Tag Archive for: Western Slope

Move to Colorado: No Need to Hunker Down

Move to Colorado: No Need to Hunker Down, Grand Junction’s Four Seasons Are Just Right

When people picture a move to Colorado, they often imagine Denver, Boulder, or Colorado Springs. These cities get plenty of attention, but they don’t necessarily represent the best of what Colorado living has to offer. If you’re considering a move to Colorado, you owe it to yourself to take a closer look at Grand Junction.

Grand Junction is a vibrant community on the Western Slope where life is comfortable year-round. Unlike the Front Range or other states, Grand Junction doesn’t force you to hunker down for months because of extreme weather. No long, frigid winters. No hot, sticky summers. No suffocating humidity. Just four balanced seasons and a lifestyle that makes you wonder why more people don’t start their Colorado relocation journey here.

Move to Colorado Without the Harsh Winters

Michelle all bundled up with a blanket and hat during a Minnesota winter

Michelle during a cold, long Minnesota winter

For many people, a move to Colorado is exciting because of the outdoors, but can also be concerning because of the weather. Along the Front Range, winters can drag on from late October through April, with heavy snow and icy conditions making daily life a chore.

Grand Junction is different. Yes, you’ll get a dusting of snow, but it melts quickly. The Grand Valley’s lower elevation (around 4,600 feet compared to Denver’s 5,280 feet) means temperatures are more moderate. That translates to shorter, milder winters, which are perfect for people who want the beauty of snow without the burden of months of shoveling and icy travel.

And if you crave deep powder… Powderhorn Mountain Ski Resort is only 45 minutes away. More into snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, or ice fishing for trout? Just head up to the Grand Mesa for a day or weekend of winter fun. When you move to Colorado, you can enjoy the winter lifestyle without living in sub-zero conditions for months on end.

Growing up in the Midwest, I know what it’s like to hunker down from November until May. Subzero temps, blistering wind chills, and endless snow plowing. You just want to curl up by the fire and dream of spring. We got tired of missing out on life because of the weather, and that was a major factor that influenced us to choose Grand Junction.

The cover image for this post, of me sitting on the dock during a snowstorm, was taken in May in Minnesota… during fishing opener weekend!

Enjoy Summers That Let You Stay Outside

Many people move to Colorado hoping to enjoy the sunshine. But summers on the Front Range, or in states like Texas, Florida, or even Arizona can mean days that are just too hot or humid to enjoy. In Grand Junction, summers are warm but comfortable. Average highs reach the upper 80s in July, but the dry air makes it far easier to enjoy than the muggy heat of the Midwest or the South. Even better, evenings cool off beautifully. You can sit on your patio with a glass of local wine while the sun sets over the Colorado National Monument and enjoy a bug-free evening without sweating through your shirt or escaping indoors to air conditioning.

Sure, Grand Junction does hit 100 degrees now and then, but unlike Arizona’s endless triple-digit stretches. Here the heat is brief thanks to wide temperature swings. Mornings and evenings are almost always pleasant. If you’re considering a move to Colorado but don’t want to suffer through extreme summer weather, Grand Junction offers the perfect balance.

While I haven’t lived in the Southeast, I know friends there struggle with oppressive humidity. From Texas or Florida? You know it all too well. Arizona? Triple-digit summers that keep people indoors for months. We wanted something different.

Read my related posts for more information. Grand Junction Weather, Summers Weather in Grand Junction, Winter Weather in Grand Junction.

Say Goodbye to Humidity

Ask anyone relocating from the South or Midwest: humidity can ruin even the nicest day. Sticky air, frizzy hair, and the constant feeling of walking into a sauna. Yuck! No need to suffer anymore. When you move to Grand Junction, you can kiss that goodbye. The dry climate here means crisp mornings, pleasant afternoons, and cool nights year-round. Open your windows at night, let the cool desert air roll in, and enjoy star-filled skies. This is one of the most underrated benefits of choosing Grand Junction when you move to Colorado. Throughout the year, you will find yourself constantly saying how nice it is outside!

Four Seasons Without the Extremes

Fall on the Grand Mesa

One of the biggest draws for people looking to move to Colorado, and specifically to Grand Junction is the opportunity to still experience all four seasons. Grand Junction delivers exactly that, but without the harsh extremes you’ll find elsewhere.

