ok...anybody live in Utah?

[nostatic]

Just got back from Park City. Was there for some potential business opportunities and as it turns out most of the players were there for Sundance (hence the timing). Went to ChefDance last night and that was cool (http://nostatic.com/weblog/archives/2006/01/chefdance.html), but man, the industry types are tre' annoying (yes, irony).

I was being woo'd pretty heavily on moving to Park City though. Cheaper housing prices than LA, growing community, very entreprenurial state, great skiing and other outdoor sports, quick flight from LA, etc...

So...what are the downsides?

[tabs]

ITS NOT CALIFORNIA.....you lose the Ocean, you lose the amenities and you lose the sophistication...the sharpness...U just become another Hick wearing a plaid shirt driving a 4WD pickup truck..in other words U turn into PWD.....

When I say U lose the sophistication I mean you become just another dullard after awhile.

[Joeaksa]

You lost the ocean, PCH, some very nice roads and the weather.

You gain some of the best skiing there is in the world, four seasons and it can get cold in the winter if that bothers you. Some very nice roads and mountains to ride/drive in year around.

Mormons. Used to be a problem as they stifled life in the whole state but its gotten better recently. The last 10 years more and more non-LDS people have moved in state and are forging change.

I would look at it if you like the company, and do not mind four seasons and some cold during the winter. If you ski then that would make the decision difficult to turn down. Forget if you own a house now but if you do you could sell it and pay cash for a very nice one in UT. No house payments and probably have some left over...

Joe A

PS Tabs, he would not look like PWD, as he is a bit younger and more dashing on the bike!

[tabs]

Only 3 places in the USA count....in no paticular order....Los Angeles, NYC and DC.....

I thought about Chicago...but in reality its just a Midwestern town full of HICKS..they look to NYC for their intellectual inspiration.

But thats light years ahead of LV, cause they don't even know how to read or write here, but they do know how to count money though. LV is like a condensed version of LA..Gawd forbid....a 7th Ring of He11 kinda thing....

[tabs]

Originally posted by Joeaksa


PS Tabs, he would not look like PWD, as he is a bit younger and more dashing on the bike!

Just move him to Park City and see what happens.....

[osidak]

Everyone I have met from Utah has been a tad on the scary side

Probably none of my business but what about your son?

[Tishabet]

My parents lived in Park City for three years (during the olympics, if a competitor had gone off course at the right spot on the Super G run they would have run the risk of hitting my parent's place), they now live in SLC but on the Park City side of SLC(they live in the canyon just to the left of parley's as viewed from SLC, if that makes sense).
Park City is definitely not like the rest of Utah, not even like SLC. But it is awfully nice out there, and you're right about housing prices. You've seen it in Winter and that didn't seem to bother you, I would try to visit again in summer. Don't let the temps bother you on paper, I vastly prefer the 100F dry heat there to the 80F humid heat in Boston. Also, Park City is a few thousand feet above SLC, so summer temps are generally about 10 degrees cooler there than in the valley.

[targa911S]

So to answer your question.....NO.

[Eric 951]

I lived in Utah---Logan, which sucked monkey nuts.

It was hot as hell during the summer, and very LDS-centered.

Weak beer, have to join a "club" to get hard alcohol. People were nice, buy very wary of "outsiders'--read non-LDS.

When we were moving--Park City was the first place we looked. Loved the town, of course the mountains and winter sports were a huge draw.
The variety of out-of-staters living there made it a whole different world than other Utah towns(read not LDS-dominated).
We would have stayed, but couldn't swing the (at that time) 1,500/month rent on the townhouse we were looking at.

Ended up in Idaho paying 150/month rent on a house.

[motion]

Nice place to visit, I hear.

[aways]

Utah, Idaho, Wyoming and Montana are great places to live. They used to be even better before bands of Hollywood types, like Redford, started to "move in" and, well, there went the neighborhood...

[sammyg2]

I was born and raised in SLC, great place except for the weather (and beer). I miss the scenery, hiking, open spaces, skiing.

When I take my early retirement in the next 7 or so years I plan to move to Idaho falls (nice place and cheeep) but Utah is my second choice. I would prefer southern Utah like St. George or Cedar City except all those darned Californian retired folks have bought up all the property and built huge houses and drove the prices sky-high.

[JavaBrewer]

We're all flying to SLC on Saturday for 3 days skiing. I've been to PC many times and the summer there is fantastic for mtn biking and hiking. Winter skiing is sublime. It's mostly a touristy town and frankly I'd get bored there pretty fast unless you are totally content with riding a bike and skiing (water and snow).

