Hey all -

This may be a shot in the dark (no pun intended), but I would like to hear from anyone currently living in the SLC/Provo area who has moved there from the East coast (North Carolina maybe?)

Guess I'm looking for a few things and pardon my ignorance, but;

1. How is the gun culture there
2. What would it be like for a Non-LDS 16 year old?
3. How hard was the transition to weather/environment?

Really appreciate any feedback

Maybe I should open #1 and #2 to the entire group and not be so myopic  -

Moved from Durham, NC to SLC in 2013.  Born and raised in kansas city.

I'm LDS (but not a Utah native) so I can't totally answer q #2.  That said, I think generally in SLC the LDS / non-LDS divide is somewhat overblown.  In the business/legal world I really don't see any big divisions.  However, being non-LDS in a predominantly LDS area is likely hard just because the LDS folks generally have a built-in network based on their congregations.  I don't believe that people are generally trying to exclude others, but that's effectively the result without actively trying to include others.  You will see LDS cultural influences throughout the state, for good, bad and otherwise.  If anything, just resolve to not get your knickers in a bunch--mormons are just a fact of life living in Utah. It would be silly to move to Rome and complain about too many catholics.  Provo will probably be much more mormon-y (again, good bad and otherwise).  SLC is comparatively much more liberal and cosmopolitan.  

Gun culture is prevalent.  Not everyone owns guns, but I'm sure the actual number is a significant majority.  I know lots of people here who you wouldn't expect to have any guns (based on my preconceived stereotypes--hipsters, tree hugger types, etc.) either own guns and/or grew up shooting guns in the desert with family and don't have any particular aversion to guns.  I'd say it's pretty much accepted that everyone has guns and no one really worries about it one way or the other.  

As to weather, you win some you lose some.  Summer is absolutely beautiful here compared to muggy, humid, buggy NC weather. Winter sucks.  Having so much public land is amazing; tons of outdoor activities and places to explore.  Having no beach sucks.  NC is lots greener (as in, not a desert).  Honestly, I liked NC weather better overall.

I've lived all over the country but called SLC home for 25+ years.

The LDS culture can be clannish.......but some of my best friends were/are LDS. They are good people. The LDS influence has been diluted by the influx of Commieforians and others. Your 16 year old will find and have friends that share his interests. High emphasis on education so schools are generally good even though class sizes are large. It is a GREAT place to raise a family.
Utah is an outdoor lovers paradise as long as you like mountains and deserts. The only "beach" is at the Great Salt Lake which is a stinky mess most of the time. (Lake stink alerts for parts of the valley via the news)
Lots of hiking, hunting, skiing, 4x4 and shooting. When I moved there schools closed for opening of deer season. Almost everyone is gun aware/savy. One of the best states in the US for LONG range shooting.
Utah and the west is HUGE  (and freedom loving) compared to the east. Travel is often measured in parts of days and directions rather than just hours. That said-there really is no such thing anymore as the middle of no where It is about 8 hours to anything like the next big city from SLC. (Boise, Denver, Las Vegas).

Winters can suck although the snow in Utah is amazing. The Wasatch Front suffers from inversions. Cold air gets trapped down in the valley and becomes a soupy toxic mix of auto, industrial, bus, train, jet, wood stove, and farts for days and weeks on end. Think Fog that smells like your crotch. (I don't miss that part). If you can get above it into the blue good air you are in heaven. Teens are "normal".  Zero is not uncommon. Sub zero happens from time to time-but it is a dry cold which helps. Snow can often just be swept off your driveway with a broom it's that light and fluffy.  Summers are like living in a frying pan with single digit humidity and triple digits in the shade.......some of us like that!

It has become expensive as hell to live there (all things being relative) and traffic can be a nightmare everything is on a grid. The grid makes getting around easy with the starting point of the grid temple square-everything is N/S-E/W from there.

SLC has grown up a lot in the past 30 years and any and everything you think you want or need is there.....including the bad stuff. Good places to eat and good shopping even for cosmopolitan types.  Funny liquor rules and crappy beer. When they got the Winter Olympics in 2002 they got their wish to be a big city.......

Politically, if you liked Mitt Romney you will love Utah politics.  They think of themselves as staunch conservatives but???

Utah is on the "BluePrint" hit list to turn Blue and it is happening al la Colorado. Winters/taxes/cost of living are not bad enough to keep Californians (and other communists)  out and they bring or have brought all their bullshit with them.  

Bottom line: Any adventure is better than none and if you have a chance to live there-do it.

Thanks guys for the NO-BS evaluation and opinions, very much appreciated.

I moved here from CA, and have lived before in CO as well. I had to escape Commiefornia if I wanted to exercise my 2A rights. And Utah is damn good on that. The gun culture is great.  But as with all things it's a trade off. The state of Utah is really really bizarre in the way they handle booze. Not the least of which is that it is all a government monopoly. Ironic for a place that touts itself as conservative and free-market. Little things that; no car dealerships open on Sundays (by law iirc). Overall the culture is preferable for me to any leftist utopia. I think Utah will be the last non-leftist state in the Union, baring some unforeseen civil war.

