Pros/Cons of buying in one of the canyons? (Boulder, 4 Mile, Coal Creek, Left Hand, etc)

[.455_Hunter]

I am not sure what type of housing situation you have now, but neighbor/social interactions can be extremely different in the mountains vs in town. If an important part of your or your spouse's life is interaction with close neighbors in the front yard while the kids play and the family from down the street ride by on their bikes, make sure you discuss before committing. If not, you will end-up next to a 65 year old hermit on one side and the grow house populated with 25 year old pot heads on the other.

[ClangClang]

Ha! Right now we live in a condo with 2 dozen neighbors within 30 paces, and we don't talk to a single one of them. A little solitude is just what we're looking for. I tend to get along with 65 year old hermits surprisingly. Being next door to a grow op however, is a concern. They can attract some undesirable activity and I haven't got much use for any of their product. Which is a shame really. I could trade some veggies/eggs for pot. That's the Colorado dream right there.

[ClangClang]

That would be very cool. But unlikely, given that we are looking at properties in the 1-3 acre range. IWe would probably need to get something in 60-100+ acre range to have any hope of finding a surprise mine or other underground cavity.

[hatidua]

We would probably need to get something in 60-100+ acre range to have any hope of finding a surprise mine or other underground cavity.

Some ridges in Rollinsville have a mine every 50 yards, some 5 acre parcels have quite a few on the same property. Very easy to get into. Not very easy to get out of...

[Hummer]

I get the willies just thinking about some of the old mines I used to explore around Jimtown, Balarat, the Smuggler below Riverside, and some outside Ward. Dangerous, death defying treks to find bats, old equipment, stalagmites and other treasures. That was when I young, fearless and invulnerable. Almost took a job when the mine above Jimtown was still operating. There are miles of shafts and tunnels there.

I still enjoy exploring caves but old abandoned mines--never again.