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Considering going/moving to Alaska

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posted on Feb, 7 2011 @ 12:55 AM
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I have had several friends, 3 actually, who have relocated from Florida to Alaska and never looked back. One moved to Sitka and two moved to Fairbanks. I have also known a few people from Alaska, all from Fairbanks, and they were the greatest friends I ever had, simply amazing people, all moved back however.

They showed me video and photographs of Alaska and ever since I was young and met this Native American from Alaska I have always been interested in the state. Being a lover of very rural areas, little population, and the cold, Alaska always seemed like paradise to me, the opposite of Florida. I have been in the cold a couple times before in Pennsylvania down around 0 Fahrenheit and it did not bother me too much. Just a jacket, jeans, shirt, and socks+shoes, is all I wore and was not cold at all, in fact I loved it.

But I acknowledge Alaska is a lot colder than Pennsylvania and definitely a lot colder than Florida. I love rural areas but I would still need to live very close to a city of at least 5,000 people to feel comfortable.

And this visit/move would not happen within the next year or anything but I just wanted to ask the good people of ATS who have been to Alaska, are from Alaska, or currently live in Alaska, if considering moving there is a good or bad idea? And if you had to recommend somewhere with the best scenery, close to a city of at least 5,000, and was not extremely cold for Alaskan standards, where are some places you would recommend?



Loved the city and the music!



posted on Feb, 7 2011 @ 12:56 AM
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Do it. I have had a calling to Alaska for a long time.

Maybe I will someday be able to go there.

I say yes.



posted on Feb, 7 2011 @ 12:57 AM
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So you're going to wait until I move to FL, and then move to Alaska? That's messed up man.



Seriously though, you won't survive the cold. Don't do it Misoir...



posted on Feb, 7 2011 @ 01:05 AM
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Misoir I don't know if your into holidays or not but if so, check out North Pole Alaska. It is a city in Alaska that my wife has ordered me to take her to next year



posted on Feb, 7 2011 @ 01:06 AM
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edit on 7-2-2011 by MarineSniper12Kills because: dern double post



posted on Feb, 7 2011 @ 01:07 AM
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reply to post by SolarE-Souljah
 


Thank you for the input.

I too have had a yearning for Alaska since I was very young.



posted on Feb, 7 2011 @ 01:09 AM
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reply to post by v1rtu0s0
 


You figured out why I am trying to escape, damn...


But yeah it would definitely take some serious thinking over before I came to any conclusions, plus I would have to visit first.

I would just love to have a log cabin in Alaska though surrounded by streams, mountains, and forests, that is heaven.



posted on Feb, 7 2011 @ 01:09 AM
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reply to post by MarineSniper12Kills
 


Take here there!


Yes I am definitely into the holidays and it would be exciting to visit there in the Winter.



posted on Feb, 7 2011 @ 01:19 AM
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reply to post by Misoir
 


Oh man I have always wanted to go. Before my grandpa passed away from cancer, him and my grandma would drive around the country. This included visiting Alaska. The pictures are amazing. Whether you hunt or just enjoy wildlife it looks so peaceful. You are far enough away to not have alot of these rights infringed on by the govt, yet you are close enough to have your military, law enforcement agencies, and hospitals nearby. I know the cost of living is high there, but if you look at jobs, they pay twice as much. I looked at getting on with Anchorage PD. They pay starting out with no degree, 70,000 + a year where as here in NC you start out around around35000.



posted on Feb, 7 2011 @ 02:14 AM
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Well, living in more or less arctic conditions myself I can tell you from experience that the cold is not a big issue but the darkness sure is!
During the winter, when the sun hardly gets above the horizon for months on end...man, it wears you down mentally and physically.
And the air gets really dry in winter so make sure always to have lip balm in your pocket and skin conditioner at home. I get so dry in winter the skin cracks on my hands and I start to bleed from it!
Also if you have frequent problems with your airways (throat and lungs) you might want to reconsider leaving the warm breeze from the gulf.

The summers, however short, are amazing though! Light all day and all night, makes people go crazy


Besides, only tough guys live up north. Great way to walk the talk!



posted on Feb, 7 2011 @ 02:19 AM
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Originally posted by Raud
Well, living in more or less arctic conditions myself I can tell you from experience that the cold is not a big issue but the darkness sure is!
During the winter, when the sun hardly gets above the horizon for months on end...man, it wears you down mentally and physically.


That sounds great, I am not such a big fan of the sunshine anyways. I usually like to wake up really early so I get some time in the dark.


