Well, yes and no.

The answer will depend on where you live and how you live. For people who have a job that does not allow you to come in a bit later in the morning after a big snow then you will want to invest in a good set of snow tires.  Snow tires are actually made of a different rubber mixture than regular all-season tires so they work differently when gripping the road and snow. The treads are bigger as well.  All season tires are certainly less hassle but if you are the kind of person who delays buying new tires until the last minute, they won’t serve you well in the snow and ice.

If you will be buying a new vehicle when you arrive in Colorado Springs, it might be wise to invest in a four wheel  or all wheel drive car or SUV.  This is a must if you live in the foothills or Monument area. In my area, Flying Horse Ranch, the interior streets never get plowed so just getting out of the neighborhood can be an issue even in a four wheel drive SUV. I know people who buy a new car just before they set out to move to Colorado Springs. Great idea unless you bought a two wheel drive Suburban. Pointless and poor resale value in Colorado Springs!

If you plan to live in the mountains then chains might be needed but us city dwellers have no need of them.  I am native of Colorado Springs and I have never had to put chains on my vehicle. If it is that bad outside, we just stay home. There is definitely something to be said for a snow day. We stay inside with a pot of chili and movies to watch. Makes for a good relaxing day!

Bottom line here is not to panic about winter driving. Make sure that you have at least all weather tires with plenty of tread left on them. Keep your tires inflated to the proper setting. Drive slower than normal and leave early to allow for slower speeds of travel. Driving in snow is no problem if you are prepared and take your time.

In Colorado Springs we get to enjoy wonderful, clean drinking water. What a privilege it is to just go to the faucet and get cold water that tastes great. My Arizona friends are not so lucky. In Scottsdale, everyone has to have a water cooler with those big five gallon jugs of water. This drives me crazy! The cooler takes up space in the kitchen and the jugs are really heavy when you have to change them out.

Colorado Springs Utilities publishes reports on the water quality and sends them out in the billing statements.  The report can also be viewed online along with lots of other interesting data about our water.

The water we drink in Colorado Springs mostly comes from mountain streams. Sources near Aspen, Leadville and Breckenridge provide the crisp clean water that we many times take for granted. This water is stored in reservoirs on Pikes Peak while it waits to be used.  The fact that the water travels in underground pipelines makes me feel better. This keeps the water from contamination from herbicides and pesticides. The city also uses local surface and ground water sources such as wells and creeks.

We are very lucky to have such good water here! If you are planning amove to the city soon, don’t worry about drinking bottled water. Ours tastes great right from the tap!

Here we go again!

Day 2 of the big 09 Halloween Storm. This is a normal thing for Colorado Springs so if you are thinking of moving here–don’t panic! The storm has closed most of the area down for the past two days but by the weekend we’ll have blue skies again. I’ll do a before and after video just to prove it (hopefully).

I work from a home office so the only issue for me is that I have no view from my upstairs office. I usually can see Pikes Peak from my desk but not today! Earlier this morning, my son and I went out to clear the driveway for the furniture delivery guys. It was fun to get outside but better to come back in and enjoy a cup of hot cocoa! The bad news is that the driveway was almost instantly covered in snow again and now the delivery truck can’t make it until Saturday. Oh well.

If you really don’t like snow, it is better to live further south in Colorado Springs. Many times the weather is not bad at all in Fountain. Temps can be 10 degrees higher than they are here in Flying Horse (near Monument). I’m a Colorado Springs native so the snow doesn’t bother me. I remember many times as a kid having mega Halloween storms. The good news was that my brother and I got more candy since not as many kids would go out in the snow. Good times!

Colorado Springs is a great place to live in any season. For real advice on where to live, contact me. I can give you info on any area in the Pikes Peak region and tell you what the weather is like in all of them!

This was the view of Pikes Peak yesterday as I dropped my son off at CSCS for his delayed start. This was the first day this year that we have have the delayed start. As I was on my way home, I was reminded of the exact reason that we have this program in our area. Two cars had been going too fast on the ice near Discovery Canyon School and collided, serving as a reminder to       other drivers to just take it slow.

What about closures?

In Colorado Springs, winter snows are just a fact of life. Schools do not want to close unless they really have to. They do build a few snow days into the yearly calendar but if those get used early in the season, kids may have to extend their school year to make up the lost days. My son’s school has an online program to keep kids current with their work in case of a snow day. He hates this idea since it keeps him from having what he calls a “real” snow day but I think it is a great idea.  The kids have to log onto the system and then do their work for the day and turn it in when they return to school.

How do you know when there is a delay or closure?

We usually know the night before a storm comes in if it is going to have an impact on school times. I try to set my alarm for 6 am or just a bit earlier so I can find out the latest school news. Every TV station will have the school and employer updates on the crawler on the screen. If there is a 2 hour delayed start, I can roll back over and sleep for another hour. If there is a total cancellation, I usually hear the grateful yell of my son who has just heard the news himself followed by a few more hours of quiet. Many school websites also have delay and closing info but the TV news system is the simplest for me.

What about winter driving?

You have to remember, I am a native of Colorado Springs so winter driving is not an issue for me. If you are planning an upcoming move to Colorado Springs, you will want to think ahead. Owning a four wheel drive vehicle is a big help in our area. We have up to ten inches of snow coming in the next few days to the northern part of the city. If I did not have my four wheel drive, it could be difficult to get out of my neighborhood. Once I am on the main streets and the highway, I have no problems. The major roads are plowed right away and also treated with a de-icing chemical. If you are in the market for a new car in your current city, do not buy a two wheel drive SUV! It will be useless here in Colorado Springs! The resale value will be so low since nobody wants that kind of vehicle here. I suggest trading your two wheel drive truck or SUV before you get here–you will thank me for this later!

How long will it last?

Our snow season will run from mid-October through the end of April. Remember, we live here at 7000 feet above sea level and Pikes Peak is right out our front door! The benefit to all of this snow is that we usually have plenty of water. Our water tastes great right out of the tap. Very few people buy water in this area. That would seem crazy! Our water comes right off Pikes Peak and is cold and clear. You will love it!

If you are thinking of a move to Colorado Springs in the future, contact me or leave a comment below. I am a native of the area and can tell you which areas get more snow than others! My area, Flying Horse Ranch, gets plenty but I love it! Hopefully you will adapt to the snow and love it too!