Spring means blooming flowers and perfect hiking weather…in March.
Summer brings river floats, vineyard tours, and long warm evenings outside (hello, Palisade peaches!).
Fall is full of golden canyon colors and crisp air for biking, hiking, and harvest season.
Winter sprinkles just enough snow to remind you it’s winter and make things pretty, but not enough to keep you trapped indoors.

You get the beauty of four seasons without the hassles.

We gave our move to Colorado a lot of thought. We researched, rented an Airbnb for 3 weeks in Fruita, we took road trips to explore towns and communities across Colorado and Arizona. Ultimately, Grand Junction won out. Why? Because here we can go outside and enjoy nature 12 months a year. Events rarely get canceled due to weather, daily life doesn’t get interrupted, and we can live the lifestyle we always dreamed of. We literally gained months of our life back each year to enjoy the outdoors!

Outdoors at Your Doorstep

For many, the decision to move to Grand Junction is all about the outdoors. In Grand Junction, outdoor adventure starts right outside your door. Within minutes or a quick drive, you can:

Hike the red rock canyons of Colorado National Monument
Mountain bike world-famous singletrack at the Lunch Loops
Explore alpine lakes and forests on the Grand Mesa
Float or fish the Colorado River

When you move to Grand Junction, you get the Colorado lifestyle people dream of, without the hassle of overcrowding, traffic, or waiting months for good weather.

A Lifestyle Worth Moving For

Weather and outdoor access are big reasons people choose Grand Junction when they move to Colorado, but lifestyle is what makes them stay.

Our local economy is vibrant and diverse, supported by healthcare, education, Agri-tourism, energy, and outdoor recreation. Downtown Grand Junction is lively with restaurants, shops, and art galleries. Colorado Mesa University (tips for parents of students) adds youthful energy, while the Grand Valley’s vineyards and orchards bring charm you won’t find elsewhere in the state.

It’s a growing community that still feels approachable, welcoming, and affordable compared to the Front Range. When you move to Grand Junction, you don’t just relocate to Colorado, you finally understand what it’s like to live your vacation.

Ready to Move to Colorado? Let Me Help You Call Grand Junction Home

I specialize in helping people relocate to Grand Junction and the Grand Valley. Whether you want a custom tour, neighborhood insights, or local connections, let me be your guide through every step of your move to Colorado. Read my Grand Junction Relocation Guide post or jump right to the Get Started page to learn more.

Live Your Vacation in Grand Junction!
Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LiveYourVacationinGrandJunction

Text/Call 612-306-9558 with your questions.

Paul Aspelin, REALTOR®
GRI, SRES®, CNE
Learn more about Paul Aspelin
Serving Grand Junction, Fruita, Palisade and all of Mesa County Communities.
Licensed in Colorado.

by Paul Aspelin, REALTOR®

Summer Weather in Grand Junction

The summer weather in Grand Junction can get hot, but not too hot!

I wrote a post called Grand Junction Weather that summarizes the seasons we experience. It outlines the varying temperatures in the Grand Valley (which includes Fruita, Grand Junction and Palisade). I also wrote one called Winter Weather in Grand Junction. Now it’s time to give you some insight on summer weather in Grand Junction.

Before we came to Grand Junction the first time, we didn’t even know Colorado had high desert. We thought it was all about that great “Rocky Mountain high” that John Denver sang about. (You can connect with nature in the John Denver Sanctuary in downtown Aspen, CO. Cool place!)

How Does Summer Weather in Grand Junction Compare to Other Cities?

If you live in Phoenix, it’s hot. Temps well over 100°F during the long summer, sometimes 115°F or higher! Phoenix is significantly warmer with temperatures rarely dropping below 80°. Summer weather in Grand Junction is hot, but it’s not too hot. Because of the lack of humidity 95°F feels like 88°F to us. It’s not so hot that you want to stay indoors all day during the summer. And we don’t get dust storms or monsoons like Phoenix, AZ.

What about Texas? Texas is hot too. Austin, has a humid subtropical climate with long, hot summers, and mild winters. Texas gets a lot more rain than we do. Severe thunderstorms and flooding occur. A temp like 95° in Austin, TX feels like 106° because of the humidity. Florida and the southeast in general are similar, with lots of humidity.

How about St. Louis? Summers are also hot, with highs in the lower 90’s, but the humidity makes it feel even hotter (heat index values can reach up to 102°F). And the Midwest gets tornados. We don’t get a lot of severe weather here. The risk of a tornado in Grand Junction is much lower than in the rest of the state of Colorado and elsewhere. I had to research to see if there ever has been a tornado here. I found an article written in 2023 that said there have been a total of 10 tornados in Mesa County. That’s very, very low!