And the air gets really dry in winter so make sure always to have lip balm in your pocket and skin conditioner at home. I get so dry in winter the skin cracks on my hands and I start to bleed from it!
Also if you have frequent problems with your airways (throat and lungs) you might want to reconsider leaving the warm breeze from the gulf.


Actually I do not live where there is a breeze from the gulf or Atlantic, plus no airway problems.


The summers, however short, are amazing though! Light all day and all night, makes people go crazy


That kinda makes up for the winter then. Plus I do not really like temps above 75 Fahrenheit anyways.


Besides, only tough guys live up north. Great way to walk the talk!


Toughen me up real quick. I like to grow, catch, hunt, and fix my own stuff.



posted on Feb, 7 2011 @ 02:58 AM
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reply to post by Misoir
 


Hehe, sounds like you are going to fit in like a native in no time!


Don't underestimate the darkness though. You will get vitamin D deficiency (not that it is too hard to compensate with an adjusted diet or vitamin pills, but if you start feeling weak or depressed during the dark period you will understand why).
In these regions there is often clinics where you can get "light therapy". I've never had one but I hear it does miracles. Just f.y.i in case it all goes down the toilet


I think you should act. It's not like we get more bold with time (rather the other way around).
If you feel like it is "calling for you", you should go. This much I've learned from life.



posted on Feb, 17 2011 @ 08:55 AM
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I'm kind of on the other end... I lived in Kodiak (an island below the mainland, where Anchorage was the closest major city)...then Florida, again.

I'd definitely recommend living in or near one of the major cities, as there are a lot of things you just can't get easily in more out of the way places.



posted on Apr, 27 2011 @ 01:44 AM
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reply to post by Misoir
 

Hey I've been seriously considering buying a piece of land near Willow Alaska(which is in the southcentral area-as opposed to the colder northern areas like Tok) about 10 miles give or take from South Parks Highway and the train line that runs close to it which you can flag down and get were you need to go. You can also get pretty close to the property via a road that winds around-travel via rail would be the best option of travel though. I'd like to build a couple of tidy cabins(and thus hopefully raising the value of the property) and have a homestead of sorts with a few chickens and some rabbits. As far as income I've considered some different things such as remote cabin building/construction, photography, film, renting out base camp facilities for hunting/recreation, getting the training and flying floatplanes, making birch syrup, or coding and doing webdesign if I can get an internet connection via satellite. If I do this I want to go all the way so to speak and be well prepared, well equipped and sustainable as possible. A good array will probably run around 10k-hot tent, solar panels, initial provisions, clothing, fuel, animals, hunting and fishing gear, parts for chainsaw, older snowmobile etc. Add the cost of the land and that's a pretty big pricetag for a younger individual such as myself to foot. Just a thought, but would you be interested in perhaps splitting costs of a 5-10 acre parcel of land. The more remote land offered by Alaska's DNR runs around 5-10k for 5 acres. Land that's offered privately and closer to cities/towns is going to be alot more expensive and in my opinion if there's a road to the property it kind of takes the intrigue out of living in the last frontier as it is referred to sometimes. Most of the over the counter DNR land for sale is only feasibly accessible by float-plane in the summer which isn't feasible cost wise if you are going to need to be chartering an air taxi every couple of weeks. Which is why DNR land 'close' to the railroad with the Denali Star Train transportation service running September to May seems like the best option. You're supposed to be able to flag it down(I've seen this in a youtube video-6 or so pickups or supplies drops in said video) and get picked up. In the winter transportation would be by snowmobile. In retrospect though for me an endeavor like this probably won't get further than just dreamin about it-we shall see. Another way to think about it is there are alot of unappreciated benefits to living a mediocre life that would be non-existent in semi-remote/remote parts of alaska-pretty much every aspect of daily life from hot showers, to variety in diet, internet access, entertainment etc. I hope it works out for you to go to Alaska and live the dream-good luck bro.



posted on May, 2 2011 @ 11:18 PM
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Colder and desolate depending on where in Alaska that you choose to live. People are different in the Pacific Northwest compared to contrast of FL/ East Coast city people. Often less affected by the fast paced city mentality and speak slower, and enjoy being laid back. And I don't have to mention the beautiful scenery(way different from tropical beaches and swamps), as it's apparent.

I moved from FL-born and raised and without exposure to the cold below 50 degrees-, to the NWest but not as far as Alaska, nor haven't been there yet. Though, I can say the temperate changes, snow and cold, still affect me after years. Of course, it was worse when I first moved to the north

I suggest if you feel you won't be able to handle the cold-from your post sounds like you can-, have never lived in it before, try a coastal area of the state. Some of my in-laws lived in Kodiak, and said the temperate weather isn't too bad for the state.
I miss the humidity and warmth, the beaches and such but everything has changed so much I'll never live in FL again. I won't go into the 'negative' details about the state, but you might know what I'm referring to.

