Might be relocating to a project in the Tahoe National Forest.
Looks like Nevada City and Grass Valley are the closest large towns.
Is Soda Springs decent?
Looking for advice on what to look for in the area.
Job contract is 3 years with a seasonal shutdown.

Not close to the area but a quick thought.  Nevada City and Grass Valley are old gold rush towns gentrifying up even more because relatively close to Sacramento and the Bay Area.  They've been popular for tourism, etc. for quite a while.  Although as a whole aside from the damage done by the insane population increase in California, much of the gold country is pretty leave us alone conservative.  In town probably getting liberal.  Not sure if close enough to commute to the Sacramento area.  Soda springs is a wide spot on the old highway and railroad across Donner Pass.  On the new interstate, too.  Not sure there's much going on besides some tourism and seasonal ski area stuff.  Near Truckee.  Truckee is growing, too.  Close to Reno and Tahoe areas so weekend getaways, all year resorts  and recreation in Tahoe. People priced out of Tahoe trying Truckee, etc.

TBH, with 20 million people California was great.  With 40 million a lot of the old nice casual areas are getting over run.

The Gold Country and small Sierra communities, etc.,  is another part of California that is very much not the urban Los Angeles/Bay Area/Sacramento sprawling mess.

Thanks for the info.
Just got off the phone with the boss and he offered me this or San Diego.
He's also big into the outdoors, hunting and fishing.
So I think that this is a no-brainer for me.
There's talk about buying us 5 th wheel campers and setting up on-site.
Trying to get them to spring for some UTVs also.

Nevada City and Grass Valley where before redneck areas with pot farms. SF boomers have been flocking to the area for a while now and bringing their politics with them.

If you get just outside of the main areas, you will find yourself in pretty relaxed areas. CCW is easy to get in either, just cost money and takes time.

Nevada City and Grass Valley are GAY BOOMER HIPPY HELL

Speaking of Soda Springs, wherey ou watching the blizzard coverage?  Soda springs is just about the summit area of Donner Pass.

Ain't that the truth...wasn't that way years ago. Grass Valley was home for a long time but now I can't stand going back there. I still own 400 acres in Nevada City with Yuba River bordering the north edge, I can't bring myself to sell it. It's surrounded by growers, I am so sick of the smell of that shit

If you dont check on it on a regular basis they are probably gunna start using your plot for grows. the Dude, Weed. Lmao. people are always doing that. I had a buddy who was a General Contractor in Colfax who could constantly catch Mexicans growing on his land on the American River.

I do have a live-in caretaker on the property, mainly to keep people out of the mine, but he also keeps the roads maintained so fire crews have easy access in case of fire. He's kind of crazy, and lets people know it so they stay away pretty much lol