Member Link Up Anchorage AK

[kthomas]

Anybody here in Anchorage?

My wife and I are considering a move to Anchorage. She's potentially got a great job opportunity there, and she has lots of family ties to AK. I'm also hoping my job prospects will be better there, as job opportunities for me in our current location has been absolute shit, to put it mildly.

So, who here is in Anchorage? Pros? Cons? What is the precision rifle community like up there?

 

[drglock]

Don’t live there but have flown in there several times to visit my brother(he lives 4 hours south) be prepared to see homeless/ drunk passed out natives everywhere.

 

[SilentStalkr]

I don’t live in Anchorage but have been there many times! Beautiful place but see what was mentioned above. He isn’t lying. There seems to be a lot of French Canadians there as well and most of them are not happy about being there. Some of the freshest air I’ve ever experienced. With that said, it’s also very expensive to live there, based on the prices of things I have seen or had to buy when there.

Out of curiosity, what do you and your wife do? From what little I know about the job market and talking to the locals there, Anchorage isn’t really know for a hot job market.

 

[kthomas]

I've heard that the homelessness and substance abuse issues is certainly a big deal there, which we aren't enthused about.

The expense of living in AK is certainly something that's giving me pause as well.

My wife is in healthcare, she'll be interviewing this week (over zoom). She's already met one of the people that works there, and thinks she has a good chance at getting the job.

I have a petroleum engineering degree, 8 years experience in operations and managing projects, along with a master's in architecture. Job prospects for me in my current location are slim to none. Finally got two job offers here, but for $56k and $60k/year, which seems crazy low, especially in 2024.

 

[Aqua Mark]

My friend was a cop there 20 years. Two shootouts. Lots of drugs, drunks, depression. Very expensive. He had nothing nice to say. If you can pull down big bucks, it might be worth trying it. I've done similar years ago relocating across the country for 2 jobs (lasted 1 year at each).

 

[diverdon]

I'm thinking that there are at least couple of dozen cruise ships there each summer. Cruise ship people go on day excursions. If you're bold you could set up a booth on the pier and sell 1/2 day precision rifle course.

1) it's a summer job, when the days get too short you can follow all the bush pilots to Florida.

2) rifles, ammo, land you buy are a before tax business expense.

3) you'll regularly meet successful people from all over the world. This might be more fun than just knowing a small circle of people who are stuck there.

 

[Arc Light]

My wife (then girlfriend) drove up to Anchorage from VA back 20 years ago. Neither of us had ever been and we had a romantic vision of the place and thought we may even stay permanently. We looked for jobs (couldn't find any worth a damn) and explored the area as much as we could. We ended up disappointed and left after a couple months. Yeah, it has beautiful scenery and that's about all. The most unfriendly, unwelcoming people we have ever come across anywhere. And we've traveled to every state in the Union. May have been just our experience, but they can keep the place.

 

[Aftermath]

I'm thinking that there are at least couple of dozen cruise ships there each summer. Cruise ship people go on day excursions. If you're bold you could set up a booth on the pier and sell 1/2 day precision rifle course.

1) it's a summer job, when the days get too short you can follow all the bush pilots to Florida.

2) rifles, ammo, land you buy are a before tax business expense.

3) you'll regularly meet successful people from all over the world. This might be more fun than just knowing a small circle of people who are stuck there.

Cruise ships are out of Whittier, a good hour away. I don't recall the cruise ships as being much influence in Anchorage, unlike Juneau where there are businesses that arrange their schedules around when the ship arrive.

Good ideas though...just be thinking Juneau, Ketchikan, SE.

 

[rjacobs]

The population of Alaska is like 800k give or take. Damn near half live in Anchorage.

The north east side of anchorage is "nicer".

I mean if your wife is going to be the bread winner, just turn into a town drunk and you'll fit right in.

 

[kthomas]

My wife (then girlfriend) drove up to Anchorage from VA back 20 years ago. Neither of us had ever been and we had a romantic vision of the place and thought we may even stay permanently. We looked for jobs (couldn't find any worth a damn) and explored the area as much as we could. We ended up disappointed and left after a couple months. Yeah, it has beautiful scenery and that's about all. The most unfriendly, unwelcoming people we have ever come across anywhere. And we've traveled to every state in the Union. May have been just our experience, but they can keep the place.

