LIVING LIKE A LOCAL

Unincorporated living might be a little different than what you’re used to. 

There are no HOAs or city regulations to keep everyone in check out here – we try to give each other plenty of space and respect. We mostly live and let live, but there are some exceptions - local principles we all tend to abide by. Here are some ways we practice good old-fashioned manners.

BE CONSIDERATE OF YOUR NEIGHBORS.

We get it. You came to the mountains to cut loose and have a good time and maybe howl at the moon a little. That’s fantastic, but now it’s 10 p.m. and the person in the house across the way has to get up at 4 a.m. to plow the mountain pass that you’re going to be driving back home on and he’d sure appreciate it if you could turn the music down and carry-on at a noise level that lets him get some sleep.

FIRE HAS A TIME AND PLACE.

It took quite a while for this beautiful landscape to get to how it is. Wildfires are a natural part of the our area’s ecology: some trees and plants depend on the heat from flames to open up their cones and seed pods, the undergrowth needs to be cleared and the trees need to be thinned. However, these forests now have homes and cabins in them and if they go up in flames those of us who live here year-round don’t have another place to go. So before you light up that campfire or burn pile please check to see if any burn bans are in place. They are not a suggestion.

WILD-LIFE.

These mountains aren’t just home to us, but a host of wild animals that inhabited them long before any of us showed up. We acknowledge their place and treat them with respect (not as nuisances) and give them lots of space. This includes not doing anything that might increase the chance of a bad encounter, such as leaving garbage cans out or letting our domestic animals rile them up.

COUNTRY ROADS ARE FOR COUNTRY DRIVING.

It sure is tempting to put the pedal to the medal with that straight (or curvy) stretch of road in front of you, but the reality is there are a lot of families here with kids and pets who may be darting out or trying to learn how to ride their bikes or folks just walking on the shoulder. We go around in the other lane or if there’s oncoming traffic slow down for them. The roads are multi-use and we are ok with that.

LET’S KEEP IT CLEAN

This one is pretty simple. Keep it in the car, pick it up and pack it out.

TRESPASSING.

You may happen upon humorous signs such as NO TRESPASSING (I own firearms and a backhoe) or WARNING: Trespassers will be violated. You get the point. However, most people around these parts are very friendly and asking permission to cross their land goes a long way. Please ask.

GO EASY ON THE OUTDOOR LIGHTING.

We’re pretty lucky to still be able to see stars out here. If you keep outdoor lights on all night it sure makes it hard for the rest of us to see the Milky Way. Motion sensors can be a great way to ensure that we continue to enjoy the beautiful night sky and you still get to illuminate prowlers like bears and raccoons when they wander past the garage door.