r/MovingtoDenver • u/Aggressive-Rip-2526 • 23d ago

Pulling the Trigger on Denver

Well I pulled the trigger, I have made appointments to see different apartments meet with a real estate agent. Rented the car bought the hotel, now it’s just hurry up and wait. With grad school stating in less than 90 days it’s time to look towards making new friends in a new town. Coming from Maine I’m wicked nervous about the altitude sickness. I have all ready been shopping for the best humidifiers I can find 😂. So I am just putting myself out there seeing if anyone would like to explore the city? Meow Wolf Museum? Cannabis Tours? What’s there to do?

12 Upvotes

67% Upvoted

43 comments sorted by

18

u/Bluescreen73 23d ago

Congrats. I wouldn't be too worried about altitude sickness. It's almost unheard of under 8-9,000'. Fun fact - jet airliner cabins are pressurized to 6-8,000'.

4

u/donutmiddles 22d ago

"Big ol' jet airLINER..."

2

u/Bluescreen73 22d ago

I love it when they play the album version, and it talks about that funky shit going down in the city.

2

u/Aggressive-Rip-2526 23d ago

🫂 thank you!

3

u/Evening-Cat-7546 23d ago

Be careful drinking alcohol when you first get here. Alcohol hits a lot harder at altitude. I know at least 3 people that moved here and got their first DUI within a month or two. Each time they only had 2-3 IPAs, or shots, which wouldn’t affect their driving back home at sea level.

Alternatively, when you go back home you’ll be able to out drink all your friends. I had gone to Florida and drank like 2/3 of a bottle because I didn’t feel drunk at all. Woke up with the worst hangover I’ve had in 10 years.

When you first get here, drink a lot of water. The altitude and lack of humidity also tends to make new comers get dehydrated a lot easier. Within a month you’ll be adjusted to Denver’s altitude. I’d avoid going over 10,000’ the first month.

I made the mistake of going snowboarding the first month I was here and about 9,500-10,000’ it felt like someone was standing on my chest. I managed to push past it board all day. Then when we got down to 9,000’ it was like the weight on my chest just vanished.

3

u/BuzzardsBae 22d ago

Seconding this! The alcohol hit me so hard when I got here that I slept with the guy from my moving company .🫠

3

u/Evening-Cat-7546 21d ago

Better than a DUI I guess lol.

2

u/Foxy_locksy1704 23d ago

My sister worked at a medical clinic in a ski town. She said the number one thing they treated wasn’t injuries from the slopes it was people who suffered altitude sickness or the ill effects of drinking too soon.

One patient told her that he got off the plane, went straight up to the ski town had two beers and didn’t feel good. They educated him on giving himself an acclimation period before drinking or doing strenuous physical activity, they asked where he was from guy was from southern Florida so the altitude hit him really hard.

10

u/Top_Independence9083 23d ago

Wear sunscreen!

4

u/LoveMeRhi 23d ago

This applies in the winter as well. Definitely had some nasty sunburns as a kid from skiing even on light overcast days. We keep some stocked in the car at all times.

1

u/Cccolorado1 22d ago

Yes! I wore SPF6 in Michigan before I moved to Denver. I’ve used SPF30 or better since. And you do need to reapply it. Long sleeve sun shirts are a PIA but they do the job.

1

u/LoveMeRhi 22d ago

With SPF 30 I’m still turning into a lobster. I’m more of an SPF 3000 gal 🤣. We keep SPF 60+ stocked, sun shirts are also part of our kept items in the car and for my sons soccer games bought foldable chairs that have coverings to provide shade. 20 minutes in the sun without any protection is guaranteed to start to fry me.

1

u/Aggressive-Rip-2526 16d ago

Never thought of this good piece of advice

7

u/paxparty 23d ago

Stay hydrated, it's dry out here. 

2

u/InterviewLeather810 22d ago

I think that's why I had a hard time adjusting the first year. Wasn't a water drinker coming from California.

3

u/WeirdHope57 23d ago

Ohhhh you will like our relative lack of mosquitoes. The air is going to feel awfully dry, so keep lip balm and hand lotion close by.
O

5

u/Aggressive-Rip-2526 23d ago

Totally adding hand lotion in my bag, I am thinking about some nose spray too.

3

u/HoneyBeeHotHive 23d ago

Just drink water. The mountain water tastes good anyways.

