Montana Livin

[afteamroper]

Montana is awful. Especially the Bitterroot. Wolves ate all the elk. Deer too. The airports are deathtraps and take FOREVER to get to. People are just plain mean. Schools teach Spanish only. No good fishing that I have found. Winters are brutal and dark. Summers are short and smoky.

I hear Colorado is nice and has everything you want. Plus, Aron Snyder lives there. Tell your friends.

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I agree with you on this

Butte has its own ... culture

Probably the best PC way I have heard that put . But Helena is a great area to live you can even move to the Townsend area and be 30 min from Helena and 60 min form Bozeman. About 10 min from elk and less from fishing.

 

[2ski]

Less snow than Helena too. I would buy a boat if I lived in Townsend. Too close to canyon ferry not to.

 

[Jon Boy]

I highly suggest coming here during the winter. They're long and cold here. Some places are milder than others but winter is still there for dam near 6 months of the year. I made some friends who were married and moved out from Virginia, they visited during the summer and loved it. Mid way through there second winter here they divorced. She couldn't bare it and he wouldn't leave.

Having said that the summers are gorgeous and make it worth it.

 

[brucemt]

I absolutely agree with Jon Boy. Come try it on for size in the dead of winter before you make any big decisions. You have to like winter to be really happy here.

 

[J Gilbert]

We would definitely try it out beforehand if we decide to make the jump

 

[brewer427]

Helena is where we're leaning, with Missoula a possible second choice if we decide to make the jump. We know that 'mild' is relative, and don't expect Georgia-like winters, but mild for Montana would be great.

The views and the lack of humidity sold us on Montana- we try to be active now, but in Georgia, it's hard to be active in the summer when it's 100* and 98% humidity, so cooler summers with little humidity is perfect for us to get out and really enjoy all that Montana has to offer.

For outdoor concerns, I'm really looking to have decent trout fishing (it isn't very good in Georgia, go figure) and mostly good elk and mule deer hunting, with some cross-state trips for antelope and bears, etc. We only have whitetails, turkeys, and hogs here and I'm ready for a change- now would be the time, before we get locked down by bigger careers or kids.

The Missouri River is a World class river that sees people come from literally all over the world to fish it. Very good, lots of people on it through the summer but other then that, it's not to bad. There is a ton of wade fishing on creeks and smaller rivers that don't see much pressure at all. If you do move to Helena shoot me a PM and I would be more then happy to share some good spots all within a hour drive time. I float the Missouri quite a bit every year, mainly in spring, fall and winter and it's a great year round option, wading or fishing from a drift boat.

We have a great trail system all around Helena, mainly in the South hills, if your into hiking or mountain biking. A decent outdoor archery range, several archery leagues through the winter and several archery shoots every year and a nice rifle range.

Overall I don't think I'll ever leave Helena, there's great fishing, hunting and recreation in every direction you head out of town and I think you guys would be very happy with it here.

 

[hobbes]

If you are interested in turkeys give me a shout if you move here. Cross state trips are the norm to kill toms if you settle on helena. I burn way too much fuel hunting them. The permits close by are very limited. I moved here from CO after 5 years there. I'm from southern tip of IL and the winters are definitely longer here but Helena's winters have been a breeze compared to Leadville, CO (10,000 ft). My wife hated leadville winters but finds Helena's ok and likes that there really is a summer here just no humidity. She can experience some depression if winter drags on too long.

 

[6mm Remington]

I live in Missoula and the winters here and in the Bitterroot just south of Missoula are pretty mild for the state. In fact they call it the banana belt of Montana but I've never seen any banana's growing here. The winters in Missoula are pretty easy, but then I'm born and raised in Montana and used to it. The one bad thing that does happen in Missoula is with how we sit surrounded by three separate valleys and mountains all around, the fog and clouds can hang low here for days at a time. So thick that you cannot even see the sun. That does wear on a person, but drive 20 minutes in either direction and you will be out in the sunshine!!

 

[airlocksniffer]

I grew up in Missoula. It's a cool town but substantially busier than Helena and that pretentious gluten-free, naked bike rides type of community. We love Helena, although it took a year or two to really get into it. World class mountain biking, good fishing in the lakes and great elk hunting in any direction. The Elkhorn WMA has work class elk bull but is really hard tag to draw (10000+ applicants and 120 tags). I can leave my house and be hunting there in 20 minutes. Some of the biggest antelope taken in the state are right here in the valley (although getting permission is tough). I live behind the capital and could fill my freezer with mule deer at any time. Believe me, I've considered it... Helena is kinda in the middle of all the bigger cities. If you are looking for a cool scene or night life, Helena ain't it. But we have a couple of good breweries and a strong hunting/fishing community. Compared to Missoula, winters are great here. Mostly bluebird days where Missoula gets socked in frequently. Yeah, skiiing at Great Divide (aka The Rock) is not great but we had some nice 16 inch powder days last winter which made the trees nice. My son is on the all mountain team so I just go snowboard while he is doing his thing. Good family mountain and pretty affordable. I think you'd be happy in Missoula or Helena but we wouldn't move back to Missoula.

 

[Trumpkin The Dwarf]

For what it is worth, even Missoula winters can be rough. Missoula had 40+ inches of snow this last February. I happen to absolutely love cold, snowy, miserable, long winters, and to my mind, Bozeman has my favorite type of winter (in the big city category). Helena is a boring place to live in my opinion, but it does have decent weather. I happen to like Missoula better than Helena, but you should spend a week in both towns and then make the decision. I think either place could suite you.

I will agree with JonBoy though. Check it out in winter before you move.

 

[2rocky]

[video=youtube;MoGZeSTcxwo]https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=MoGZeSTcxwo[/video]

I think the OP definately caught the good side of MT in the summer. But who knows, I'm a coastal fella and I loved Idaho winters. My Idaho wife refuses to move anywhere there is snow...

 

[brewer427]

For what it is worth, even Missoula winters can be rough. Missoula had 40+ inches of snow this last February. I happen to absolutely love cold, snowy, miserable, long winters, and to my mind, Bozeman has my favorite type of winter (in the big city category). Helena is a boring place to live in my opinion, but it does have decent weather. I happen to like Missoula better than Helena, but you should spend a week in both towns and then make the decision. I think either place could suite you.

I will agree with JonBoy though. Check it out in winter before you move.

Missoula has to many granolas for me, bozeman has the nick name boze Angeles for a reason and yes Helena is boring if your looking for any sort of a club scene but has a ton of stuff to do to occupy your time.

Bozeman and Missoula areas also have way to many people for my taste and they also both have good sized colleges.

Just a couple more things to consider.

 

[2ski]

Let's not forget that Bozeman has the Cats, Missoula has that other school that's not worth talking about. Sorry. Football season. Had to throw a little smack in there.

 

[brewer427]

Let's not forget that Bozeman has the Cats, Missoula has that other school that's not worth talking about. Sorry. Football season. Had to throw a little smack in there.

Hey easy there turbo! The Grizz are going to kick some Cat a$$ this year