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Anthony Pizzo
Trad climber
Boston, MA
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Topic Author's Original Post - Jun 10, 2009 - 06:24pm PT
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Hey all, im looking to move from boston and was looking @ the bay area only because i've been there, and was also looking at fresno and bishop but dont know anything about either, looking for advice like cost of living, stuff to do, how hard is to find any kind of work, (hopefully construction). Other suggestions well appreciated. Thanks a bunch.
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Barcus
Trad climber
San Luis Obispo, Ca.
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Jun 10, 2009 - 06:33pm PT
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Take a look at Sacramento and Davis as well.
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Mungeclimber
Trad climber
sorry, just posting out loud.
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Jun 10, 2009 - 06:50pm PT
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Bay Area is impossibly high property values, depending how far out you define bay area.
central valley is hot in the summer, and grey in January, but if housing comes back, might be the place to be.
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alex chisholm
Trad climber
South Lake Tahoe
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Jun 10, 2009 - 07:03pm PT
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Anthony, I grew up in the Bay, if yer coming from
Boston you'll be stoked on the scene, and affordable housing is avail. try Oakland, real central, cool vibe, don't beleive the hype. Plenty of working class areas you could call home. If your thinking closer to the mountains you could check out any # of cool "bergs" in the foothills (gold-country) Nevada City, Jackson, Angels Camp, Sonora. Fresno is crap, but a good skate scene and real close to the Valley. I also lived on the eastside, near
Bishop, and if you don't mind a bit of solitude and a bunch of stellar year round climbing options, this is for you. Hit me up when you make it out here.
peace A.
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nb3000
Social climber
the ass-end of nowhere
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Jun 10, 2009 - 09:13pm PT
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If you want to work, come to the Bay.
If you actually want to climb, go to the eastside or Tahoe.
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Slater
Trad climber
Central Coast
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Jun 10, 2009 - 10:18pm PT
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ya can't park ya car at Havard yard though
(you gotta say it wit da accent... then it's wicked cool)
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CM3
Trad climber
port hueneme, CA
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Jun 10, 2009 - 10:20pm PT
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Yeah it gets really hot in Fresno when i lived there it was about 110f during the summer but Yosemite is about an hour and a half away
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Captain...or Skully
Social climber
North of the Owyhees
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Jun 10, 2009 - 10:22pm PT
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Stay away from the Gray Area....It'll suck you in.
Huge vortex of Blase' blah there.
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NMClimber
climber
New Mexico
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Jun 11, 2009 - 12:00am PT
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Stay away from communist Kaliphoneyia. AZ, UT, NM, Colo. rocks.
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Captain...or Skully
Social climber
North of the Owyhees
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Jun 11, 2009 - 12:23am PT
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Look around.....anything goin' on in Idaho?
didn't think so....
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neebee
Social climber
calif/texas
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Jun 11, 2009 - 01:08am PT
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hey there, say... i miss the old days, in california... back when i COULD live there... :(
that was 35 years ago...
well, wishing you good luck and best wishes, and god bless..
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the Fet
Supercaliyosemistic climber
Tu-Tok-A-Nu-La
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Jun 11, 2009 - 03:57pm PT
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I moved out from the North Shore, sh#t 20 years ago.
Right now is not a good time to move to Cali, unemployment is higher here than most states. Construction is hurting.
Still though, I've been to 48 states and about 15 countries and there's no other single place I'd want to live. One of the few places that gets rain/snow in the winter (top notch expert skiing and water supply), and sun all summer (climb everday). The Sierra are awesome. The ocean and surfing are here too. Yeah there's lots of people here, but coming from MA it's similar. A lot of laws needed for high populations (strict gun controls, pollution controls, etc.) hit Cali and MA first.
The bay area is really expensive for housing, etc. If you are in high tech it might make sense, but for construction not good.
Sacramento region is more affordable and closer to the Sierra, but jobs are scarce right now.
Lots of Fresno is an armpit but is close to some of the nicest places on the planet.
Bishop is cool, but has become very expensive over the last 15 years. Like tahoe. Rich people from the Bay Area buy 2nd homes in Tahoe, rich people from LA buy 2nd homes in Bishop. It used to be a cowboy town, now its becoming a yuppie town. The east side is pretty dry, I like to visit the desert but don't like to live there. I like lot's of trees.
Tahoe/Truckee and Mammoth Lakes are great resort areas, if you want that lifestyle.
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JEleazarian
Trad climber
Fresno CA
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Jun 11, 2009 - 04:04pm PT
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I've lived in Berkeley, Fresno and the LA area. This may be a manifestation of "the grass is greener. . ." but the best climbing location is Bishop. Great year-round bouldering. Magnificent mountaineering, and wonderful scenery. Just be prepared for culture shock if you're used to urban life.
Life in the Bay Area was wonderful, particularly if you like the access to a first-rate urban environment, but the Sierra are 3 1/2 hours away -- and much more if you leave on a typical Friday afternoon.
I choose to live in Fresno because it gives me a good combination of economic opportunity and access to great rockclimbing. Not only is Yosemite Valley two hours (if the cops are looking) or less away, Courtright is about an hour-and-a-half, unless the road to Shaver Lake is full of slow, rude, powerboaters. Then it's more like two hours.