Yeah...

Quite honestly I feel like we may be romanticizing the idea of living in AK a bit.

I've never been to AK. My wife was born in Fairbanks, but they moved out shortly afterwards. She did a stint in Denali as a teen, and I think that was her last time back. Her parents do a considerable amount of work in Alaska, they spent a decent amount of time up on the North Slope, and of course in Anchorage on either end of their trips. Apparently they are thinking of spending the entire summers up in Anchorage now. Her brother and uncles are all fishermen up there, but are only in Alaska during the season and they are spending the majority of their time on their boats.

There's a lot of ties there, and certainly some opportunities. But I agree in that our vision of Alaska may be very romanticized. The dark winters. The drunks. The homeless. The crime. The high cost of living. These are all pretty considerable downsides.

 

[cas6969]

Since your wife has ties to AK, this may be something you don't need to hear, but be sure you're not just looking at numbers for her job opportunity. Just about everything is expensive there. We used to get lots of people online inquiring about moving to the north east because of "great job opportunities" and huge increases in pay. Once explained to them and they looked into it, they began to see those huge salary bumps wouldn't even begin to cover the cost of living increase where they were thinking about moving to.

The most unfriendly, unwelcoming people we have ever come across anywhere.

I swear most if the people I met were originally from somewhere else. I think it's a place many people live for a few years, then tired of the winters move on.
I did pick up lots of "anti tourist" attitude, even though most of it was directed at people who weren't tourists.

 

[knuckleballz]

Woman seem to want to return to where they grew up as well as wanting to be next to family. How will that affect the dynamic of your relationship? Controlling, meddling, narcissistic in-laws or family members can destroy your relationships. Sometimes distance from family is better for relationships

 

[TexPatriot]

Anytime you have a high 'native' population living off the white man's tit, expect the drunk Indian experience. I had an ex that moved to Flagstaff and every month she had to deal with rez. Indians coming into town to spend their government check and get drunk and pass out in the doorway of your office. If they didn't like you before, wait until they get gut full of firewater.

The cost of living in Anchorage is crazy, a gal. of milk was $12.00. I'd shoot a moose and feed off it all year help offset the grocery costs. Be sure and undercoat your vehicles, all the cop shows showing Anchorage shows them driving through frozen sludge. Your blood may thicken up due to colder climate.

 

[kthomas]

Woman seem to want to return to where they grew up as well as wanting to be next to family. How will that affect the dynamic of your relationship? Controlling, meddling, narcissistic in-laws or family members can destroy your relationships. Sometimes distance from family is better for relationships

Nah, my wife isn't like that.

She's not sold on moving to AK either. Initially I was probably more excited about the prospect of moving to AK than she is.

We are just considering it as its a potential opportunity, especially since my career prospects here in Tucson are absolute garbage. But it might not be better there either (though there is O&G where I have a couple of friends working).

 

[Llatikcuf]

My family moved to Anchorage in 1974, I went to high school there and lived there most of the next 40 years before moving to Idaho.
With your background I would get a job on the slope and live in the MatSu or in Kenai or Homer. I made $90k a year as an equipment operator/truck driver in both Prudhoe and Kuparuk. That's working 3 weeks on 3 weeks off.
Anchorage has gone to shit. A long time friend of mine and his wife visted us down here in April, he said it was like going back in time. We went to a gas station and the clerk left the counter unattended while he filled our propane tank. My buddy said that would never happen in Anch because the place would have beed stripped bare.

 

[knuckleballz]

Things will pick up for you if trump is in office in January. Drill baby Drill!

 

[rjacobs]

The dark winters.

Anchorage gets light at least. The further north you go, yea no.

 

[SilentStalkr]

I might be able to help you out but you and your wife are going to have to move the opposite direction. Where are you now?

 

[kthomas]

I might be able to help you out but you and your wife are going to have to move the opposite direction. Where are you now?

Currently in Tucson.

My wife currently has her own job where she travels around the US and works contracts at different hospitals, typically for short durations. So she's okay continuing with that. She doesn't need the job in AK.

I've had an incredibly tough time finding a job with my background in Tucson. I finally have two offers on the table, one for $56k and one for $60k/year, which to me seems incredibly low for 2024. But I guess its more than I make now, and you have to do what you have to do...

