Who knows Colorado

[ExtremeDooty]

Looks like I will be moving to Colorado pretty soon, somewhere around Eagle. I checked Packing.org, but most of the info seemed out dated. Is anyone familiar with that area and which counties it's easiest to get a new concealed license? They have reciprocity with Michigan, but what does that mean if I move there? Will they just issue a Colorado license when I show them my Michigan CPL, or will I have to start from scratch?

Any other info, like cost of living, or even things I might not have even thought of, would be appreciated.

 

[Justin]

I live in Colorado Springs. Permits are easy to get and thanks to the passage of a law last year (iirc) are now uniform throughout the state. The only sticking point is Denver, who is trying to fight the whole thing in court using some silly home-rule exception.

Cost of living is higher than what you'll find in the midwest, though not horribly so.

 

[bratch]

Whats the latest on Denver? Has the state SC ruled?
I'll be there for the summer and plan on carrying if its still legal.

 

[Standing Wolf]

Whats the latest on Denver? Has the state SC ruled?

The latest on Denver is that it wants to be San Francisco when it grows up.

Seriously: the state hasn't yet appealed the leftist extremist judge's ruling.

 

[motorep]

Colorado is a shall issue state. Permits are issued by the local chief law enforcement official and are valid anywhere in Colorado. Can't carry in federal building- like any other state- can't carry in public schools or building that have a manned metal detector at the entrance. Businesses are free to post no carry in their facilities, the few that have realized that it costs them business.You can download the application and view the pertinent law at cssa.org.

Edit- the governor has instructed the attorney general to appeal the Denver rulings.

 

[rl2669]

packing.org is wrong???

You said packing.org is outdated, but I don't find that at all. In fact I just printed out the packing.org for a class I did last weekend and I checked it over - It seems pretty up to date to me.

The upshot - other than some potential problems in Denver as others have mentioned, CO has about the best CCW and overall gun laws you could reasonably ask for. Carry in car is OK wo/permit, except potentially in Denver. OK, so its not "Vermont / Alaska carry", you do have to get a permit to carry concealed on your person, but there are far fewer restrictions on permit holders here than most anywhere else - just stay out of Federal facilities, public K-12 schools, and any area with security screening and you're pretty OK. Signs on private property should be observed too, but its not a crime beyond trespass if you fail to spot a no carry sign - and frankly there are few around.

The one real downside of CO is a lack of indoor ranges.

Welcome aboard!

 

[ExtremeDooty]

You are correct, I went back to Packing.org and found more info. I still didn't see anything about how reciprocity works when moving into the state. I'm hoping it will be fairly simple.

Are any of you guys familiar with the area around Eagle. What I've seen so far in apartment rents is nearly double what it is here. The towns in the area seem small even by my standards. I'm going to be flying into Eagle next week and they are telling me the view will be stunning. I can hardly wait.

I also saw an annual temp chart and it looked like (IIRC) that the temp doesn't get over 60. Is that possible?

Wish me luck on getting this job. I'm starting to get excited about moving to Colorado. It sounds like beautiful country.

 

[Zundfolge]

You'll need to check with the Sheriff's office when you move here (Colorado CCWs are issued by county Sheriffs), but basically I believe your current out of state CCW will just get you out of the manditory training ... you will still have to pay for the back ground check and pay the license fee (should be about $150).

 

[Black92LX]

Eagle/Vail One of my favorite places on earth!

 

[Coltdriver]

Greetings and Welcome to Colorado!

Any time you live in the actual Mountains of Colorado the cost of living is very high.The total population density is very light and the supply demand equation turns around. Its expensive. Gas is always ridiculous.

Eagle Lies pretty much between Vail and Glendale Springs. I am guessing it is around 6500 feet altitude. You are two major passes away from Denver to the East and one trip through the canyon to Glenwood springs to the West. Say a solid two hour ride to Denver and an hour to Glenwood maybe a bit less. You are on the Pacific Divide of the Watershed and on the Eagle River which feeds into the Colorado river. If you like rafting you are in heaven here.

The highway that Eagle is on is bounded on both sides by mountains. You are less than 45 minutes to Grand Mesa, Route and White River National Forest. That means unbelievable unlimited access to mountains and woods where you can go for hours and hours sometimes all day and never see another person. It is the best small game hunting and of course deer but especially Elk that you can imagine. Just go shooting if its not hunting season. Absolutely wonderful.

You will get some two and three day hard snows but most of it is always driveable, however, there are times when no body drives. Not much but you have to respect how harsh it can be. I never am in the mountains in a car without clothing to be outside in the snow with for 6 hours. You only have to need it once. Four wheel drives make life easier here.

I am a fourth generation Coloradoan. It is a wonderful place and living in the mountains is a lifestyle experience that everyone should try at least once.

 

[rl2669]

Zundfolge...

The MI CCW permit is honored in CO according to packing.org.

However, having another state's CCW does NOT remove the requirement to obtain firearm training in order to obtain a CO CCW permit.

Although, there appears to be no legal problem with a resident carrying on an out of state permit, so ExtremeDooty has some time to get his/her permit.

