hello gentleman its been a few years since ive been on the campfire as I was going through I few things in my life and time was somewhat short for some of the simple pleasures.the reason for my post is to gather some info from many of you on some of the lakes in Alaska which would be a nice place for a log cabin type home which has access by boat or snowmachine and is not to far from some civilization.somewhere with stores for regular necessities for your daily living where you could load up for a week or two and then go again if need be.not I would say off the grid to much but away from the masses and with not a lot of development.would like a hot shower and running water possibly satellite tv but could go with solar and heavy generator systems for electricity.i have looked at some lakes up there and done a little research but will do more and am hoping to get some from here.it would be my dream in a few years to possibly move to this beautiful area.hunting and fishing have always been a large part of my life and the lower 48 is becoming a place where the way of life is not what I want nor are so many of the people.people and this political climate and the extreme dumbing down of society are getting worse weekly and I'm getting out sooner than later.anyway thanks ahead of time for any help. ps larger lakes preferably for 24 to 28 boat.
^^^^^^^^^^^
This!
I'd look at Southeast [Haines] or Kodiak.
Kodiak would fit a lot of that, and it is only 41 minutes to Anchorage. I miss it!
Seldovia would be a good fit
Retiring or needing to work?
Salt, or not?
How cold can you tolerate?
Looks like Seldovia is a nice place.
thanks for the replys so far.i forgot to mention in my first text that I was looking primarily at southwestern,southcentral and maybe the southern strip off Yukon and bc.will be retiring and the cold is something that can be dealt with but not to extreme would be better.i am not against the rivers or salt.parents had a home retreat in far upstate ny in my early young adult years on a beautiful lake in the Adirondacks and it was truly spectacular.alaska would only be more multiplied by 10.so anything else gentleman as far as ideas appreciated.god willing want to hunt grizz and brown,moose,caribou and more.catch some fish especially salmon and meet some real nice like minded people who also enjoy a good beverage on occasion.just have to work on the wife a little more.shouldnt be a issue. thans again
Where was the Adirondack house? I discovered Tupper Lake area a few years ago and it is becoming a favorite for camping and flat water kayak trips.
kid0917 we were on Schroon lake about 45 minutes above lake George.started going up there in 1965 and had the place until 85.many great memories and know people who spent time on tupper lake.as far as Alaska being closed stevelyn you cant keep it all to yourself lol
Do your homework. It can be very expensive living in the bush. Flying in and out and shopping are killers. Not sure what you are thinking along the Yukon, Maybe St. Mary's would work, don't think I'd try Mtn Village, possibly Marshall but a lot of villages on the Yukon don't particularly care for whites. Plus you still need to be able to get around, boat, ATV, snowmachine, whatever.
I wouldn't mind Kotz or Nome, but it's been a while since I've been to either. It starts getting a might cool up there in the winter though.
Not much work in the villages if you need to make a few extra bucks. Alaska in general is going through tough times.
kid0917 we were on Schroon lake about 45 minutes above lake George.started going up there in 1965 and had the place until 85.many great memories and know people who spent time on tupper lake.as far as Alaska being closed stevelyn you cant keep it all to yourself lol
My gramma was born in Keene. I just spent almost a week in lake placid.
My Great Uncle owned the cab company in Lake Placid through the Olympic games and family still owns it.
kid0917 we were on Schroon lake about 45 minutes above lake George.started going up there in 1965 and had the place until 85.many great memories and know people who spent time on tupper lake.as far as Alaska being closed stevelyn you cant keep it all to yourself lol
Cool! You must know of Olmsteadville. I bought my kevlar kayak there about 2 years ago. They been making the same model for about 40 years, but have added carbon fiber in recent years. Hornbeck Boats!
If your on the river make sure to wave at everyone you meet
thanks guys for all the responses.was at the 80 Olympics for several events including hockey game against Russia.it was pretty cool and yes the atmosphere in lake placid was great.thanks again.god willing I will make it up there and enjoy the great beauty and outdoors.
Anything can be done with enough time and money. There are three types of people that live in remote Alaska. Those that are independently wealthy, those that take a vow of poverty, and those that sponge off the government. Forget about the romantic books or the lack of reality Alaskan TV shows, you need some serious money for the equipment and shipping materials and supplies to build a remote cabin and keep you in fuel and food. I'd venture to say no one in Alaska lives 100% off the land, so you will have to supplement what you harvest from the water and land with what you ship in for the grocery store. Now if you can't afford what it costs to live remotely, and there are no jobs out there, you end up in a bit of a quandary which is how many find themselves sponging off the government.
I highly recommend moving to Alaska and renting for two years to get a feel for the state and to research with boots on ground any prospective land you want to buy. You need to see what that land is like in summer, freeze up, winter and breakup. If you're location requires access across lakes or rivers, then you'll have approximately a month during freeze up and breakup when you cannot safely travel to or from your cabin. Many locations have issues with swampy land, poor soil and even by Alaskan standards difficult access. Areas that aren't so hard to get to run the risk of being broken into by meth heads or heroine addicts.
the lower 48 is becoming a place where the way of life is not what I want nor are so many of the people. People and this political climate and the extreme dumbing down of society are getting worse weekly and I'm getting out sooner than later.