No hurricanes or extremely volatile storms. I rarely hear thunder or see lightening. We do get some wind, occasional hail, and we need to be mindful about fire restrictions during the summer to avoid forest fires.

It’s a Dry Heat

Peach Street Distillers Corn Dip and Chips and Drinks

Peach Street Distillers Corn Dip and Margaritas

I’m sure you’ve heard the phrase “but it’s a dry heat” from those of us who live in a high desert environment. I understood what people were saying before we visited but I didn’t really appreciate it until we spent more time in Grand Junction and western Colorado. We would do an activity outside during the summer and I wondered why I wasn’t sweating. I was, it was just evaporating so quickly that I didn’t notice. That’s why everyone here says to drink plenty of water. You don’t realize you are losing water because you don’t get sweaty just walking around like you do in more humid environments.

Because the summer temperatures are comfortable, we like to dine outside whenever possible. Many of the local establishments have outdoor patios or rooftop decks. Some are in the sun while others offer shade. Grand Junction, Fruita and Palisade are all very dog friendly. You’ll often see water bowls for dogs along the sidewalk and on restaurant patios.

If you feel warm, try some outdoor water activities like floating down the Colorado River, boating at Highline Lake State Park, or fishing up on the Mesa.

Overnight Temps Drop

Because Grand Junction is in the desert, it cools off at night. For example, in August it might get to 95°F during the day but that’s from about 2pm to 5pm. In the morning, we start out in the 70’s between 7am to 9am. A great time to have your morning tea or coffee outdoors. And after the sun sets our overnight lows are in the 60’s. We often sit outside after dark comfortably. We don’t wake up and say it’s hot right away, because it’s not. Mornings and evenings are very different than midday because we are in the desert. And if you are in the shade vs the sun makes a big difference too. We really do enjoy the summer weather in Grand Junction, day and night.

Bugs, what bugs?

Island Lake on the Grand Mesa taken near the boat launch and campgrounds

If you live in the Midwest, when you read the line above about us sitting outside comfortably after dark you probably laughed, right? You thought the mosquitos would carry us away! We don’t really have mosquitoes in Grand Junction. Maybe there are some by the Colorado River or other small creeks and streams. But in general, we don’t see them. Now, if you go up on the Grand Mesa, they have mosquitoes there because they also have 300+ lakes in the forest. That’s 45 minutes southeast of us. So we do bring our bug spray when we go up there during the summer until about mid-September. After the first frost, no bugs up there either.

My point is, if you are searching for a new place to live, keep reading about Grand Junction, Fruita, Palisade and Mesa County here on the western slope of Colorado. Consider moving to Colorado.

If you want a mild climate and all four seasons, move to Grand Junction. If you want to downhill ski in the morning and golf in the afternoon, move to Grand Junction. If you want to sell your snow shovel and snow blower and be done with icy conditions, move to Grand Junction. If you want to experience around 300 days of sunshine per year, move to Grand Junction. If you want to live in a place that offers outdoor activities and recreation year round, you guessed it, move to Grand Junction! And that goes for Fruita and Palisade too!

Learn more about my experience and how I serve my clients. If you are 50+ you might also like my post called Retire in Grand Junction: Your grandkids and kids will thank you, and my post about not waiting, semi-retire in Grand Junction. We will welcome you with open arms.

Ready to look for homes in Grand Junction, Palisade or Fruita, here’s how you get started!

Coming for a Visit? Let me give you a tour!

Michelle and Paul Aspelin at Peach Street Distillery in Palisade, CO

Dining outside at Peach Street Distillers in Palisade, CO

Text/Call 612-306-9558

PAUL ASPELIN, REALTOR®
GRI, SRES®, CNE
Serving clients since 2001

Grand Junction Real Estate Expert
Connect with me on LinkedIn or send me an email.

by Paul Aspelin, REALTOR®

Grand Junction Real Estate

Don’t wait! Semi-Retire in Grand Junction

Work/Life Balance in Grand Junction

If you are looking for a simpler, more satisfying, work/life balance, I recommend you consider semi-retirement in Grand Junction. To me semi-retirement means working full or part-time and having a flexible lifestyle that allows you more freedom. Full retirement in Grand Junction is fabulous, but why wait until you fully “retire” to move to Grand Junction or any of our beautiful communities here in Mesa County?

