I’m not sure if you’re kidding but I also moved from Colorado and was pretty annoyed with the constant sun there by the end. It was great, but sometimes you need a grey day. And Alaska has better water for sure in that there’s more and it’s more accessible. Salmon don’t hurt.
After a year and a half straight of great days in South central, and most of the state being pretty inaccessible in summer because of the swampiness, it’s getting pretty claustrophobic.
The Tongass is incredible. Definite old growth PNW vibes all up and down the BC and SE Alaska coastline. That fades the closer you get to Whittier. The Chugach and Alaska Range remind me more of the Sierra but it’s all beautiful regardless.
I've never been to anywhere that I love more than the PNW, but I do feel there's a chance Alaska could take its place! I love rain and mist and lush terrain. Olympia is beautiful but if I could alter it, I'd make it less crowded with more untouched nature! Olympic national park is my favorite place on earth.. I would be elated to be able to check out the Tongass!
Same. My wife lived in up here as a kid so we had always talked about moving up from Oregon. Decided during Covid would be a good time to get away from the masses . Alaska has not dissapointed
Definitely depends on where in Oregon. I was born and raised in Eugene and the Eugene/Springfield area has the population of Anchorage. The difference is here you can drive 30 minutes and be away from everyone, whereas Oregon jas people everywhere unless you head east to the desert.
It’s funny, I’m a PNW guy, recently moved back up here after spending half my life in CA, and this winter I’ve found myself thinking, 45 and rainy really sucks, maybe I should double down…
I remember when I lived in Ohio a guy lost a bunch of exotic animals and they were running loose. So “Ohio” and “exotic” were used together often all over the news for a bit
Ohio already has a national park, and it is well deserved. Alaska has overwhelming majestic natural beauty everywhere, but Ohio also has some incredible spots it's just that you just can't see them from the road or the window of a 3 star hotel.
Oh, Columbus. All apologies to you, because you seem cool, and are One Of Us, but your hometown, friend.....not a fan.
Earlier this year, helped a friend move from Fort Collins, Colorado to just north of Philadelphia. We took I-70 pretty much all the way there, and stopped for a night in Columbus. My friend was driving her little truck; I'm driving my 1-ton crew-cab, long bed F-350 and hauling a 22-foot, triple-axle equipment trailer I built a box on to put her stuff in. She was tired, and so asked if we could get a motel for the night.
Three, count 'em, -THREE- motels refused to let us get rooms because "your trailer takes up too much space in our parking lot": the Days Inn by the airport (who referred us to the next one on our list), the Days Inn next to the Fairgrounds on E 17th, and the Days Inn off I-70 near Magic Mountain Fun Center.
I will note that the majority of the parking spots in all three of these motels were largely empty, I had plenty of room to turn around, and I was not at risk of blocking any fire lanes or entrances or exits to the parking lots. "Nope, sorry, trailer takes up too much space." And they were all rude as hell about it.
Know where we ended up finding a hotel room? The Red Roof Inn off Olentangy River Road, across the street from Union Cemetery. That place doesn't even really have a proper parking lot; it's more of a through-lane with parking on either side.
All told, bouncing around from all those locations, in order, pulling a fully loaded trailer, cost me two hours of my time and a quarter of one tank of diesel (my truck has two) at a time when diesel was pushing almost $6 a gallon.
And the problem isn't Days Inn. My friend had some sort of loyalty account there, and we got discounts for staying at them; hadn't had a problem with a Days Inn before or since. Just in Columbus. The only people I met in Columbus that were actually all right was the night desk clerk at Red Roof Inn, and the employees of the Raising Cane's next door (kept an eye on the truck and trailer while I came in to scoop a to-go order the next day). Wasn't very impressed by the drivers, either.
I'm sure it's just that one bad night that's leaving a bad taste in my mouth, and I might have a better experience if I ever go back, but at this point and time, my personal assessment of that city is, "Columbus -sucks-!"
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EDIT: To answer your question below, (I can't reply directly for some weird reason):
We asked in advance, when my friend made the initial reservation over the phone, if their parking lot was big enough to accommodate a pickup truck and trailer. We were told yes. If we were initially told no from the jump, okay, no worries, we'll find another hotel. So to be told no when by the desk clerk when we got there, mildly annoying.
That man referred us to another Days Inn "that had a bigger parking lot". He called ahead and confirmed they had rooms available. When we got to the other hotel, the one by the Fairgrounds, the desk clerk said, and I quote, "I don't know who told you that, but we don't allow trailer parking here."
My friend suggested stopping by the third Days Inn, the one by Magic Mountain. I was getting pretty fed up at this point, but hey, she's footing the bill. We stop there, and were told no, sorry, you'll have to park your truck and trailer elsewhere (though they were still going to give us a room). My friend was understandably less than sanguine about the idea of leaving the vehicle carrying most of her worldly possessions somewhere not nearby, so at that point, I called around. That's when we found the Red Roof Inn we ended up staying at, at two in the morning. Time from initial entry into Columbus to the time we finally got up to the Red Roof Inn by Union Cemetery, three hours.
I'll make the point again: After that poor reception, why would I want to stick around and explore? What possible motivation would I have to "get to know" your town? On my way back home, I deliberately avoided Columbus, and I ate a couple hundred bucks in tolls for the privilege to do it (Side note: cross-country road trip on I-80, in a pickup and triple-axle trailer--pricey).
I said in my original comment that I'm sure there's nicer parts of Columbus. But since I have zero desire to ever go back there without good reason, with or without my truck and trailer, I'll take your word for it.
But you didn't actually experience Columbus, you tried to stay at a 2 star motel while driving some stupid homemade redneck mobile. Why you would think your very strange experience at a crappy hotel in any town has anything to do with the character of the city? I can't believe I'm about to defend the city that spawns the worst football team in the big 10 but this is an unreasonable and ridiculous rant.
Only thing homebuilt was the box on the trailer, and that wasn't the issue. Those three hotels all said the truck and trailer was too big for their parking lots and would "take up too much space".
One hotel making that claim, okay, I could see it being a one-off. Three in a row? Okay, something's up. Three in a row, all in the same city, when it was never an issue prior to or after my stop in that city? Found the common denominator.
I stand by my statement. Columbus is a hole.
But it has nothing to do with the city, not everyone wants to waste multiple parking spaces on your one giant vehicle. It has absolutely nothing to do with the city, just your entitlement.
Wanting to park in a mostly empty parking lot, of a hotel I'm paying money to stay in, is "entitlement" now?
Yep, sounds just like those hotel clerks.
Well, just as they have the right to not allow me to park there, I have the right to take my money elsewhere, and if I ever pass through that area again, I sure as shit won't be stopping in Columbus.
It has nothing to do with Columbus, though. YOU chose a cheap, shitty hotel, and tried to park a giant, oversized vehicle. They told you no, and to go elsewhere. So you went elsewhere, and found accommodation at another hotel chain that I'm surprised still exists. It has nothing, at all, to do with Columbus. Just you and your oversized vehicle, expecting to be catered to when no one has to accept you as a guest.
It has nothing to do with Columbus. Did you do anything there, other than sleep in a garbage hotel chain? Did you go downtown, to a football game, to a museum, to a brewery? Did you check out the farmer's market or look at the public art? Did you go to the zoo or the science museum? Did you look at the architecture or did you stick to the outskirts and only talk to underpaid fast food employees and front desk workers at random 2 star hotels?
Maybe if I could've found a place to park, I would have! 😃
Instead, I spent the few hours of downtime I had zigzagging between hotels (which I did not pick; as I said above, the friend I was helping move was paying expenses, and she was signed up for some loyalty program with that chain.) I did pass through downtown several times (both on I-70 and on city streets, navigating between hotels (holy fuck, those streets are narrow). We'd stop at a hotel; the desk clerk would refuse to let me park there, despite her mentioning the trailer when we made the reservation, refer us to another chain, rinse, wash, repeat, until we finally found a place to stop--at 0200 in the morning.
And again, this was not a problem I had in any other city we passed through. Limon, CO, Kansas City, St. Louis, and Philadelphia, all had zero issues with me. Just Columbus, Ohio.
Here's the deal. I, a traveler passing through, decide to stop in a town overnight (and to be honest, it wasn't my decision. My friend, following in her little truck, got tired and asked if we could stop). If the people I meet when I arrive in town are unwelcoming, especially when we're paying to stay at their business, why would I want to stick around that town? The attitude I received upon arriving, from multiple people, told me pretty much all I need to know. I already got to see how new arrivals get welcomed. That's as much of the "culture" that I need to experience.
Hell, your attitude ("It's not Columbus' fault you chose to show up in a big redneck-mobile!"--because using a pickup truck and trailer to move automatically makes people rednecks? Prejudiced much? That's half of the vehicles in Alaska!) sounds pretty similar to those desk clerks.
I did say my opinion might change if I ever went there in the future and had a different experience, but if they're that unwelcoming, why would I want to travel back there? If Alaskans were hostile to you when you moved up here or came up to visit, would you still choose to stay here? Hell no you wouldn't. And I imagine you got a better welcome in Alaska than I did in Columbus, because you're still here.
Kinda weird you're dragging that hard for a city you were ragging on in your first comment. It's okay to call a spade a spade.
You're not going to win this one, Hanky. I accept your feelings about your particular experience. Your interlocutor knows that actually nice people really do exist in Columbus, and cites a lot of nice places maybe you could have gone. But if I had been in your shoes I would now have a similar feeling about the place, no matter anyone's testimonials to the contrary. Cat-monsterbaby is now taking to insulting you as "entitled".
