Retiring or Relocating to the Sierra Foothills - Why Mariposa?

When people in the populated cities and central valley of California start to look for a retirement property, their dreams often start with a small house overlooking the ocean. For a lucky few, who are usually wealthy, this sometimes comes true. My friends pulled it off too, but by then they were practically in Oregon and could only see the ocean from one room in the house. In fact, they have since moved right into Oregon where they sit in the rain and get lonely as they miss us Californians.

So the next best choice for people dreaming of retirement is a place in the mountains, or at least the foothills of the mountains, where the air is clear, the views are lovely and the pace of life is perfect for you to get off the big city treadmill of life. If you live in the greater L.A. area and move west to the mountains, you quickly run into desert. There are certainly lovely places in Palm Springs and all the Mojave range areas, but don't plan on lovely big trees and luscious gardens.

For those of you moving due west from Central and Northern California, however, there are the mystical and beautiful Sierra mountains. In most areas the really big peaks and forests are preceded by gentle rolling foothills. From San Francisco you can be in Auburn along busy Highway 80 in only a few hours (assuming you miss the Sacramento/Redlands rush hour traffic). Or you can take Highway 50 all the way up and over to South Lake Tahoe, assuming it is not closed because of snow.

From the Bay Area you can take Highway 4 all the way through Stockton and up into the foothills and Angel's Camp, but it is a winding narrow road at times. Or drop down and leave the Bay Area via Livermore and follow 580 as it becomes 207 and then 108 all the way up to Sonora. Along the way you will pass the big Don Pedro lake development, as well as the road to Pine Lake, another big retirement and play community.

But there is no direct way to Mariposa. From San Jose come over Pacheco Pass (after stopping to stretch your legs at Casa Del Fruta) and then on through Los Banos to Merced. From there Highway 140 goes all the way right through downtown Mariposa and into Yosemite's mid gate, the only one that is usually open all year round. Or come out via Livermore too, then work you way over to the big central Highway 99 and down to Merced. In either case it takes about three and half hours, but at least you won't arrived stressed out from dealing with freeways and giant mountain passes.

How this main road to the country's oldest national park, and one of the few natural wonders of the world, has remained so undeveloped is a mystery to me. Partly it is the natural geography, and partly the history (more in a later article). But for now the magic is that the big lack of commercial development means the area maintains a more rural and friendly atmosphere. More importantly for those of you considering a mountain property, prices are somehow related to the size of the freeway stretching to the mountains. Big mountains, big freeways, like Highway 80 to Tahoe translate into big development and big prices. No freeway and no big mountains until you pass right through Mariposa and get into Yosemite, translate into some of the lowest prices in the Sierra foothills and mountains.

There are still some very affordable properties left in this lovely corner of the world, at some of the best prices in California, so please only tell your closest relatives. And, of course, Yosemite will always be Yosemite.

Martin Foden
www.svmarketeer.com

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