So we can survive here in Tucson, there isn't necessarily a need to move. I'm personally a bit disappointed with the lack of professional options I have here, but we will survive.

 

[Llatikcuf]

Currently in Tucson.

My wife currently has her own job where she travels around the US and works contracts at different hospitals, typically for short durations. So she's okay continuing with that. She doesn't need the job in AK.

I've had an incredibly tough time finding a job with my background in Tucson. I finally have two offers on the table, one for $56k and one for $60k/year, which to me seems incredibly low for 2024. But I guess its more than I make now, and you have to do what you have to do...

So we can survive here in Tucson, there isn't necessarily a need to move. I'm personally a bit disappointed with the lack of professional options I have here, but we will survive.

We spent the winter '05 to '06 in Tucson, wages seemed pretty low. I was offered a job driving a belly dump for $10/hr. Nope.

 

[kthomas]

We spent the winter '05 to '06 in Tucson, wages seemed pretty low. I was offered a job driving a belly dump for $10/hr. Nope.

Not a great job market here, that's for sure.

Defense industry is the big one here, if you have electrical or mechanical engineering background, especially if you are former military, then you are golden. There's the mining industry down south, which you would think would recognize and appreciate my background, but somehow they don't. Some sales positions are decent paying - my neighbor just took a job managing a retail outlet for a big company and that has promises of being six figures (if sales are good), I'm not a sales person nor have that background. Then you have academia, there's a university here, but they pay garbage.

Some bigger players are moving into town, CAT is now here and there's also Amazon. But my background has been incredibly difficult to sell. The job market nationally and locally is pretty brutal right now.

 

[diverdon]

Cruise ships are out of Whittier, a good hour away. I don't recall the cruise ships as being much influence in Anchorage, unlike Juneau where there are businesses that arrange their schedules around when the ship arrive.

Good ideas though...just be thinking Juneau, Ketchikan, SE.

A lot of small cruise ships list Anchorage but I have no personal knowledge of where they dock. https://www.cruisecritic.com/find-a-cruise/port-anchorage

 

[Emerson0311]

Since your wife has ties to AK, this may be something you don't need to hear, but be sure you're not just looking at numbers for her job opportunity. Just about everything is expensive there. We used to get lots of people online inquiring about moving to the north east because of "great job opportunities" and huge increases in pay. Once explained to them and they looked into it, they began to see those huge salary bumps wouldn't even begin to cover the cost of living increase where they were thinking about moving to.


I swear most if the people I met were originally from somewhere else. I think it's a place many people live for a few years, then tired of the winters move on.
I did pick up lots of "anti tourist" attitude, even though most of it was directed at people who weren't tourists.

Yellowknife is the same way. The big salaries do not cover the increased cost of living for most people. Your particular situation might well be different.

 

[inspcalahan]

Well, as I sit here on my couch in Anchorage, I'll push out a few observations...

Alaska is amazing but, it can also be a brutal, cold, depressing bitch at times.

Anchorage used to be great, it's where I was born and raised. I've give about anything to send it back to those years but, that could be said for anywhere I suppose. I moved away for a few years to Calif and eventually had enough, so moved back up to Anchorage. Anchorage is way better than most liberal crushed mid sized cities around the west coast. Anchorage is also still a disaster in terms of homelessness. It's expensive to live here, so make sure your house income can support that. It's not just daily costs, bills, housing etc.....you have to remember you move to Alaska to enjoy Alaska (snow machining, boating, fishing, hunting, hiking, what have you..) and that all costs. Unlike lower 48 deer hunting where you waddle out to the deer stand or drive a country back road, here it's way more involved and this usually catches outside hunters off guard. EVERYTHING costs more and some things you just have to write off. You can't order ammo online, unless you buy it by the pallet full and have it shipped up on a boat. Produce is already at the expiration date by the time it gets here. I could go on and on...