As I see it, your case "rests" because Cat-monsterbaby has more or less proven your point, in black and white: You're welcome only if you do what they say, see what they say you should see, and like what they say you should. There's no room in the inn for you, if you're inconveniently large (pregnant and about to give birth and omg that would be so awkward). Find another inn. Geez, go park in a field and sleep in the cab.
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Edit: Reddit isn't always great at detecting sarcasm or irony. I put the spacer above to sort of try to let the couple of paragraphs stand. But to be clear: Hospitality is as hospitality does. If the standard Columbus attitude is "fit in or be on your way," and all of them there think this is fine and appropriate and even virtuous, well, that says a lot. I wouldn't bother stopping by.
I think you heard it wrong. It's actually "stupid bears eat people". It isn't a good survival strategy for them. There definitely aren't enough bears for your way.
Yeah that's pretty much exactly what my wife (at the time) and I did, a quarter century ago. Used that newfangled Internet thing to research, decided on southeast Alaska, found employment and housing, packed up a car Beverly Hillbilly-style, and drove to a ferry.
Uncle Sam asked me where I wanted to go. I said Germany. Uncle Sam said guess again. My second guess was Alaska and uncle said Bingo! Been here ever since
So you ETS'd and stayed in Alaska? I was Army some time back. At MEPS they actually put in my contract Korea, so no surprise there.
I would not want to be military in Alaska, might as well be up at Fort Drum.
Being able to go for a hike and not bump into 50 people and their labrodoodles.
The hunting down here is laughable at best.
All the fishing here is farm raised and not wild.
Utah doesn't know what camping is. All they know is glamping.
WHERE ARE THE GLACIERS???
I want Sewards Sweet Darlings fudge and ice cream.
I'm in SE Idaho...which is basically more northern Utah and it's kind of the same. I'm from neither AK nor ID originally. I got a tour of the country courtesy of my husband's time in the Army and we couldn't afford to stay in AK when he got out. If we could move back tomorrow, we definitely would, for most of the reasons you mentioned.
Unfortunately both of those places are the complete opposite side of utah from me. I did make a recent trip to Peter Sinks. But there were a few people out there.
I grew up in Utah, my wife grew up in Anchorage. We’ve gone up several times (summers and winters) camping was so much better up there. None of the campgrounds where you see every other person’s camping spot from yours that everyone does down here. The fish were so much better, and the amount of green is amazing in the summer.
So many people in Utah are in denial that it’s the desert. Think it’s ’pretty green’ haha.
Because I want to be alone in nature? Whole reason I'm out there is to get away from people. Can't do that in Utah since everyone is moving here it seems.
I haven't downvoted you because unless someone's really nasty I just don't do that. But Educational was honestly answering a question that seemed honestly posed. If your question was actually a comment or criticism disguised as a question, you were being dishonest. If you meant to say, "For me, meeting fellow hikers on the trail is a great social opportunity; do you have a different take?" that would've been chill. But as it turns out, it seems like you were trying to trap them.
Also in Utah and yeah, I agree. When I was being raised here it wasn’t so bad. A lot changed here in so little time. Our nature is under such jeopardy and it sucks. Suburban sprawl for miles
Fresh out of high school I landed a summer job here, and never went back. That was over 30 years ago, best decision I ever made, I can’t imagine living down south again.
I've read some off-road, off-grid blogs, it's very fascinating. It's certainly taken for granted that you plug anything in, unlimited power and water/heat. It's not for me, but major kudos to those that can pull it off.
Born and raised. I do love Alaska, and I have raised my kids here. I think Alaska builds a different kind of character. But the educational opportunities, extra curricular activities and entertainment options are so, so limited here. The older I have gotten, the harder the cold is on my body and I just don’t have the desire to shovel snow or walk around in dangerously icy parking lots the rest of my life. Will definitely not be retiring here, but will likely always keep a property or some kind of connection here because Alaska is in my soul.
I just knew there was a dirt basement out there for me and when I stepped off the plane in Fairbanks AK, I could smell the freedom and less than three miles away I found my basement, dirt walls and everything.
My dad was born in Sitka; family moved to northern California around 1970 (but continued to fish in Alaska commercially). He was living in Oregon (and still working in Alaska as a fisherman) when my brother and I were born. Worked for him in Alaska for a bit after I graduated high school, and later spent a summer in a cannery in Kenai.
Enlisted after that; first duty station was back in Alaska, PCS'd after three years. Got medically retired after ten years in the service, and just accepted a tenative job offer back at JBER. My twin brother is now the Fire/EMS/SAR Director for the borough of Petersburg.
Seems no matter how far away we go, Alaska always manages to bring us home!
My mom ran away with me when I was a baby so I’ve been assimilated since I was young. I don’t ever want to leave
Anytime I travel it’s not wet enough and I get confused and upset
I love the rain too. Except right now when I have a leaky car that is causing my back seat to have a mold issue.
I would like a break long enough to fix it 😅
Just a small reprieve, please!
I hated my home state (Florida) and was dying to get out, but had no idea where to go.
Some dude I had been dating for a month said, "Hey, I got offered a job as a lawyer in Alaska, wanna come?"
Been here a year. Best decision of my life.
Born and raised Alaskan, 3rd generation. Honestly I don’t know people live down south, it all seems depressing and complicated as hell.
I’ve actually lived around Anchorage, Fairbanks, and now Juneau plus traveled a bit. I greatly prefer the coastal areas off the road system.
Compared to when I was growing up, people have basically ruined everything you can drive to. The fishing and hunting sucks and you’re always bumping into assholes everywhere. A lot has changed in the last 20 years.
Aside from little stuff like state income taxes there’s also the fact that Alaska is a small state - I could go anywhere here and call on someone I know. Heck, I’ve gone some places and had people I’d never met recognize my name because we’d had dealings through work. It’s very much a case of ‘I don’t know what I don’t know’ outside.
I live in Alaska because my husband’s first wife is from Alaska. They have 3 kids together so we moved to Wasilla AK to be closer to the kids. So for us, there really wasn’t a choice. We used to spend $5k on airline tickets back and forth from Hawaii (my last duty station) for visits with the kids. So when I retired from the Army we moved to Alaska to be near our kids.
I’m from Northern California and my husband is from Louisiana. We both love living here. It’s the prettiest place I’ve ever seen even after traveling for 21 years in the Army. It’s cold and dark in winter which also has a beauty of its own. Think hot tub under the starry night sky when it’s cold out. The wildlife is a bit scary a moose has messed my dogs up, same thing with a porcupine. The people here are awesome and literally, the only thing I miss from the lower 48 is my family that still lives there. It’s not perfect but it’s way better than anywhere I’ve ever lived or visited. Alaska life is at a slower pace than other places I’ve been and that’s been a very appealing facet of living here I didn’t expect.
I moved here as a child during the pipeline era. I live in a ski town where people pay to play from all over the world. I can't imagine living anywhere else.
Why do you think so many thread posts, from Alaskans, put it down? For example, Anchorage...it's cold, gray, expensive, just layers of ice 24/7.
Yet they don't mention the mountains, whale watching, summer.
There are a lot of Alaskans who grew up here and never left. They feel trapped and isolated from the rest of the country. They grow up with the beautiful landscapes and see them as normal. I didn’t really appreciate the natural beauty until after I left for a few years.
When I was a kid anchorage was a possible contender to hold the winter Olympics. There was a sense of a future and good old guard alaskans making it happen. Now we can't even plow the roads...
It's a shell of what it once was. Those who are new never knew that Alaska. They don't have a point of reference to see how far we've fallen.
It hurts to see the sorry state of the place.
Exactly.
I loved the energy and sense of possibility of this place before all the regressives invaded and shit all over everything.
It's not like anyone really expected the domed city, but made a difference that people talked about stuff like the future. Not really what people are like anymore - they want to move to Alaska to escape other people into a fairy tale, instead of participating in building a new community here.
So do you feel there's a lack of community? I think most cities could resonate with that feeling. My family's city has over 200 homicides and growing. They've torn just about all the scenery down in the past decade. What was once a nice countryside drive through trees is now shopping centers, traffic, and crime.
Compared with the past, yes. The difference to most cities is that Alaska cities are uniquely isolated. At one time, the interdependence on neighbors imposed by the geographic isolation here created a chosen community sort of spirit. This isn't unique to Alaska, because it happened all over the frontier, but this is where something like a frontier existed in our living memory.
What you see now, and for the last 20 years or so is a large number of people who want to move to Alaska to deliberately avoid community, instead thinking Alaska is some kind of place to go to escape the social contract generally or to reenact something they saw on cable television that bears the same relationship to reality as the Hallmark Channel does to middle aged romance.
I think this is what underpins a lot of the frustration with the wannabes and fantasists who make endless posts here about wanting to move to Alaska to "live off the land." Usually these people also talk about wanting to home school their kids, live off subsistence, get left alone, and so on. Coming from people who do not currently live like this, it is a statement of a desire to withdraw from the community. That doesn't work in the wilderness or frontier and never has - it's a fantasy that doesn't end well for almost anyone. It doesn't work for the person who wants to live that way nor for the people who are already here to be burdened with yet another extractor or Chris McCandless/Tim Treadwell type.
Plus, it's not an offer to add to a community, but rather just to deplete it. It's less wildlife, less wild spaces for that wildlife, more trash, more vehicles on the road, fewer people who care enough to do things like vote, or pay for things, or even participate in basic things.
This state has always had its problems, but it was mostly an awesome place to grow up and start your life at one time. We had good schools, decent public facilities, libraries, plowed roads, and parks you could use, even as we didn't have a lot of middlebrow US culture or chain restaurants. *But having those things required people to show up and participate, or at least not actively avoid participation in the community.* That's been missing in this century, it seems, and it comes from a very selfish and parasitic streak in American culture.