Two things though the LDS Church is really messing up on though: They refuse to take an official stance against illegal immigration and in some ways encourage it. Also, they seem to encourage pyramid scheme marketers AKA multi-level marketing people to use their congregations to spread their snake-oil. Smart as LDS folks are, they are far to trusting of their fellow Church member on financial things and the State gov has extremely lax laws concerning MLM's. Hence there is a higher MLM concentration located here than any other state. I get ticked off since I've had friends and family here waste large amounts of time and money on those scams when they would have better odds in Vegas.

Move from NY 5 years ago.

1. Love it here.
2. Shouldn't be a problem.
3. Dry, it's freaking dry.  It wasn't as cold as NY which is a good thing, my family is used to snow and ice.

Things are slower here that's for sure.

Not a transfer but I've been in Utah for 33 years so I'll chime in on 1 and 2.

1. Really good and getting better. There has been at least a half dozen LGS/Ranges opened in the SL Metro area in the last 10 years. Also, ,we are hands down the reddest state in the union. If your a libertarian you may find everything to be a bit conservative. Also, in the last 10 years I have seen the state become more and more of a nanny state. Not overly thrilled about that.

2. Depends on where you move to. If you Move to the south west corner of Salt Lake County or to any of the larger cities/towns in Utah County, it could be a huge problem. Those area are full of multi-generational LDS, these are the people referred to as Utah Mormons. They are far and away the worst for exclusion of non-LDS as well as being quite rude and judgmental; towards non-members. Stay away from those areas and you'll be fine.

3 For what it's worth, my wife has a friend whose husband in from NC. Coolest libtard I've ever met. He loves it here. His biggest gripe is that to get a decent beer you have to go to a liquor store instead of the local gas station or supermarket.

You will transition to the weather incredibly easy as long as you remember this one thing. You MUST find something to do in the winter. Winter will be colder and snowier than NC. Although it's actually warmer here than the winters I spent in Indiana. It's a long season. People who don't take up an activity will hate it.

But the good news is there are so many things to do. Get your son a season ticket to Brighton and a board or some skis. Maybe snowmobiling if motor sports are your thing. There's snowshoeing, ice fishing an hour or two away, or just driving through the mountains.

As for not being LDS, I suspect that would be more an issue in Provo than SLC. I moved out here after school, so I didn't grow up with it. I've heard that school, especially when the LDS kids are going through their various sacraments/ordinations, whatever they are are the worst time for non LDS kids. The usual kid stuff of some being outside the group. That said, at 16 they should be past a lot of that.

As for gun culture? The 1911 is our official state gun. Does that tell you anything?

Loved in the Layton/Ogden area for about 3 years. I'd move back in a heartbeat.

About the LDS thing, the area near Hill AFB is where we lived, the LDS thing was a complete non issue. Other areas may be different, but I think that's way overblown in general. We had a great time up there ands our LDS neighbors were the best neighbors we've ever had.

I moved here from Ohio about 4 months ago.

Overall, I love this state, and I don't really want to ever move back east. Summer is a little hot but its dry heat, none of that humidity bullshit.

The gun/outdoors culture is awesome here.

Moved here from Georgia when I was 16,
I wasn't into guns before but being in Utah has opened up my eyes to the wonders of firearms, Most of my friends dads had armory's that reviled gun shops.  I knew this was a good state when I showed up in the desert to shoot my friends Barrett M82 and thinking how cool we were to be shooting such a rare and expensive gun and then see the guys next to us pull out their M82 as well as NFA toys.

Moving to a new state for a 16 year old is hard no matter where it is, what helped me was immediately joining the football team in Woods Cross, Ut( I played in Georgia and Plano,TX so I had a little background) this forced me into joining a group and making friends. Whats nice about school sports teams is that it didn't matter what religion you were.  The LDS culture is strong here, From what I have seen the only people who hate that aspect of it have a chip on their shoulder  about the lds religion. The ostracize themselves from the culture  because they themselves do not like "mormons" then claim that its the LDS fault.  A open mind and being respectful will get you a long way here.

weather wise, Its hot in the summer, and cold in the winter, Spring and fall are more like a afterthought. However the humidity hovers around 20% so it is very bearable,  after living here for a while I shudder at the though of having to move back to the south ( as in its never going to happen).  I made it easy to transition by picking up sports for every season, in the winter is Snowmobiling ( I know live for winter), skiing, ice fishing. Summer its dirt bikes, mountain biking, backpacking, boating, fishing,  Duning, climbing, and shooting.  All this within a hour of my house (most of it up the street from me).

I moved from SoCal to Utah county when I was 16.  While my parents were/are practicing LDS, I am not, and I had ZERO problems finding quality friends and generally having a great time.  Moving our asses to Utah was the best thing my parents ever did for me.

Just remember that there's plenty of trouble out here for a teenager, and you don't have to look far for it... and it was a blast

I think this is very true. There are a lot of people who make it their purpose in life to resent living in Utah. If you want to know what that's like, search the archives for posts by banned member Bonnevilain. That guy spent at least a quarter of his posts resenting Utah and LDS.

