Where, oh where, to live......... Thinking of moving out west. Advice please.

My sweetie and I are thinking about making the move out west and would love to get some info on what towns might be good options.

We're looking for somewhere nice to live but not killer expensive (maybe a 2 bedroom rental under $1300?)  Good cheap food, a larger city nearby (2 hours)nd a nice laid back lifestyle are pluses.

The first place we have been thinking about is Truckee, near Lake Tahoe.  There's great skiing nearby (Squaw, NorthStar, Alpine Meadows) and there's stuff to do year round.  Seems like a nice place.

Salt Lake has maybe the best skiing, but I'm not sure we want to live in Salt Lake City.

Anyone have any suggestions??  All input is greatly appreciated.

Oh the choices are plentiful.  If you can be happy with 1 resort. Sandpoint, Idaho could be considered.  Nice town, not too expensive, great mountain, and a wonderful lake.  About 1 hour from Spokane approximately 1/4 million city and surroundings. 

Schweitzer is a mountain with some heart and soul to it.  There is some variety to be had from there but you will drive an hour or two to get there.  It is worth a look.

srbarry. You might consider Summit Count Colorado. Everything you requested and some of the best skiing bargains available. Epic Pass (A-basin, Beaver Creek,Breckenridge,Keystone and Vail) $599. RMSP (Copper, Winter Park and 6 days at Steamboat) $399. Ninety minutes to Denver. Laid back living. Beautiful summers. Reasonable rentals available.

If you're going to be a ski bum, go somewhere with a lot of ski bums.  You'll enjoy being immersed in a culture like that for a while.  So, I'd recommend somewhere like Summit County or possibly Truckee. 

Just shootin' out some ideas:
Santa Fe, NM, neat town, although it's not cheap.
Somewhere between Portland and Mt Hood, OR
South side of Seattle towards Crystal Mtn.
North side of Seattle towards Mt Baker
Ogden, UT near Snowbasin and Pow Mtn.
Flagstaff, AZ near Arizona Snowbowl
Golden or Boulder, CO

If you think about coming all the way to the coast, check out Bellingham, WA.  It's much more than just a ski town.  There is kayaking, climbing, hiking, biking, fresh and salt water boating, fishing, etc.  Mt. Baker Ski Area - 1.25 hours; Stevens Pass - 2.5 hours, Whistler 3 hours.  We are 1 hour driving time from Vancouver and 1.5 hours from Seattle.  There is plenty of entertainment with a flourishing arts and music community.  It rains all the time, though.  Except when it snows.  It sucks.  Never mind.

Your list should start with  Jackson, WY

I woudn't count out ParkCity over SLC. Cooler summer than SLC, in the wniter no inversion. Better biking and summer sports than SLC. Skiing isn't as awesome but its more accessible from town and you don't need to drive up LCC/BCC or deal with closures. BC acces is  good. I think you can make the case that its better than SLC for a year round esperince.

Logan: Really good year round outdoor sports. Biking, whitewater, fishing, hunting, climbing... and its all really laid back. Much less population than near SLC= more liad back vibe. Fewer tourists. BC touring opportunities and nordic scene are really strong. Lots of touring to be had. Small inbounds ski hill. Lots of options for OHV and slednecking.

Not to belabor the practical, but what are you planning to do for income?

Hence his screen name.....

Well, it has an impact.  If you've got something saved and are just looking to stretch your dollar, there are certain places you'd go.  If you need to be bringing in some money -- whether through an industry job or otherwise -- the options are different.

He's right it does have an impact... along with a lot of other things.  I ski bummed for a season in Park City a long long time ago;it was like a little drop of California splashed down in Utah.  Completely different vibe from SLC and very relaxed and friendly while perched in the starting blocks of a sprawling building frenzy.  A few years later I moved to South Lake Tahoe intending to stay.  My girlfriend and I found it hard to make friends at first.  We later learned that there are so may who move there and then leave after a year that the locals had become wary of getting to know people and then having them disappear - which we did.

Of all the ski towns I've stayed a week in, my favorite would be Telluride, very cool local scene, a little off the beaten path, not overrun with tourists, great collection of peaks in that corner of Colo.

 

Summit County and Santa Fe were a notch down from that, but still fun towns.

Yeah, but for some reason he WANTS to be two hours from a larger city.  Isn't Telluride like 6 hours from anything?

Here's what he typed  "Good cheap food, a larger city nearby (2 hours)nd a nice laid back lifestyle are pluses." 

Not a necessity to be two hours from civilization, just that it'd be a plus.
 
I'm thinking the extra niceness of T'ride counterbalances the 'minus' of being far from civilization.

When I was a skibum, I never ever thought "I wish I were closer to a big city".

I'm really glad where I ski now, isn't. 

 I'm sure you're glad that where you ski isn't near a big city since you live in Chicago.

If a person has certain interests outside of skiing then a big city is a good thing to have within reasonable reach.