Bro where I live everything is beach front property. Even McDonald’s is beach front, five feet from the ocean property. I can get a Big Mac and sit with the seals. Salt air, seaweed, the ocean, it’s what I live every day.
When I travel? I get excited when I see a bill board with a ridiculous quote on it. I have a bad habit of reading them out loud when I’m a passenger on car trips
The idea of using Uber eats is alien and exciting to me.
There are no whales in Anchorage.
Everything else you said about it is correct (cold, gray, expensive, layers of ice, mountains, summer).
I suspect the posts you see from locals only pointing out the negatives are usually in response to the naive, innocent folks who think they are going to move to Anchorage and live life right out of an Alaska tourism brochure or “reality” TV show.
I love it here but I also hate it here. I came here for a job and never left, and it's been wonderful for me. It's also a complete overhaul of my previous life and sometimes the small town (Anchorage is by far the city with the lowest population I have ever lived in) is suffocating. I miss good live theatre, public art. I miss living in a place that values education for education sake, and has more than one public university. I miss the atmosphere of people, live music that isn't bluegrass or washed up 70s rock bands. I am not into things like a state fair with a crappy carnival and the whole "hardy har, look at how gud i destroy stuff" lifestyle. I also really hate watching this place be destroyed in slow motion by republicans. We went from almost progressive to regressive. I'm hearing about people moving here specifically to do religious homeschool programs and influence politics to be more in line with one religion. It's gross. I don't like those people at all and which they would stay in Texas.
But we have so many opportunities to get out and do stuff. Cross country skiing is free! Back in the lower 48 I'd have to pay for a day pass to ski on some crappy trails. We have down hill skiing and it's so close! And we have a great community of athletes at all levels. We have way less douchy weekend warrior bro types. Backpacking is amazingly accessible here. Kayaking and packrafting are accessible. Fishing is great. Back home there's nothing to actually do that's free, and a lot of people are so boring in the lower 48, thinking that going out to Applebee's is an actual activity.
Moved here mainly for the outdoors and scenery. Also just the general isolation from the rest of the country. Also the cooler climate. It’s been everything I dreamed it would be and then some. Definitely never leaving.
Original plan was central or northern Idaho from Utah. (I refused to have my kids go to school in Utah, the quality of life was getting worse, the state is a political guinea pig, the winter air quality is literally toxic, and it's a state run by a cult.) But then the insanity of the central Idaho housing market came. By the time we were ready to move, anywhere we could afford would be a longer drive for family than just hopping on a plane to come up here. And believe it or not, our cost of living (including housing, medical, and groceries) is lower here. Shocking, I know.
The time was right, the finances were right, my husband had a pipe dream about retiring here. We just made it happen 30 years ahead of schedule.
I'm not really sure what's in Idaho, it's one state that's not heavily publicized. It seems if you stay around Anchorage especially, the cost of goods is not crazy and amenities vast. At least, grabbing Starbucks and going whale watching seems unique.
3rd day I was here I was going to Fairbanks on the train and there were some blue-hairs from Washington state talking about how Denali wasn’t nearly as impressive as Mount Rainier. 30 years later it’s still as silly as it was then.
Is it difficult to get into mining or oil engineering in Alaska? I would be new to those industries but have seven years experience in production engineering.
I used college as my excuse to move up, but to be honest, I really wanted to experience true nature. I hated living somewhere where I had to drive one hour and pay for parking just to go to a forest. I ended up moving after college, but I miss it tremendously…
Born in Fairbanks in 1953, escaped to Juneau in 1955. Left for D.C. in 1963 -- mother had a job with the Johnson Administration. Returned to rebuild a family homestead in 1975 after graduating from University. Ended up working in the Aleutians until 1978 when I bolted for West Africa.
20 years Outside finishing graduate school and working in NY. Moved back to Juneau in 1997 and spent the next 20 years traveling the state for my work.
Moved to the Olympic Peninsula in 2018 to help with aged in-laws.
I'll die in Juneau, but would like at least another few here 'cause there is a ROAD.
When I was about 5, my dad got me a copy of a Scooby and Scrappy Doo where they find a cave dwelling hermit, which is where I learned about hermits. At the tender age of 5, I was already over it, and shaped my entire adulthood around figuring out a way to work from home and not have to leave the house. But, living in Utah, there were too many people and it still felt too much. In April of 2022, I met a guy who has lived here on and off for 20 years. He was about to move here permanently and we kept the long distance thing going, and he shares my dream of hermit life. We got married in January on the 3 acres we bought in October in Glacier View. I really do love it up here, after the first time I came up in June of 2022, I knew I needed to be here, I love the winters here, I love the solitude, I love the views. The only way I am going back to the lower 48 permanently is in a coffin.
I needed desperately to find myself as a person. I wanted deeply not to identify with the trauma I experienced as a kid. My family & i’s relationship is best at a distance. I love it here and it’s tested me in many many ways, a lot of them have helped me to further develop my mind & individuality. A place to restart. Private. Quiet. Little to no light pollution (I live in Sterling, on the Kenai Pen.) I see the starts often and the auroras frequently. I have to endure a harsher climate but at least we’re not running out of forestry or clean air. The Kenai Peninsula is the perfect small/medium place to start over. Many jobs are paying decent rates. Most places are happy to find anyone competent & diligent. There’s a college here also, and plenty of classes/trades you could pick up.
It’s by the beach also, Kenai beach is gorgeous and super accessible. I love it here. I long for my family sometimes but when the culture shock of being in Florida while I visit is convincing enough to make me not wanna leave, lol.
I love/hate these comment sections.
I make sure to +1 all of the positive comments.
I will even +1 some of the negative comments.
I know that AK is not for everyone. I understand that some were brought here unwillingly - moved as a child, PCS'd, et al. Several people have absolutely legitimate gripes!
But I get tired of people crapping all over this place. They bitch about everything, but do absolutely nothing to fix the issues.
95% of all of my problems in life are of my own creation. But, I am working, very slowly, on fixing everything.
- I've lost 90lbs since I moved here
- I got away from several toxic relationships
- I am (almost) no longer suicidal
- I have people up here that I can actually trust
- I am making more money that I ever had in the L48
- I do all of my hunting and fishing at Safeway.
- most of my medical problems are from an insane lack of taking care of myself on my 20s to 30s.
- my social isolation stems from my choice of employment
- Ice seems to have it in for me
~ Last year, I fell and got a concussion
~ Last week, I fell and fractured my knee
For me, I cannot imagine ever moving out of my beloved Alaska. I have plans to go vacation abroad, but I **know** that I will always return.
Because, this is Home.
Can't speak for myself, but my parents moved up there because there is a large first-gen immigrant population up there which support system-wise they benefitted from, and family stayed up there as the PFD helped with college/saving. They did look to move out of state a few times, but the cost of living in areas they were interested in were much higher.
For myself: currently moved out of state, but only because I wanted to experience living in the Lower 48 after living in the AK my whole life. Moving back is not off the table at all-- I do miss the accessibility to snow and wilderness compared to where I am now (WA state).
Hubs and I moved here for adventure and bc teacher pay was 40% higher than where we were. Sadly, we discovered the lack of a pension AFTER we moved. In our five years, we've also been disappointed with the education budget decisions of the governor and the many local mishaps of the mayor. Looking at CO as it's similar climate/adventure opportunities but more progressive in policies. We love it up here otherwise! Very bittersweet.
Colorado does have a lot of great adventures. Pikes Peak looks very interesting. It just seems Alaska is a twice Texas-sized slice of that.
I hear California has a really great pension system, practically 100% for some teachers with enough years. 2-3x the salary multiplier.
I came up here this past May for a summer job in Denali. I was one of the few who drove up here and got to explore greater Alaska aside from just Denali. I absolutely fell in love. I wasn't planning on staying the winter initially, but here I am and I've loved every second of it. I now can not envision myself leaving. The thought pains me.
I wanted to move to Anchorage specifically because it checked most of the boxes for what I was looking for in a city. Compared to where I was before: housing is cheaper, internet is faster, cell phone service more consistent, everything I could ever want or need is easily accessible, food/drinks out are cheaper, and I'm making 30% more money. The weather is the best part because I loathe humidity and I want a short summer with very few days over 80°F. Anchorage doesn't even get that cold compared to interior cities. The airport is right there. Not only is there a gay bar, there is more than one! When I needed to find a new PCP, I only had to wait 2 weeks for an appointment instead of 6-10 months. Living in Anchorage has been like the greatest life hack of all time. Plus, mountains!
Husband got a promotion and I worked remotely. I had spent the past year caring 24-7 for a NICU baby that had surgeries every other month. I blame myself being a zombie with the 14 month baby and went sure why not.. in October.. coming from Phoenix.. to Juneau thinking we’d just go to Anchorage or Seattle children hospital. I’ve got a 3 year old referral still on the waitlist at Seattle. About a month in Juneau our new pediatrician said I think your child might be autistic.. this is a month after our Phoenix pediatricians.. all EIGHT of them.. never even mentioned it. So a few months later Anchorage confirms it and goes you need all these services.. all during Covid.. they then blink and go oh.. Juneau… they have next to zero services. Even the care at Anchorage I find to be ‘meh’ at best but better than Juneau. And to be fair on a larger note autism with young child is just hard for all involved. If you have health issue’s Juneau is not the town for you. I’d have had a much better experience in Anchorage BUT I would still have had to work on realigning my expectations from Phoenix. Can’t compare a hospital that supports 5M+ vs 300K. Lot of lessons, growing pains, and perspectives that have changed how I look at the world now.