It was always something with him about how the LDS hated him for drinking alcohol and having tattoos. Then immediately after a post like that Shane333 or another LDS member would make a post saying they would gladly go shooting with him, and if he were to have a beer at lunch afterward, they wouldn't mind at all.

And if you really want to learn something about the LDS faith from an outsiders perspective, try the South Park episode. And watch it till the very end.

There is some truth to the old joke that if you are going to go fishing with someone who is LDS you have to take two of them with you or the one guy will drink all your beer.

As a non-LDS guy, I've noticed this a lot, especially when my friends from back east come to visit... they automatically think Mormons suck and are judgmental.

Couldnt be farther from the truth. I have already made some great friends at work who are either practicing Mormon or were raised Mormon. I dont understand the hate some have for them... they are a conservative, values-driven people who are polite and help others.

I just moved from Utah (lived in SLC for 3 years) to SC.

1 The gun culture is good. There are liberals in the Salt Lake Valley, but they know they are outnumbered.
2 No idea
3 I moved from chicago to salt lake. Winters were mild. Salt lake to SC summers suck here. The thing about salt lake is that they do an ok job of clearing the roads. So thats not a big deal. you bundle up and keep your drive cleared and its not a problem. Summer is hot, but its dry and you can keep cool by drinking a lot of water.

The thing that I miss is that there aren't any good trails anywhere near where I live. That was never a problem in Utah. Didnt' matter where you go.

Moved here from Miami back in 2010.

Well I grew up in Western North Carolina, the best part. Came to Logan Utah for grad school a long fucking time ago. It was weird, but that was my first "away" experience. Flash forward 20 something years of living all over the Western US Alaska (and Canada for a spell) and I am back in Salt Lake City.

1. Pro-gun, no problem.
2. I don't have kids of my own, although I'm not totally ignorant. But at 16 I'll put that back on the parent(s) and say the child's ability to excel or adapt will be a direct reflection on parenting. Nothing different than moving to any new location at that difficult age. I've heard some stories of kids feeling "different" because they were not LDS. But I think good parents would have no problem explaining cultural differences to a 16 year old to help them adjust and find strength in their being different.
3. No problem, mostly. You'll learn to love all 4 seasons, it snows but it doesn't get really cold, it gets hot but its a dry heat. The air quality sucks at times in the Winter. like seriously unhealthy. This is a real issue for me since I try ride my bicycle all year and have problems breathing when the air is bad. Air quality in Winter is really the only climate issue I have with Utardia.

If it wasn't repeated enough times with the other posts, the LDS thing is a almost a total non-issue. I have LDS co-workers and neighbors. They are wonderful and accepting people with strong moral values. I love that, I love them, I also giggle to myself at their religious compulsions. It does manifest itself in State politics in certain ways that may or may not concern you. I love beer and good bourbon, I can't buy "real" beer or bourbon at Costco. Oh well, nothing worse than Oklahoma or other states with strict liquor laws. I didn't move here for the politics.

Totally opinionated useless factoid: After the Civil War the Mormons hired a lot of unemployed Confederate troops to ride protection for their wagon trains and general security against the Indians etc.. Basically paying "us" to do their dirty work. Sometimes I think my LDS coworkers like me because I will do the dirty work in my job to protect them (and ourselves as an entity). They know I'll call bullshit on things that would make them look bad if they said it themselves.Truth or self congratulatory? I don't know.

My wife and I moved up from Orange County, CA back in 2000.  We've lived in West Jordan, Herriman (both in SL county), and Saratoga Springs (north Utah County).  Neither of us are LDS.  On Sundays, she occasionally attends a Christian Church, while you'll find me watching football and drinking beer.  We haven't had any problems with the Mormons and find them better neighbors than those in CA.  We've also had three kids while living here (ages 7-13) and for the most part haven't had any problems.  There's a small minority of asshole Mormons, just like there are of every other group you could think of.

I spent 3 1/2 years at FT. Bragg and would take Utah over it without hesitation.

I'd say the Utah gun culture is better than NC as well.  Thousands if not millions of acres of public land to shoot on. ( and hunt I presume, but I don't do much of that)

Weather wise, we just don't get the humidity that NC does either.  That might be a negative to some, as the state looks like a desert and isn't very green like the east coast.

And now this is going to sound racist  - but it's not  -- this is a very white state.  It's been turning a little more Hispanic over the last 15 years, but it's very white.  People of color are a very small minority, compared to the south, you'll be kind of shocked when you first get here.  We're about to elect a black woman to Congress - and she's a Republican, but she's one of the few blacks in the state.

The Latter-Day Saint church does have a stance on immigration: http://www.mormonnewsroom.org/article/immigration-response

And the church does not encourage MLM's. You observation is not my lived experience. Yes, some individuals try and utilize an established network to sell their stupid products, but it's not encouraged by the church in any official capacity. To say otherwise is disingenuous.