I've posted this on some other sites, but am looking for as much input as I can get. I fly to work (oilfield), and can basicly live anywhere. I'm looking at moving to the Gardner, MT/Paradise Valley area or maybe Lander, WY sometime this year. Bearing in mind I live in Florida, and am not used to living in a snowy area, need all the advice I can get. One concern I do have is leaving a house for a month at a time during the winter. What are the risks of pipes freezing and what can be done? Any and all advice is appreciated.

My oilfield days of working in Big Piney, Wyo and then the NE corner around Gillette and Upton, I'd suggest you find some long wooly undies for your water pipes and yourself. The wind blow incessantly in that part of the world and the wind chill is corresponding. There will be many days where you aren't going to be flying anywhere except where the wind blows you. :eek:

Most of the folks that live in "cold country" have figured out how to keep those pipes from freezing when gone. Good insulation and pipe wraps and keeping either the electric heater or in my case the old toyo oil stove on low to keep the house warm when were gone works. Being able to turn off the water to indoor plumbing and using some RV anti-freeze in the toilet bowls and j pipes so they won't freeze helps.

I live over in Idaho and sure understand wanting to live here in the West. It's beautiful country.

Here's a few pix of my beautiful Idaho to get you in the moving mood.

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q172/faucettb/Around%20Home/CoyoterunuptoMelrose-36.jpg

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q172/faucettb/Around%20Home/LoloCreeknearWieppe.jpg

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q172/faucettb/Around%20Home/LochsawRiver2.jpg

Gonna have to add Idaho to the list I guess. Thats beautiful country!

This is the view up the canyon from my reloading bench on an early morning.

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q172/faucettb/North%20Idaho/Mountian.jpg

The seven devils between the Snake River and the Salmon river about 40 miles from my house. The River of no return.

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q172/faucettb/North%20Idaho/SevenDevilsstillsnowcappedfromDumaq.jpg

Elk hunting country, a 35 mile drive from my front porch.

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q172/faucettb/North%20Idaho/Frnchmtn.jpg

The Clearwater River in the Winter.

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q172/faucettb/North%20Idaho/ClearwaterRiver1.jpg

Montana and Idaho both have some of the most beautiful country in the US. Both are great places to live and work. Better yet if you have a job that's not dependent on the local economy such as yours.

Really really beautiful country...any advice on places to look at in ID?

Property values are low in Orofino, Ferdinand, Grangeville and Troy and Boville. I bought my trailer, a 14 by 66 three bedroom two bath with a larger insulated workshop and carport for 30'000 a few years ago in Peck Idaho. Prices have gone up since then, but that gives you the idea.

Pierce, Wieppe and Cottonwood are other small communities that have good housing prices. The College towns such as Moscow Idaho and Pullman Washington are rather high because of the students influx every year and Lewiston has a really high tax base.

My choices of where to live when I retired were Montana and Idaho and being I grew up in the small town where I now live it seemed a good place to come back to. To be honest the best places to buy are where the worst economy is, especially if you have a job not dependent on the local economy. I drove truck and could live anywhere and that was a big help.

I live in Lander, WY and I'm just curious why you chose this town. It's a great place to live and work, but keep in mind that real estate is pretty high because of the limited amount of land available on which to build and our relative close proximity to the Wind River Mountains and Yellowstone Park.

I was raised on tales of the west, and stories of mountain men. Vacations as a kid were with my grandparents, and were almost always trips out that way...the few years we went somewhere else, it didn't feel like a vacation. I just always loved it out there.
Lander, WY and the Paradise Valley area of MT stand out in my mind as the prettiest places I've ever seen, and I want to be a part of it.
I left a professional fire department a couple of years ago to go offshore, so I can live basicly anywhere and my company will fly me to work. Decided that now is the time to fulfill a life long dream of living out there.

firemedic,
I think you've probably picked some fine spots, and if you're dependent upon reliable flights in/out, pick a spot with reliable air service near an "all weather" airport that will conveniently get you to the states you're most likely to travel to, and back.

My local airport - Sun Valley (which is actually in Hailey, ID) - this time of year has many bus trips to/from Twin Falls because of the weather here. Although there are 8-10 flights per day, they only fly turboprops in here and it's into a narrow valley in which if there isn't visibility, they don't even attempt a land. In the winter, I spend a lot of road time going to Twin or Boise to get flights out.

You picked some fine hunting-friendly areas though.;)

Thats a big concern...have heard Gardiner doesnt usually get snowed in,and same with Lander or at least so Im told...I have no clue about western winters, so you guys brace yourselves for alot of questions once I make this move...where do you fly to?

Thats a big concern...have heard Gardiner doesnt usually get snowed in,and same with Lander or at least so Im told...I have no clue about western winters, so you guys brace yourselves for alot of questions once I make this move...where do you fly to?

I have two choices of where I fly to from Hailey, on the first leg: Seattle, or Salt Lake, on Horizon, or Skywest, respectively. Most of my travels take me to the Delta Salt Lake hub, and then beyond. Let me tell you, a couple of forced overnighters in Salt Lake, or bus trip from Twin Falls when you're itching to get home, gets old fast. So, if you travel a lot, pick your poison carfully!

Yeah that is a huge concern, but I can't help being drawn to the area. Hoping something will workout!

Winters are colder in Eastern Id and Wy. than some area's. IIRC Orofino up Bob's way has the highest mean temperature in the state, at least I have read that, but anywhere in the intermountain West is gonna have winter. Also his area has some real nice rivers the Snake, Clearwater, Salmon River not to far and the tributary's that feed them. Lot's of steep hills and heavy timber where as Eastern Idaho and lot's of Wy are more open, but Mtn's are in all the places mentioned. It would be nice if a fella could spend a year in a area before he decided on what part of it he wanted to live as all mentioned have some advantages and or disadvantage oever others.

You can buy a small unit that hooks up to your phone line and will call any number you choose if the temperature in your house falls below 45 degrees. If it calls you with the warning then you can call someone to take care of it.

Well, if you live in Gardner, you'll have well water or cistern storage. Gardner is at 5500+ feet in elevation, Billings is at 3300 and we are snowed in right now. Billings, Missoula, Bozeman, Helena, and Great Falls are the only major airports in the state, and Billings is the only International airport in MT, WY, and ND.

Montana really sucks though... I can't figure out why anyone would want to live here. I'd stay in Florida if I were you.