The bouldering scene here, however, is almost nonexistent, and the gym scene is limited. The eastern Sierra mountaineering access leaves something to be desired, too, and the western approaches to the higher peaks are long. The climate is much less benign that even LA, let alone, say, the middle of the San Francisco Penninsula. Blazing hot in summer, and freezing fog in winter.
Culturally, Fresno is probably America's largest small town. My climbing partner is an MIT graduate, and, as I, chose to live here, but he's not a big fan of living in a crowded city scene. Again, if you're used to Boston, this could be quite a shock.
Don't get me wrong, I love it here but, as the other comments suggest, it's not for everybody.
John
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TradIsGood
Chalkless climber
the Gunks end of the country
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Jun 11, 2009 - 04:14pm PT
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Don't go there!
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=aQ_ZgC75Zfyw
58% of all Option ARMS in the country were written in California. The next toxic shock to hit the state, besides its budget problem. The state is like a small country (different from the US). Note how they decided that they should have their own state standards for automobiles, their own definition of marriage - ok, they changed their mind on that one.
It can't balance it's budget, imports power that it can't generate and votes for every half-assed idea that some whacko can get on the ballot.
It is a nice place to visit, but...
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tom woods
Gym climber
Bishop, CA
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Jun 11, 2009 - 04:27pm PT
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Don't listen to the naysayers. Jobs are tough all around, and I wouldn't quit mine right now unless there was a better one waiting.
On the other hand, the Bay Area is a great place and always will be. The climbing is scarce however.
Here in Bishop, you will be poor and things aren't as cheap as they once were, but you can boulder and bags peaks like crazy. Our crack climbing isn't all that hot, but everything else is awesome.
Bishop is not a yuppie town, despite what someone said above. Yuppies don't like making $10 an hour.
As for cowboys there have always been more cowboy hats then real cowboys, so if you are into that stuff you can still help the rancher brand the calves in the spring. They might even throw in some free testicles if you ask.
Housing ain't cheap, jobs are scarce, but if you mean it you can make it work here.
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Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
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Jun 11, 2009 - 04:42pm PT
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Who could ever argue with roxforjox? Move along, folks nothing to see, no opportunities, here. Easier to move to the sticks and whine about solve you'll never see, and are too tone dad to hear.
Those of us left, will attempt to make do with what we have, divy-ing it up amongst our sad selves...
Hee, hee!
Take Idaho, please!
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Steven Warden
Trad climber
Bakersfield, CA
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Jun 11, 2009 - 04:52pm PT
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I'm a cali native, born and raised in Lake Tahoe (living in Bakersfield now...don't come here, it sucks) and have lived in Upstate New York, Seattle, Charleston, SC. I loved Seattle and for a urban environment and an outdoor enthusiast, it's the place to live. It just rains a lot, but when it doesn't, the weather is the best...summers absolutely incredible!
As for California, yeah, it has it's problems right now, but it is always the first to enter an economic downturn, but, guess what, it's always the first to come out of one and when it comes out, it comes out big. I chose to come back to Cali because I'm addicted to its combination of climbing, skiing, beaches and mountain biking all within hours of each other.
Voters here are stupid, though, and don't seem to understand that "BOND MEASURES" in the long run DO raise taxes and DO cause debt. And if you do choose Cali, find a place where you can work in the city, but live in the foothills (Sacramento comes to mind first). But construction, right now...Good Luck! This might sound dumb to a guy with a construction background, but look into the food processing industry. It's big in Sac town and the rest of the central valley and a little bit on the coast and is a relatively recession proof job market (everybody needs food) and a lot of our best workers (I work food processing) were construction workers in a previous life...food for thought...no pun intended. Just pick you favorite food or beverage and google it to see if they have a plant in California.
Good Luck, and best advice...whatever you choose, visit first.
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ontheedgeandscaredtodeath
Trad climber
San Francisco, Ca
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Jun 11, 2009 - 05:20pm PT
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Last weekend: Yosemite
This weekend: Camping/Surfing near Big Sur
Next weekend: Needles.
Maybe picking potatoes in Idaho is better, but I'll stick with the Golden State.
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Captain...or Skully
Social climber
North of the Owyhees
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Jun 11, 2009 - 05:23pm PT
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"picking potatoes"???
That's WAY better than diggin' for apples.
I agree, STAY out of Idaho
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the Fet
Supercaliyosemistic climber
Tu-Tok-A-Nu-La
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Jun 11, 2009 - 05:35pm PT
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"And if you do choose Cali, find a place where you can work in the city, but live in the foothills (Sacramento comes to mind first)."
Funny that's right where I'm at. I live at only 400 feet elevation at the start of the foothills and escape the fog 40-60% of the time. If you go 1500 feet or above you escape it most of the time.
In the Central Valley it's great 80 percent of the year, sunny and 65-95 degrees. There's about a month worth of fog in the winter (which you can get above if you go up the hill) and about a month worth of too hot in the summer. Which is 105 plus for me. But it's a dry heat and it cools off at night. It's much worse in New England when it's 95 and muggy and it doesn't cool off at night.
And the Yuppies don't live in Bishop, they drive their full size SUVs that have never been off road up from LA, I've seen them infiltrating the place. As mentioned Bishop is really nice if you can swing it, but far from the Ocean.
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