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7 Tips for Living in the Mountains

Success and Victory in the mountains

From enjoying cooler temperatures to thriving in solitude – there’s nothing quite like mountain living. It’s a totally new experience from life in the suburbs or the city.

To ensure that you make the most of living in Forest Falls and other mountain communities, just follow these tips:

From enjoying cooler temperatures to thriving in solitude – there’s nothing quite like mountain living. It’s a totally new experience from life in the suburbs or the city.

To ensure that you make the most of living in Forest Falls and other mountain communities, just follow these tips:

  1. Keep emergency supplies

    The best thing about living in the mountains is the solitude but you have to be sure you’re ready for it. Since you’ll be miles away from town or city conveniences, always have enough supplies until your next trip to the grocery. Keep enough firewood, drinking water, food reserves, candles, and a power generator in the house. It’s not just about avoiding lengthy trips to town – it’s also about being prepared for emergencies. These supplies should be enough to tide you over in the event of a winter storm or flood.

  2. Be mindful of trash

    Don’t take out the trash until the morning the garbage truck arrives. But if you really must, make sure to place your trashbag inside a dumpster with a secure lid, and heavy-duty construction. This prevents wild animals from picking up the scent and foraging through your leavings. If they do end up scattering your trash, pick up the mess as soon as they leave to prevent any dangerous encounters.

    Clean up thoroughly after grilling meats and eating outdoors. BBQ grills, especially those not properly cleaned or burned off, can attract wild animals searching for food. Empty your drip pan after use.

  3. Keep an eye on your pets

    Clean up after your dog when they heed the call of nature outside. You still have to be responsible for your dog’s mess, even in the Great Outdoors. Also, a dog’s barking can be your best intruder alarm but it can also be the most annoying sound your neighbors will hear. Figure out immediately what’s causing their barking and teach them to quiet down afterward. Keep in mind that people move to the mountains for peace and quiet and they have the right to a noise-free environment.

    Avoid feeding your pets outside. Or if you dare to, make sure you don’t take your eyes off Fido or Boxer as they eat. If they have leftovers after eating, don’t leave these outside to avoid a visit from the random bear or mountain lion.

    On the flipside, just as your pets can fall prey to wild animals like bears or wolves, they can also be very skilled predators. Make sure they don’t disrupt the local wildlife population by not allowing them to roam freely outside.

  4. Beware of bears

    Bears can open car doors so don’t leave food, groceries, or garbage inside your car, not even if these are in sealed containers. Even food wrappers, spilled coffee, empty soda cans, and pet food can draw them in so keep your vehicle clean. Likewise, avoid using fruity or food-scented air fresheners after getting your car washed. This, too, will attract bears.

    If a bear does get into your car, they can get trapped when the door closes and wreak havoc inside as a result. So keep your car doors locked at all times, and turn the alarm on to keep them away.

    Bears will also ransack refrigerators and coolers left out on porches so don’t leave food out in plain sight. Also, keep all your food containers indoors.

  5. Drive safely

    Make sure to drive slowly over ice and snow. Note that if the ground is covered in snow, it’s likely to be covered in ice as well. And if the roads look wet, you might be dealing with black ice. Drive on cinders if there’s any possibility of ice on the road. Use lower gears when heading downhill, and keep an eye out for curves near the post office, lower canyon, and Fallsvale School.

  6. Winterize your home

    Shovel off the snow from your property as soon as you can. Snow on the ground, steps or front porch will turn to ice when the sun rises, making it more difficult to remove once frozen.

  7. Fire-proof your home

    Improve fire safety by keeping tall trees limbed up to at least six feet. Don’t wait for branches to grow over the roof of your home and be vigilant about removing brush from around the property. Box in your eaves and keep firewood stacks away from the main house.

If you’re ready for mountain living, let the agents at Best Mountain Properties help you find the perfect home. Call them at 909.553.5483 or send an email to BestMountainProperties1(at)gmail(dotted)com.

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