I don't mean to be a downer but sadly in many ways Alaska isn't that different than the lower 48 in terms of people problems. Many people flee the lower 48 and bring their problems with them.
thanks to all again.it is a small world it seems at times.to 458 lott I realize as you have stated it is difficult to get away from the trouble and issues in society today.i am not a wealthy man but also have done better than some.it is sad to say but wealth can can take you places and let you live in places in this world that can isolate you from most of the population that causes over 90% of the crime and trouble.thats not me but I hope that within the next few years I will be able to get somewhere somewhat remote up there and live some peaceful,exciting and enjoyable healthy years hunting and fishing and just living the beauty of Alaska.will keep you guys updated.thanks again. ps lake louise didn't look to bad.any opinions on that and lake sustina and the surrounding area.
ps lake louise didn't look to bad.any opinions on that and lake sustina and the surrounding area.
Do you like bitter cold?
Lake Louise is a beautiful area but as mentioned you have the issue of bitter cold in the winter, lack of travel during freeze up and break up, and it'll probably be several years before get a tier II caribou permit so not much hunting opportunity. There are no stores out there so you'd have to boat to the dock, then drive either an hour to Glenallen which has limited stores, or 2+ hours to Palmer or 3+ hours to Anchorage.
If you want to get after the hunting a fishing life, SE Alaska is extremely hard to top. If I wasn't tied to Anchorage for employment, no question that's where I'd be headed. You've got the best ocean fishing in the state, shrimp, crab, incredible steelhead in the rivers, blacktail deer, black bear, goat and some limited moose hunting. Asside from Juneau, Sitka and Ketchican, you could be on the outskirts of the smaller towns and have a good mix of remote but without the huge access issues of interior Alaska remote.
Wealthy is a relative term, but the point I'm trying to make is if you want to live independently remotely you should have the funds to own your housing and transportation equipment outright and figure on at least $1000 month to cover misc expenses. The other thing is only a small percentage of land for sale is what I'd consider quality land. Land that has been on the market for a long time has issues with either access, drainage, lack of game, etc. Quality land sells quickly, so you need to learn the factors that make for quality land, and when it hits the market have cash in hand to purchase. Also if you find quality land with a 1/2 decent cabin on it, you're years ahead purchasing that over building. When you factor in cost of materials and the value of your time transporting those materials, existing cabins are a steal.
ps lake louise didn't look to bad.any opinions on that and lake sustina and the surrounding area.
Do you like bitter cold?
No salmon...
Anything can be done with enough time and money. There are three types of people that live in remote Alaska. Those that are independently wealthy, those that take a vow of poverty, and those that sponge off the government. Forget about the romantic books or the lack of reality Alaskan TV shows, you need some serious money for the equipment and shipping materials and supplies to build a remote cabin and keep you in fuel and food. I'd venture to say no one in Alaska lives 100% off the land, so you will have to supplement what you harvest from the water and land with what you ship in for the grocery store. Now if you can't afford what it costs to live remotely, and there are no jobs out there, you end up in a bit of a quandary which is how many find themselves sponging off the government.
I highly recommend moving to Alaska and renting for two years to get a feel for the state and to research with boots on ground any prospective land you want to buy. You need to see what that land is like in summer, freeze up, winter and breakup. If you're location requires access across lakes or rivers, then you'll have approximately a month during freeze up and breakup when you cannot safely travel to or from your cabin. Many locations have issues with swampy land, poor soil and even by Alaskan standards difficult access. Areas that aren't so hard to get to run the risk of being broken into by meth heads or heroine addicts.
the lower 48 is becoming a place where the way of life is not what I want nor are so many of the people. People and this political climate and the extreme dumbing down of society are getting worse weekly and I'm getting out sooner than later.
I don't mean to be a downer but sadly in many ways Alaska isn't that different than the lower 48 in terms of people problems. Many people flee the lower 48 and bring their problems with them.
Succinctly, this!
I just went home for a couple of weeks to deal with some burglary issues and arson at our home in rural (roadless, coastal, fly-in only) Alaska. We lost close to $20,000 in the fire, more depending on how you value things. And it was all because I decided not to take a chance on getting a ride to the airport this spring; I should have snapped the padlock on the van with my own fingers rather than trusting a family member to do it. The connex, which ended up not being locked after all, was my insurance on the items it contained. Rural property insurance isn't as simple to buy as is insurance where there are roads. That is undoubtedly compounded by things such as the fact that no trained law enforcement person stepped foot in the area in the two weeks I waited.
I'll be boarding the windows at summer's end...at $100/sheet for 1/2" plywood. (Hmmmm, let's see; if I bring in and sell 4 fifths of R&R, I can buy ten sheets of plywood!)
well I see that 4 more of you guys responded again and again a big thank you to all of you.regarding the cold it is not my biggest worry but I would prefer it not be all that bitter if it can be avoided.i do want to be in a area with better and more hunting and fishing available as this is very important to me.i guess southwestern and southcentral would be my best bet or even the Alaskan strip which borders the northern Yukon and british Columbia.much more to research and learn about.you guys are so helpful and I'm very appreciative.im sure it would be a pleasure to sit and have a beverage or two with all of you and talk hunting,fishing and the outdoors!!!!! maybe some of the big lakes and rivers in the southwest or some rivers.certainly have time to do more research and eventually narrow down and visit there.
You need to go very early spring not winter.
Anything can be done with enough time and money. There are three types of people that live in remote Alaska. Those that are independently wealthy, those that take a vow of poverty, and those that sponge off the government. Forget about the romantic books or the lack of reality Alaskan TV shows, you need some serious money for the equipment and shipping materials and supplies to build a remote cabin and keep you in fuel and food. I'd venture to say no one in Alaska lives 100% off the land, so you will have to supplement what you harvest from the water and land with what you ship in for the grocery store. Now if you can't afford what it costs to live remotely, and there are no jobs out there, you end up in a bit of a quandary which is how many find themselves sponging off the government.
