Kalispell, Montana

[ClockWork]

Good Afternoon Gentlemen,
I am wondering about life in Kalispell, I am working on a new job in the area and was wondering about life in the city. I am 26 years old and have always lived in major cities and while a couple of years ago I could not have even dreamed about small town life I am searching for it more and more every day. Fuck traffic, self important people, fast food, and chain resturants . But seriously, I just want to slow it down a little, I work (sucks) as a broker in logistic for national coporate accounts and it is a little stressful . I love the mountains, rock climb, canoe, mountain bike, put 15,000 miles on the bike this year and an all round outdoors person. I'm sure many of you have thought about doing the same thing lets hear from those of you that did it.

Thanks,

[FatChance]

Being from Minnesota (my home state), you should adjust to the warmer weather quite easily...


Don't look back. Go there, do it now, you will shortly wonder why the Hell you took so long to get out of the big city and rat race. Oh, and don't call Kalispell a "city", people will think you're loonie. FatWife really likes Big Fork. We go there often. You'll love the area.

[Castle]

We used to have a cabin outside of Big Fork. Lovely area. Really quite temperate winters compared to MSP. If you like nature and the outdoors, you'll love it up there.

I don't know much about the local social life as we got the place after I was married, but you can always trek down to Missoula and I imagine there is action at Big Mountain in the winter and, of course, the park in the summer.

Go and don't look back!

Tod.

[ClockWork]

15,000 people, there has to be a couple single girls in there 20's It can't be as bad as Alaska.

[Different Drummer]

I know they make truck campers there. Thats where mine came from.
Sounds like the type of place you are looking for though.
DD

[markjenn]

I've traveled through Kalispell many times and it is a wonderful place. However, this town and many others like it in Montana and the West have been 'discovered' and are growing very rapidly so while it won't likely be a huge place in your lifetime, it might be a rapidly changing place with a lot of growth issues. Personally, I'd prefer that these towns remain nice-places-to-visit, but progress is progress, and with our aging and retiring population liking to move to more remote places but still wanting to shop at Home Depot and Costco, I don't see things changing.

- Mark

[FN in MT]

As a guy who left NJ in the late 70's and moved to Montana I'd say to DO IT!! Life is short. Your dead a really long time. Make the most of what ya got and enjoy yourself. I used to pine over the West 50 weeks a year. Absolutely living for my 2 week vacation visit's. I starved initially, still don't make a LOT of money but there's more to life than money.

Nice to go for a quick ride over to Glacier NP or Yellowstone on a moments notice. A far cry from the old days in NJ.

The major downsides to Kalispell are the winter weather and all the folks who have moved IN lately. By MT standards NOT a cheap place to live. Property is expensive compared to many parts of the State. In the winter it's a moderate climate compared to a lot of MT but it tends to be very grey, foggy and cloudy. Two lane roads no matter how you come in. So it's a bit tough to get around especially in Winter. Lots of icy rds in the Winter.

The other big thing that comes to mind whenever I venture to the Flathead area; DEER. No matter how one rides over from the central part of the State it's DEER ALLEY all the way over. One has to be VERY careful.

Missoula IS a quick ride away. Home of our only BMW Dealership,but it's a good one. And if you get homesick for a bigger City Spokane is fairly close.

Montana is a great place. Tough to make a living though. But a lot of other things going for it; Sportsmans PARADISE. Over the counter elk tags. Amazing trout fishing. VERY pro gun. Short riding season but great roads,a lot of fellow riders and great scenery.

Do it. But Please! After You get here....... PLEASE don't try to turn it into wherever you came from. If you can't adapt......leave.

FN in MT (On the Missouri River just north of Craig.

[lacrestadr]

I lived in St Paul in the early 80's, Kalispell winter is fricking tropical compared to MN. Plus the snow can be skied on, mountain biking, no less in the mountains at altitude, make you strong . The social scene, concerts etc. would be very slow comparitively. Kalispell would be a top choice if I moved within the state. Whitefish and Bigfork are neat towns, Glacier, Micoola, you can't go wrong!!!! It blows the twin cities away I would agree with what FN said, he's just a little more hard ass , about not wanting outsiders coming in and messing with the great way of life here.
If you're around come for the Yellowstone weekend Check it here
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=53127

[lacrestadr]

I lived in St Paul in the early 80's, Kalispell winter is fricking tropical compared to MN. Plus the snow can be skied on, mountain biking, no less in the mountains at altitude, make you strong . The social scene, concerts etc. would be very slow comparitively. Kalispell would be a top choice if I moved within the state. Whitefish and Bigfork are neat towns, Glacier, Micoola, you can't go wrong!!!! It blows the twin cities away I would agree with what FN said, he's just a little more hard ass , about not wanting outsiders coming in and messing with the great way of life here.
If you're around come for the Yellowstone weekend Check it here
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=53127

[ClockWork]

Originally Posted by FN in MT

Do it. But Please! After You get here....... PLEASE don't try to turn it into wherever you came from. If you can't adapt......leave.

