WS Living - Montrose vs Junction?

Looking to move to the western slope, taking a job in Delta.

Hoping to get y'alls two cents on where a single, young-thirties guy should look at living.  Obviously love the mountains and all sports entailed, but also would like to make some friends since I'll be a solid 1,500 miles from home.

Headed out for a boots on the ground visit in January- thanks in advance for the beta!  Cheers,

-Chris

 I’ve lived on the #bestslope for nine years, mostly Montrose. Currently holding down a mailing address in GJ and funemployed . If ye want a tour and are not scared off by the silly MP drama currently dumpster-firing up the Community thread, hit me up. I just put up a sunny four-pitch 5.9+ in Unaweep  and some other new moderates around GJ.

I moved to GJ in 2005 and love it there. For the last few months I’ve been working and staying in Delta and I would recommend not moving here, for reallz this town is....... uhm........ yeah........ like really look at Cedaredge, payoniona (sp???), or other towns close by before here.

Montrose is a cool town, the community center has a cool wall with good route setting, somewhat regularly rotated, $6 day pass. They have a cool rule where once you get certified you can come whenever the center is open so you can come in on the off times and not deal with the kids. 5 auto belays, 27’ walls. Montrose is smaller so if you’re coming from a big city it will take some more getting used to. Closer to Ouray and the Black Canyon, Blue Mesa, and other outdoor activity. 

GJ is a pretty rad town with a great outdoor community, and a lot more red necks. I have nothing against red necks but if you do, be aware there are a lot of them, I mean a lot. In fairness Montrose might to, I haven’t lived there. I whitewater kayak, ski, ice climb, Rock climb, mountain bike and several other outdoor activities and everything I want to do it so close I can do it all. GJ has a big gym that I have a personal bias against the owner, I won’t get into, but it’s a top notch facility. If you’re into training they have one of the best training programs in the country run by one of the best trainers. Bouldering  in a city park 10 min from downtown, trad climbing in the Monument and Unaweep, bouldering in Unaweep as well, 1.5 hrs away from Rifle, 3hrs from the Creek, 1.5 from Moab. For strictly climbing GJ hands down on Quantity but both have the quality. The Black is rad, but so is Unaweep.

If you’re out in the middle of Jan the Montrose Community Center is haveing a citizen’s comp on the 13th, be a good chance to meet some of the community. Hit me up if you want to go climbing or hit the brewery in Delta while your here. I’ll be working down here for at least another month. 

Thanks, gang- definitely some food for thought, appreciate it!

Don't mind rednecks, grew up in the foothills of Appalachia.  Been living in 1M+ cities since I left, part of the reason for taking this job- need to get out before it kills me.  Bummed, I will just miss the Citizen's Comp - coming in on that Monday the 14th.

Definitely going to spend an evening at the climbing gym in Junction to meet some folks.  Would you say the new rec center in Montrose is similar?  Any other suggestions on spots to hit up and feel the places out?

Thanks,

-Chris

Cool, i get a long with everyone on the political spectrum but I like to through that out there just in case. I say the same thing about Boulder CO in the other direction.

The community center is hit or miss, they’re open to the general public for climbing between 4pm and 8pm and it’s mostly kids but I have met several local climbers there, just went ice climbing with one of them yesterday. I usually climb on Tuesdays and get there @3 to get all my warmups in before they let the kids climb. The staff there is cool and pretty laid back. They have a few high school kids working but the adults that work there are pretty knowledgeable. The high schoolers are good kids too. 

If you can try and hit the GJ gym when Piz is running his training program, the workout will kick your ass and you’ll meet some good people.

If you’re here on the 19th, I’ve been running community climbing days for the climbers coalition once a month. I think we’ll do the next one in the Monument near Junction. Be a good chance to meet some local climbers. I’ll be posting details on our FB page about that shortly. m.facebook.com/pages/catego…

Hot spots Junction 
Food:
Nepalese restaurant in Orchard Mesa, the one downtown is good too, OM better
Pablo’s pizza
Bin 707
Mainsteet Cafe 50s diner
Randy’s diner for breakfast
No Coast for sushi
Climbing:
Dynamite Shacks/Bullet hole for bouldering there is a guide book that I wrote. Summit Canyon should have more in stock by the time you get here
Unaweep bouldering
Unaweep granite is really good but it’s cold up there right now. I still climb there in Jan but it’s not for the fareweather climberEscalante for desert trad, this place is between GJ and Montrose. The turnoff is actually 5min from Delta but it’s like 30-40 min down a dirt road to get to the climbing. Good weather unless there’s a storm, much warmer than Unaweep Granite. Of course the Monument for both climbing and hiking. 

I don’t know Montrose well enough yet but dry creek is pretty cool. The black is cold and very committed climbing but if you’re down for the its world class. 
Still looking for good places to eat in Montrose myself. 
Delta has a brewery, the end.

Rschap wrote: Hot spots Junction 
Food:
Nepalese restaurant in Orchard Mesa, the one downtown is good too, OM better
Pablo’s pizza
Bin 707
Mainsteet Cafe 50s diner
Randy’s diner for breakfast
No Coast for sushi

+1 for Bin 707 and No Coast - can't speak for the others as I haven't been.

I'd also highly recommend 626 On Rood.