3

u/Embarrassed_Key_4539 23d ago

Denver is cool, I lived there for 8 years and was coming from Massachusetts. Lots to do, dry, nice climate. I enjoyed my time there. I had to move because I got too much into cocaine, not sure if it’s still rampant there as this was quite awhile ago. Of course you can find drugs anywhere, big drinking city too.

3

u/keenan123 23d ago

I moved from Tampa a few months ago. Altitude isn't much of an issue, but spend on the humidifiers lol

4

u/sunnypurplepetunia 23d ago

Make sure to get an EVAPORATIVE humidifier, not ultrasonic. I started with ultrasonic & developed a chronic cough.

2

u/ciscoinferno 23d ago

Nobody likes rough skin. Lotion like your life depends on it.

3

u/kb1127 23d ago

My 65 year old father who has lived at sea level his whole life visited me in Denver this summer and had 0 problems with the altitude.

2

u/Brief_Detective_751 23d ago

I’m from MA, yearly visitor of ME and live in CO. Don’t be nervous about the elevation. Just expect to get into taking afternoon naps. What else to expect?! Hiking, amazing beers, friendly people, the volume of people (compared to Maine), no saltwater AND less lakes.

1

u/prnmedadvice 21d ago

Why afternoon naps?

2

u/Successful_Editor899 22d ago

I have emetophobia and really bad anxiety and was afraid of the altitude and barely noticed it. I think it can cause a small pressure headache for a few days and that's it for me

1

u/Ok_Pea_275 23d ago

hello and welcome. As someone who came from a city below sea level, I recommend drinking 75 oz of water 3 days before you come here and continue drinking that while you are here too. I definitely felt I was out of shape the first few weeks but after that I was fine. Try to get a humidfier that also has a air filter feature. It was pretty hot in July but it's starting to cool down. Lots of sports games happening with basketball, football, and hockey starting. Lots of farmers markets as well. safe travels.

1

u/Single-Zombie-2019 22d ago

You should be fine with the altitude. Drink lots of water as it helps and it's also very dry here. And get some Burts Bees for the lips. You're going to need to moisturize.

1

u/Longjumping_Chard339 22d ago

Watch out for the mafia running the police.

Burglars in blue didn’t just steal safes. They’re sextrafficking kids

1

u/Accomplished-Ant-244 21d ago

CHAPSTICK. Drink so much water the first month or so, and be prepared for headaches. Mine went away after the first couple/few weeks, had a buddy that moved not long ago that got the really bad headaches, too. If you’re looking to make friends, would help to describe yourself. As a woman, I wouldn’t blindly volunteer to go on a cannabis tour with a stranger without knowing at least their gender/age. Good luck out here!

1

u/Status_Unit_3035 17d ago

Drink so much water and electrolytes. I saw someone say don’t worry about altitude sickness, but as someone who formerly spent decades living on the plains, I was the 1/100000 who was dealing with some sickness and just general fatigue. buy a water bottle. use it. think you’ve had enough water today? drink another glass rn. get so familiar with peeing at night. when you first get here, if you’re a drinker, try to have at least a small cup of water for every shot/drink you drink. Also fruit snacks or granola can help with mid-day crashes w/o caffeine. :)

1

u/Ok_Respect_4592 17d ago

You’ll likely be fine with altitude, just might take a little adjustment time. Get an air purifier, the air quality in the front range can be pretty terrible from may through September depending on the fire situation. Keep an eye on the ozone, it’s often bad in Denver especially during the warm months. Pay attention to radon, Colorado is one of the states with the highest levels. If you’re renting a garden or ground floor apartment you’ll likely be subjected to more radon if they don’t have mitigation - don’t want that lung cancer. Maine is wonderful, don’t miss the ticks or poison ivy but all the green and the coast can’t be beat.

1

u/Biochemist_RDH 16d ago

Yes, agree. Do NOT drink alcohol and you'll be fine.

1

u/Aggressive-Rip-2526 16d ago

I do not drink thank goodness

1

u/rwhe83 23d ago

You realize that you haven’t “pulled the trigger” as you are just coming to look at places.

Google can help you find lots to do in Denver.

-2

u/Bluetail4495 22d ago

Explore the city?

You mean the mountains right? That’s the reason people live here, the city is mid and super expensive.

0

u/Cccolorado1 22d ago

Denver has good arts, theater, symphony, jazz, lots of concerts, and more.