If I were you and you guys were getting serious, I'd come up for a stay in the winter and see what you think. Make sure to understand that summer is only a few weeks and fall is dependent on less rain, otherwise it goes mostly to winter in a week. We had a dusting last week and the radio dude reminded us that it's barely been five months since our last snowfall (May...) Get an air b n b and give it a month. I'd also look at living in the valley (Wasilla, Palmer, etc) which is 30-45 minutes outside of Anchorage to the north and then grab the job in Anchorage and see if the commute works for you. On some bad winter snow days, factor in doubling that commute time or just avoiding the drive for the day period. Wasilla and Palmer are growing as well but, still seem to have held onto the right way of life. School Districts aren't giving into the Lib mess yet and often fight it. It's a more conservative atmosphere still and they haven't been overrun by the purple haired hippo's advocating for child reading hour about tranny's (not the kind underneath your truck, the kind who can't figure out how to pee) like much of Anchorage's "leadership" is.

Now, as bad as I make it sound, every time we travel around the lower 48 and start thinking "hey, could we live here?", it usually takes about 48 hours and we're ready to head back north. To us, it's still worth the hassle, cost and occasional frustration.

I could go on and on, both the good and bad. It's not for everyone, it has it's hassles, it's still the best place for us.

I'd be happy to PM more if you have questions and such...gotta head in to work now. Alaska level bills to pay and all that.

 

[roostercogburn98]

Shit was expensive 20 years ago when I lived there. I couldn’t imagine how this inflation has ballooned that place out.

That being said, it sounds like your wife had a “travel” job in the healthcare world. My wiff has looked at travel jobs off and on, and some pay extremely well. The remote towns/villages up there usually have some wildly high pay scale. Spending a large amount of time in a remote village might get taxing.

Your degree in petroleum, I’d look around for jobs on the North Slope. Again, it might be gone for a while and then home for a while.

 

[kthomas]

Shit was expensive 20 years ago when I lived there. I couldn’t imagine how this inflation has ballooned that place out.

That being said, it sounds like your wife had a “travel” job in the healthcare world. My wiff has looked at travel jobs off and on, and some pay extremely well. The remote towns/villages up there usually have some wildly high pay scale. Spending a large amount of time in a remote village might get taxing.

Your degree in petroleum, I’d look around for jobs on the North Slope. Again, it might be gone for a while and then home for a while.

The job she is interviewing for would be full time at the hospital in Anchorage. Its a sweet deal in that she only has to work 3 days a week, but gets a full-time salary.

I know Conoco has an office in Anchorage and I have a few friends that work there. However it sounds like the AK oilfield is really tough to break into, especially drilling. Hilcorp also has an office there and a large presence, but again, no drilling jobs currently.

I used to be a drill site manager, so I would have the resume to get a job on the slope. There just has to be a position open.

If we do get serious about this move, there is the opportunity for her to work for a short duration, she's already credentialled through that hospital network, so we could check the area out for a few months.

Right now I'm not sold on Anchorage, and I appreciate all the insights. It's very helpful, and helps me paint a more realistic scene for what to expect. We never really had any intentions of moving out of Tucson, but this opportunity is coming up while I'm really struggling to get a job that pays a living wage, let alone something that I see as a career.

 

[SilentStalkr]

The job she is interviewing for would be full time at the hospital in Anchorage. Its a sweet deal in that she only has to work 3 days a week, but gets a full-time salary.

I know Conoco has an office in Anchorage and I have a few friends that work there. However it sounds like the AK oilfield is really tough to break into, especially drilling. Hilcorp also has an office there and a large presence, but again, no drilling jobs currently.

I used to be a drill site manager, so I would have the resume to get a job on the slope. There just has to be a position open.

If we do get serious about this move, there is the opportunity for her to work for a short duration, she's already credentialled through that hospital network, so we could check the area out for a few months.

Right now I'm not sold on Anchorage, and I appreciate all the insights. It's very helpful, and helps me paint a more realistic scene for what to expect. We never really had any intentions of moving out of Tucson, but this opportunity is coming up while I'm really struggling to get a job that pays a living wage, let alone something that I see as a career.

Curious what others consider a living wage?

 

[roostercogburn98]

The job she is interviewing for would be full time at the hospital in Anchorage. Its a sweet deal in that she only has to work 3 days a week, but gets a full-time salary.

I know Conoco has an office in Anchorage and I have a few friends that work there. However it sounds like the AK oilfield is really tough to break into, especially drilling. Hilcorp also has an office there and a large presence, but again, no drilling jobs currently.

I used to be a drill site manager, so I would have the resume to get a job on the slope. There just has to be a position open.

If we do get serious about this move, there is the opportunity for her to work for a short duration, she's already credentialled through that hospital network, so we could check the area out for a few months.

