. Nearby towns
include Sonoma, Healdsburg, and Napa. The city is actively engaged in economic development centered around wine, food, tourism. Residents enjoy the hiking and views in the
many state parks surround Santa Rosa.
