Hailey area ... any riding? Looking at a job there.

[jacmmaxwell]

Like the title said, I'm looking at a job in Hailey and was wondering if there is any good mountain riding around the area?

How far to unload? How many miles of trail to the fun stuff? What's the terrain like?

Any opinions on the town? Schools? I'll be 60,000 + per year mark... I know sun valley is close to there but does that drive the cost of living up much? I live in a pretty pricey area now here in WA but don't want to take a step backwards in comfort level.

Let me know what you think.

 

[Scott]

I lived there for a year. Taught at Wood River Middle School for 99-2000 school year.

The Schools are GREAT. That tax base is great and the school is able to provide a GREAT learning experience for the kids.
The middle school has a multimillion dollar tech-lab. They receive grants from NASA to help pay for robotics, computers and a closed curcuit TV studio with an editing bay..and that was back in 2000.

The further south you live, the more married you are or bigger your family is. LOL.

A 60k salary will treat you fine there....but the cost of living IS quite HIGH.

Riding is UNREAL!!! Fairfield is 40 mins away. Baker Creek is about 30 mins from Hailey. Salmon Headwaters is just over Galena Pass toward Stanley. GREAT PLACE TO RIDE.
When I lived there in Bellevue, it was a low snow year and we had a 3' base in our yard most of the winter. I came home and rode after work 3 or so nights a week on the bald hills between Bellevue and Hailey...east of the bike path. I think it's fenced now and you can't get across teh hay field...but it's a GREAT place to live.

LOTS of sun in the winter. If it's cloudy, then it's usually snowing. It's called Sun Valley for a reason. No seasonal depression due to lack of sun in that place.

PEOPLE are a different story. A few LONG TIME residents there, but when I was there, 90% of the people I'd run into were there less than 10 years. Everyone is from somewhere else.
Lots of CEOs and celebs in north valley...but they keep to themselves. They are visible though because people treat them cool. I met a few A-list people and athletes.

It's a really cool place. LITERALLY hundreds of restraunts between Bellevue, Hailey and Ketchum. Grocery stores are more expensive, but still WAY less than eating out every night.

 

[Bowtie496]

I live in southern Blaine County, cost of living has dropped the last few years because of the housing crash. As far as riding, put it this way, we are still riding.

 

[jacmmaxwell]

Well, had a phone interview this morning for this job and I think it went great. Wife is on board with the move so let's just see what happens.

 

[Scott]

What kind of work?

 

[jacmmaxwell]

Telecomm,

I work of Centurylink

My base rate will be 63,400 aprox + any overtime.

 

[Bowtie496]

You take the position?

 

[jacmmaxwell]

The job was offered to me, now HR will put together an offer that includes wages PTO and benefits.

The wages are progressive in steps and were they start me in the progression will determine my ability to take the job. I already work for the company and I'm toped out in my wage scale. This job is the same as what I do but is under another union and is part of what was the qwest company before we bought them.

Should know by Mid week, then if the offer is good I will drive the family over for a couple days to check it out before taking the job.

 

[jacmmaxwell]

Well, I took the job. Looks like we are moving over there... man there is alot to do.

LOL... anybody want to buy a house in WA?

 

[mtnjunkie]

Well, you picked a nice time to move here, super smoky and miserable. Maybe run into you sometime or ride this winter.

 

[jacmmaxwell]

Been here for a month and a half and yeh the smoke is a killer the last couple days. So far I love the area, spent last weekend over at red fish and dang was it nice.

My house in WA just sold so now I'm looking for a place to buy over here ( to get out of the tiny little cabin I'm in ) but man the market here is crazy.... not to mention finding a place with a garage big enough for my sleds and room to work. Can't wait to get the family over here.

I had to leave a great group of riding buddies behind in WA so I'll be looking for some folks to tag along with if you ever need someone to ride with.

 

[Scott]

The house I built (& lived in for only a year) is for sale. The second owner has been trying to sell it for a long time.

Chantrelle subdivision behind Valley Market in Bellevue. 230 Melrose Street.

Go look at it.

If you have any questions, I know what they paid for it.

 

[mtnjunkie]

I'll talk to you this winter, you're welcome to go ride with us. Redfish is nice, spend most of the year in Stanley, too bad so much is going to burn this year.

 

[Scott]

That just opens up new boondocking areas.

 

[mtnjunkie]

Ya should be some new areas to ride. We will be working right next to the burn all winter anyway so.... Fighting fire pays well, but such a huge waste of timber and money and this smoke is getting old.

 

[Scott]

I flew over from Seattle to Denver at the end of July. Saw Cascade, the big fire by McCall and all the little ones in the area. CRAZY.

Flew over the Sawtooths, Smiley Creek. Saw Galena Pass, Trail Creek, Baker Creek, Baldy...all of it. Sure miss living down there.

 

[jacmmaxwell]

I like riding burned units in the winter, two of my favorite riding spots are in burns in Mc Call and Halfway.

They are still a shame to see the wood go to waste ... do they salvage burn units over here? I worked a few salvage jobs after big burns in WA and man are they hard on things. I ran log processors before I changed to my current line of work. Mostly denharco strokers but spent some time in a dangle head or two. The ash and dirt kills bushings and pins fast ... and saw chains become a 3-4 per day item if your really pushing out the wood.

BTW Scott, checked out that house... nice place but he's about 70-80K over what I want to spend. Need gas money for the sleds and need to get the son off the powder special and onto a newer chassis ( 600 rev or XP would be perfect ).

 

[Scott]

What's he asking for it now?
I stopped and talked to him a couple years ago. He was asking up around 580 back in about 2007, and if I remember right he was back down around 480 last time I drove through there.

Cool thing about that lot is that it's direct access to the Wood.

 

[jacmmaxwell]

369,000 but that seems fair around here for a house like that... I really like that area of bellevue. I almost bought a place two houses down on the corner of Amber. Access to the river would be awsome !!!

I want to stay under 300 ... 250 would be nice but that's proving kinda hard around here.

 

[mtnjunkie]

Sometimes they put up burned areas for a sale. Problem here is it's so recreation oriented that there are few sales anyway, and it's often tied up in lawsuits for a while until they're actually available. Recreation and tree huggers are priority here, logging is last on the list and they do what they can to make it difficult. We logged redfish and all the campgrounds and everything a few years ago. Now are working right next to the Halstead fire. We use a danglehead and a pull through. I run the skidder (just got a new(er) Timberjack).