I highly recommend moving to Alaska and renting for two years to get a feel for the state and to research with boots on ground any prospective land you want to buy. You need to see what that land is like in summer, freeze up, winter and breakup. If you're location requires access across lakes or rivers, then you'll have approximately a month during freeze up and breakup when you cannot safely travel to or from your cabin. Many locations have issues with swampy land, poor soil and even by Alaskan standards difficult access. Areas that aren't so hard to get to run the risk of being broken into by meth heads or heroine addicts.
the lower 48 is becoming a place where the way of life is not what I want nor are so many of the people. People and this political climate and the extreme dumbing down of society are getting worse weekly and I'm getting out sooner than later.
I don't mean to be a downer but sadly in many ways Alaska isn't that different than the lower 48 in terms of people problems. Many people flee the lower 48 and bring their problems with them.
Succinctly, this!
I just went home for a couple of weeks to deal with some burglary issues and arson at our home in rural (roadless, coastal, fly-in only) Alaska. We lost close to $20,000 in the fire, more depending on how you value things. And it was all because I decided not to take a chance on getting a ride to the airport this spring; I should have snapped the padlock on the van with my own fingers rather than trusting a family member to do it. The connex, which ended up not being locked after all, was my insurance on the items it contained. Rural property insurance isn't as simple to buy as is insurance where there are roads. That is undoubtedly compounded by things such as the fact that no trained law enforcement person stepped foot in the area in the two weeks I waited.
I'll be boarding the windows at summer's end...at $100/sheet for 1/2" plywood. (Hmmmm, let's see; if I bring in and sell 4 fifths of R&R, I can buy ten sheets of plywood!)
god damned them Mark! My heart goes out for you. You need to leave Silas back there for a week later return and leave him in the connex with a 2X4. Also you need to remember to have both a dewalt and a hammer with tons of nails going both ways. They won't try that because its too much work..
A good platform with a lot of hidden nails.
Anything can be done with enough time and money. There are three types of people that live in remote Alaska. Those that are independently wealthy, those that take a vow of poverty, and those that sponge off the government. Forget about the romantic books or the lack of reality Alaskan TV shows, you need some serious money for the equipment and shipping materials and supplies to build a remote cabin and keep you in fuel and food. I'd venture to say no one in Alaska lives 100% off the land, so you will have to supplement what you harvest from the water and land with what you ship in for the grocery store. Now if you can't afford what it costs to live remotely, and there are no jobs out there, you end up in a bit of a quandary which is how many find themselves sponging off the government.
I highly recommend moving to Alaska and renting for two years to get a feel for the state and to research with boots on ground any prospective land you want to buy. You need to see what that land is like in summer, freeze up, winter and breakup. If you're location requires access across lakes or rivers, then you'll have approximately a month during freeze up and breakup when you cannot safely travel to or from your cabin. Many locations have issues with swampy land, poor soil and even by Alaskan standards difficult access. Areas that aren't so hard to get to run the risk of being broken into by meth heads or heroine addicts.
the lower 48 is becoming a place where the way of life is not what I want nor are so many of the people. People and this political climate and the extreme dumbing down of society are getting worse weekly and I'm getting out sooner than later.
I don't mean to be a downer but sadly in many ways Alaska isn't that different than the lower 48 in terms of people problems. Many people flee the lower 48 and bring their problems with them.
I have been in Alaska since 1979, not living in the bush, but around Anchorage and Fairbanks. I agree 100% with what you have said, since in reality Alaska is one of the most expensive places in the nation to live. Even in Fairbanks, Anchorage, and Juneau the cost of living can be around 139%-depending on the season-compared to a lot of other places in the lower-48. CA, and NYC do have a higher cost of living than Alaska.
And in relation to hunting grizzly/brown, and whatever else, that too takes a lot of cash, even if you live close to such game. If you have an airplane, or the right boat...maybe then you can find a place that other hunters won't run over you out there. The best would be being wealthy and have someone else taking you to the right place.
The cost of living is found in pages 26-30:
http://www.co.fairbanks.ak.us/cp/Community%20Research%20Quarterly/Current.pdf
thank you ray.i certainly have a lot to consider.
thank you ray.i certainly have a lot to consider.
I apologize for sounding like a downer, but what 458 Lott and I said is nothing but true. The cost of living up here is what makes it difficult to most people, but if you have the cash there should not be any trouble at all. I retired from the AF in 1994, and am working on my second retirement (over 23 years already), plus my wife has been working for a lot of years. Our kids are grown up and gone. We make a pretty good penny, but let me tell you that Alaska is not a good place to live at if you want to make a good living plus save cash for a comfortable retirement. Healthcare and dental care are extremely expensive, too. A dental crown with root canal goes for around $1,500 these days, so you can imagine how much you would pay to be transported from the bush to a hospital in town. What a lot of people living outside the cities do is to buy transportation insurance such as Medivac (?) and other. The local healthcare in Alaska is quite bad and expensive, too. A lot of people end-up in Seattle for cardiovascular and other emergencies. But I have heard that Anchorage has some pretty good doctors for treating bear mauling and such.
Hope to be bear-mauled so as to avoid a need for medivac to Seattle?
What a strange land!