The LDS are not nearly as visible as they are in the rest of Utah - which for non-LDS (me included) is mostly a good thing. Everytime I'm there (Draper) I get this creepy feel as entire neighborhoods are built around a church and the streets are dead on Sunday - all day. Folks there are very nice and love to wave at me jogging as they drive to church - but in a creepy way...Overall the community is very well kept, low crime, kinda like the Stepford movie...

I think it would be tough to live there as a non LDS as they like to run with their own. It would be really tough on Calvin making friends in school. My own brother-in-law moved back and was inactive (LDS) for the first couple years. The minute they became active again their kids suddenly had tons of friends.

Sorry to be so focused on LDS - but when you're talking about living in Utah it should be a primary consideration.

[tabs]

BYE BYE PArk City HEllO Hollywood....

[sammyg2]

When I was very young, the percentage of LDS in Utah was around 89% IIRC. Now it is just above 50% according to the tribune.
It is not as big of an issue as you might think.
I am not mormon and don't agree with everything they believe, but I do value many of their beliefs and practices. they are strong family and community oriented and I respect that.
I can remember having classmates that were forbidden to play with me because of my religion and I remember not being eligble to play in a little league basketball organization because the games were all held in LDS churches, but I expect those types of things are very few and far between nowadays.
I don't think the Mormon religion should be a factor in the decision to go to utah for anyone, but if someone is anti-religion in general it might not be the place for them.

Having said that I need to add a clarification:
in the larger cities and town the above applies, but in some of the very small communities in Utah the LDS church is still very, very powerful and outsiders will be excluded.

[sammyg2]

BTW, I think everyone in the United States need to experience southern Utah at least once in their lifetime, same goes for Yellowstone.
Places like Arches national monument, Bryce canyon, Zion national park, absolutely unbelievable especially in the fall when the leaves turn.
I don't think there is anywhere else on this planet where you will find landscapes and sights like you will find in Zion or Bryce canyon. Totally unique and beath-taking. I consider myself very fortunate that my parents took me to those places during my childhood.

[JavaBrewer]

Originally posted by sammyg2
I don't think the Mormon religion should be a factor in the decision to go to utah for anyone, but if someone is anti-religion in general it might not be the place for them.

Having said that I need to add a clarification:
in the larger cities and town the above applies, but in some of the very small communities in Utah the LDS church is still very, very powerful and outsiders will be excluded.

Excellent point and probably right on the nose regarding Park City. I'm still pretty skeptical once you head into town (SLC and burbs). I have never lived there but have visited every winter & summer for 8 years going. Excellent community for all the reasons you state - but tough to bond with folks in any meaningful way if you're not LDS.

[PeteT]

My sister has lived there since 82. She is not LDS and hasn't had a problem. I took off a quarter off school back in 92 to become a ski bumb. Awesome. Skiied at least four times a week for 10 weeks.

As everybody else has said the scenery is unreal and for the most part the people are very nice. The bars aren't a big deal anymore, someone will always sign you in.

Most of the locals enjoy the summer even more than the winter. Biking, hiking, fishing, etc is second to none.

If the cold doens't bother you I would go for it.
Pete

[JavaBrewer]

Funny joke -

Q: How do you keep your Mormon friend from drinking all your beer?
A: Invite a second Mormon

My poor brother-in-law, now active, is no longer drinking coffee as the WOW forbids it. He gets on my case about "self medicating" in the morning yet he now drinks Pepsi by the gallon...

[Eric 951]

Originally posted by sammyg2
II don't think the Mormon religion should be a factor in the decision to go to utah for anyone, but if someone is anti-religion in general it might not be the place for them.

Having said that I need to add a clarification:
in the larger cities and town the above applies, but in some of the very small communities in Utah the LDS church is still very, very powerful and outsiders will be excluded.

I think it needs to be considered. As my buddy and I were driving out to Utah, the closer we got--Kansas, Colorado--the more eyebrow raising our destination became.
Example--the mother of a freind with whom we were staying in Denver"So, you are moving to Utah?"
"Yep"
"be prepared"
"Huh?"
"Just be aware that since you are not Mormon, you will be viewed differently"
We laughed it off at the time, but damn if she wasn't right.
People were friendly, but as was posted, it seemed eerie--almost a fake, wary friendliness. When the company we worked for had their picnic at Bear Lake--people thought we were freaks-because we were swimming shirtless--everyone else had their garment on. And, for some reason, every mormon we met thought it was their personal mission to try and convert us into the fold the moment they discovered we weren't LDS.
Granted, it is not as prevelant in SLC or Park City, but in every other town--Orem, Ogden--Logan..it was there.