Living in Alaska

B

biddlesailor858

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Living in Alaska?

Hello All,
I was wondering if any of you have ever lived in Alaska and what it is like? Is the Cost of living much higher then the lower 48? Thanks in Advance Kevin
 
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Much Colder

I check the temperatures daily, and in the winter, it gets pretty damned cold. As for the cost of living, it must be high, as tourist have to pay a lot higher prices than they do in the lower 48.
 
Ok Guy's,
I got the cold part down :eek:. The reason I am asking this question is because it is one of the few remaining places that seems to be some what untouched. I guess it is a dream of mine. Was just curious of what others have experienced by living there. -Kevin
 
Bill ...

Bill Wynne said:
Is there any truth in the rumor that there are two seasons in Alaska, Winter and July?
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No. But I guess it depends on where you live. For the last three summers I've spent three weeks with my brother in Anchorage in either June or July and it was very nice. Temperatures ranged from the upper 50's to the low to mid 70's during the day. Perfect golf, fishing and shooting weather. It sure beat the upper 90's and low 100's in Austin. I just spoke with my sister-in-law in Anchorage and she told me the snow usually ends the last part of April and they don't normally see it again until mid to late October.

You must be thinking of Duluth, Minnesota. I once lived there for two years. However, that statement is only partially correct I suppose since it did snow on the 4th of July when I was playing golf. It was melting as soon as it hit the ground but it was still snowing. I'll never forget that day as long as I live.
 
Alaska

I just got done reading a book about a guy from Iowa who went to Alaska in 1968 built a cabin out in the middle of nowhere, and spent most of the next 30 years there. The name of the book is One Man's Wilderness and his name is Richard Proenneke from Primrose, Iowa. I'm sure there is lots of reading out there, and mabye some of the guys on this board from up there will give you a better idea.

Dave
 
I lived in Fairbanks as a kid in the 50's and in Anchorage from 74-80. Fairbanks had better weather in the summer as I remember. Most of the cold in both places was dry and very little wind. Made it easier to tolerate. I believe the adjustment to the short daylight is a much harder thing than the cold.
Butch
 
biddlesailor858 said:
Hello All,
I was wondering if any of you have ever lived in Alaska and what it is like? Is the Cost of living much higher then the lower 48? Thanks in Advance Kevin
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biddlesailor,

I've got friends and relatives scattered from Juneau to Anchorage/Wasilla to Nome and a bunch who've worked the Aleutian Chain....and although I'll agree about the limited daylight thing I can't downplay the COLD!!! Nor the bugs....

You're from TX, have you ever lived where it's COLD???

The cost of living is higher, to very high if you're far north, although it's not that much worse than owning a home in CA or NY. It's the little stuff that gets you. Eggs and meat and milk, staples are higher but the cost of housing is low. Heating is high. Which brings us back to COLD. Cold and wet in Spring and Fall, and just unbelievably COLD in winter. I get such a kick out of the Hollywood version of cold. In the movies they just do not understand COLD....

Cold is when your tires get a flat on the bottom overnight and go Ba-DUNK, Ba-DUNK, Ba-DUNKaDUNKaDUNK-daBUNK when you drive down the road. Cold is when your vinyl seats bust when you jump in your truck. Cold is when you hit the button on your automatic doorlocks and nothing happens so you put the key in the lock and it busts off. Cold is when the doorhandle burns your hand. You get inside and you understand why Ford puts those huge turning grips on the ignition keys, the ignition creaks when you turn it. Your breath is freezing to the inside of the window in layers....

Your skin gets so dry that you can't roll over in bed without dragging the sheets with you, the back of your hands are chapped and your face feels like burlap. You've got chapped eyelids and crowsfeet because your eyes water and it sublimates off your skin.....You acclimate in time. The capillaries on the surface of your body develop for better circulation, you go into a nice hot shower and when the water hits your face you cry.

You get used to it so you get a little sloppy with your coverups....your wrist gets icebit because you spent 5 extra minutes working on a frozen water line. The water line froze because you don't KNOW to leave the water running. You lose a chunk of your ear and get burnt streaks on your temples because you wear glasses and you decided to walk 3 blocks to the store for a fitting. You started out fine, then rounded a corner and the wind cut through you like you were naked in a sleet storm. On the way back it blows your hat off and you get a brainfreeze, like a 10yr-old eating a slushie only this one doesn't go away.....And the next morning your door is banked shut from the drifting snow and you get to go out and shovel it. A'gain...


And then it gets warm. Spring is like a soaring aria, you hurl yourself into the rig in your tee shirt and drive out nowhere just for fun.......you're bounding over the tundra like a colt when you find yourself immersed (yes IMMERSED) in a cloud of mosquitoes, bugs so thick that you're breathing them in, can't help it. You're choking and bleeding and half hysterical so you try to outrun 'em....... and stick your foot in a hole and fall down and break your glasses. And they catch up and crash over you like surf. You get home to find bites on your bites and scabs under your hairline from the no-seeums and sandflies.......

Well that's how it was when I moved to Minnesota anyways. I've never lived in AK...... but my sister moved there and for her it was easy. She moved from Minnesota.... :D

After two winters you can call yourself a cheechako, and if nothing else you'll appreciate being warm! :)

Robert Service got it right... read "The Cremation Of Sam McGee."

LOL


al
 
Do You Want To Hunt?

biddlesailor858 said:
Ok Guy's,
I got the cold part down :eek:. The reason I am asking this question is because it is one of the few remaining places that seems to be some what untouched. I guess it is a dream of mine. Was just curious of what others have experienced by living there. -Kevin
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It ain't untouched. If you are a hunter you can't throw the rifle in your truck and shoot a moose after work. You have to take a week or two off work, charter a Supercub, or run up the river 30 miles in your river boat. Either that or compete with the 100 other guys with ATVs on your favorite trail. Your chances of killing a moose off the road system are less than winning the lottery.