Hope to be bear-mauled so as to avoid a need for medivac to Seattle?
What a strange land!
I was talking about the medical system in Alaska, which in general is not that great, except that we have some good doctors to treat people who have been mauled by bears. That part of the medical system is quite good in Alaska, simply because those doctors get a lot of practice. Don't you think so? Alaska has one of the most expensive and worst medical care in the USA, so a lot of people fly to Seattle and other places in the lower-48 to get treated. You need to read all I wrote, not just a sentence.
https://www.adn.com/opinions/2016/0...roy-economic-opportunity-and-warp-lives/https://www.adn.com/opinions/2016/08/01/how-health-care-costs-are-bleeding-alaska-dry/
I'm going to be sure and be near Anchorage for my next bear mauling, that sounds great!
Good luck picking where the bear will maul you.
I understand exactly what you're saying Ray. Just having a little fun is all.
I understand exactly what you're saying Ray. Just having a little fun is all.
Got it, Ironbender.
I'm going to be sure and be near Anchorage for my next bear mauling, that sounds great!
If you live in Oregon, Seattle has some good trauma centers. Sometimes patients are sent to Seattle.
Ahhhh the Alaskan life, a life of leisure and relaxation. Worked from 9: 30 till 8 last night, went to metro airfield hooked up with my pard, hopped in his truck and we headed outa town with his boat in tow. Hit the Salcha about 8:45, unloaded the boat and cruising a lil after 9, ran for 50 minutes or so to his cabin, unloaded the boat and opened up the cabin, had a beer, some olives and cheese and crackers bs'ed for awhile mostly about kids.
hit the hay at midnite, had to drain beer at 5 a.m. never could go back to sleep but lazed in the rack till 6, up to kill a couple of squirrels and then fix some breakfast and on the river by a lil after 8, crikey I have to open my biz before 10, ran hard down the river and hit the landing about 8:45 Saw a nice lil bull moose close to his cabin (yummy) some ducks and a golden eagle.
load the boat, cinch er down and on the road, hit town about 9:30
thank god I keep extra clothes at work and toiletries. Opened the door at 9:55 and we're showtime. Think I'll actually go home tonite, but man it's beautiful out, the river is calling me hard.
Ahhhh the Alaskan life, a life of leisure and relaxation. Worked from 9: 30 till 8 last night, went to metro airfield hooked up with my pard, hopped in his truck and we headed outa town with his boat in tow. Hit the Salcha about 8:45, unloaded the boat and cruising a lil after 9, ran for 50 minutes or so to his cabin, unloaded the boat and opened up the cabin, had a beer, some olives and cheese and crackers bs'ed for awhile mostly about kids.
hit the hay at midnite, had to drain beer at 5 a.m. never could go back to sleep but lazed in the rack till 6, up to kill a couple of squirrels and then fix some breakfast and on the river by a lil after 8, crikey I have to open my biz before 10, ran hard down the river and hit the landing about 8:45 Saw a nice lil bull moose close to his cabin (yummy) some ducks and a golden eagle.
load the boat, cinch er down and on the road, hit town about 9:30
thank god I keep extra clothes at work and toiletries. Opened the door at 9:55 and we're showtime. Think I'll actually go home tonite, but man it's beautiful out, the river is calling me hard.
Very nice! I wish I could do the same. And yes, it has been a great day.
But I still have to go to the South Cushman range to sight a new rifle/scope, but will have to wait to perhaps 8:00 for the range not to be so crowded. Meanwhile I will be replacing the oil and filter on my 2013 Rhino as I prepare for moose season. And just before moose season I have to replace a couple of windows on my house, clean and tune-up the boiler, and so on. At least I will spend around three weeks hanging around the campsite and taking photos during moose season, plus eating steaks, bacon, and all kinds of aromatic foods and bear attractants
Circus time in lil ol Keeneye. Even without any stinkin feesh!
It doesn't seem practical to move to Alaska. I know it's a nice place and all, but it seems too expensive for what you get. Upstate NY. is a good place to live. You can fish trout in the streams, fish big trout in the Great Lakes, go to Canada to hunt moose, and the ocean is not all that far away. You can bear hunt in Ny and Maine every year , but the deer hunting sucks that far north. I have relatives just south of " The Daks" and they like NY. , just not the politics. There are other great places like northern Minnesota if you like solitude you can find it there, or Upper Michigan. You can be at a decent store in 1 hour to boot. There are a lot of places where you can be alone, but go to town and still have old town America in a lot of ways. Houghton, Michigan comes to mind for fishing but deer hunting leaves a lot to be desired but you can walk out your back door and be on lightly hunted public land. Go south to Wisconsin and you can get in some decent hunting in 2 hrs. Grouse hunting is good too. Not that I care what you do . Seem many go to Alaska and come back. I talked to a guy in northern WIs. that left Alaska . I asked why the heeelll would you do that. He said " down here you can go hunting" He explained , hunting in Alsaka is great but the time and cost makes it so expensive that it is a burden on the pocket book. Here, we just jump out to the truck and go hunting, he explained.
Careful what you listen to. I went to Phoenix one time on a business trip, and everyone I talked to (ok, 95%) wanted to know why the hell I'd want to live in Alaska. It was 120 degrees there. You would start the car, turn on the AC, then get out and stand in the shade (if available) because it was probably 180 in the car. UnfuknReal. Some people enjoy misery and try to drag others into it.
But hey, you don't have to shovel sunshine. You just have to stay out of it because it will literally cook you.