As a kid I always wanted to relocate north, to the mountains(and to experience the seasons) that I visited during the summer...never expected to come so far, figured at least No California would have been the furthest. I don't regret the changes, I just don't care so much for the cold.

Best of luck on your plans and possible relocation! It's a big change, but worth it.



posted on May, 13 2011 @ 04:55 PM
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I have to say, I loved my time there. We lived in Kodiak, and went to Anchorage (the big city) a lot.

I prefer the cold to the heat of Florida. I wouldn't want to drive on snowy roads, though I guess you get used to it (and be sure to have the right equipment, and take it slow).

Looking back, it's hard to believe how carelessly I went just marching off into bear-infested woods. I was in the 4th grade!

Ah, to be an immortal kid again, afraid of nothing,


Seen my fair share of Kodiak bears too, caught a lot of salmon (man, I can still remember the smell of them in the smokers...)
Miss salmonberries though....can only find them at gourmet stores here of course. (FL)



posted on Jun, 10 2011 @ 04:09 AM
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I've lived in Alaska my entire life, and I love it. If your looking to move to a city that isn't tiny, but isn't huge either, look at the cities located in the matanuska susitna valley. In the past few years they have expanded quite a bit. The largest of all the cities is Wasilla, which is about a 40 minute drive to Anchorage. But if you'd like to live in a city that is less congested, than try willow. It's about 20 minutes from Wasilla, and is located in a beautiful area. And yes the summers up here are amazing. It's about 1:30 am right now and is still completely light out. The winters are a completely different story, it gets dark at about 5:00 pm and stays that way until about 9:30 am. As long as you don't mind snow, I'm sure you'd love Alaska



posted on Jun, 27 2011 @ 12:29 AM
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Depends on where you want to live and how cold you like it. Fairbanks in the winter can get very cold. I think that's the biggest city in that part of the state too. I live in Anchorage which is the biggest city in Alaska, anyway if you want somewhere near a city of 5000 people or so I'd also recommend the mat-su valley. Wasilla is usually pretty close to the other towns and it's getting bigger too. Another idea would be Kenai or Soldotna (they are basically the same place just cut in half by a river) In the winter I'm not sure how big the population is but in the summer the city swells with people who want to go fishing but it is a 3 hour drive from there to Anchorage and alot of places close in the winter. The one thing you should realize before coming is that it's way more expensive here than in the lower 48, Also depending on where you want to live some stuff can be very hard to come by and some places online shipping is outrageous.

But I think that is one thing that people don't realize is how expensive things are here, we do have a higher minimum wage than the lower 48 though. The darkness in the winter will take a while to get used to and also in the summer the sunlight will mess you up too for a bit.
edit on 27-6-2011 by sandman441 because: (no reason given)



posted on Oct, 27 2011 @ 03:29 AM
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I have lived in the MAT-VALLEY, AK for over 27 years, I love it! I have tried to go south but always return ASAP to the Great North. I grew up in Wasilla, worked all over the State. Yes, you do have to have tough skin. I remember just hanging with my best friends in -20 degrees, BS'n in the tent having fun, lol, most from the south would think they were going to die from the cold. Well, the flip side is I would melt down there, LOL Most of my family is from Death Valley, CA where in the summer it mostly stays around 120 degrees, forget that!

Alaska is wonderful, Work outside of our biggest city, its mostly who you know than rather your Knowledge of a skill, trust me when I say that, Been there, done that.... If you plan to move up here come in the spring, because if you are not on your feet by winter, you will starve, and thats only the beginning of the hardships. The women are not so pretty( mind you of the Thick Skin you have to have to live here, lmao) and all about the man who has the goods. But those thick Arctic women can and will keep you WARM during the long winter months

Most of the people are very Kind and Welcoming, ecept when in bigger cities, small villages and local tribe are extremely friendly, haven't ran into any yet that are displeased to meet new people. WE sniff out the negative people quickly.


Much love,

Come to visit,

Ask your ?'s, I'd love to answer anyone's curiosity



posted on Oct, 27 2011 @ 04:36 AM
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I'm jealous!


Always wanted to move there or somewhere similar. For the cold which I love, and as with yourself I have a fondness of rural areas and pretty scenery! absolutely hate built up areas or city's.

Unfortunately for me, I am English, and immigration is not easy, so Alaska will remain a dream and i'm stuck here for the foreseeable future!







 
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