All in all Eagle is a nice area; I personally wouldn't care to live that close to Vail (expensive and liberal), but it sure is pretty country.

Again welcome aboard!

 

[DigMe]

When I was visiting my friend who lives outside of Denver we started talking about housing costs and it was sound like the cost of a house there is at least twice the amount (and sometimes more) that you would pay for a similar house in a good area here.

Colorado is a beautiful place though.

brad cook

 

[DigMe]

The latest on Denver is that it wants to be San Francisco when it grows up.

I thought that was Boulder.

brad cook

 

[Coltdriver]

Hey DigMe,

Think of Boulder as the zygote for the San Francisco that Denver wants to be when it grows up.

 

[SunBear]

Have visited CO, WY and MT many times. I live in TN but my heart will always be in the Rockies.

 

[usp_fan]

I grew up in Colorado Springs and Aurora. I'll get back one of these days for good! I figure the next career move should put me in the income bracket where we won't be hurt too badly by the housing costs. I don't remember them being that bad growing up, I guess everyone just figured out what a great place it is. My favorite mountain bike trail is up near Breckenridge.

At any rate, As Colorado doesn't yet honor my OH CCW, is there a provision to get an out of state CCW for CO?

Thanks,

--usp_fan

 

[rl2669]

usp_fan

Sorry, but Colorado statute specifically requires the county sheriff to verify that you are a resident of their county.

No OOS permits issued, but with reciprocity/recognition its not too bad.

And you can carry in car or open carry on person sans-permit, not reco'd around Denver though.

 

[Ginger]

Everybody gave you good advice about ccw.

I also saw an annual temp chart and it looked like (IIRC) that the temp doesn't get over 60. Is that possible?

LOL! It's the elevation, baby! Summer daytime time temps are comfortable. Don't take the top end of the temperatures too seriously - in sun without a breeze you can get hot. Do take the low end temps and wind chill info seriously. Some flatlanders always freeze semi-solid every year.

You are a lot closer to the sun and you WILL burn. Use sun block year round. Use sunglasses year round. Depending on which way the slope faces (and it's all slope), it may seem like it gets dark earlier than you expect. Car maintenence is not a low priority item. Keep "winter clothes" in your car all year.

The views are stunning. The skiiing is excellent. Fishing and hunting opportunities abound. Hiking and rock climbing (and mountain climbing) are popular. Various music and film festivals are common in the summer.

It's pricey. But wages are also higher for most jobs. Denver, Boulder and the celebrity-infested towns like Vail are very liberal. Everyplace else is pretty conservative. Water issues and water rights are an extremely big deal now and you will hear about it (don't say anything about them for at least 5 years). We are hopefully coming out of a 5 year drought. It's currently snowing like crazy up there.

Welcome to Colorful Colorado!

 

[DigMe]

usp_fan,

Spend the twenty bucks to get a New Hampshire non-resident pistol license which is honored in CO. I did that before I took a week-long trip to CO. It's very easy and it gets done in two weeks or less once you send off the info. See the New Hampshire page at www.packing.org for details.

brad cook

 

[marklbucla]

Greeley?

How's Greeley, or more specificially the area around the University of Northern Colorado? I think it's about 45 mins north of Denver.

If it makes it easier to make comparisons, I lived in West LA my whole life until I moved down to Orange County California in August.

 

[rl2669]

I don't know much specifically about the politics of Greeley. To me, its a smelly farm town too far removed from the mountains.

But it will be heaven relative to any place in So Cal.

 

[Coltdriver]

Colorado is the only state in the lower 48 into which no water flows. All water flows out of Colorado. Hawaii is the only other state with this condition.

Greeley is the county seat of Weld County. It is one of the largest counties in Colorado and it has a strong farming and ranching tradition.

The abundant smells in Weld county come from every thing from feed lots to freshly fertilized fields to turkey farms to meat processing plants. As long as the prevailing wind blows East you would never know about the smells. But if you get what is referred to here as an upslope then the air becomes oderiferous

Weld county is, in my opinion, the most desirable place to live in close proximity to Denver. The rest of the counties around Denver lack a respect for the rural lifestyle. It is also booming because the growth between Denver and Cheyenne is constant.

I live in Weld County.

 

[Kamicosmos]

And now for my obligitory statement:

I soooo want to move to Colorado!!

(I've only been planning on it for like....10 years now. I should get the nerve up to do it soon.)

 

[Zundfolge]

I'm a little biased but I like El Paso county ... politically its pretty good (very libertarian news paper here in the springs as well).

Other counties I like are Teller and Park.

 

[BozemanMT]

colorado was a lot better 15 years ago and a million people ago. No offense.
Weld county has lots of options. Pretty cool politically plus car registration is way cheaper in weld than the rest of the front range, plus no stupid waste of money emissions in weld county. Can you tell I'm bitter on that one?
Greely is well, ummm, interesting.
Housing is outrageous in colorado, I think the average home price is over 200k and mtn towns and such are much much higher than that. Greely is pretty affordable. (on the good side, our taxes are reasonable, a 300k house is taxed between 1500 and 2k a year depending on where you are)

Oh yeah, and the fast lane is the right lane.