They should have auto start.
It doesn't seem practical to move to Alaska. I know it's a nice place and all, but it seems too expensive for what you get. Upstate NY. is a good place to live. You can fish trout in the streams, fish big trout in the Great Lakes, go to Canada to hunt moose, and the ocean is not all that far away. You can bear hunt in Ny and Maine every year , but the deer hunting sucks that far north. I have relatives just south of " The Daks" and they like NY. , just not the politics. There are other great places like northern Minnesota if you like solitude you can find it there, or Upper Michigan. You can be at a decent store in 1 hour to boot. There are a lot of places where you can be alone, but go to town and still have old town America in a lot of ways. Houghton, Michigan comes to mind for fishing but deer hunting leaves a lot to be desired but you can walk out your back door and be on lightly hunted public land. Go south to Wisconsin and you can get in some decent hunting in 2 hrs. Grouse hunting is good too. Not that I care what you do . Seem many go to Alaska and come back. I talked to a guy in northern WIs. that left Alaska . I asked why the heeelll would you do that. He said " down here you can go hunting" He explained , hunting in Alsaka is great but the time and cost makes it so expensive that it is a burden on the pocket book. Here, we just jump out to the truck and go hunting, he explained.
Totally agree that its not practical to move to AK at all. Keep passing that word out there.
Of course if I had to choose between TX and NY, ain't no way in hell I'd be in NY either. Hell I don't want anything to do with the east coast period. Just me.
Had fun in school in WI, its a nice state, but if you count in eveyrthign the scenery just doesn't cut it for my tastes.
Anyone that questions why someone would move to Alaska or suggests New York is a good alternative to Alaska in terms of outdoor activities has obviously never been to Alaska......or New York. At least never been there conscious or sober. 😉
Alaska is not for everyone, thank God, but for those that are captivated by her majesty there's no substitution.
Great song that is personally relevant. I've been captivated by Alaska since I was a child and became hopelessly tangled in her web after my first visit there 20 years ago. I'll finally realize the culmination of one dream and begin the journey of the second dream with my impending move. There's no place on earth like Alaska and outside of the cities some of the finest, if not "quirky", people I've ever met.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=G7_tHfI1JL8
As far as expensive? My property taxes here in island county Washington are $4,800 a year! That will offset whatever premium I pay up north. Washington has a 9% sales tax and one of the highest gas taxes in the country. For premium non-ethanol gas I pay .50c LESS than I do here in Washington. Beef was comparable in price and a actually a little cheaper for top sirloin and ribeye so there's a little give and take when costs are compared.
458 Lott is big time right. Alaska looks good in the travel brochures, movies and all but the reality it very hard to get used to the cost of living, ccccoooolllllddddd, breakup (which is a whole nuther world) and the fact that you can't really get away from people anyway. Go with what Lott says and just go visit or rent a place for a year before you spend a lot of money you will never get back.
458 Lott is big time right. Alaska looks good in the travel brochures, movies and all but the reality it very hard to get used to the cost of living, ccccoooolllllddddd, breakup (which is a whole nuther world) and the fact that you can't really get away from people anyway. Go with what Lott says and just go visit or rent a place for a year before you spend a lot of money you will never get back.
Absolutely. Great advice.
Oh, and don't try and count how many times you will be asked "How long have you lived in Alaska? cus you will hear that a lot. As if the one asking has lived there one day longer than you, they can piss further, shoot straighter, drink more and in general be as stupid as Big Stick.
As far as expensive? My property taxes here in island county Washington are $4,800 a year! That will offset whatever premium I pay up north. Washington has a 9% sales tax and one of the highest gas taxes in the country. For premium non-ethanol gas I pay .50c LESS than I do here in Washington. Beef was comparable in price and a actually a little cheaper for top sirloin and ribeye so there's a little give and take when costs are compared.
Over here is not just property tax that's expensive, but food, rent, fuel/gasoline, medical service, dental, and the rest. It's possible that the cost of living is higher where you live (I don't really know), but consider that just a gallon of milk in some of the villages cost you over $6.00. Right now gasoline in Fairbanks is not bad at all at $2.85 per gallon, however. A relatively small house, somewhere around 1,500-1,700 sq. feet in Fairbanks can fetch around $250,00 and more. Property tax for such a house is around $3,300. You have to add a lot of factors to come up to the cost of living in your area. I just looked at the cost of living in Washington, and it's a lot higher than in Anchorage.
hey guys.thanks again for the input.ray,thanks and I understand a lot of the plus and minuses.2 legit,im exhausted just reading that brief excursion and hope you get some longer times away in the outdoors,im sure you do!!!!! hookem the Adirondacks are the other option and still very much in play.a little more congested than when my dad bought our lake house in 1965.he sold in 85 and those 20 years were the best.that part of ny is gorgeous and away from a lot of the far left lunatics from the city and suburban area. rost & aces. its not Alaska but it is still pretty damn remote and peaceful.and between labor day and memorial day only the year round people.as someone said deer hunting is real tough there.you have to go in deep to find them and there aren't to many compared to other places.pretty good bear hunting.i lived in Pennsylvania in bucks county about a 70 minute drive north of Philadelphia from 1988 to 2012 and the deer hunting there was incredible.i had some great farms I hunted and harvested 6 bucks that scored over 150 b&c in that time frame.also great bear hunting in the upstate mountains of pa.record book bears frequently.anyway I'm off topic and sorry for rambling.thanks to you all again.god bless
Anyone that questions why someone would move to Alaska or suggests New York is a good alternative to Alaska in terms of outdoor activities has obviously never been to Alaska......or New York. At least never been there conscious or sober. 😉
Alaska is not for everyone, thank God, but for those that are captivated by her majesty there's no substitution.
