Life in Grand Junction?

Interviewing for a job and thinking about moving out to Grand Junction from SLC. What's the community like? Easy to find climbing partners? Cost of living? Close access to areas (climbing/mtn biking/camping/etc.)?

If it wasn't hot as hell in the summer and cold in winters, Junctown is an ideal place to live as a climber, IMO. Monument and Unaweep in the backyard, short drive to Rifle, Creek and the Black...

You'll have no issues finding partners in the Junk, & just shortish drives to multiple world-class climbing areas. Cheapish housing (for Colorado).

Plus, there's a Golden Corral.

and meth.

GJ is the hidden secret of Colorado. Yea, the summers are hot for a few weeks, but there are not many places in Colorado where slot canyons and 14ers are equidistant. No crowds, little traffic, head to the desert in the cool months, head to the mountains in the hot ones.

You can ride to world class mountain biking from downtown. Fruita has some of the best biking period. Horsethief trail comes up on a top of top 10 lists. Summer riding in Gunnison and Crested Butte only a couple hours away.

Partners, there is a local gym were pros, semi pros, and mere mortals all train togther. They have created an excellent climbing community including a local climbing advocacy organization.

The ice paradise of Ouray and Silverton are also less than 2 hrs away.

The Junk may not be as pretty as Boulder, but you can't beat our 2 hour day trip radius.

all of the above + Pablo's pizza on main st.= perfection

In a word KICKS ASS! Oh wait that's two words. Bring your Mountain Bike.

Additional question: if you had to choose between GJ/Western Slope and the Denver/Boulder/Golden/Brighton area which would you choose?