Right now I'm not sold on Anchorage, and I appreciate all the insights. It's very helpful, and helps me paint a more realistic scene for what to expect. We never really had any intentions of moving out of Tucson, but this opportunity is coming up while I'm really struggling to get a job that pays a living wage, let alone something that I see as a career.

I guess you could always supplement your diet with a healthy dose of fresh caught/hunted items as well. Invest in some good freezer space and learn to eat off the land more.

I forgot to mention that I’m fairly certain there is a healthy dose of precision shooting up there. Didn’t Frank and his other half teach a class up there quite regularly?

Surely if you used to be a drill site manager, you still know some people in the business. It’s astonishing the percentage of jobs that are found via personal referrals vs actually dropping an application and hoping. Maybe you still know someone that owes you a small favor.

 

[Llatikcuf]

The job she is interviewing for would be full time at the hospital in Anchorage. Its a sweet deal in that she only has to work 3 days a week, but gets a full-time salary.

I know Conoco has an office in Anchorage and I have a few friends that work there. However it sounds like the AK oilfield is really tough to break into, especially drilling. Hilcorp also has an office there and a large presence, but again, no drilling jobs currently.

I used to be a drill site manager, so I would have the resume to get a job on the slope. There just has to be a position open.

If we do get serious about this move, there is the opportunity for her to work for a short duration, she's already credentialled through that hospital network, so we could check the area out for a few months.

Right now I'm not sold on Anchorage, and I appreciate all the insights. It's very helpful, and helps me paint a more realistic scene for what to expect. We never really had any intentions of moving out of Tucson, but this opportunity is coming up while I'm really struggling to get a job that pays a living wage, let alone something that I see as a career.

I'm sure you probably know but there's more than just the oil companies, dozens of contractors. ASRC, NES, Haliburton, Little Red, Worley, Nabors, Baker Hughes, Doyon, Nordic Calista, ........

 

[TexPatriot]

The job she is interviewing for would be full time at the hospital in Anchorage. Its a sweet deal in that she only has to work 3 days a week, but gets a full-time salary.

I know Conoco has an office in Anchorage and I have a few friends that work there. However it sounds like the AK oilfield is really tough to break into, especially drilling. Hilcorp also has an office there and a large presence, but again, no drilling jobs currently.

I used to be a drill site manager, so I would have the resume to get a job on the slope. There just has to be a position open.

If we do get serious about this move, there is the opportunity for her to work for a short duration, she's already credentialled through that hospital network, so we could check the area out for a few months.

Right now I'm not sold on Anchorage, and I appreciate all the insights. It's very helpful, and helps me paint a more realistic scene for what to expect. We never really had any intentions of moving out of Tucson, but this opportunity is coming up while I'm really struggling to get a job that pays a living wage, let alone something that I see as a career.

If you haven't lived in that Northwest evironment, you're in for a change moving from the Desert Southwest. If I had another life to live I would do it to satisfy the Jack London in me.

Not sure if it's an issue in Anchorage but there is an insect season where clouds of nats, mequitos and biting flies swarm and torment every living thing on the tundra and can cause herds of caribou to stampede in misery.

 

[kthomas]

If you haven't lived in that Northwest evironment, you're in for a change moving from the Desert Southwest. If I had another life to live I would do it to satisfy the Jack London in me.

Not sure if it's an issue in Anchorage but there is an insect season where clouds of nats, mequitos and biting flies swarm and torment every living thing on the tundra and can cause herds of caribou to stampede in misery.

I grew up in Canada, but I know AK is a different beast from even there.

 

[SONIC SAAMI]

I grew up in Canada, but I know AK is a different beast from even there.

 

[diverdon]

If you haven't lived in that Northwest evironment, you're in for a change moving from the Desert Southwest. If I had another life to live I would do it to satisfy the Jack London in me.

Not sure if it's an issue in Anchorage but there is an insect season where clouds of nats, mequitos and biting flies swarm and torment every living thing on the tundra and can cause herds of caribou to stampede in misery.

Jack London lived in Oakland and San Francisco. He wrote about Alaska.

 

[TexPatriot]

Jack London lived in Oakland and San Francisco. He wrote about Alaska.

That doesn't surprise me.

 

[Baron23]

Cons?

