Would you prefer to live in Boise or Salt Lake?

[swaterfall]

If more non-mormons move to SLC then the Church won't have such a big influence.

 

Are their ice climbs close to Boise? There are in SLC

 

Oh yeah...

[mneagle]

So now that I've lived in SLC for 2 1/2 years I can give you the complete scoop.

 

The climbing:

Easily accessible and reliable WI 4-6 routes that are 15-30 minutes hike off a road. Also tons of mixed stuff. Some of the guys from Provo have placed miles of PVC pipes from the falls in Provo Canyon and have created a playground sure to make the magazines soon.

 

Cobbles in Maple Canyon, granite in LCC & BCC, limestone in American Fork and sandstone in Moab & Indian Creek. Zion, Red Rocks and Wild Iris are within a days drive. Devil's Tower is a long day's drive. There is a new bouldering Utah book that is thick as a Bible as well. Utah is a great place to get super strong on all kinds of rock. Unfortunately, the alpine climbing is very weak and you'll never feel that spiritual sensation that comes from climbing a remote route in the North Cascades. The only thing that comes close is Lone Peak Cirque. There are really good 4-6 pitch granite trad routes in an amazing location. Unfortunately, with all the hikers you have to go mid-week to get any solitude.

 

There are 2 gyms in town. Rockreations is next to BD and has an older quasi trad crowd, while the Front is primarily a bouldering gym filled with teenage mutants.

 

The skiing is the best on the planet. Amazing backcountry is available for daytrippers. The resorts have some good deals for locals. Alta is the best deal in town, unless you are a boarder.

 

If you do not come with a significant other you will probably never date again. Nobody moves here single.

 

After living in Seattle, SLC is a cultural wasteland. It's really fucking boring.

 

 

 

The bottom-line: It's a great place to become a super strong technical ice/rock climber and skier, but if you value wilderness, alpine climbing, cultural diversity and a good cup of coffee then eventually you will get sick of it. It's a great place to live for awhile and then come back to visit.

[Yos]

Without a doubt Salt Lake; having just moved here from Seattle, here’s my take on the place:

• The variety, accessibility, and quantity of rock climbing can’t be beat

• In LCC you can ice climb, rock climb, and ski all in the same day.

• The Wasatch are amazing. Although they don’t have the alpine climbing of the North Cascades, you can’t hit the North Cascades after work.

• Moab is 3 hours away (towers, MTB)

• Tetons, Devils tower within striking distance

• Wilderness is equal to that of WA

• Alcohol is not an issue, just get used to buying wine, liquor, and real beer at liquor stores.

• Mormon culture is no problem. I don’t see how people can complain about it unless they had kids in school outside the city where peer pressure may be a concern; or you enjoyed being involved in local government.

• More diversity than Boise, but obviously less than Seattle.

• Squid’s observation on the chicks is not off-base.

[tanstaafl]

I spent three months living in SLC winter of 2002, and had a great time. I was ski bumming and doing a little ice climbing, so I wasn’t part of the power structure, but I found people bitching about Mormons to be far more annoying than any Mormons I encountered (who, admittedly, were mostly guys in their early 20s who did drugs and climbed way hard). Also personally found SLC to be a dating bonanza, unlike my Seattle experience. Seemed like every time I turned around I was getting asked out.

 

The liquor laws are annoying however.

[swaterfall]

I found people bitching about Mormons to be far more annoying than any Mormons I encountered

 

I'm sure that's true.

 

Also personally found SLC to be a dating bonanza, unlike my Seattle experience.

 

Uuuum. My only conclusion is that you must be really weird or a chick.

Edited October 8, 2004 by swaterfall

[tanstaafl]

Uuuum. My only conclusion is that you must be really weird or a chick.

 

I'm a chick, though I'm sure you could also find someone to tell you that I'm weird.

[mneagle]

Wilderness is equal to that of WA

 

Mormon culture is no problem. I don’t see how people can complain about it unless they had kids in school outside the city where peer pressure may be a concern; or you enjoyed being involved in local government.

 

Dude, you are so wrong. Utah "wilderness" couldn't hold a candle to the wilderness in Washington. And anyone who cares at all about what wilderness is left here realizes that the conservative politics in this state are out to destroy the remainder.

 

Thanks to strong republican/Mormon support illegal oil surveying has gleefully been pursued in southern Utah, the grand staircase escalante national monument is under constant attack, the BLM has been taken over by pawns and the whole roads in wilderness areas buisness led to the operators of the biannual outdoor trade show threatening to move the $25 million event out of state.

 

Living here and caring about the environment is an exercise in frustration. The heroes of Utah are the members of the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance (SUWA) who relentlessly lead the charge of the light brigade against the idiots in office. When the head of BD wrote his letter to the legislature concerning the possible movement of the trade show, a senior member's response was something to the effect that he can take the trade show and shove it. The fact is, ultra conservative politics has complete control of this state and they enjoy and flaunt that dominant role destroying everything in their path not unlike the infamous Mormon crickets in their fabled history. One of my mormon colleagues once told me he was more afraid of environmentalists than white supremacists...I shit you not.

