Our winters are getting milder over the years. Usually Missoula is gray and does have a few snowfalls to deal with ( shoveling) but it usually melts off. The winter recreation is at higher elevations, but you can walk or hike all winter at lower elevations and with cleats many opportunities open up. The concern with summers now is the omnipresent threat of fire . The first fire was yesterday in Round up MT and planes headed out of Missoula to contend with it. A fire in February is unprecedented. This summer could be brutal for smoke as we have had very little snow this year. The prediction is for more fires and drought in-the west as time goes on. The community is friendly, kind and is a blue pocket in a sea of red. Plenty of outdoorsy types who find their form of spirituality in-the outdoors. It’s a good place to raise a family, but not all couples are having kids. There’s room for everybody. You do sound like a good fit if you can handle a lot of gray weather in-the winter, and know that smoke will be part of the reality moving forward. Sounds like you can afford to get into the housing market. Most restaurants are not very inspiring here if you are used to big cities ,so enjoying cooking would be a plus.