Ask Marc about AK. @Enough Said

 

[blbennett1288]

@kthomas not directly related to AK, but directly related to job searching so thought I’d share.

My experience has been leaving the Oil & Gas industry your technical knowledge is not going to be transferable and valuable, but your experience and management skills will be. Instead of drill site manager, market it as “operations”. Instead of drilling, market it as “well construction”. Neither statement is inaccurate nor misleading. Tailor this to whatever industry you are targeting. This allows you to sell you management experience to a broader audience than just Oil and Gas. Remember, people not in Oil and Gas don't know about Oil and Gas, you need to make it specific to their industry.

Additionally, you are probably going to need to take a lower paying job to start out when switching industries. In 2020 when I left Oil and Gas making ~$180k/yr as a 31yr old I had to take a job for $70k. No shame in that. We adjusted our lifestyle and I was able to help provide. I was no longer the bread winner. 3-4 years later I am now the bread winner again. Taking an entry level job opens more doors and allows you to move quicker through a company / companies than a mid-career.

Finally, if you can, work for a privately owned company and not one burdened by shareholders or private equity companies. They last two companies I have worked for in Construction are privately owned and it is a night and day difference from a public company.

 

[Old Soldier]

I live in Fairbanks. By Alaska standards Anchorage sucks. Liberal city government, homeless Junkies every where, full of fags, but proudly better than where you presently are. The weather sucks too. Wet and cold summer or winter, you can't tell the difference . There is a group that shoots F class, but not what your used to in "The States". If he is still in town, the guy who owns the Wiggies store is a former Marine sniper, and knows his shit. Look him up. I can not speak to jobs in Anchorage but in Fairbanks, if you ain't working it's because you don't want to. Summer jobs are always easy to get. Ones that winter over are harder. Give me a private message if you want to, and I give you my phone # and we can talk.

 

[SilentStalkr]

So, I’m gonna ask again, what is considered a livable wage? Like bottom line, what do you guys think must be earned to be considered livable?

 

[Emerson0311]

I grew up in Canada, but I know AK is a different beast from even there.

Ah, that makes sense.

 

[Aftermath]

I was born at Elmendorf AFB. My Dad was stationed at Fort Richardson. My youngest brother was born there, too. My mom says same delivery room and a VAST difference in the treatment between an E5 and a CWO1. HAHAHA That was before that became a joint base.

I went back to AK as an adult, teaching school in the Bush. My times in Anchorage were limited to flying in, buying about a 6 month supply of stuff and the random teachers meetings or wrestling tournaments.

Anchorage was SO much different as an adult than when I was 6 or 7 years old. I didn't recall, and maybe the problem wasn't there, all of the street people, the obvious drug and addiction and street crime.

As I said, my time was spent mostly in the Bush. When I moved to Ambler and found a way to fly to/from Fairbanks, we avoided Anchorage as much as we could. Lots of times, flying back to the Lower 48, the best flights were through Anchorage but if I couldn't connect without getting a hotel, we flew out of Fairbanks just to avoid exposing my little girl to the bullshit of Anchorage...and my wife (at the time) said it would prevent me going to prison. She was probably correct. I do not like Anchorage AT ALL.

I have a couple of real good friends in Juneau. It, too, has some street people but not to the extent of Anchorage. I like Juneau except that your are seriously limited on where you can go without a good boat or an airplane.

If I were to move back, I'd try my best to end up out in one of a handful of villages out in the Northwest Arctic Borough, Fairbanks (I do like Fairbanks) or live "down south"....Sitka, Juneau, Ketchikan, Haines, Kodiak, Newhalen, of Iliamna. But you gotta do your research on the villages, most are true shitholes.

Avoid the "hubs" of Bethel, Unalakleet, Nome, Kotzebue, Barrow.

 

[TexPatriot]

I live in Fairbanks. By Alaska standards Anchorage sucks. Liberal city government, homeless Junkies every where, full of fags, but proudly better than where you presently are. The weather sucks too. Wet and cold summer or winter, you can't tell the difference . There is a group that shoots F class, but not what your used to in "The States". If he is still in town, the guy who owns the Wiggies store is a former Marine sniper, and knows his shit. Look him up. I can not speak to jobs in Anchorage but in Fairbanks, if you ain't working it's because you don't want to. Summer jobs are always easy to get. Ones that winter over are harder. Give me a private message if you want to, and I give you my phone # and we can talk.

