Moving from the City to the Mountains

Are You Ready to Leave the City Life Behind?

Ever since the first time my Dad hauled our family up to the local mountains in his 1959 Chevy Suburban, I’ve been in love with high country living. Exchanging the congestion of city life for brisk mornings, fresh snowfalls, clean air and unbelievable vistas was a no-brainer for me and has been a large part of my life ever since.

As many yuppies near retirement and buy vacation homes in the mountains, many of them ask themselves, “Would I be happy living in the mountains all year round? How different could it be from living in Cleveland?” Let there be no mistake; living in a mountain community has a number of differences from living in the city and is not for everyone. Although you may enjoy your two weeks skiing in the Rockies every Christmas, making the high country your permanent home could either be the best move of your life or the worst.

Depending on where you decide to settle, you may have to give up a number of your creature comforts with a move to a resort. While many mountain resorts do have Starbucks and other large-chain retailers, many do not. If you feel the need to run down to the mall every Saturday morning to see what’s on sale at Macy’s, this may not be the right choice for you. In most small resort communities, there’s no Home Depot, fast food strip malls, drugstore chains, 16-screen movieplexes, ballet schools or other luxuries that you’ve become accustomed to. There is however, the opportunity to become an active member of a small community. There’s a chance to adopt a whole new way of life that includes bumping into friends at the Post Office and the grocery store. And if you’re into outdoor activities, this is the place for you.