Paul Aspelin and Michelle Aspelin semi-retire in grand junction co

Moving to Colorado!

If you are at a point in your life that would allow you the opportunity to move, take it! If you had children, maybe they are now in college or have graduated from college and are out of the house. We’ve gone through those emotions of becoming empty nesters. Our dog died right after our youngest graduated from high school and went off to college in Arizona. We became complete empty-nesters in 2021. However, we were not ready to retire yet, being in our early 50’s at that time.

We reflected on our years together, the places we’ve been, the experiences we’ve had. We decided to make a lifestyle change. We saw and did as much as we wanted to in Minnesota and Wisconsin and made dozens of road trips to Michigan to see family too. We were ready to experience a different part of our amazing country. You can read more about our story on my About Paul page.

Get notifications about new posts and watch my short videos on my Facebook page called Live Your Vacation in Grand Junction.

The point is, I know what it’s like to pivot. I understand what it means to research new communities and consider moving across the country. When we moved, Michelle could continue her same business offering website services since she is free to “work from anywhere”. I, however, had to establish myself again in a brand-new community. Thankfully, I had 20+ years of experience so getting acclimated wasn’t too difficult.

Working in Grand Junction

If you own a business or can work from home, consider checking out GJEP, the Grand Junction Economic Development nonprofit that serves our business community. There are incentives to bring your business here, especially if you offer higher than average wages.

If you are ready for a career change, maybe a pivot to something less stressful in a different industry. There are lots of options in the Grand Valley. We are not a resort town, but we have lots of retail and hospitality opportunities. Colorado Mesa University has opportunities for instructors as well as administrative and community focused staff.

With three hospitals and related clinics in the Grand Valley, jobs in healthcare are plentiful. I get a lot of calls from people who were recruited by St. Mary’s hospital and are now moving here, looking for a place to live. Mostly nurses, but some doctors too.

Each community has an active Chamber of Commerce. Everyone is very friendly and will welcome you with open arms. Bring your business or start a new one after you get here. There is a high entrepreneurial spirit here, a “can-do” attitude, at least that is what we have experienced.

The Western Slope vs the Front Range

If you are moving to Colorado from a higher cost of living area, then your higher work from home wages will go far in our lower cost of living community. Mesa County is less expensive than living on the “front range” cities like Boulder, Denver and Colorado Springs. When you read or hear statistics about Colorado, be sure to consider the point of reference. The western slope tends to be more rural and therefore more conservative, just like other states.

The west slope moves at a slower pace. There is less congestion with fewer people. We don’t experience “traffic” here. So, if you have been commuting to a job and want to reclaim hours of your day and week, it’s time to semi-retire in Grand Junction.

Experience More in Grand Junction

Mesa Lakes Lodge Lake Loop on the Grand Mesa

I could write more here about all the things to do, places to eat, and outdoor activities, but that’s basically what this whole blog is about. I’ve said this a thousand times; Grand Junction makes a great base camp to access so much more within a 2-3 hour drive. It’s a truly diverse area when you think you can live in the desert yet be in the Rocky Mountains within 2 hours. Every drive we take is amazing. We say “Wow! Look at that!” a whole lot more than we used to, that’s for sure. Read about the day trips from Grand Junction that I’ve posted. I am continually adding more as we explore this diverse region of the country.

The key takeaway is life is precious. LIVE your best life every day. Don’t get stagnant and think you are stuck. You are not. Don’t wait to move to Colorado until you retire, semi-retire in Grand Junction now. We are waiting for you with open arms.

Call/text me at 612-306-9558 if you are coming into town and want to connect. I’d be happy to show you around Grand Junction, Fruita, and Palisade. I can help you with buying a house in Grand Junction, anywhere in Mesa County, or buying a house in Colorado communities near Grand Junction that you may be considering. I’m up for a road trip, how about you?

Check out the post I wrote about living in a place that your kids and grandkids will want to come for a visit. We have so much to offer people of all ages.

Learn more on my Get Started page!

Don’t wait! Experience the Grand Junction Lifestyle in your semi-retirement years!

Follow me on Facebook: Live Your Vacation in Grand Junction

PAUL ASPELIN, your Grand Junction Real Estate Expert
REALTOR®, GRI, SRES®, CNE
Connect with me on LinkedIn or send me an email.
Serving Mesa County and the Grand Valley in Colorado