Upstate NY. Is some of the nicest land I've ever seen. My mom grew up in Utica, NY. People judge NY. cause of NY City and it is a different world. My relatives are conservative people , they carry guns , work hard and are good people. I mentioned Upstate Ny. cause the original poster said the has been there many times and sometimes ya got to take advantage of what you know and realize there is no place on earth that will make you happy, you are happy , or you are not. There are places that will make you unhappy however. Upstate NY is rugged land full of trout streams , smaller mountains and rocks and woods. It was some rough country and beautiful. Cant take that away from the Adirondaks. Small towns here and there. You can be in good moos hunting as fast as if you lived in Alaska , be by the ocean in a few hundred miles, and hunt bear every year. I have not been there in 25 yrs and maybe small towns are not as small. .. . . no , there is no place like Alaska, but even a resident has to spend a good chunk of money to get a caribou. How much for a resident to get a caribou? Several thousand , I bet. Many talk about grizzlies and caribou but in reality the average person can't afford it , even an Alaskan resident unless he lives close by . As for Anchorage, the only realistic place to find good wages takes away from what Alaska what a hunter goes to Alaska for. I think it is just like any other city. NO?? I know that and have only talked with people that were there. I'm saying there are other really nice places where small town America is alive and well besides Alaska .
You guys bring up some valid points. I've always said I could kill more game and catch more fish on the cheap back where I'm from than I can here
It's expensive to recreate here.
But for some, it's worth it. I'm one of those some
Flying, boating, four wheeling it all takes money and time to get out there. Oh but I do love me some out there
thank you ray.i certainly have a lot to consider.
A dental crown with root canal goes for around $1,500 these days,
If you can get a crown and root canal for $1,500 these days that is a genuine bargain.
Alaska is expensive, so you better have a good well paying job. Many jobs in Alaska pay significantly more than anywhere in the lower 48, much more than the added cost of living. In most parts of the state, big game hunting takes a greater investment in time and money than a lower 48 white tail hunt. Simply put, you don't hunt big game on weekends or evenings.
Most of the state has low densities of game, if you want hunting and fishing paradise via a 20' skiff minutes from home, move to SE.
I know everyone likes to bash Anchorage, but if you want to talk about opportunities close by, I'd venture to say you'd be hard pressed to find anywhere in the world where in 30 minutes you can be hiking, camping, fishing, hunting, state range (rifle, handgun, rimfire, skeet, archery) rock climbing, ice climbing, mountain biking, camping, downhill skiing, cross country skiing, canoeing, kayaking, paddle boarding, kite surfing, pan for gold, see multiple species of big game, have world class views of mountains and ocean, have a great meal, watch the symphony, hit the international airport, etc., Quite a few of those activities I've pulled of at lunch time. Drive a little bit further and you have world class ocean and river fishing. If you're willing to access hunting with your feet you have moose, black bear and dall sheep hunting.
The trail head for this hike is 15 min from my house
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hello gentleman its been a few years since ive been on the campfire as I was going through I few things in my life and time was somewhat short for some of the simple pleasures.the reason for my post is to gather some info from many of you on some of the lakes in Alaska which would be a nice place for a log cabin type home which has access by boat or snowmachine and is not to far from some civilization.somewhere with stores for regular necessities for your daily living where you could load up for a week or two and then go again if need be.not I would say off the grid to much but away from the masses and with not a lot of development.would like a hot shower and running water possibly satellite tv but could go with solar and heavy generator systems for electricity.i have looked at some lakes up there and done a little research but will do more and am hoping to get some from here.it would be my dream in a few years to possibly move to this beautiful area.hunting and fishing have always been a large part of my life and the lower 48 is becoming a place where the way of life is not what I want nor are so many of the people.people and this political climate and the extreme dumbing down of society are getting worse weekly and I'm getting out sooner than later.anyway thanks ahead of time for any help. ps larger lakes preferably for 24 to 28 boat.
I've road my bike around AK, but not lived there. But it seems you want more ammenities than I do at my camp in the UP.
Closer you are to those, more it costs.
The people I have known that lived up there, were off grid. But that is a choice, plenty of towns. Anchorage is as dirty as any down here.
I would think satellite TV, would work 10 miles or 100 miles off the road, being satellite.
If you are just fleeing society, there are rural places down here. Don't get me wrong, I have thought about it. But I also realize it is not for everyone. I wouldn't do it because of an election. I don't have satellite TV down here though.
I was surprised in thee brief conversations I had in bars, that while people hunted, it didn't seem to be the same. In UP deer season is big part of the culture. If you are a hunter, you go every year. Some of the people I talked to up there, were ya I went a couple years ago, went out to some some island. Maybe you have to travel more, though it would seem you are right next to wild life. Maybe if you shoot somethig big, your freezer is full for a couple years.
But I asked about bird hunting, none said they did. I realize this is a small sample.
I'd like to go up on contract. Shoot one of everything, and maybe come home. Maybe fall in love.
What I found interesting, is everyone was a transplant. Maybe 30 years. Yukon, everyone was local.