Is there any good decent looking women or is there just the cold Eskimo pussy?

 

[BJames]

The AK dudes pretty much said most of it already. It’s expensive, some things suck, others things rock. I moved out of ANC to Wasilla 8 years ago, you can’t pay me enough to move back. Crime is up, homelessness waaaay up. Nice areas of town are the hillside and south anchorage. Couple of pockets of nice stuff on the west side. Look at Eagle river, Chugiak, Peters Creek just outside of town 20-30 minutes out. Wasilla/Palmer (hope you like wind ) are 45 minutes to an hour, and there’s only one road, if commuting daily, that sucks and buy good tires. I also, recommend 2 trips up to see if the climate works for you, one in January, the other in June. Also, take a good look at the road map for the entire state, not a lot of options for a quick weekend get away, but good times can be had over and over again at what there is.

Lots of Oil field workers up here. Most are working some combo of 2 weeks on/off up on the north slope. All the big companies that you are probably familiar with are here. 3 major hospitals are in ANC, 1 in Wasilla. Bunch of smaller clinics, depending on what your old lady’s specialty is.

The precision rifle community is small but pretty tight knit. The Marc and Frank show started up here. Check out Long range shooters of Alaska and Alaska rifle club on wastebook. Ranges are Rabbit creek (100y), Birchwood (300m), Upper Susitna Shooters Association in Talkeetna (1000y) but closed in the winter, Snowshoe in Kenai (750y). Or create your own with access by some sort of off-road vehicle, that’s my favorite.

For me this place is paradise but I have or have friends with all the toys to get out and about. If you’re into anything outdoors related, it’s hard to beat. Groomed and lighted XC ski trails are everywhere, Hilltop and Alyeska for downhill stuff. All the back country you can handle. Fishing is phenomenal, hunting can also be, but need to fork out for a drop off somewhere.

Feel free to pm me if you have more questions.

 

[TexPatriot]

I was born at Elmendorf AFB. My Dad was stationed at Fort Richardson. My youngest brother was born there, too. My mom says same delivery room and a VAST difference in the treatment between an E5 and a CWO1. HAHAHA That was before that became a joint base.

I went back to AK as an adult, teaching school in the Bush. My times in Anchorage were limited to flying in, buying about a 6 month supply of stuff and the random teachers meetings or wrestling tournaments.

Anchorage was SO much different as an adult than when I was 6 or 7 years old. I didn't recall, and maybe the problem wasn't there, all of the street people, the obvious drug and addiction and street crime.

As I said, my time was spent mostly in the Bush. When I moved to Ambler and found a way to fly to/from Fairbanks, we avoided Anchorage as much as we could. Lots of times, flying back to the Lower 48, the best flights were through Anchorage but if I couldn't connect without getting a hotel, we flew out of Fairbanks just to avoid exposing my little girl to the bullshit of Anchorage...and my wife (at the time) said it would prevent me going to prison. She was probably correct. I do not like Anchorage AT ALL.

I have a couple of real good friends in Juneau. It, too, has some street people but not to the extent of Anchorage. I like Juneau except that your are seriously limited on where you can go without a good boat or an airplane.

If I were to move back, I'd try my best to end up out in one of a handful of villages out in the Northwest Arctic Borough, Fairbanks (I do like Fairbanks) or live "down south"....Sitka, Juneau, Ketchikan, Haines, Kodiak, Newhalen, of Iliamna. But you gotta do your research on the villages, most are true shitholes.

Avoid the "hubs" of Bethel, Unalakleet, Nome, Kotzebue, Barrow.

I'm surprised there is a "homeless" situation in Alaska. If so, it must be seasonal as I'd figure winter would wipe out anything without a burrow. I'm sure there still is a fair amount of winterkill.

 

[BJames]

I'm surprised there is a "homeless" situation in Alaska. If so, it must be seasonal as I'd figure winter would wipe out anything without a burrow. I'm sure there still is a fair amount of winterkill.

There’s a fair amount of winterkill, they pass out from whatever their flavor is and the rest is as expected. A RO at birchwood works as some sort of homeless liaison for the city. His reports are a bunch of them came up from Portland and Seattle. Other than they’re chasing the dividend money, can’t figure out why. The city council finally took the citizens seriously and have the PD clean out wherever their camped, which they just move off and create another camp somewhere else.

