Anyone down by the springs, advice please...

[jeepdreamer]

Hey guys,
So the wife and I are moving out to the colorado springs area around late March and could use some help/advice. Lots of non jeep questions we appreciate some input about from those of you that live in that area.
Stuff like what cell service gets decent coverage?
What part of town to live in that isn't a ghetto or the ritz?
Any decent ranges to go shooting?
Really anything related to a couple moving basically blind into an area neither have ever been to (though we've both visited colorado a bit).
Help!
Thanks in advance!

 

[Fred]

There are no real ghetto areas. I think you get the most for your money in the newer developments east of Powers. 3 car garages are more prevalent there.

Cheyenne Mtn shooting range is excellent and there are a couple of new indoor ranges.

Cell service in town is pretty equal among carriers, in the Mts, I like AT&T.

Hopefully, you have a job, it's always tight here.

This is a high and dry climate. It takes adjustment, but I can never go back to high humidity, and then there's that snow covered peak that's great to look at.

 

[xj-grin]

Verizon - and Fred is neglecting to tell you that if getting shot isn't in your plans, you want to avoid the SE side near Academy and Chelton. Further in any direction - cool. SW side near Broadmoor is pretty ritzy. Cool city, lots of great places to raise a family, lots of good food and local brews, in a few minutes drive, you can be well into the mountains.

 

[jdxj]

Agreed stay away from academy and chelton, or fountain roads. Powers area is nice but a little more modern with mostly tract homes, if your after a older neiborhood the edges of downtown or west side is pretty cool! If your after a little land/space east is better falcon area I live 15 miles or so east of town and we have 40 acres

Verizon is best coverage and I have sprint and it's pretty decent, mom has att it's pretty decent!

There's a good range at gate 20 or fort Carson, also a nice one at Dragon mans east of town!
I also have one in my back yard for friends and family, about 15 miles east of town!

It's a great place to live! You'll like it!

 

[DaKing]

Agreed stay away from academy and chelton, or fountain roads. Powers area is nice but a little more modern with mostly tract homes, if your after a older neiborhood the edges of downtown or west side is pretty cool! If your after a little land/space east is better falcon area I live 15 miles or so east of town and we have 40 acres

Verizon is best coverage and I have sprint and it's pretty decent, mom has att it's pretty decent!

There's a good range at gate 20 or fort Carson, also a nice one at Dragon mans east of town!
I also have one in my back yard for friends and family, about 15 miles east of town!

It's a great place to live! You'll like it!

I grew up in Fountain, back in the 80's. Has it gone down since then?

I liked living in the Springs.

 

[jdxj]

No fountains isn't bad I meant the area around fountain road and academy!

But fountain does have some pretty iffy areas now, as does the west side of town and even some areas east of town! But most are fine!

 

[in4aride]

Chelton, Murray, and circle (which becomes lake, and Fillmore) along the platte to fountain roads are generally areas you don't want to be. Don't live right off base either (Peterson or Carson). Powers area is growing quick. Between powers and academy from constitution to Dublin is some cool houses with decent yard and not bad access to anything and very moderate crime rate. I was a fan of old co city but hated manitou.
Folks live out east of Dublin and marksheffel and like it.

I love pikes peak gun club east of town. Or the Carson range isn't a bad choice.

 

[jeepdreamer]

Awesome info fellas, please keep it coming. I think the wife and I will like it there as living in hot and humid environments is not our cup of tea. The plan is to find something livable with enough space for all our storage without looking like the Beverly hillbillies. If it's short term until we buy something that's cool but it will have to be reasonably priced and not having to to set up a perimeter to keep it secure. We're currently stuck in an apartment in N Virginia and can't stand it. Add in that most my stuff is either in storage here or in my 2 shipping containers. Heck, I've got stuff I haven't seen in almost 5 years thanks to the Army. Haha.
I'll be going from active duty into the reserves and am hoping to retire out there. Ideally I hope to find some land (10+acres), hopefully that backs up to a state park or "open space". No home owners association crap either is a mandatory factor.
Is there anything west of Carson that is decent? How far is to far for a commute, especially in the weather? Here a 10 mile commute can be over an hour easy, and that's in good weather on an average day. Ugh! No thank you!
What about junk yards? Any good ones down that way?
Jeep or diesel shops? I have a 99 dodge cummins that is going to need work asap (transmission lost 5th and steering/front diff is jacked up). Also, if I can't find a house with ample storage, how are the storage places there? Rates and conditions? ?
Keep the info coming guys...we appreciate it a lot!