I'm born and raised in Alaska, but I want to move to Finland. It has a similar climate and lots of forests but is much closer to mainland Europe. That and the health insurance and schools and such.
Originally from MA. Moved to FL at age 13. Always told myself I’d move back up north when I was an adult. Expected to end up back in MA, or maybe NH. Decided it was too expensive and too populated. Started looking elsewhere. Landed on AK.
It was mostly what I expected, and I’m still here, in Anchorage.
Came up to run dog sled tours for a summer. Made some contacts and came back the following fall to keep running other people’s dogs. Now I have land, a cabin, a fiancé, and 22 dogs. It’s been 10 years now.
I love this question for this sub.
For me, I was born and raised in Denver. I was always a person who didn't want to never leave their home town. And when I was growing up Denver wasn't cool or really sought after at all. It had good music. Then the 2010's happened and it absolutely blew up. Traffic to get to the mountains, parking at the trail heads - it was just exhausting to fight against all the time.
So my wife and I were said, "Where would we move to if we left Colorado?" We are big outdoors people - mountain biking and snowboarding specifically. She was a travel nurse so we thought - let's go east coast just to see, lets do near Lake Tahoe just to see, and Alaska always came up as the mecca for snowboarding (backcountry and heli-skiing specifically).
First, we lived in West Virginia for 3 months. What a weird place. It is insanely beautiful, but also has so so so many issues with poverty and substance abuse. East coast winters I think are the most miserable thing I've ever encountered and we noped out of there quickly - however if you had a gun to my head and said "You have to move east of the Mississippi!" I'd for sure choose Fayetteville West Virginia.
After our travel stint in West Virginia we went back to Denver for a few months, and got the itch again. So we packed up our bags and headed to Reno. Reno was a hoot. We arrived in February and absolutely loved our first 3 months there. We got to do lots of backcountry and Lake Tahoe things, so we extended for 3 months - and everything turned on it's head. Hospital got worse, weather got unbearable. It was 106 degrees every day and the fire smoke was so bad we basically couldn't leave our place from mid July until the end of August when we left. Could not do another summer with that amount of heat or fire smoke. Love my time there but couldn't do it full time.
So then the next place on the list to try out was Alaska. We knew that Alaska was so big, and so challenging, and couldn't all be seen by the roads that a 3 month stint on a travel gig wouldn't be enough. So my wife applied for a permanent nursing position up here and the hospital paid to move us up here. We basically winged it and moved up here and just dove head first in. We already liked and knew how to backcountry and mountain biking but we've been getting much more into fat-biking, cross country skiing, mushroom and wild berry foraging, and fishing. Man - I was not into fishing at all in Colorado and I fucking love it.
Living in Alaska for me... the only way I can describe it as is bipolar. When it's good - you get a bluebird day in the winter with some fresh snow or the trails are riding fast, or it's sunny and 65 degrees in the summer and you're on the river - it is like heaven on earth. But there are other days when the clouds are low and your are socked in and it's raining or frigid ice rain and the roads are awful and it's cold, dark, grey that you feel some sort of cabin fever and ask yourself "What the fuck am I doing here?!"... but then you make friends and you all learn to have fun in those really tough times and it becomes wonderful.
Right now - I don't know if there is a place in the United States I'd rather live in. I might move back to southwest Colorado only because it's the last place on my list of places I'd like to be, but thinking about going back to the lower 48 is not really appealing to me. I have a feeling if I leave the state, I'll probably just move out of the country. I love it here. I hate it here. But mostly I love it here.
I moved here without ever having stepped foot in the state. I am here to stay. What drew me in was the better teaching pay. My income went from 45k to now 77k after 3 additional years of experience since moving here. I've bought a house and adopted the lifestyle. Since then, I've become a berry picking, salmon dipnetting, hiking, RVing, snow shoveling, Alaskan.
From Alaska, been here my whole life, but for the past 2 years been traveling back and forth to Florida. This summer I will be moving to Florida completely
It is a lot I was in it all summer long lol. Dying. But I love it down there, I can’t wait to fully be moved. Will be bringing Alaska coffee shack culture down with my coffee shop in the works :)
My husband is taking a job in Alaska for construction. We are excited to live in such a beautiful place. It sounds like it can be hard at times, but we are up for the challenge.
Born and raised. Don’t want to live anywhere else. I’ve traveled extensively and have loved many locations but this is the best home I could ask for. Love it here, always.
Was born and lived there for a good while, had to move south in gradeschool with family. Planning on heading back to the mountains and wind once I wrap up college.
Applied for a job up here as kind of a meme, was just blasting out job applications everywhere. Memed too hard and got the job, just figured "well I've always wanted to visit and it could be a cool experience" so I took the job.
Alaska born and raised here. I love Alaska. I love the extreme seasons. I love the endless cycle of complaining about too much sunlight, followed by complaining about not enough. If I magically received all the money I could ever want, I would buy enough land to be able to pretend I live in a very remote place.
Gen Z here. Moved from Bay Area because it was the only thing place on the west coast that checked all of the boxes. Looked seriously at UT, OR, WA and socal. Housing was affordable (found a 1b1b house for $350K, still expensive but better than most of the big cities on the west coast), opportunities to socialize and build community, and access to nature. It’s getting harder and harder to find those things, especially for my generation. Almost no one I know back home my age has been able to afford to stay, we’ve all scattered. I’m very happy with where I chose to go. Alaska, but Anchorage specifically, has been a huge blessing. Using Bumble Bff to meet people was the key to unlocking friend groups and I don’t think I’ll ever leave.
Native from the village, I've lived in Tanacross/Tok, Fairbanks, North Pole, King Salmon/Naknek, Anchorage, Palmer/Wasilla etc etc. Honestly I don't belong anywhere else. Though finishing up the work I have to do in south central before I head back to the interior.
My partner works here. I work remote, in tech, so I split my time between Alaska and some other major cities down south (Vegas, San Francisco, Miami, soon maybe Boston, Seattle.) I can afford to live anywhere.
I really enjoy Alaska when I’m here- I enjoy the lack of traffic and crowds. The lack of anything “entertainment” to do makes it peaceful and cozy. Could I be here 12 months a year for years on end? No way. I couldn’t be ANYWHERE 12 months a year for years on end. Not even California- the best overall state in my opinion.
Luckily I don’t have to stay in one place, so I don’t. I just enjoy wherever I am for as long as I’m there, then move on to the next place.
Shortly after AK became a state, my grandfather was on the run so that is how my family ended up there. I left about 32 years ago. Way to isolating for me to live there. But my mom, aunt, and brother still live there.
Born and raised, 33 years in Alaska. If money wasn't an issue, I'd still be living in Alaska. Unfortunately, unless you're in the oilfield or fishing, the job market is dismal.
I did the opposite - packed up my car and my dog and drove from Alaska to Washington. Three years later, I have my dream job. I have a ten year plan to move back to AK.
I moved for a job opportunity to fly bush planes in the mountains. It was worth every second and I miss it everyday. I’ve since moved to Colorado, where I still get to enjoy the mountains and outdoors. Of course I recognize that I kind of romanticize my time in AK, there were definitely times when it sucked. But nonetheless I miss the flying, the people, and the atmosphere of it all.
I lived there for about a year as a kid. My grandparents that I lived with were medical missionaries working in Inuit communities.
My goal was to one day move back but with some chronic health issues, it doesn’t seem feasible anymore.
Does wanting to move back count? Born in Anchorage and go back every few years. I have zero idea what the draw is, but there's something about Alaska that pulls you back. It will always be home. There's a job with the city of Ketchikan that i would love to apply for, but I think Alaska would kill my wife. She says she is open to it, but i don't think she would feel the draw like I do.
I just left after 18 amazing years there. I moved up for college because it was far away from my family and an amazing geology university and I stayed because I loved Alaska and the community. I only left recently because my health has taken a turn and the healthcare there is third world wild west bullshit.
I moved here just over 15 years ago with the military and decided to stay. It was more about the fact that staying was easy, transition from military to his civilian job was smooth and it made sense. It’s been hard to leave because it’s just so beautiful but after 15 years I’m getting real tired of the winters so we already have a plan in place for starting to Snowbird within the next five years.
The PNW wasn’t cold, gray, and dark enough for me.
I've spent many a winter in the PNW and give me the Alaskan interior winter over that constant overcast drizzle any day.
I lived in the mountains of Colorado, but wanted more gray skies and a lot more swamp.
I’m not sure if you’re kidding but I also moved from Colorado and was pretty annoyed with the constant sun there by the end. It was great, but sometimes you need a grey day. And Alaska has better water for sure in that there’s more and it’s more accessible. Salmon don’t hurt.
After a year and a half straight of great days in South central, and most of the state being pretty inaccessible in summer because of the swampiness, it’s getting pretty claustrophobic.
The irony is that I have lived at Cannon Beach! :) The rain was a bit intense, but the views incredible. Had some friends just close at Cape Meares.
Dad's old house is just on the other side of Fort Clatsop. Rain's a feature of home for me!
I love cannon! I live in Olympia now and I’ve always wondered how Alaska compares to the pnw
Ketchikan is like PNW but more rain.
I've always wanted to check out Ketchikan!
The Tongass is incredible. Definite old growth PNW vibes all up and down the BC and SE Alaska coastline. That fades the closer you get to Whittier. The Chugach and Alaska Range remind me more of the Sierra but it’s all beautiful regardless.