What you are going to find out is that the posters on here hunt. But we are not the sample. Many people just barely survive and are wage slaves. They make enough to maybe go on a road hunt for moose or hunt caribou along the Steese, Taylor or Denali Highway complete with an ATV. You have to have a real income to get the real things and then get it done while you are young enough to actually do the things that are up here.
Which is a different culture than I am used to. Pretty much any hunter can get a deer rifle, orange coat, and go wander the woods. Plus all the guys that just go to camp to hang out. Schools close on opening day. Jobs shut down. One foundry I worked at, voted to use a floating holiday on 11/15, and shut plant down.
Well if ya wanna talk deer... I have five deer that have 10 plus points already that we see almost every day, or every other day. Plus I don't even count the 8s... I do count the trash and there is a 7 that won't make it come season.
And he or any of the 10s etc could be shot out of the house door.
No need to shut anything down or miss work. I can pop one, gut it and hang it in the barn or cooler and be at work before 8.... or shoot one after 5.
But TX pales in comparison to AK. For the wife and I anyway. We'll be wage slaves for a few years until retirement funds can kick in a bit. But that will be ok too. Rather eat vienna up there, than steak down here any day.
Well if ya wanna talk deer... I have five deer that have 10 plus points already that we see almost every day, or every other day. Plus I don't even count the 8s... I do count the trash and there is a 7 that won't make it come season.
And he or any of the 10s etc could be shot out of the house door.
No need to shut anything down or miss work. I can pop one, gut it and hang it in the barn or cooler and be at work before 8.... or shoot one after 5.
But TX pales in comparison to AK. For the wife and I anyway. We'll be wage slaves for a few years until retirement funds can kick in a bit. But that will be ok too. Rather eat vienna up there, than steak down here any day.
I wouldn't want to live in TX. To many laws for me. I don't need the government telling me what to shoot. Down state MI is that way in many places, and some southern UP. I believe in winning over peoples hearts. But it it is a free country, shoot what you want. I don't want to risk fines cause I shot to small, or dump it. In wide open area probably have more time to identify. I typically do here too though. I just against big government.
I typically pass on small, unless it has been a long draught. But lots of guys just want to eat venison and don't care about rack.
I do get if you pass for a few years, you will see more big ones. But between the wolves, bears, and winter, it can be a competition. Plus first time hunters. My grandpa in his 80s shot a spike. I had a younger hunter, I wish I could have gotten anything to get him hooked.
I was surprised in thee brief conversations I had in bars, that while people hunted, it didn't seem to be the same. In UP deer season is big part of the culture. If you are a hunter, you go every year. Some of the people I talked to up there, were ya I went a couple years ago, went out to some some island. Maybe you have to travel more, though it would seem you are right next to wild life. Maybe if you shoot somethig big, your freezer is full for a couple years.
But I asked about bird hunting, none said they did. I realize this is a small sample.
I'd like to go up on contract. Shoot one of everything, and maybe come home. Maybe fall in love.
What I found interesting, is everyone was a transplant. Maybe 30 years. Yukon, everyone was local.
I always look to the people in bars to find out what the real people do in an area/state...
Alaska is expensive, so you better have a good well paying job. Many jobs in Alaska pay significantly more than anywhere in the lower 48, much more than the added cost of living. In most parts of the state, big game hunting takes a greater investment in time and money than a lower 48 white tail hunt. Simply put, you don't hunt big game on weekends or evenings.
Most of the state has low densities of game, if you want hunting and fishing paradise via a 20' skiff minutes from home, move to SE.
I know everyone likes to bash Anchorage, but if you want to talk about opportunities close by, I'd venture to say you'd be hard pressed to find anywhere in the world where in 30 minutes you can be hiking, camping, fishing, hunting, state range (rifle, handgun, rimfire, skeet, archery) rock climbing, ice climbing, mountain biking, camping, downhill skiing, cross country skiing, canoeing, kayaking, paddle boarding, kite surfing, pan for gold, see multiple species of big game, have world class views of mountains and ocean, have a great meal, watch the symphony, hit the international airport, etc., Quite a few of those activities I've pulled of at lunch time. Drive a little bit further and you have world class ocean and river fishing. If you're willing to access hunting with your feet you have moose, black bear and dall sheep hunting.
The trail head for this hike is 15 min from my house
458 Lot, if you can find a job that pays more than the extra expenses, then you are in good shape. I have not heard much about the high paying jobs in Alaska . Moat say the extra cost eats up the extra pay. . . And that is a nice picture yo got and only 15 min form home. Later, Ihookem.
[e]
I always look to the people in bars to find out what the real people do in an area/state...
I like to talk to regular folk.
What I can say, is I am fine if I never go back to Anchorage. Go all the way up there, to live in a big city.
Great song that is personally relevant. I've been captivated by Alaska since I was a child and became hopelessly tangled in her web after my first visit there 20 years ago. I'll finally realize the culmination of one dream and begin the journey of the second dream with my impending move. There's no place on earth like Alaska and outside of the cities some of the finest, if not "quirky", people I've ever met.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=G7_tHfI1JL8Who you calling quirky? ;-)
Alaska is expensive, so you better have a good well paying job. Many jobs in Alaska pay significantly more than anywhere in the lower 48, much more than the added cost of living. In most parts of the state, big game hunting takes a greater investment in time and money than a lower 48 white tail hunt. Simply put, you don't hunt big game on weekends or evenings.
Most of the state has low densities of game, if you want hunting and fishing paradise via a 20' skiff minutes from home, move to SE.
