Two separate, but related questions:
(1) How is the job market for programmers in the Rocky Mountain/Western U.S.? (I'm a 48 year old New Yorker who's ready to make a location change. Climate, both natural and corporate, has a lot to do with it.)
(2) How is the workplace environment in small/medium shops in those regions? (I'm looking to escape the severely depressed, fear-based, low-morale environment in big financial firms due to a decade of constant offshoring. I'm hoping that working for medium/smaller companies in non-financial sectors might still offer a place where camaraderie is not a capital offense.)