 

[Emerson0311]

There’s a fair amount of winterkill, they pass out from whatever their flavor is and the rest is as expected. A RO at birchwood works as some sort of homeless liaison for the city. His reports are a bunch of them came up from Portland and Seattle. Other than they’re chasing the dividend money, can’t figure out why. The city council finally took the citizens seriously and have the PD clean out wherever they’re camped, which they just move off and create another camp somewhere else.

All the centers in the hinterland collect such people. We have a homeless encampment in Dawson Creek. WTF, there is nothing here to live in a tent for.

 

[rjacobs]

I'm surprised there is a "homeless" situation in Alaska. If so, it must be seasonal as I'd figure winter would wipe out anything without a burrow. I'm sure there still is a fair amount of winterkill.

they hang out at the greyhound station...

 

[TexPatriot]

There’s a fair amount of winterkill, they pass out from whatever their flavor is and the rest is as expected. A RO at birchwood works as some sort of homeless liaison for the city. His reports are a bunch of them came up from Portland and Seattle. Other than they’re chasing the dividend money, can’t figure out why. The city council finally took the citizens seriously and have the PD clean out wherever their camped, which they just move off and create another camp somewhere else.

Thats my question. Besides natives that never left, what the hell whould entice people to go to alaska to be homeless. Thats like going to Fargo to live on the streets, only a lot more expensive.

Temps are supposed to drop from 99 to 76 tomoorow as a strong cold front arrives here in Texas and I'm starting to get a little nervous.

 

[roostercogburn98]

Thats my question. Besides natives that never left, what the hell whould entice people to go to alaska to be homeless. Thats like going to Fargo to live on the streets.

I’d venture to say people have the wild assumption you can go there and live off the dividend money, which is not true.

Along with some other fairytale of getting rich with a gold mine I’m sure. Interior Alaska where all the real money is as far as gold and that crap is pretty much claimed up as far as I know. It’s a rough and tumble world where land is hard found.

They used to let folks “homestead” some land and get it cheap as long as you did some kinds of improvements, but I think them days is long gone as well. Someone that lives there currently can chime in on that. Lot of of wives takes probably drag people there and then they figure out it isn’t true and they are stuck.

 

[Aftermath]

I’d venture to say people have the wild assumption you can go there and live off the dividend money, which is not true.

Along with some other fairytale of getting rich with a gold mine I’m sure. Interior Alaska where all the real money is as far as gold and that crap is pretty much claimed up as far as I know. It’s a rough and tumble world where land is hard found.

They used to let folks “homestead” some land and get it cheap as long as you did some kinds of improvements, but I think them days is long gone as well. Someone that lives there currently can chime in on that. Lot of of wives takes probably drag people there and then they figure out it isn’t true and they are stuck.

All the centers in the hinterland collect such people. We have a homeless encampment in Dawson Creek. WTF, there is nothing here to live in a tent for.

^^ This here is the real gist. The wild frontier. Away from society and away from laws, rules and regulation. It's false but still they come.

The fringe of society finds its way to the fringe of the frontier. Being the fringe, they are not quite industrious enough to find or make a place on their own so they pool up where there are others of their ilk and some government infrastructure they can sponge off of. If not government, then some church or Samaritan group will assist these folks with a little food, a warmish place to sleep, maybe a hot shower. There is a large population of people, a subset of society, that prefer to live this way, unfettered with car payments and mortgages. They can be found in every larger city in the world. They are from every religion and every race. Sure, some (most) are plagued with substance abuse but that is part of the lifestyle, the choice to live free of societal "norms". Some are truly not there by choice, the mentally ill, those with hard luck stories of riches to rags, but, by far, most are living that way by conscious choice. I believe that fewer would make that choice if the safety lines were pulled. Stop the government programs, severely restrict the Samaritan groups...some would decide that holding a job isn't such a bad thing when compared to starvation.

 

[TexPatriot]

I read land prices there, like everything else, is inflated and hard to come by, especially in larger tracts.

I'd still like to live a boyhood fantasy of living there in a cabin, looking out across a mountain range and shooting a grizzly from my front porch with my .270.