Not a chance at trying to change anything about Montana and I know it is a concern. I mostly stick to myself and a day of fishing is just about perfect. I have seen changes in some of the resort towns on the northern shores of lake Superior and I wouldn't wish it on anyone. As soon as you start to cater to the tourist its over they will own the place.

[Connie]

There are excellent places nearby to fish and canoe, or canoe in and fish on opening day and have the whole place to yourself. I suggest a visit to Flathead National Forest Service office, in Hungry Horse, MT. The employees there often have good information. They also have a huge map, for sale, marked with the legal trails, and time of year legal to ride. The dual sport should find happy trails. Most of all the legal trails are on your side of The Continental Divide.

There are also excellent float trips, Class II and Class III water. Have experience and have flotation secured in the gunwales, for Class III. Avoid around West Glacier, maybe around the bridge, from the North Fork. I have heard there is a huge "strainer" snag on the river, and the force of the water will pull you under.

Maybe the Glacier N.P. rangers have cleared that. I haven't heard.

There is a river map at the old Belton Railroad Station, at the entrance to West Glacier, MT. It is a historical society bookstore, now. You might try the main street downtown Kalispell, MT outdoor store: maybe there is a river map, for the Swan. The Swan runs along that side of the mountains.

If you have a trailer for your motorcycle, or some other way to carry the motorcycle, you can chain your motorcycle, locked securely, at your "pullout point" and drive the canoe up to the "put in point" and float some nice places around there, and around the state of Montana. Idaho also has some great float trips, as well. This is what I do.

You also might want to check out all the many little lakes and campsites, as well, for "mini-vacations" from work. If you have big water canoeing skills, for wind and waves, Flathead Lake has an interesting island and many interesting shorelines to explore, either from a motorcycle or from a canoe.

If I resided on that side of the mountains, this is what I would be doing. I reside on The Rocky Mountain Front.

I do get over to that side, to float the rivers and to get up to Lake Bowman, in Glacier N.P. My canoe is a kayak, the Old Town Loon 138.

Unless you like The Arian Nation, or the KKK be careful about asking information and getting out in the woods alone with them. They can act polite. I just avoid socializing too much.

[ClockWork]

Originally Posted by Connie

Unless you like The Arian Nation, or the KKK be careful about asking information and getting out in the woods alone with them. They can act polite. I just avoid socializing too much.

Holly Crap! I got to know more about this, I have never heard of such a thing. I know that there are some self-sufficient militia groups in the mountains but those morons are something else. I had a run in with a group outside our state capital a couple of years back when they started harassing children. Thanks for the tips on canoeing I have done it for years and used to sell Mad River.

[Connie]

Three counties this side. Two counties that side, that I know of.

There are county officials involved, I know of. Avoid "city hall". This is true for every little town around there, especially so.

I am a hunter, and a dead shot. I got approached, a lot.

I am a girl, so I was surprised. Anyway, there are one man and one woman "kill teams". This is not fantasy, although their fantasies do run to gruesome murder.

Don't say you like to hunt. If you are a hunter, ask locations from Fish and Game. Fill you ticket. Fill the freezer, and say no more about it.

The so-called patriots are them. The so-called vets reasonably near towns are them.

I understand the P.T.S.D. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder hermit vets north of Eureka, up in the Yaak country are just honest vets. I haven't been up there however, because I don't want to find out.

If you are gay, move away. I'm not, but it's a fact.

[ClockWork]

Originally Posted by Connie

If you are gay, move away. I'm not, but it's a fact.

No, I am strait but thanks . I checked out your website pretty interesting stuff, I consider myself a diehard but you sound like an adventure racer. The better and more accomplish hiker you are the lighter you pack and this is always true. I never thought of myself as a gear-head but the more you get into it and your experience are screwed by heavy or poor gear the more you gravitate toward the best (the job at REI didn't hurt either )

[sdhmt]

I live in kalispell and think it's great, this area is growing pretty quickly and for better or worse we are getting more conveniences as the area grows. There's plenty to do here year around including two ski areas and hundreds of thousands of acres of public land for outdoor recreation. We do have long and sometimes (usually) overcast, grey winter conditions here in the valley. The long, grey winters can get some folks down but we do look forward to the best summer conditions anywhere.

Should be no problem for you and I agree with lacrestadr in that the winters are pretty mild compared to the twin cities.

A few times each year we may see 25 below but never for more than a week or so, "fricking tropical he says" We'll see how tropical this weekend in yellowstone, if lacrestadr jinxed us with that remark it's all his fault.

back to your question;

Real estate is appreciating pretty quickly with the fastest growth I think in Bigfork and Whitefish.

I think you will find lot's of really freindly folks and as FN in MT said as long as people "do not try to change the valley into wherever they came from" you'll love it here.

As far a needing to be secretive about hunting and carefull in the woods here, I've never found that to be the case here in the flathead.

Just come up and enjoy.