Years ago, when I graduated from my teaching credential program, I listed my “nonnegotiables”. In our program, the professor defined nonnegotiables as the things that were most important to you, that you wouldn’t compromise on in order to live your best life. It was supposed to help us narrow our options when we were applying for teaching jobs. At the time, living in a forested, scenic area was my top priority. When I lived in Sacramento, I spent countless weekends driving to Tahoe to hike or climb or explore. I debated whether or not to move to Tahoe or the southern Sierra…and if you’ve followed my writing, you know how that went.

I don’t regret my move. I love waking up in constant awe of this beautiful place. I told myself if I ever stopped appreciating the woods, the mountains, or the views, I’d leave. There are times I worry about the quality of the services for my family and if I’m doing the right thing by staying. But then I reassure myself that having all this is worth it. However, I have to share this. It might help anyone who is on the fence and hasn’t considered the down side to living in the middle of nowhere.

Here are the top 5 reasons I wouldn’t move to a remote mountain town.

1. There is no direct mail service. Most people have to go to the post office to get their mail if you live in town. This means that you a) won’t be able to have certain things delivered to you b) have to rush to get your packages during business hours c) expect a lot of things to get sent back or just not arrive. See 4 for further explanation.
2. There’s limited access to services. If you thought that access to mental health services was bad where you lived before, it’s a million times worse in a remote place. Same with any sort of specialist. Mental health crisis? Medical emergency? If it’s urgent, you’ll most likely be sent elsewhere via plane or helicopter. (When I had long COVID, it was a nightmare trying to see all the specialists I needed. I spent a lot of time driving to LA or Reno.) This also means that certain problems run rampant in town (drug and alcohol abuse). Limited services also means limited job opportunities. The major employers in town are usually tourism/hospitality/guest services, hospitals, school districts, town services, and that’s about it. Unless you have some sort of remote job, finding work will be a struggle, too. Don’t get me started about the WiFi.
3. The size of town varies greatly. If you’re in an area that tourists love, especially a ski town, expect to be flooded with extra people on weekends and holidays. It’s great for the local businesses, but everything is going to take longer. (Forget about strolling in to the local restaurant at 6 pm and getting seated quickly.) You can expect the store to run out of household staples. If you live in a condo or are in close proximity to hotels, Airbnbs, etc. you might feel the strain of limited parking, people who don’t know how to use a fireplace or woodburning stove almost accidentally setting your place on fire, or having to drive defensively when surrounded by people who don’t usually drive in the conditions you’re used to.
4. Expect to have to buy a lot of things online. There aren’t many options for buying things. It’s a blessing and a curse, but you’ll have to order most things because there aren’t a lot of stores in town. If you run out of something, it’s not like you can swing by the local Target and pick it up. Even in this age of convenience, you’ll still have to go to the post office to pick it up (see 1.). You’ll also realize how unfashionable you are when you go to a big city.
5. Small towns can be a good thing or a bad thing. Everyone seems to know everyone, which means everyone knows each other’s business. This can be a good thing if you check all the boxes and fit in, but it can be downright miserable if you don’t. When I first moved here, I heard that people were standoffish because it’s a revolving door–most people don’t stay, so it’s hard to make friends. The traditional apps you’d use to find events to attend and friends to meet (think Meetup, Bumble BFF) don’t have enough users to make it worthwhile either. So, you’re going to have to work extra hard to find your besties.