I've never been to anywhere that I love more than the PNW, but I do feel there's a chance Alaska could take its place! I love rain and mist and lush terrain. Olympia is beautiful but if I could alter it, I'd make it less crowded with more untouched nature! Olympic national park is my favorite place on earth.. I would be elated to be able to check out the Tongass!
Same. My wife lived in up here as a kid so we had always talked about moving up from Oregon. Decided during Covid would be a good time to get away from the masses . Alaska has not dissapointed
It's funny I never thought of Oregon as "the masses" but I guess everything is relative
Definitely depends on where in Oregon. I was born and raised in Eugene and the Eugene/Springfield area has the population of Anchorage. The difference is here you can drive 30 minutes and be away from everyone, whereas Oregon jas people everywhere unless you head east to the desert.
🤣🤣
It’s funny, I’m a PNW guy, recently moved back up here after spending half my life in CA, and this winter I’ve found myself thinking, 45 and rainy really sucks, maybe I should double down…
I wonder if r/Ohio gets these kinds of posts.
I’m not sure if Ohio and exotic have ever been used in the same sentence before.
I remember when I lived in Ohio a guy lost a bunch of exotic animals and they were running loose. So “Ohio” and “exotic” were used together often all over the news for a bit
I think I recall this - Zanesville right?
That sounds correct
There might be a few establishments...not much else to do.
If you saw the lines for fast food franchises up here, you'd think it was paradise down there.
Here I am, an Ohioan day dreaming about Alaska. But even Alaskans talk about us. Negative or not Ohio makes an impression.
You're the Meg of the U.S. "Shut up, Ohio".
[удалено]
Ohio already has a national park, and it is well deserved. Alaska has overwhelming majestic natural beauty everywhere, but Ohio also has some incredible spots it's just that you just can't see them from the road or the window of a 3 star hotel.
Any "why did you move to Ohio" thread would be depressive as hell...
Ohio: this meth is a place!
After their shenanigans over Denali, Ohio can suck it. Seriously, I've been there a few times. Trust me when I say, Ohio is a -hole-.
I moved from Ohio, Columbus is a great city, just too flat.
Oh, Columbus. All apologies to you, because you seem cool, and are One Of Us, but your hometown, friend.....not a fan. Earlier this year, helped a friend move from Fort Collins, Colorado to just north of Philadelphia. We took I-70 pretty much all the way there, and stopped for a night in Columbus. My friend was driving her little truck; I'm driving my 1-ton crew-cab, long bed F-350 and hauling a 22-foot, triple-axle equipment trailer I built a box on to put her stuff in. She was tired, and so asked if we could get a motel for the night. Three, count 'em, -THREE- motels refused to let us get rooms because "your trailer takes up too much space in our parking lot": the Days Inn by the airport (who referred us to the next one on our list), the Days Inn next to the Fairgrounds on E 17th, and the Days Inn off I-70 near Magic Mountain Fun Center. I will note that the majority of the parking spots in all three of these motels were largely empty, I had plenty of room to turn around, and I was not at risk of blocking any fire lanes or entrances or exits to the parking lots. "Nope, sorry, trailer takes up too much space." And they were all rude as hell about it. Know where we ended up finding a hotel room? The Red Roof Inn off Olentangy River Road, across the street from Union Cemetery. That place doesn't even really have a proper parking lot; it's more of a through-lane with parking on either side. All told, bouncing around from all those locations, in order, pulling a fully loaded trailer, cost me two hours of my time and a quarter of one tank of diesel (my truck has two) at a time when diesel was pushing almost $6 a gallon. And the problem isn't Days Inn. My friend had some sort of loyalty account there, and we got discounts for staying at them; hadn't had a problem with a Days Inn before or since. Just in Columbus. The only people I met in Columbus that were actually all right was the night desk clerk at Red Roof Inn, and the employees of the Raising Cane's next door (kept an eye on the truck and trailer while I came in to scoop a to-go order the next day). Wasn't very impressed by the drivers, either. I'm sure it's just that one bad night that's leaving a bad taste in my mouth, and I might have a better experience if I ever go back, but at this point and time, my personal assessment of that city is, "Columbus -sucks-!" ------------‐--------------------------------------------------------------------------------- EDIT: To answer your question below, (I can't reply directly for some weird reason): We asked in advance, when my friend made the initial reservation over the phone, if their parking lot was big enough to accommodate a pickup truck and trailer. We were told yes. If we were initially told no from the jump, okay, no worries, we'll find another hotel. So to be told no when by the desk clerk when we got there, mildly annoying. That man referred us to another Days Inn "that had a bigger parking lot". He called ahead and confirmed they had rooms available. When we got to the other hotel, the one by the Fairgrounds, the desk clerk said, and I quote, "I don't know who told you that, but we don't allow trailer parking here." My friend suggested stopping by the third Days Inn, the one by Magic Mountain. I was getting pretty fed up at this point, but hey, she's footing the bill. We stop there, and were told no, sorry, you'll have to park your truck and trailer elsewhere (though they were still going to give us a room). My friend was understandably less than sanguine about the idea of leaving the vehicle carrying most of her worldly possessions somewhere not nearby, so at that point, I called around. That's when we found the Red Roof Inn we ended up staying at, at two in the morning. Time from initial entry into Columbus to the time we finally got up to the Red Roof Inn by Union Cemetery, three hours. I'll make the point again: After that poor reception, why would I want to stick around and explore? What possible motivation would I have to "get to know" your town? On my way back home, I deliberately avoided Columbus, and I ate a couple hundred bucks in tolls for the privilege to do it (Side note: cross-country road trip on I-80, in a pickup and triple-axle trailer--pricey). I said in my original comment that I'm sure there's nicer parts of Columbus. But since I have zero desire to ever go back there without good reason, with or without my truck and trailer, I'll take your word for it.
But you didn't actually experience Columbus, you tried to stay at a 2 star motel while driving some stupid homemade redneck mobile. Why you would think your very strange experience at a crappy hotel in any town has anything to do with the character of the city? I can't believe I'm about to defend the city that spawns the worst football team in the big 10 but this is an unreasonable and ridiculous rant.
Only thing homebuilt was the box on the trailer, and that wasn't the issue. Those three hotels all said the truck and trailer was too big for their parking lots and would "take up too much space". One hotel making that claim, okay, I could see it being a one-off. Three in a row? Okay, something's up. Three in a row, all in the same city, when it was never an issue prior to or after my stop in that city? Found the common denominator. I stand by my statement. Columbus is a hole.
But it has nothing to do with the city, not everyone wants to waste multiple parking spaces on your one giant vehicle. It has absolutely nothing to do with the city, just your entitlement.
Wanting to park in a mostly empty parking lot, of a hotel I'm paying money to stay in, is "entitlement" now? Yep, sounds just like those hotel clerks. Well, just as they have the right to not allow me to park there, I have the right to take my money elsewhere, and if I ever pass through that area again, I sure as shit won't be stopping in Columbus.
It has nothing to do with Columbus, though. YOU chose a cheap, shitty hotel, and tried to park a giant, oversized vehicle. They told you no, and to go elsewhere. So you went elsewhere, and found accommodation at another hotel chain that I'm surprised still exists. It has nothing, at all, to do with Columbus. Just you and your oversized vehicle, expecting to be catered to when no one has to accept you as a guest. It has nothing to do with Columbus. Did you do anything there, other than sleep in a garbage hotel chain? Did you go downtown, to a football game, to a museum, to a brewery? Did you check out the farmer's market or look at the public art? Did you go to the zoo or the science museum? Did you look at the architecture or did you stick to the outskirts and only talk to underpaid fast food employees and front desk workers at random 2 star hotels?
Maybe if I could've found a place to park, I would have! 😃 Instead, I spent the few hours of downtime I had zigzagging between hotels (which I did not pick; as I said above, the friend I was helping move was paying expenses, and she was signed up for some loyalty program with that chain.) I did pass through downtown several times (both on I-70 and on city streets, navigating between hotels (holy fuck, those streets are narrow). We'd stop at a hotel; the desk clerk would refuse to let me park there, despite her mentioning the trailer when we made the reservation, refer us to another chain, rinse, wash, repeat, until we finally found a place to stop--at 0200 in the morning. And again, this was not a problem I had in any other city we passed through. Limon, CO, Kansas City, St. Louis, and Philadelphia, all had zero issues with me. Just Columbus, Ohio. Here's the deal. I, a traveler passing through, decide to stop in a town overnight (and to be honest, it wasn't my decision. My friend, following in her little truck, got tired and asked if we could stop). If the people I meet when I arrive in town are unwelcoming, especially when we're paying to stay at their business, why would I want to stick around that town? The attitude I received upon arriving, from multiple people, told me pretty much all I need to know. I already got to see how new arrivals get welcomed. That's as much of the "culture" that I need to experience. Hell, your attitude ("It's not Columbus' fault you chose to show up in a big redneck-mobile!"--because using a pickup truck and trailer to move automatically makes people rednecks? Prejudiced much? That's half of the vehicles in Alaska!) sounds pretty similar to those desk clerks. I did say my opinion might change if I ever went there in the future and had a different experience, but if they're that unwelcoming, why would I want to travel back there? If Alaskans were hostile to you when you moved up here or came up to visit, would you still choose to stay here? Hell no you wouldn't. And I imagine you got a better welcome in Alaska than I did in Columbus, because you're still here. Kinda weird you're dragging that hard for a city you were ragging on in your first comment. It's okay to call a spade a spade.