I know everyone likes to bash Anchorage, but if you want to talk about opportunities close by, I'd venture to say you'd be hard pressed to find anywhere in the world where in 30 minutes you can be hiking, camping, fishing, hunting, state range (rifle, handgun, rimfire, skeet, archery) rock climbing, ice climbing, mountain biking, camping, downhill skiing, cross country skiing, canoeing, kayaking, paddle boarding, kite surfing, pan for gold, see multiple species of big game, have world class views of mountains and ocean, have a great meal, watch the symphony, hit the international airport, etc., Quite a few of those activities I've pulled of at lunch time. Drive a little bit further and you have world class ocean and river fishing. If you're willing to access hunting with your feet you have moose, black bear and dall sheep hunting.
The trail head for this hike is 15 min from my house
458 Lot, if you can find a job that pays more than the extra expenses, then you are in good shape. I have not heard much about the high paying jobs in Alaska . Moat say the extra cost eats up the extra pay. . . And that is a nice picture yo got and only 15 min form home. Later, Ihookem.
All the driving, or flying, or boating to get to the right place takes a lot of cash. For example, a friend of mine and I drive over 300 miles from Fairbanks just to catch salmon. Yes, we can catch enough for the whole winter and Spring, but just on the boat alone we have to spend quite a lot for fuel and maintenance, plus driving 600+ miles (round trip) paying over $3.00 per gallon along the way. Flying to a hunting spot also costs a lot of money. Anywhere near the town or city there are hunters everywhere you go. But one still can have a great time camping and enjoying the outdoors with friends and family, and if lucky, kill a moose too
"Rather eat vienna up there, than steak down here any day."
Attitude is everything. You folks will do very well here!
Jeff
....it was said earlier and is great advice, rent/visit for a while.....I see a lot of folks ....headed south in uhauls and pickups and trailers covered with tarps....go on .......get !
[e]
I always look to the people in bars to find out what the real people do in an area/state...
I like to talk to regular folk.
What I can say, is I am fine if I never go back to Anchorage. Go all the way up there, to live in a big city.
I think that will work just fine.
Anchorage is as big or small as you want. The way I see it is my kids had good friends from every high school in Anchorage, Eagle River and Chugiak. If everyone was a big city db, that wouldn't be the case.
thank you ray.i certainly have a lot to consider.
A dental crown with root canal goes for around $1,500 these days,
If you can get a crown and root canal for $1,500 these days that is a genuine bargain.
Cost my son $4400 to have 4 wisdom teeth pulled in Anchorage last year!
Did a search and national average was around $1200.
Other medical costs are so extreme most insurance wont pay at that rate, better to go outside for major health issues.
hey guys.thanks again for the input.ray,thanks and I understand a lot of the plus and minuses.2 legit,im exhausted just reading that brief excursion and hope you get some longer times away in the outdoors,im sure you do!!!!! hookem the Adirondacks are the other option and still very much in play.a little more congested than when my dad bought our lake house in 1965.he sold in 85 and those 20 years were the best.that part of ny is gorgeous and away from a lot of the far left lunatics from the city and suburban area. rost & aces. its not Alaska but it is still pretty damn remote and peaceful.and between labor day and memorial day only the year round people.as someone said deer hunting is real tough there.you have to go in deep to find them and there aren't to many compared to other places.pretty good bear hunting.i lived in Pennsylvania in bucks county about a 70 minute drive north of Philadelphia from 1988 to 2012 and the deer hunting there was incredible.i had some great farms I hunted and harvested 6 bucks that scored over 150 b&c in that time frame.also great bear hunting in the upstate mountains of pa.record book bears frequently.anyway I'm off topic and sorry for rambling.thanks to you all again.god bless
You've done very, very well for a PA hunter! When I lived in NC, which was for many years, I had good hunting out my back door. I have never had it so easy since. Still, I plan to head for AK when retired. And as often as possible until then ...
I watched the AK land sales and other real estate stuff for some time, as well as doing as much traveling in the state as I could. If you want a point of view from an outsider doing the same inquiry you are, send a PM. It's pretty boring stuff for AK natives.
thank you ray.i certainly have a lot to consider.
A dental crown with root canal goes for around $1,500 these days,
If you can get a crown and root canal for $1,500 these days that is a genuine bargain.
Cost my son $4400 to have 4 wisdom teeth pulled in Anchorage last year!
Did a search and national average was around $1200.
Other medical costs are so extreme most insurance wont pay at that rate, better to go outside for major health issues.
AK seems the epicenter of medical roguery from where I'm standing. It is one of the biggest down sides to living there IMO.
You should hear the Docs squawk...
Great song that is personally relevant. I've been captivated by Alaska since I was a child and became hopelessly tangled in her web after my first visit there 20 years ago. I'll finally realize the culmination of one dream and begin the journey of the second dream with my impending move. There's no place on earth like Alaska and outside of the cities some of the finest, if not "quirky", people I've ever met.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=G7_tHfI1JL8Who you calling quirky? ;-)
I meant it in the best way possible ykrvak. 👍 I like and appreciate quirky, middle of the road white bread is boring as hell. I get along great with people that are half a bubble off center, which tells more about me than it does them. 😳 I really can't recall meeting anyone in all my travels around AK that was an all out [bleep]. The ones that want to be left alone I politely leave alone, it's the ones that want to buy you one more shot that I have to be careful around careful around.lol
Quirky's good m'kay....
No worries, I understood the spirit in which it was said. Besides, I'm sure my wife would agree with me being a bit "touched in the head" so to speak.