After living in the Midwest my whole life, moving to Colorado has been quite the adjustment. I’ve realized that a lot of people are deciding to make the move to Colorado lately, so I figured I’d write down some of my observations from the last month of living here.

These are just my observations from my experiences, so let me know in the comments if I’m getting anything wrong. I also haven’t spent a full summer here yet, so go easy on me.

The Climate

Colorado’s climate is completely different depending on where you are. It also changes year-to-year. In Denver, at least so far this year, it’s actually been pretty warm in the late winter months. There have been days when it’s gotten up to 70°F, and the low has probably been somewhere in the 20s. However, the high temperatures also mean that there hasn’t been much good snowfall in the mountains, so it’s been a pretty poor ski season so far this year.

Aside from the weather, my biggest observation of Colorado’s climate is that it is so dry here, at least on the leeward side of the mountains where Denver is. As someone that gets brutally dry skin in the winter, moving to CO has not been helping the eczema, especially on my hands. If you’re planning on moving to Colorado, I highly recommend you get yourself a can of Working Hands, it’s the only thing that’s been able to keep me sane throughout the last month.

The Lifestyle

The lifestyle here in Colorado, compared to most places, is much healthier in my opinion. That is, it’s hard to be overweight and/or unhappy when you have so many fun outdoor activities on your doorstep. Hiking, skiing, snowboarding, and camping are all very common activities here, and it’s very rare that you run into someone that doesn’t do at least two of these.

Where I’m from, in Minnesota, it’s easy to get seasonal depression when it gets unbearably cold outside and you aren’t into any winter activities like ice fishing, snowmobile riding or recreational igloo building. You end up having to stay inside for extended periods of time, and you can only take a certain number of days locked up before you lose your mind. Once August hits, you dread the inevitable relentless cold to come and you can only eagerly wait for spring to show signs of its arrival.

In Colorado, people look forward to winter. Snow days are welcome, and people flock to the mountains to go skiing or snowboarding at the first mention of snowfall. It makes for an ugly traffic situation on the highways leading into the mountains, but a day on the slopes is a day well-spent.

People also smoke a lot more pot here, so that could also contribute to the overall happier population.

The Prices

As more and more people move out to Colorado, the cost of living here continues to rise. There are so many new developments being built, so many new neighborhoods and residential areas, that it gets more expensive to live here by the day. So, if you’re planning on moving out here, I suggest you do it soon as prices are only going up from here.

Currently living in Denver, I would say the cost of living isn’t abominable compared to other big cities, but there are many nearby cities such as Boulder and Vail that have become far too expensive for most people to live comfortably in.

The prices at and around ski resorts are a whole different story. Vail Resorts continue to try to increase profit margins and shareholder value by hiking up the prices in and around their five major resorts in Colorado, making a chill ski weekend almost a financial impossibility for most working-class people. I’m not sure how you fix this problem and make skiing/snowboarding more affordable, but I hope someone comes up with a solution soon.

The Views

The views in Colorado might be enough to put any preceding problems aside. Having the mountains on the horizon has been something I’ve wanted for years, and it’s even better than I expected. Seeing them off in the distance everyday reminds you that at any time you can go for a beautiful hike with breathtaking views or spend a night tent camping surrounded by the immense natural beauty of the Rocky Mountains. I’m not sure I’ll ever go back to living in the flat Midwest after spending only a month with the wrinkled earthen creases and jagged snowcapped peaks of the Rockies within view.

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Have a great week!