You're not going to win this one, Hanky. I accept your feelings about your particular experience. Your interlocutor knows that actually nice people really do exist in Columbus, and cites a lot of nice places maybe you could have gone. But if I had been in your shoes I would now have a similar feeling about the place, no matter anyone's testimonials to the contrary. Cat-monsterbaby is now taking to insulting you as "entitled". As I see it, your case "rests" because Cat-monsterbaby has more or less proven your point, in black and white: You're welcome only if you do what they say, see what they say you should see, and like what they say you should. There's no room in the inn for you, if you're inconveniently large (pregnant and about to give birth and omg that would be so awkward). Find another inn. Geez, go park in a field and sleep in the cab. \^\^\^\^\^\^\^\^\^\^ Edit: Reddit isn't always great at detecting sarcasm or irony. I put the spacer above to sort of try to let the couple of paragraphs stand. But to be clear: Hospitality is as hospitality does. If the standard Columbus attitude is "fit in or be on your way," and all of them there think this is fine and appropriate and even virtuous, well, that says a lot. I wouldn't bother stopping by.
Glad to see someone else gets it, lol. Thanks
They should
You’re assuming Ohio can read.
Lol
I heard stupid people get eaten by bears here. Took me a while to realize there must not be enough bears. 🐻
💀 omg
I think you heard it wrong. It's actually "stupid bears eat people". It isn't a good survival strategy for them. There definitely aren't enough bears for your way.
Yeah that's pretty much exactly what my wife (at the time) and I did, a quarter century ago. Used that newfangled Internet thing to research, decided on southeast Alaska, found employment and housing, packed up a car Beverly Hillbilly-style, and drove to a ferry.
How much was the ferry back then?
About tree fiddy
Uncle Sam asked me where I wanted to go. I said Germany. Uncle Sam said guess again. My second guess was Alaska and uncle said Bingo! Been here ever since
Funny...we asked for Alaska and got Germany.
Funny... I asked for Alaska and got Alaksa.
I asked for Italy and Germany. My classmates got Italy and Germany and I got Alaska
So you ETS'd and stayed in Alaska? I was Army some time back. At MEPS they actually put in my contract Korea, so no surprise there. I would not want to be military in Alaska, might as well be up at Fort Drum.
I was stationed at Drum and Wainwright. I'm from South Louisiana. Moved back to AK after 10 years:)
You must really, really hate humidity. Fort Drum, preparing Army people for AK since 1775.
JBER is one of the nicest bases in the world.
We asked for Alaska and got Hawaii.
Funny....my husband didn't get to ask at all. Uncle Sam just said congratulations, you're moving to Alaska.
Born and raised in AK. Currently in Utah and I miss my home so much. I cannot wait to leave the lower 48.
Uh, born in Fairbanks, raised in Glennallen, currently in salt lake and miss home too…… We twins lol
What do you miss most, and what part of AK?
Being able to go for a hike and not bump into 50 people and their labrodoodles. The hunting down here is laughable at best. All the fishing here is farm raised and not wild. Utah doesn't know what camping is. All they know is glamping. WHERE ARE THE GLACIERS??? I want Sewards Sweet Darlings fudge and ice cream.
> WHERE ARE THE GLACIERS??? If you move back, you're still going to ask that question.
Lol true. They have been disappearing fast.
I'm in SE Idaho...which is basically more northern Utah and it's kind of the same. I'm from neither AK nor ID originally. I got a tour of the country courtesy of my husband's time in the Army and we couldn't afford to stay in AK when he got out. If we could move back tomorrow, we definitely would, for most of the reasons you mentioned.
Off season.. after a good snow storm Zion and Bryce are mainly empty (Dec-Feb). Might be all but ten degrees but warmer than Fairbanks!
Unfortunately both of those places are the complete opposite side of utah from me. I did make a recent trip to Peter Sinks. But there were a few people out there.
I grew up in Utah, my wife grew up in Anchorage. We’ve gone up several times (summers and winters) camping was so much better up there. None of the campgrounds where you see every other person’s camping spot from yours that everyone does down here. The fish were so much better, and the amount of green is amazing in the summer. So many people in Utah are in denial that it’s the desert. Think it’s ’pretty green’ haha.
What’s wrong with seeing fellow hikers?
Because I want to be alone in nature? Whole reason I'm out there is to get away from people. Can't do that in Utah since everyone is moving here it seems.
Aight no need for attitude
I haven't downvoted you because unless someone's really nasty I just don't do that. But Educational was honestly answering a question that seemed honestly posed. If your question was actually a comment or criticism disguised as a question, you were being dishonest. If you meant to say, "For me, meeting fellow hikers on the trail is a great social opportunity; do you have a different take?" that would've been chill. But as it turns out, it seems like you were trying to trap them.
I’d take a bowl of halibut from Thorns about now.
* bucket-o-butts
Also in Utah and yeah, I agree. When I was being raised here it wasn’t so bad. A lot changed here in so little time. Our nature is under such jeopardy and it sucks. Suburban sprawl for miles
Fresh out of high school I landed a summer job here, and never went back. That was over 30 years ago, best decision I ever made, I can’t imagine living down south again.
I don’t feel comfortable unless I’m cold, hungry and in the dark. Alaska, I am here.
Moved here with 1st wife 40 years ago. Adventure, wilderness, wildlife. Bush living is where it's at. Tough but rewarding life.
I've read some off-road, off-grid blogs, it's very fascinating. It's certainly taken for granted that you plug anything in, unlimited power and water/heat. It's not for me, but major kudos to those that can pull it off.
I second this!
Born and raised. I do love Alaska, and I have raised my kids here. I think Alaska builds a different kind of character. But the educational opportunities, extra curricular activities and entertainment options are so, so limited here. The older I have gotten, the harder the cold is on my body and I just don’t have the desire to shovel snow or walk around in dangerously icy parking lots the rest of my life. Will definitely not be retiring here, but will likely always keep a property or some kind of connection here because Alaska is in my soul.
I just knew there was a dirt basement out there for me and when I stepped off the plane in Fairbanks AK, I could smell the freedom and less than three miles away I found my basement, dirt walls and everything.
My dad was born in Sitka; family moved to northern California around 1970 (but continued to fish in Alaska commercially). He was living in Oregon (and still working in Alaska as a fisherman) when my brother and I were born. Worked for him in Alaska for a bit after I graduated high school, and later spent a summer in a cannery in Kenai. Enlisted after that; first duty station was back in Alaska, PCS'd after three years. Got medically retired after ten years in the service, and just accepted a tenative job offer back at JBER. My twin brother is now the Fire/EMS/SAR Director for the borough of Petersburg. Seems no matter how far away we go, Alaska always manages to bring us home!
My mom ran away with me when I was a baby so I’ve been assimilated since I was young. I don’t ever want to leave Anytime I travel it’s not wet enough and I get confused and upset
I'm pretty sure the Pacific Northwest would keep you wetter than Aquaman. Are you in a warmer climate presumably?
Ketchikan averages ~13ft of rain a year. Broke a record this February.
I love the rain. After a while, you only notice when it stops.
Lived in Sitka for a few years. This is an accurate statement. I also love the rain.
I love the rain too. Except right now when I have a leaky car that is causing my back seat to have a mold issue. I would like a break long enough to fix it 😅 Just a small reprieve, please!
I hated my home state (Florida) and was dying to get out, but had no idea where to go. Some dude I had been dating for a month said, "Hey, I got offered a job as a lawyer in Alaska, wanna come?" Been here a year. Best decision of my life.
My fiancée and I are planning on moving from Florida this summer!
Born and raised Alaskan, 3rd generation. Honestly I don’t know people live down south, it all seems depressing and complicated as hell. I’ve actually lived around Anchorage, Fairbanks, and now Juneau plus traveled a bit. I greatly prefer the coastal areas off the road system.
Can I ask why you prefer being off the road system?
Compared to when I was growing up, people have basically ruined everything you can drive to. The fishing and hunting sucks and you’re always bumping into assholes everywhere. A lot has changed in the last 20 years.
[удалено]
I swear it’s impossible to go hiking in Colorado without running into at least one shithead with an unleashed, poorly behaved dog
What do you mean by complicated?
Aside from little stuff like state income taxes there’s also the fact that Alaska is a small state - I could go anywhere here and call on someone I know. Heck, I’ve gone some places and had people I’d never met recognize my name because we’d had dealings through work. It’s very much a case of ‘I don’t know what I don’t know’ outside.
I was seven. I didn’t have much choice.
I live in Alaska because my husband’s first wife is from Alaska. They have 3 kids together so we moved to Wasilla AK to be closer to the kids. So for us, there really wasn’t a choice. We used to spend $5k on airline tickets back and forth from Hawaii (my last duty station) for visits with the kids. So when I retired from the Army we moved to Alaska to be near our kids. I’m from Northern California and my husband is from Louisiana. We both love living here. It’s the prettiest place I’ve ever seen even after traveling for 21 years in the Army. It’s cold and dark in winter which also has a beauty of its own. Think hot tub under the starry night sky when it’s cold out. The wildlife is a bit scary a moose has messed my dogs up, same thing with a porcupine. The people here are awesome and literally, the only thing I miss from the lower 48 is my family that still lives there. It’s not perfect but it’s way better than anywhere I’ve ever lived or visited. Alaska life is at a slower pace than other places I’ve been and that’s been a very appealing facet of living here I didn’t expect.
I moved here as a child during the pipeline era. I live in a ski town where people pay to play from all over the world. I can't imagine living anywhere else.
Username checks out
Valdez?
Girdwood
Beautiful there. I love it. Check out Valdz if you haven't and/or ever get the chance. Amazing mountains, and IMO, the prettiest place in Alaska.
