If you could relocate to any mountain town or *near* mountain town in the continental US (yes, that means Alaska too!), where would you go?

This may be a hypothetical question for you but it isn't for me. The mountaineering bug has bit me hard and once I finish grad school by the end of the summer, it's say goodbye flat lands.

My winter interests are alpine mountaineering and training for bigger international climbs, ski-mountaineering/backcountry, and inbounds skiing.

Warmer season interests are skyrunning/trail running/hiking, mountain biking, whitewater kayaking, and surfing.

The dream location has:
-Mountains with >3300 ft/ 1000m vertical gain within a 15 minute drive from home
-Mountains with >5000 ft vertical gain within an hr drive from home
-Great backcountry skiing/ Annual snowfall
-Great alpine mountaineering route options of varying difficulty
-14ers/high-ish altitude climbing is definitely a plus, but not critical
-Good mountain biking scene in the off-season

It would be really great if I could get a mechanical engineering job, designing cool stuff, somewhere within 45 minutes drive from home too. Is that even possible? Despite nearing the end of many years of schooling, my priority is the mountains. I'll move again later in life if my priorities happen to change and I actually care about making good money.

In the Salt Lake City area there are mountains with >5000 ft vertical gain that start from city streets (e.g. Lone Peak). So if you live in the right spot your drive time is 0.

If your priority's the mountains, and especially skiing, then Jackson would have everything but "surfing" and "career-oriented job." Some of the country's best backcountry skiers and rando racers live there. Unfortunately, affordable housing is hard to find -- I know people who work service jobs there commute from Driggs or Hoback, or even camp out in the National Forest.

Bishop and the Owens Valley would also be good, but the skiing is not as consistent or as close to town (unless you live in Mammoth Lakes), and there are probably even fewer jobs. Silverton, Colorado is tiny, but has all kinds of trail running and backcountry skiing, and is a functioning town in the winter nowadays. No "real jobs" there, though.

Honestly, if you're just escaping grad school and more interested in climbing peaks than the career ladder, I'd consider living out of your car at least part of the year. Then you can climb exactly what you want, see a lot more territory, and maybe even find a place to settle down.

Why limit yourself to the U.S.A. ? Canmore,Alberta & other towns in Canada offer great rock & ice climbing & resort & backcountry skiing.

Assuming you can get a job in any of these towns, here would be my choices:

Washington State: (The only state other than Alaska with genuine alpine climbing)
Bellingham
Mazama
Leavenworth

California:
Bishop

Wyoming;
Jackson Hole (Driggs Idaho if you aren't made of money)

Colorado:
Boulder

Montana:
Bozeman

Palisades79 wrote:Why limit yourself to the U.S.A. ? Canmore,Alberta & other towns in Canada offer great rock & ice climbing & resort & backcountry skiing.

Can confirm that Canmore is a rad place to live, the nearest mountain has 1400m gain from my place (10min walk to the trailhead). I've had a great summer mountaineering and alpine climbing too so that's also a check. Can't comment on the mtb scene as there hasn't yet been an off season for climbing.

The housing situation is pretty dire though, so come prepared to pay a lot or live in a van. I put my career as an engineer on hold to move here, worth it.

If we are talking international now why not shoot for Chamonix?