 

So that's what I've learned over the last few years. You will learn too unless you are blind or dense.

[David_Parker]

This is a simple choice for me. SLC! A few comments. There are more mormons in SLC, but there are more non-mormons too! I'll bet the % of mormons is less in SLC than Boise. Idaho is huge mormonville. It doesn't really matter though. You don't have to go to their church to screw their girls!

 

You are mising the biggest reason to move to SLC. ICE! there is plenty of it in all shapes and levels and it forms fairly consistantly every year. You have Provo Canyon, Big and Little Cottonwood, Santaquin, Maple, and more up around Ogden. Some really fun stuff off the beaten path if you are willing to search for it.

 

I wouldn't scoff too much at the Alpine either. Go climb Timpanogos, Provo Peak, N ridge Pfifferhorn, East Ridge Superior in winter. Bring skis or board for your descent.

 

Utah has the greatest snow on earth and plenty of options from Snowbird to remote backcountry in the Uintas. Just be sure to get educated in avalanche awareness. Their snowpack is not nearly as stable as the PNW.

 

Personally, I like being closer to a bigger airport to get to other places. It's going to be easier to get to ANYWHERE from SLC than Boise.

 

The desert is also a cool place. I wish I had done more canyoneering when I lived there. Much closer than Boise.

 

I miss Utah in many ways. Better winter climate. But i have to be near the salt water and for me the great lake just doesn't cut it.

 

my $.02

[Yos]

mneagle:

Na dude, you are so wrong. In this case I’m looking at “wilderness” as the quantity and quality of undeveloped land, not the specific environmental politics of the region. I agree with your observations concerning the marginal value placed on the environment by local and federal governments, but the fact remains Utah has enough wilderness to last a lifetime.

 

You will agree with me too unless you are blind or dense.

Edited October 8, 2004 by Yos

[David_Parker]

As for wilderness, I felt just as "remote" way back in a slot canyon in the maze as I did on the top of Mt Fury. It's just different "wilderness." Until you have seen the unbelievably vast expanse of all those canyons, I wouldn't be saying Utah doesn't offer as much in "wilderness".

 

The largest wilderness areas in the west are probably Frank Church in Idaho, Wind Rivers in Wyoming, North Cascades in WA, and Canyonlands (incl. all BLM land) in Utah.

[larrythellama]

Not Utah! SLC recreation is great, but living there SUCKS! The air quality is awful, the drivers are insane... I could go on and on...

[Thadsboner]

the best part of SLC is you can bike to the crags from most of the southern end of the valley, and good crags, LCC, BCC, fergison, Bells, etc. then when you get more than a few days free you can hit grand titon, moab, zion, colorado natl monument, and more and more.

boise is in the flat farmlands, and it stinks like cows all the time.

 

both places have lots of honeys, and some are mormons too but it isnt that bad though here, especially for bieng the fertil land of wives and children. just remember the rule of thumb in utah, "if they smoke, the poke."

 

the drinking isnt that bad. they are getting rid of the merberships at the clubs here pretty soon too. and if your really serious about drinking evanston is only like 60 miles away but wyoming kinda spendy on the green bottles. if you come to be a utard though, i will share in the homebrew and shine if you drop me a line.

 

[cj001f]

I found people bitching about Mormons to be far more annoying than any Mormons I encountered (who, admittedly, were mostly guys in their early 20s who did drugs and climbed way hard).

Jack Mormons aren't good Mormons, that's what makes them cool.

[Squid]

Jack Mormons aren't good Mormons, they're the best Mormons!

[David_Parker]

Not Utah! SLC recreation is great, but living there SUCKS! The air quality is awful, the drivers are insane... I could go on and on...

You obviously never ate acid and went to see all the x-mas lights at the Mormon Temple....

[Squid]

David, did you notice all those clean-cut, broad shouldered guys discretely following you while speaking into their headsets?

Makes you want to put on a tinfoil hat.

[Kiwi]

From my limited experience with mormons (big population in Kent) and SLC, it seems like UT has a lot of hotties. SLC all the way, if only for the desserts alone. Great photography opportunities, although it may be cliched.

Edited October 9, 2004 by Kiwi

[chelle]

SLC all the way, if only for the desserts alone

I didn't realize that SLC was a hotbed of above average pastry chefs.

[Dechristo]

SLC all the way, if only for the desserts alone

I didn't realize that SLC was a hotbed of above average pastry chefs.

 

I think he was referring to the Hottie Hallelujah Hairpie

[Thinker]

This is getting a little more serious and it looks like I'll probably be shipping out to SLC.

 

Where are the little islands of liberalism and diversity in SLC? (are there such things?)

 

Where should one consider living that's within a 20 to 30 minute commute of Sandy, UT?

[sobo]

OMG!! You're going to be living near Sandy?? Have you read Krakauer's recent work, Under the Banner of Heaven ?

 

You're in for a real treat...

[Thinker]

I'm aware of Sandy's notorious distinction and that's why I plan to commute.

 

The SLC airport is only about 25 minutes away from the office I'd be working in, so I figure anything south of downtown SLC will be about the same driving time.

[j_b]

ouch!