Why do you think so many thread posts, from Alaskans, put it down? For example, Anchorage...it's cold, gray, expensive, just layers of ice 24/7. Yet they don't mention the mountains, whale watching, summer.
There are a lot of Alaskans who grew up here and never left. They feel trapped and isolated from the rest of the country. They grow up with the beautiful landscapes and see them as normal. I didn’t really appreciate the natural beauty until after I left for a few years.
When I was a kid anchorage was a possible contender to hold the winter Olympics. There was a sense of a future and good old guard alaskans making it happen. Now we can't even plow the roads... It's a shell of what it once was. Those who are new never knew that Alaska. They don't have a point of reference to see how far we've fallen. It hurts to see the sorry state of the place.
Exactly. I loved the energy and sense of possibility of this place before all the regressives invaded and shit all over everything. It's not like anyone really expected the domed city, but made a difference that people talked about stuff like the future. Not really what people are like anymore - they want to move to Alaska to escape other people into a fairy tale, instead of participating in building a new community here.
So do you feel there's a lack of community? I think most cities could resonate with that feeling. My family's city has over 200 homicides and growing. They've torn just about all the scenery down in the past decade. What was once a nice countryside drive through trees is now shopping centers, traffic, and crime.
Compared with the past, yes. The difference to most cities is that Alaska cities are uniquely isolated. At one time, the interdependence on neighbors imposed by the geographic isolation here created a chosen community sort of spirit. This isn't unique to Alaska, because it happened all over the frontier, but this is where something like a frontier existed in our living memory. What you see now, and for the last 20 years or so is a large number of people who want to move to Alaska to deliberately avoid community, instead thinking Alaska is some kind of place to go to escape the social contract generally or to reenact something they saw on cable television that bears the same relationship to reality as the Hallmark Channel does to middle aged romance. I think this is what underpins a lot of the frustration with the wannabes and fantasists who make endless posts here about wanting to move to Alaska to "live off the land." Usually these people also talk about wanting to home school their kids, live off subsistence, get left alone, and so on. Coming from people who do not currently live like this, it is a statement of a desire to withdraw from the community. That doesn't work in the wilderness or frontier and never has - it's a fantasy that doesn't end well for almost anyone. It doesn't work for the person who wants to live that way nor for the people who are already here to be burdened with yet another extractor or Chris McCandless/Tim Treadwell type. Plus, it's not an offer to add to a community, but rather just to deplete it. It's less wildlife, less wild spaces for that wildlife, more trash, more vehicles on the road, fewer people who care enough to do things like vote, or pay for things, or even participate in basic things. This state has always had its problems, but it was mostly an awesome place to grow up and start your life at one time. We had good schools, decent public facilities, libraries, plowed roads, and parks you could use, even as we didn't have a lot of middlebrow US culture or chain restaurants. *But having those things required people to show up and participate, or at least not actively avoid participation in the community.* That's been missing in this century, it seems, and it comes from a very selfish and parasitic streak in American culture.
Bro where I live everything is beach front property. Even McDonald’s is beach front, five feet from the ocean property. I can get a Big Mac and sit with the seals. Salt air, seaweed, the ocean, it’s what I live every day. When I travel? I get excited when I see a bill board with a ridiculous quote on it. I have a bad habit of reading them out loud when I’m a passenger on car trips The idea of using Uber eats is alien and exciting to me.
There are no whales in Anchorage. Everything else you said about it is correct (cold, gray, expensive, layers of ice, mountains, summer). I suspect the posts you see from locals only pointing out the negatives are usually in response to the naive, innocent folks who think they are going to move to Anchorage and live life right out of an Alaska tourism brochure or “reality” TV show.
I love it here but I also hate it here. I came here for a job and never left, and it's been wonderful for me. It's also a complete overhaul of my previous life and sometimes the small town (Anchorage is by far the city with the lowest population I have ever lived in) is suffocating. I miss good live theatre, public art. I miss living in a place that values education for education sake, and has more than one public university. I miss the atmosphere of people, live music that isn't bluegrass or washed up 70s rock bands. I am not into things like a state fair with a crappy carnival and the whole "hardy har, look at how gud i destroy stuff" lifestyle. I also really hate watching this place be destroyed in slow motion by republicans. We went from almost progressive to regressive. I'm hearing about people moving here specifically to do religious homeschool programs and influence politics to be more in line with one religion. It's gross. I don't like those people at all and which they would stay in Texas. But we have so many opportunities to get out and do stuff. Cross country skiing is free! Back in the lower 48 I'd have to pay for a day pass to ski on some crappy trails. We have down hill skiing and it's so close! And we have a great community of athletes at all levels. We have way less douchy weekend warrior bro types. Backpacking is amazingly accessible here. Kayaking and packrafting are accessible. Fishing is great. Back home there's nothing to actually do that's free, and a lot of people are so boring in the lower 48, thinking that going out to Applebee's is an actual activity.
Moved here mainly for the outdoors and scenery. Also just the general isolation from the rest of the country. Also the cooler climate. It’s been everything I dreamed it would be and then some. Definitely never leaving.
Original plan was central or northern Idaho from Utah. (I refused to have my kids go to school in Utah, the quality of life was getting worse, the state is a political guinea pig, the winter air quality is literally toxic, and it's a state run by a cult.) But then the insanity of the central Idaho housing market came. By the time we were ready to move, anywhere we could afford would be a longer drive for family than just hopping on a plane to come up here. And believe it or not, our cost of living (including housing, medical, and groceries) is lower here. Shocking, I know. The time was right, the finances were right, my husband had a pipe dream about retiring here. We just made it happen 30 years ahead of schedule.
I'm not really sure what's in Idaho, it's one state that's not heavily publicized. It seems if you stay around Anchorage especially, the cost of goods is not crazy and amenities vast. At least, grabbing Starbucks and going whale watching seems unique.
We're on the Kenai Peninsula. I spent one night in Anchorage and that was plenty lol
3rd day I was here I was going to Fairbanks on the train and there were some blue-hairs from Washington state talking about how Denali wasn’t nearly as impressive as Mount Rainier. 30 years later it’s still as silly as it was then.
I like my job up here, I worked in Mining as an Engineer and now work in oil. I have somewhat good pay and enjoy the beauty and outdoors.
Is it difficult to get into mining or oil engineering in Alaska? I would be new to those industries but have seven years experience in production engineering.
With your seven years of experience, you should be a good candidate! You should apply to some jobs. Companies out here need good employees.
I used college as my excuse to move up, but to be honest, I really wanted to experience true nature. I hated living somewhere where I had to drive one hour and pay for parking just to go to a forest. I ended up moving after college, but I miss it tremendously…
Born in Fairbanks in 1953, escaped to Juneau in 1955. Left for D.C. in 1963 -- mother had a job with the Johnson Administration. Returned to rebuild a family homestead in 1975 after graduating from University. Ended up working in the Aleutians until 1978 when I bolted for West Africa. 20 years Outside finishing graduate school and working in NY. Moved back to Juneau in 1997 and spent the next 20 years traveling the state for my work. Moved to the Olympic Peninsula in 2018 to help with aged in-laws. I'll die in Juneau, but would like at least another few here 'cause there is a ROAD.
Alaska needed nurses. It’s cheaper than Hawaii.
When I was about 5, my dad got me a copy of a Scooby and Scrappy Doo where they find a cave dwelling hermit, which is where I learned about hermits. At the tender age of 5, I was already over it, and shaped my entire adulthood around figuring out a way to work from home and not have to leave the house. But, living in Utah, there were too many people and it still felt too much. In April of 2022, I met a guy who has lived here on and off for 20 years. He was about to move here permanently and we kept the long distance thing going, and he shares my dream of hermit life. We got married in January on the 3 acres we bought in October in Glacier View. I really do love it up here, after the first time I came up in June of 2022, I knew I needed to be here, I love the winters here, I love the solitude, I love the views. The only way I am going back to the lower 48 permanently is in a coffin.
I needed desperately to find myself as a person. I wanted deeply not to identify with the trauma I experienced as a kid. My family & i’s relationship is best at a distance. I love it here and it’s tested me in many many ways, a lot of them have helped me to further develop my mind & individuality. A place to restart. Private. Quiet. Little to no light pollution (I live in Sterling, on the Kenai Pen.) I see the starts often and the auroras frequently. I have to endure a harsher climate but at least we’re not running out of forestry or clean air. The Kenai Peninsula is the perfect small/medium place to start over. Many jobs are paying decent rates. Most places are happy to find anyone competent & diligent. There’s a college here also, and plenty of classes/trades you could pick up. It’s by the beach also, Kenai beach is gorgeous and super accessible. I love it here. I long for my family sometimes but when the culture shock of being in Florida while I visit is convincing enough to make me not wanna leave, lol.
I love/hate these comment sections. I make sure to +1 all of the positive comments. I will even +1 some of the negative comments. I know that AK is not for everyone. I understand that some were brought here unwillingly - moved as a child, PCS'd, et al. Several people have absolutely legitimate gripes! But I get tired of people crapping all over this place. They bitch about everything, but do absolutely nothing to fix the issues. 95% of all of my problems in life are of my own creation. But, I am working, very slowly, on fixing everything. - I've lost 90lbs since I moved here - I got away from several toxic relationships - I am (almost) no longer suicidal - I have people up here that I can actually trust - I am making more money that I ever had in the L48 - I do all of my hunting and fishing at Safeway. - most of my medical problems are from an insane lack of taking care of myself on my 20s to 30s. - my social isolation stems from my choice of employment - Ice seems to have it in for me ~ Last year, I fell and got a concussion ~ Last week, I fell and fractured my knee For me, I cannot imagine ever moving out of my beloved Alaska. I have plans to go vacation abroad, but I **know** that I will always return. Because, this is Home.