 

[rockfrog]

West of Carson is high dollar and you really don't get much land unless you head south down Hwy115 and that's high dollar too. Any property that backs to any good open space or parks will have a premuim. If you are looking for 10+ acres you will most likely be out east like Peyton or Falcon, or southeast like the edge of Fountain, both areas will be prairie. Ain't nothing wrong with prairie!

I guess it depends on your budget, house prices havebeen going up steadily in the last year or two.

Junkyards down here suck. 1 self service yard, it's great if you need parts for hondas, they used to get XJ'S all the time, I was down this week they had 3.

 

[xj-grin]

I'm on 5 acres in Black Forest, which is the north end of town -- I paid $290k for the lot and a POS house in 2011... been renovating room by room since. Commute here isn't bad unless the weather is really shitty. I am 18 miles from my office downtown, and 9 out of 10 days, its a 20 minute drive.

 

[jeepdreamer]

We haven't set a budget yet for a house as it will depend on what we end up with job wise. I'm hoping to get something ON ft carson or a federal job of some sort so my time counts toward retirement as well. I'll use my va loan for a house but it won't be a McMansion. Haha. I've built a lot of houses and remodeled far more so I'm perfectly fine with a fixer upper ad long ad there's enough land and good bones to work with.
How many places down there are on a well, any? How about natural gas or geothermal? ?

 

[xj-grin]

I'm on a well -- central/muni natural gas and electricity (solar is in the future I hope). I think JD is on a propane tank, but he is further out than I am . Geothermal is difficult around here, in that Colo. Springs, particularly on the north, overlies a bunch of shallow aquifers... nothing like 52 degree water to ruin a GT system.

 

[jeepdreamer]

Awesome, wells are where it's at. I like being as self sufficient as possible and am tired of moving around. It'll be nice to settle in somewhere.
Do the plains see much wind generation?

 

[xj-grin]

Wind and solar farms are popping up. as far as standalone - you could make some decent wind power around here maybe 70% of the time... it isn't always windy, but a breeze is pretty normal. I think you'll like it here.

 

[jeepdreamer]

I wouldn't mind having a small solar with wind as backup power as secondary power should there be an outage or complete shutdown. I think that'll be a ways down the road though.
I just hope we can find something with a halfway decent sized shop or at least a garage big enough to support the jeep habit.

 

[Swamprat]

I live inbetween circle and academy on pikes peak. Its not so bad, a lot of foot traffic. So far no one has stolen my jeep or anything from my house or the neighbors. Its actually quite nice. As far as living cost, I found rent and insurance is kind of high here, but utilities cable and internet are very reasonable. The job market is tight, I would definitely recommend having a job before committing to move.

As a texas transplant here, I like it. It is miserably cold, but there are a lot of things to do locally. And im told with in a few hours drive radius there is good wheeling and scenic camping. I havent been able to get out and explore past the city, but it definitely sounds like a good suite for someone with an active lifestyle. I dig it here, my soon to be wife really likes it. If you can afford to and swing the move I recommend it. My $.02

-Ian

 

[jeepdreamer]

Thanks Ian and happy new year. It looks like no matter how we approach it, this move will be complex. But its a new year, the clock to move is ticking, and we will try and stay positive. I start ACAP on monday so am effectively out of the work pool. Things will start to go quicker so ill try and make everyday show progress. Lots to do, some will have to be dealt with out of faith.

 

[jeepdreamer]

Days are ticking away. Signed my contract for the reserves so now it's "official" (or unavailable, haha)
Anyone here have a storage unit in the springs area? Will try to drop most my "extra'' stuff in Golden as we pass by but we may find a need for space to hide stuff.
Still no news for a job either. Anyone in a trade school they recomend?

 

[Fred]

Lots and lots of storage units in the Springs. Lots of movers come through here.

 

[jeepdreamer]

Lots and lots of storage units in the Springs. Lots of movers come through here.

Thanks man. As the days tick by I am excited and stressed. Where to live. Finding a job. Becoming the new guy at a reserve unit. Logistics of getting all this junk here out there...
It will work out... just gotta keep leaning forward and chipping away at stuff.