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March, 2024

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Moving to Billings from Wisconsin

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niebski
Posts: 210 - Karma: 391
Just recently locked up an engineering job in Billings.  I'm starting July 1st but will be moving out there sometime next week (mid June).  I'm pumped to get out west, I realize Billings isn't quite in the mountains but is much closer to the mountains than Wisconsin (~16+ hours).

I have an idea of where I'll be living, somewhere west of downtown Billings but if anyone has any tips on places to live that would be great because I'm still looking.

Also, just wondering what life in Billings is like.  I just graduated college, am 23 years old, and am moving out there with my girlfriend of the same age as me.  What is there to do in the city?  Nightlife?  Awesome places to check out? Places to hike? Camping?  Concerts? Summer activites?

Alright now, for real, let's talk skiing.  I know Red Lodge is the closest, about an hour away.  Awesome place?  Worth getting a pass for?  I know Big Sky and Moonlight are somewhat in the vicinity also and I've been to these, I know they're awesome.  Any suggestions for what I might do about a season pass or anything like that?  Where is the best/nearest skiing to Billings?

If any of you live in Billings or know the town at all, that'd be great if you could help me out because I won't know a soul in the town.
Thanks in advance!
Jun 11 2013 12:19AM
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malonius_funk
Posts: 2249 - Karma: 1,500
hey man, i live in bozeman but one of my best friends is from billings so he gives me the low down on the city all the time.

we all like to joke with him that billings is a shithole, and unfortunately, that's partly accurate. i've been to billings once and it is kinda a shithole-- right next to a bunch of industrial factories, etc. pretty ugly if you ask me. i don't think it really has a outdoorsy or ski town feel to it, which is unfortunate.

now that the shitty stuff is out of the way lets get to the good stuff. downtown is nice. there's some fun stuff to do there, but that's about it for the city i have heard. the time i spent there was for an edward sharpe concert and the people there did not know how to have fun at a concert at all and were pretty asshole-ish. good news is you aren't far from the beartooths, which are the highest range in MT I believe. It is definitely worth getting a season pass to Red Lodge, because from what I gather they have some good terrain and can get hit hard with snow. on the other hand, people call it "rock dodge" for a reason.

also, bozeman isn't far (about an hour and a half). so that means that it's give or take an hour and a half to bridger bowl and about two and a half hours from big sky/moonlight-- on a good day.

lastly, if you climb, the rims are the sandstone cliffs surrounding billings and they supposedly have some pretty good cracks there.

but yea, thats about all i've gotten from my friend who was born and raised there. i'm sure you won't have a terrible time and everything will work out fine, it just won't be as good as living in bozo ;) if you ever come to bridger or big sky let me know!
Jul 7 2013 12:41AM
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montanan
Posts: 1787 - Karma: 1,346
^ well said . i agree completely and have spent a fair amount of time in billings, thank god i live in the zoo tho ... but ya theres some crazy peeps out in billings, lots of those industrial workers are some hard ass mo fuckers. last time i was there was for an ozzy concert, ( before the stadium roof blew off haha ) but ya went to ozzy concert, exchanged words with some drunk concrete worker and them proceeded to get my ass beat in the parking lot after the show when he found me. haha good thing my bro showed up, im a scrappy dude, but i was getting fucking worked by that billings fool, but ya overall try to make it to bozo or missoula , such better towns, but good luck in billings , i do have friends there that know a lot of stuff to do. good luck buddy, and i am never talking shit to some 40 yr old billings concrete worker again at a fucking ozzy concert. haha, lesson learned. ( and hey if you can afford/ own a dirtbike ) there are some really fun trails and tracks around once you find em. good billings hobby..... and youll get used to the smell of the beat factory, that is one gnarly stench !
Jul 14 2013 10:59AM
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caucasian_chad
Posts: 4078 - Karma: 3,625
Who hired you, if you don't mind me asking? I'm getting my civil engineering degree in December then heading out to Bozeman to ski bum for the rest of the winter before I start taking life seriously (no loans to repay), but I'll be job hunting while I'm ski bumming.
Jul 22 2013 10:55PM
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