re: Looks like I’m escaping the socialist utopia of Baton Rouge

Lived in Kellogg and cataldo from 2014-17. Loved it up there but ultimately moved back because of family, work, and the winters. It’s a great place and it sounds like you like the outdoors so it should be a good fit. The winters were tough for us but mostly from the perspective of lack of sunlight, it actually doesn’t get really cold very frequently. Just that the days are very short this time of year and it is cloudy and drizzly with snow or rain for the better part of 4-5 months. I think the key is having winter hobbies of skiiing, snowshoeing, or snowmobiling that you do often and maybe taking a trip for a week or so to a sunny spot in the late winter.

The valley is ok to work but still seems depressed from a mining economy that hasn’t been replaced. It’s also a superfund site from previous mining contamination. cda is a nicer place to live. If you live on that side of the pass the cataldo/ rose lake area is nice. Cda is About a 45 minute commute, my wife did it without many issues. Good tires and fwd/awd and you’ll be good.

The location and outdoor activities are outstanding. I think within an 8 hour radius you could go somewhere every weekend and never go to the same trail in your lifetime. Hell we backed up to national forest and you could go to canada 100 miles north or whatever without crossing private land. 6 hours to Seattle, 8 to Boise, 4 to glacier, 7 to Yellowstone.

Let me know if you have specific questions, esp about the silver valley.

Some other baw on here is a realtor in post falls btw.