Anyone in Montana?

[dustxking]

I originally posted this in the off topic but it got no reply at all so figure giving it a shot here hope that's ok.


Hey everyone, I currently live in WA state and also have a opportunity to move to Montana. I am looking for anyone who lives in the area will shed some incite on weather or not to stick it out here or take a wild chance and move to Montana.
Helena Montana to be exact, I work for a tire company that is wildly expanding in the Montana state. Washington is getting way to populated and cost anywhere from 1100-1700 for a apartment ranging from 1000 sq foot and up. I love the outdoors, fishing, hiking, winter all of it. I also am a huge foodie so great food is a must. How do your rigs do with rust out there?
Please anyone give some feedback? Would love it.
Also it will only be myself, my wife, and our 5 month old German Shepherd pup.

 

[Woz1976-MT]

I live a bit farther east (Colstrip), but the weather in Montana can vary greatly. Very little corrosive salt is used in Montana (a few cities use it, I think) so vehicles here do not rust all that quickly, at least not like in my home state of Wisconsin.

Rent should be cheaper than Washington; Helena is one of the more expensive areas to live (the bigger cities in Montana usually are more on the expensive side of the scale), but should still be cheaper for you. Drivers in Helena are the worst, though!

Keep an eye out for sources of heat in apartments. Most in Montana are electric, and sometimes electric rates will kill you if you're not on some type of budget plan.

One other good thing about Montana is that there is no sales tax.

 

[tS_kStin]

I originally posted this in the off topic but it got no reply at all so figure giving it a shot here hope that's ok.


Hey everyone, I currently live in WA state and also have a opportunity to move to Montana. I am looking for anyone who lives in the area will shed some incite on weather or not to stick it out here or take a wild chance and move to Montana.
Helena Montana to be exact, I work for a tire company that is wildly expanding in the Montana state. Washington is getting way to populated and cost anywhere from 1100-1700 for a apartment ranging from 1000 sq foot and up. I love the outdoors, fishing, hiking, winter all of it. I also am a huge foodie so great food is a must. How do your rigs do with rust out there?
Please anyone give some feedback? Would love it.
Also it will only be myself, my wife, and our 5 month old German Shepherd pup.

I'm from Bozeman MT! There is a Montana thread in the regional area of the forum (very bottom of the site) it is so so on how active it is as there is not that much for members from Montana due to the state having such a low population. Here I'm Bozeman rent is very high as well but I think it is better in other parts of the state as Bozeman is a wildly popular and wealthy place. But as far as rust goes, my 98 hardly has any light rust as at least I'm Bozeman we don't use salt or anything that makes our vehicles rust out badly so that is a big plus. Check out 406cruisers and Montana Toyota off-road. 406cruisers is based out of Bozeman and the Montana Toyota Off-road is out of Helena or Missoula I think. Both are great clubs but I have only gone on rides with the 406cruisers. Montana is a nice place to be with a lot of outdoor activities for every season.

 

[Black798]

I am also from bozeman and IMO we have some of the best weather to ask for. The summers are warm and dry but not uncomfortably hot, it usually tops out in the 80s, and the winters arent bitterly cold but cold enough to give plenty of snow for all your winter activities. You can expect about a week per year that its really cold, below zero, but usually its in the teens. The weather here really allows for the wide range of outdoor activities. Id say in comparison to somewhere like Washington Montana lacks in the food department but there is a decent variety here. As far as road salt, its nothing like out east, but we do use mag chloride which is still pretty corrosive but not near as bad as salt. My 4runner has some minimal surface rust on the frame and axle but thats about it and it has lived in montana for roughly the past 10 years.

 

[dustxking]

Thanks for all the info everyone. That is one huge thing it sound like I will miss is the amount of "foodie" spots here in the PNW. I just feel like I am living in the Beverly Hills of the PNW.

 

[rdr99]

I live in Helena. Rent is probably higher than most. Though if you look in Townsend or Boulder you might find it cheaper. Though you would have to drive 30/45 minutes to get into town. No salt, they use mag chloride. Minimal rust, maybe surface. Weather is pretty decent. Very little humidity. Smoky right now, gets into the 90-100's during the summer. We actually had a decent winter last year with lots of snow. Not so much on the foodie stuff, you like steak right? LOTS of outdoor recreation, wheeling, skiing, hiking, etc. No sales tax, permanent vehicle registration if vehicle is 11 years or older.

 

[Black798]

I live in Helena. Rent is probably higher than most. Though if you look in Townsend or Boulder you might find it cheaper. Though you would have to drive 30/45 minutes to get into town. No salt, they use mag chloride. Minimal rust, maybe surface. Weather is pretty decent. Very little humidity. Smoky right now, gets into the 90-100's during the summer. We actually had a decent winter last year with lots of snow. Not so much on the foodie stuff, you like steak right? LOTS of outdoor recreation, wheeling, skiing, hiking, etc. No sales tax, permanent vehicle registration if vehicle is 11 years or older.

Where is all of the wheeling your talking about? In comparisons to other states Ive wheeled in Montana is pretty barren in that it doesnt have many difficult trails or trails that are easy to find info on.

 

[rdr99]

Yah, it is hard to find good trails. Lots of local info usually. Snow wheeling is where the difficulty comes in.

 

[RomanSchnobrich]

I'm from Bozeman MT! There is a Montana thread in the regional area of the forum (very bottom of the site) it is so so on how active it is as there is not that much for members from Montana due to the state having such a low population. Here I'm Bozeman rent is very high as well but I think it is better in other parts of the state as Bozeman is a wildly popular and wealthy place. But as far as rust goes, my 98 hardly has any light rust as at least I'm Bozeman we don't use salt or anything that makes our vehicles rust out badly so that is a big plus. Check out 406cruisers and Montana Toyota off-road. 406cruisers is based out of Bozeman and the Montana Toyota Off-road is out of Helena or Missoula I think. Both are great clubs but I have only gone on rides with the 406cruisers. Montana is a nice place to be with a lot of outdoor activities for every season.

Dude! I've seen you around town and can't help but drool at your rig every time. I work at Clark's Fork and saw it parked here the other week-- I'd check back every few minutes hoping to see you but I saw some ladies drive away in it instead. I'd love to grab some coffee or (even better) go exploring some time! I've only been here since January so I'm eager to get out and find some fun trails. I've got the silver SR5 with the ARB front and ladder (I just put on my OME lift finally but have a gnarly rake for now unfortunately), pretty lame build so far but good things take time. Cheers man!

 

[tS_kStin]

Dude! I've seen you around town and can't help but drool at your rig every time. I work at Clark's Fork and saw it parked here the other week-- I'd check back every few minutes hoping to see you but I saw some ladies drive away in it instead. I'd love to grab some coffee or (even better) go exploring some time! I've only been here since January so I'm eager to get out and find some fun trails. I've got the silver SR5 with the ARB front and ladder (I just put on my OME lift finally but have a gnarly rake for now unfortunately), pretty lame build so far but good things take time. Cheers man!

Hey I have always wondered if you were on here! Thanks man, yours is looking good as well. All builds take a while. I am about 3 or 4 years on mine. I'd love to meet up for a drink or something at least! I am I'm Indonesia for a couple more weeks and then I'll be jet lagged for another after I get back but I'm a few weeks I'd be game. I'll shoot you a PM as well.