The mountain counties west of the Springs seem just fine from a conservative point of view. I live in Cripple Creek. A lot of ex-military up here and they seem to be naturally conservative, especiallly the younger generations.
To be sure, there are still a few greying pony tails with torn tie-dye but they seem fairly innocuous. I make an effort not to engage them in any political discourse as 1) I'll never change their minds anyway, and 2) they include the best plumber in these parts who also owns the best pizza/bar joint around. (I always ask him if he's washed his hands when he's making pizzas on Friday nights. He always answer no that that is the secret of the unique taste of the pizzas he makes.)
The only rabid lefties I've encountered so far seem to be transplants from Kalifornika and Texas.
Change of seasons? You bet! But keep in mind that most of these towns are at 9000' or higher and the winter temp's can be tough. We had over two weeks last winter below -10 every night. However, there is always an however, the humidity is low (low! hell, try around 5% most of the time during the winter) that you don't feel it as much as say Buffalo, NY. This dryness presents other challenges in the winter but it's overall a great climate if you like invigorating climates.
Its a different world from sun-kissed southern California. But its not dark for the better part of the year like Alaska. And as long as it doesn't drop 100 degrees below freezing, I should be able to adapt. Besides, there are few places any more where you can wake up to a stunning view for the rest of your life.