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montana_g
May 31, 2007, 11:21 PM
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Hi All,
My wife's starting a PhD program in SoCal and thus we're busting out of Bozeman, Montana. But—she only needs to be at school four days a month and so we're looking at moving to anywhere within a four-hour drive of Santa Barbara.
Any suggestions for living in the Big Bear Lake area? Not just climbing but quality of life. Where's best to live? Where should we avoid? We've both climbed Yosemite walls, we b/c tele and trail run, I write a Trail of the Week column for the Bozeman paper, and we've got a baby and a yellow lab.
Thanks in advance for any advice!
Cheers,
Garth
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lofstromc
Jun 1, 2007, 12:18 AM
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Even if school is four days a week, Big Bear to Santa B is a haul, especially with that bad SoCal traffic.
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baja_java
Jun 1, 2007, 12:19 AM
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traffic going from Santa Barbara across LA to Big Bear is pretty heinous. not quite the same 4 hr drive across Montana. you literally die a little every minute you're trapped in that parking lot traffic. people just sit there dying together, taking minutes and hours of their lives from each other, killing each other, involuntarily manslaughtering each other. even once a month is too much. you sure?
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hanginaround
Jun 1, 2007, 12:38 AM
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Idyllwild, Tahquitz and Suicide right in town, J tree less than a hour away. Not a bad life if you can make a living there.
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baja_java
Jun 1, 2007, 12:53 AM
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there's lots of climbing around Big Bear. Idyllwild is about 1.5 hrs from Big Bear. you'd have to go down one mountain, across the 10, then up the other. but no, not that far away. you'd also be close enough to the 395 to get some time on the Sierra Eastside too, or up the 15 to Red Rocks
but that drive across LA to Santa Barbara, that's just unhealthy
(This post was edited by baja_java on Jun 1, 2007, 12:59 AM)
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el_layclimber
Jun 1, 2007, 1:00 AM
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Within twenty minutes of Santa Barbara, there is quite a bit of good climbing. You could send your proj. and surf in the same day. J Tree, Tahquitz and Yosemite are all within 5 hours of SB for trips. Why not live in Santa Barbara?
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montana_g
Jun 1, 2007, 3:04 PM
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Thanks all,
Sounds like we should think about the Santa Barbara thing—I assume we could find a nice, two-bedroom place near the water for around $1,200 a month (just kidding)? Being skiers as well as climbers, I think we'll still swing through Big Bear—maybe Idyllwild as well—when we do the "holy crap we actually need to find a place to live in SoCal" tour later in June, but maybe we'll look coastal as well. Carpinteria? San Louis Obispo? I'll keep half an eye on e-bay for surfboards...
Thanks again,
Garth
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donald949
Jun 1, 2007, 7:38 PM
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The possibility exsits to drive around LA from Big Bear. Take the 18 west on the North side of the mountains, to the 14 south, to 126 west to the 101 west.
But still, its going to be a long hoof.
Don
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jeremy9876543
Jun 4, 2007, 2:35 AM
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I wouldn't count on Big Bear for for skiing it's kind of a bunny hill unless you are looking to tear up the gnar with the snowboarders in the park. Although there is a lot of climbing nearby. If 4 hours of driving is the only criterion I would think that there are better options, check out San Louis Obispo, you could probably find a place in the Western Sierra within 4 hours, it's about 6 hours from Bishop to Santa Barbara.
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montana_g
Jun 4, 2007, 3:19 AM
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Thanks Jeremy (if that IS your real name),
Any Western Sierra suggestions? Maybe that cool little mountain/college town? Any tips are appreciated, and we'll check 'em out in late June (including San Louis O.).
Cheers,
G
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