when did "I can work from anywhere" become synonymous with "I should move to the mountains"?

It's Friday afternoon. I'm on a Zoom call with a tech worker from San Carlos who wants to relocate to Boulder Creek. Their background is frozen (again). Their audio is cutting out. 

"So you work remotely full-time?" I ask when the connection stabilizes.

"Yes! That's why I want to move to the mountains. I can work from anywhere!"

*Can you, though?*

Because half the remote workers who moved to the Santa Cruz Mountains during the pandemic have already moved back. And the ones who stayed? They're the ones who actually understood what "work from anywhere" means in practice.

THE INTERNET REALITY

Let's start with the thing that breaks most remote work dreams: internet connectivity.

WHAT PEOPLE ASSUME:

"I'll have high-speed internet, no problem!"

WHAT'S ACTUALLY AVAILABLE:

- Starlink: $110/month, weather-dependent, latency issues for video calls. Not possible in all neighborhoods. 

- Fixed wireless: Spotty availability, 10-25 Mbps if you're lucky

- DSL: Exists in some areas, barely functional for modern work

- Xfinity Cable: Available in areas closer to Highway 9, not deeper mountains

- Mobile hotspot: Your backup plan IF your property has cell coverage

I had a client (senior software engineer at a major tech company) who moved to a gorgeous property in Boulder Creek. Beautiful 3-acre lot, stunning views, perfect home office setup.

First day of work from his new home: He couldn't join team standups because  Starlink was buffering. His code pushes took 10x longer. His video kept freezing.

He lasted three months before moving back to town and keeping the mountain house as a weekend place.

THE ZOOM CALL PROBLEM

If your job involves video calls (and whose doesn't anymore?), here's what you need to know:

STARLINK PERFORMANCE:

Honestly Starling is pretty good, but you need a clear view of the north sky. Redwoods really impact this. 

- Clear weather: Really good

- Rain: Expect interruptions

- Heavy rain: Good luck

- Trees blocking satellite view: Constant dropouts. 

The mountain backdrop looks great on video. Until your connection freezes mid-sentence and you're talking to a screen that says "poor connection."

Remote work isn't just about having internet. It's about being able to effectively collaborate.

WHAT CHANGES WHEN YOU MOVE TO THE MOUNTAINS:

- You can't "quick hop into the office" for important meetings

- Impromptu collaboration becomes impossible

- Building relationships with new team members is harder

- Your "just a sec, wifi is cutting out" becomes a running joke

One of my clients had to drive to Scotts Valley Starbucks three times a week for important client calls because his home internet wasn't reliable enough.

At that point, are you really living the mountain dream, or just making your life harder?

THE "OCCASIONAL OFFICE DAY" MYTH

"I only need to go in once a week!"

Let's do the math on Boulder Creek to San Francisco:

- Drive time: 1.5-2 hours each way (in good traffic)

- That's 3-4 hours of commuting

- One day a week = 12-16 hours monthly of your life in a car

Now multiply that by your team members' inevitable:

- "Can you come in for this important meeting?"

- "Team retreat next Thursday!"

- "Client presentation in the office"

- "New employee onboarding"

"Once a week" becomes 2-3 times a week becomes "why don't I just move back?"

THE CAREER ADVANCEMENT REALITY

Out of sight, out of mind.

Nobody wants to admit this, but it's true:

REMOTE WORKERS IN THE MOUNTAINS:

- Miss informal networking

- Aren't top-of-mind for new projects

- Can't read office politics

- Miss spontaneous collaboration that leads to opportunities

- Harder to build relationships with decision-makers

I'm not saying you can't advance your career remotely. I'm saying it's harder.

And if you're in a field where face time matters, moving to the mountains might mean choosing lifestyle over career trajectory.

Are you okay with that trade-off? Be honest.

THE ISOLATION FACTOR

This is the thing nobody talks about until it's too late:

Working remotely from home in the city:

- Can work from coffee shops

- Can meet colleagues for lunch

- Can join coworking spaces

- Can network at local events

- Have casual human interaction

Whereas working remotely from the mountains:

- Limited coffee shops

- minimal coworking spaces

- No "let's grab lunch" opportunities

- Networking events require 1+ hour drive

- Your coworkers are deer and squirrels

I've had multiple clients tell me the isolation was the hardest part. They thought they wanted quiet and solitude.

Turns out, they wanted *some* quiet. Not *only* quiet.

THE POWER OUTAGE PROBLEM

Remember those outages I keep mentioning?

They don't care about your work deadlines.

REAL SCENARIOS I'VE SEEN:

- Client on a critical deadline when power goes out for 3 days

- Product launch day coincides with PSPS event

- Important presentation during a tree-related outage

- Quarterly review calls from a Scotts Valley Starbucks parking lot

You'll have a generator. It'll run your computer and router.

But can you work productively when you're also managing:

- No heat

- Limited power budget

- Wondering when power will return

- General stress of intense mountain storm situations

THE PEOPLE WHO MAKE IT WORK

The remote workers who thrive in the mountains share these traits:

THEY HAVE:

- Truly async work (not dependent on real-time collaboration)

- Strong self-discipline

- Backup internet solutions

- Understanding employers

- Financial buffer for infrastructure costs

- Realistic expectations about isolation

- Acceptance of career trade-offs

- Emergency work-from-town plans

They didn't romanticize it. They planned for it.

Those who don't are exactly who move back within 18 months. These people assume Internet would "be fine", that they'd love the isolation or their career wouldn't be impacted. They fell in love with the idea, not the reality.

THE QUESTIONS TO ASK YOURSELF

Before you relocate for remote work:

1. "What's my actual internet speed requirement, and is it available here?"

Test it. Don't trust listings. Go to the property and run speed tests.

2. "How much real-time collaboration does my role require?"

Daily video calls = you need reliable internet. Async work = more flexible.

3. "Am I okay with career advancement being potentially slower?"

Be honest about your ambitions vs. lifestyle preferences. There is no wrong answer here!

4. "Can I afford infrastructure costs + potential income reduction?"

Some people go part-time or freelance after moving. Can your finances handle it?

5. "Do I have backup plans for internet/power outages during critical work periods?"

Where will you work when home infrastructure fails?

6. "Am I moving TO the mountains or AWAY FROM the city?"

Running from something rarely works out.

THE TEST I RECOMMEND

Before relocating permanently:

1. RENT FOR 3-6 MONTHS

Actually work from a mountain location for a full season.

2. PREFERABLY THROUGH WINTER

Experience power outages, storms, internet issues during your regular work.

3. TRACK YOUR COSTS

Internet, backup solutions, drive time to backup locations, etc.

4. MONITOR YOUR PRODUCTIVITY

Are you actually working as effectively?

5. CHECK YOUR HAPPINESS

Is this enhancing your life or creating new stresses?

If after 6 months you're still loving it? Buy a house. If you're struggling? You just saved yourself from a very expensive mistake.

It CAN work. It DOES work for some people. Remote work enables you to CONSIDER the mountains.

But it doesn't automatically mean you should MOVE to the mountains.

THE FINAL QUESTION

"Can I work from anywhere?"

Maybe.

But the better question is: "Can I work EFFECTIVELY from the mountains while maintaining my career, my income, my sanity, and my lifestyle?"

That's the question that matters.

And thinking of this question, I couldn't help but wonder... How many "work from anywhere" dreams crash into the reality of "work from somewhere with reliable infrastructure"?