When the snowshoe hare and ptarmigan cycles are down there's not much for small game hunting. When the cycles are up the competition off the road system is pretty fierce.

Varmints? Just a few arctic ground squirrels and hoary marmots far from town.

If you live in Anchorage and want to hunt the nearest caribou herd you have to have about 35 years of history hunting there to have enough points to qualify for a permit.

In short, not a whole lot of game and lots of other hunters (competition) for most Alaska residents. There is far better hunting opportunity at much less expense in most other states. And you can do it there after work or on Saturdays.

But, despite all that, where else can a guy (if he can afford the price) hunt moose, caribou, Dall sheep, mountain goats, grizzly bears, wolves, musk ox etc.? But just remember it ain't easy and it ain't cheap.
 
vicvanb said:
It ain't untouched. If you are a hunter you can't throw the rifle in your truck and shoot a moose after work.

In short, not a whole lot of game and lots of other hunters (competition) for most Alaska residents. There is far better hunting opportunity at much less expense in most other states. And you can do it there after work or on Saturdays.

But, despite all that, where else can a guy (if he can afford the price) hunt moose, caribou, Dall sheep, mountain goats, grizzly bears, wolves, musk ox etc.? But just remember it ain't easy and it ain't cheap.
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I'd rather live in Texas and visit Alaska in July. It would be cheaper and more more of a thrill that way.

Like my grandmother said, "Be it ever so humble and dirty, there is no place like home".:)

Concho Bill
 
Alinwa described it perfectly! I grew up in Northern Wisconsin and yep, his descriptions were right on. He did not mention purchase of a new snow blower every three years cause you wore the last one out. You will have dandruff!

Coldest I remember was 54 below without wind. Summer lasted about 3 months. October made it worth staying the other 6 months. Escape from December thru March to a warmer cimate. bob finger
 
I grew up in Michigan and now reside in Ohio. I have been as far north as Iceland and as Far south as south of the equator in the Indian Ocean did not spend much time at either place. I understand what your saying about the cold. The reason I am asking this question again is because everything today seems to be so commercialized and right at our finger tips AKA Computer keyboard :D. I guess in a way I guess I am one that wonders what this country was like when Lewis and Clark went across it. I would have loved to see how big the Trees and the landscape of how it was. I know there is still some pretty places. I do like to Hunt both Deere and Black bear. An would like to try someday hunting Elk and / or moose. I talked briefly to one Guy that grew up on Kodiak. I guess my imagination is pretty far out there but I guess I am a dreamer and often wonder what if? :rolleyes: I appreciate all of you taking your time and posting. Thanks Kevin
 
Cold!!!!

I spent a couple years outside of Fairbanks courtesy of Uncle Sam, Alinwa left out a few things. You have to get up half an hour early to put on your bunny boots, three layers of pants, shirts, glove liners, gloves, hood and bibs and parka, then get undressed when you forgot to take your keys out of your pants pocket first. In the winter it's dark when you get up, it's dark till about 11:30 am, then it would be dawn if it weren't for the ice fog blocking all the light! By the end of lunch it's dark again. Your car trunk is full of survival gear so if you should get stuck on a back road you don't freeze to death before someone misses you. Good times....now that I'm not there.

Dennis
 
Hey Kevin,
I have lived up here since 1979 (except for three years in Germany chasing a woman :rolleyes:). I live in Eagle River, a bedroom community of Anchorage. Send me an e-mail jfinn@mtaonline.net . The answers to your questions depend very much on where you live. It is common during the Winter to have a 50 degree or more temperature spread within the state. For example the current temperature in Barrow is -22 and in Juneau it is +38 degrees. And that isn't really a big difference for up here. During the summer we can have 95 degrees in the interior (say Fairbanks) and the 40's down in the Anchorage area near the sea. Here is a good NOAA wbsite for checking the weather up here: http://www.arh.noaa.gov/
Good luck and please get in touch.
Jim
 
When I was a kid the family across the street moved to Alaska and was never heard from again. :eek:

gt40
 
I lived in Alaska for 30 years. 60s, 70s, and 80s. A State that big cannot be summed up in a few words. You have everything from very remote, scary areas, to big cities. Weather from Arctic to Marine. People from conservative to ultra liberal.

But it has become more modern with the oil and $$$ that followed it. And the people that followed the $$$.

And there are 3 seasons.

1. Getting ready for winter.
2. Winter.
3. Recovering from winter.

Ray
 
Sure We Have Summer

Hey Guys what's all this dissing of Alaska????
Summer? Of course we have Summer here. Heck we usually have a picnic that weekend ;)
Jim
 
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Here's Why...

gt40 said:
When I was a kid the family across the street moved to Alaska and was never heard from again. :eek:
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Possible reasons why:

1. They worked on the pipeline, made a fortune, and didn't want the relatives asking for money.

2. They started a meth lab, got caught and now reside in federal prison.

3. They went on a family picnic in the woods and a grizzly bear got them.

4. They got cabin fever during winter and killed each other off.

Alaska is a very strange place. It's not for everybody.
 
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Bill Wynne said:
Is there any truth in the rumor that there are two seasons in Alaska, Winter and July?:)

Concho Bill
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That Sir is a dirty dam lie.

We have four seasons in Alaska.

1. Winter with.

2. Winter without.

3.Spring with.

4. Summer with.


The with and without refer to mosquitoes and biting flies. It is a matter of fact that some people feel we only have two seasons. Winter and mosquitoes.

However my understanding is that Mn has already claimed that title.:D;)
 
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