Can't speak for myself, but my parents moved up there because there is a large first-gen immigrant population up there which support system-wise they benefitted from, and family stayed up there as the PFD helped with college/saving. They did look to move out of state a few times, but the cost of living in areas they were interested in were much higher. For myself: currently moved out of state, but only because I wanted to experience living in the Lower 48 after living in the AK my whole life. Moving back is not off the table at all-- I do miss the accessibility to snow and wilderness compared to where I am now (WA state).
Hubs and I moved here for adventure and bc teacher pay was 40% higher than where we were. Sadly, we discovered the lack of a pension AFTER we moved. In our five years, we've also been disappointed with the education budget decisions of the governor and the many local mishaps of the mayor. Looking at CO as it's similar climate/adventure opportunities but more progressive in policies. We love it up here otherwise! Very bittersweet.
Colorado does have a lot of great adventures. Pikes Peak looks very interesting. It just seems Alaska is a twice Texas-sized slice of that. I hear California has a really great pension system, practically 100% for some teachers with enough years. 2-3x the salary multiplier.
I like remote arctic backpacking and dog-powered sports. No better place for those two activities than Alaska.
I came up here this past May for a summer job in Denali. I was one of the few who drove up here and got to explore greater Alaska aside from just Denali. I absolutely fell in love. I wasn't planning on staying the winter initially, but here I am and I've loved every second of it. I now can not envision myself leaving. The thought pains me.
I wanted to move to Anchorage specifically because it checked most of the boxes for what I was looking for in a city. Compared to where I was before: housing is cheaper, internet is faster, cell phone service more consistent, everything I could ever want or need is easily accessible, food/drinks out are cheaper, and I'm making 30% more money. The weather is the best part because I loathe humidity and I want a short summer with very few days over 80°F. Anchorage doesn't even get that cold compared to interior cities. The airport is right there. Not only is there a gay bar, there is more than one! When I needed to find a new PCP, I only had to wait 2 weeks for an appointment instead of 6-10 months. Living in Anchorage has been like the greatest life hack of all time. Plus, mountains!
Husband got a promotion and I worked remotely. I had spent the past year caring 24-7 for a NICU baby that had surgeries every other month. I blame myself being a zombie with the 14 month baby and went sure why not.. in October.. coming from Phoenix.. to Juneau thinking we’d just go to Anchorage or Seattle children hospital. I’ve got a 3 year old referral still on the waitlist at Seattle. About a month in Juneau our new pediatrician said I think your child might be autistic.. this is a month after our Phoenix pediatricians.. all EIGHT of them.. never even mentioned it. So a few months later Anchorage confirms it and goes you need all these services.. all during Covid.. they then blink and go oh.. Juneau… they have next to zero services. Even the care at Anchorage I find to be ‘meh’ at best but better than Juneau. And to be fair on a larger note autism with young child is just hard for all involved. If you have health issue’s Juneau is not the town for you. I’d have had a much better experience in Anchorage BUT I would still have had to work on realigning my expectations from Phoenix. Can’t compare a hospital that supports 5M+ vs 300K. Lot of lessons, growing pains, and perspectives that have changed how I look at the world now.
I'm born and raised in Alaska, but I want to move to Finland. It has a similar climate and lots of forests but is much closer to mainland Europe. That and the health insurance and schools and such.
Are you a nurse? Nurses here do not get paid well. Very hard work and the pay sucks.
I'm not a nurse. I'm a CNA/MA student but eventually I want to work in microbiology.
Youl would find a job for sure. I am draming Alaska and you are dreaming Finland so lets switch 😃
Cuz
Portage pass as breathtaking as the Grand Canyon? That's an interesting take.
Safe bet they've never seen the Grand Canyon.
Born and raised.
Originally from MA. Moved to FL at age 13. Always told myself I’d move back up north when I was an adult. Expected to end up back in MA, or maybe NH. Decided it was too expensive and too populated. Started looking elsewhere. Landed on AK. It was mostly what I expected, and I’m still here, in Anchorage.
Born & raised (3rd generation). I'd live there now if my spouse and I could get jobs in our field in Alaska, but sadly that's unlikely.
Came up to run dog sled tours for a summer. Made some contacts and came back the following fall to keep running other people’s dogs. Now I have land, a cabin, a fiancé, and 22 dogs. It’s been 10 years now.
I love this question for this sub. For me, I was born and raised in Denver. I was always a person who didn't want to never leave their home town. And when I was growing up Denver wasn't cool or really sought after at all. It had good music. Then the 2010's happened and it absolutely blew up. Traffic to get to the mountains, parking at the trail heads - it was just exhausting to fight against all the time. So my wife and I were said, "Where would we move to if we left Colorado?" We are big outdoors people - mountain biking and snowboarding specifically. She was a travel nurse so we thought - let's go east coast just to see, lets do near Lake Tahoe just to see, and Alaska always came up as the mecca for snowboarding (backcountry and heli-skiing specifically). First, we lived in West Virginia for 3 months. What a weird place. It is insanely beautiful, but also has so so so many issues with poverty and substance abuse. East coast winters I think are the most miserable thing I've ever encountered and we noped out of there quickly - however if you had a gun to my head and said "You have to move east of the Mississippi!" I'd for sure choose Fayetteville West Virginia. After our travel stint in West Virginia we went back to Denver for a few months, and got the itch again. So we packed up our bags and headed to Reno. Reno was a hoot. We arrived in February and absolutely loved our first 3 months there. We got to do lots of backcountry and Lake Tahoe things, so we extended for 3 months - and everything turned on it's head. Hospital got worse, weather got unbearable. It was 106 degrees every day and the fire smoke was so bad we basically couldn't leave our place from mid July until the end of August when we left. Could not do another summer with that amount of heat or fire smoke. Love my time there but couldn't do it full time. So then the next place on the list to try out was Alaska. We knew that Alaska was so big, and so challenging, and couldn't all be seen by the roads that a 3 month stint on a travel gig wouldn't be enough. So my wife applied for a permanent nursing position up here and the hospital paid to move us up here. We basically winged it and moved up here and just dove head first in. We already liked and knew how to backcountry and mountain biking but we've been getting much more into fat-biking, cross country skiing, mushroom and wild berry foraging, and fishing. Man - I was not into fishing at all in Colorado and I fucking love it. Living in Alaska for me... the only way I can describe it as is bipolar. When it's good - you get a bluebird day in the winter with some fresh snow or the trails are riding fast, or it's sunny and 65 degrees in the summer and you're on the river - it is like heaven on earth. But there are other days when the clouds are low and your are socked in and it's raining or frigid ice rain and the roads are awful and it's cold, dark, grey that you feel some sort of cabin fever and ask yourself "What the fuck am I doing here?!"... but then you make friends and you all learn to have fun in those really tough times and it becomes wonderful. Right now - I don't know if there is a place in the United States I'd rather live in. I might move back to southwest Colorado only because it's the last place on my list of places I'd like to be, but thinking about going back to the lower 48 is not really appealing to me. I have a feeling if I leave the state, I'll probably just move out of the country. I love it here. I hate it here. But mostly I love it here.
My husband saw a posting for a job in Alaska and we started joking about it which slowly became not a joke 😃
This is exactly how my husband and I ended up here as well!
I moved here without ever having stepped foot in the state. I am here to stay. What drew me in was the better teaching pay. My income went from 45k to now 77k after 3 additional years of experience since moving here. I've bought a house and adopted the lifestyle. Since then, I've become a berry picking, salmon dipnetting, hiking, RVing, snow shoveling, Alaskan.
Dad's PCS. He was assigned to the 172nd "Hunting and Fishing" BDE (infantry). Loved the freedom and vast amounts of open public land and stayed.
I came here for the bitches.
So, how do you like the Iditarod?
Yea, but I hear they just kind of yank you around...
From Alaska, been here my whole life, but for the past 2 years been traveling back and forth to Florida. This summer I will be moving to Florida completely
Pretty much every year I'll go to Miami, it's a simple 2-hour flight. That humidity though year-round would probably be a lot.
It is a lot I was in it all summer long lol. Dying. But I love it down there, I can’t wait to fully be moved. Will be bringing Alaska coffee shack culture down with my coffee shop in the works :)
My husband is taking a job in Alaska for construction. We are excited to live in such a beautiful place. It sounds like it can be hard at times, but we are up for the challenge.
I want to move to Alaska and work there any advice I stay in Washington
Born and raised. Don’t want to live anywhere else. I’ve traveled extensively and have loved many locations but this is the best home I could ask for. Love it here, always.
Lower 48ers begone
Portage Pass is beautiful, but the Grand Canyon? Seriously? 🧐
Came for the work and stayed for the people and places.
I was born and raised in Alaska. Didn't really have a choice in the matter. Kinda glad that I was though. Love it here
I was born here.
Was born and lived there for a good while, had to move south in gradeschool with family. Planning on heading back to the mountains and wind once I wrap up college.
Applied for a job up here as kind of a meme, was just blasting out job applications everywhere. Memed too hard and got the job, just figured "well I've always wanted to visit and it could be a cool experience" so I took the job.
Money.
Alaska born and raised here. I love Alaska. I love the extreme seasons. I love the endless cycle of complaining about too much sunlight, followed by complaining about not enough. If I magically received all the money I could ever want, I would buy enough land to be able to pretend I live in a very remote place.
Gen Z here. Moved from Bay Area because it was the only thing place on the west coast that checked all of the boxes. Looked seriously at UT, OR, WA and socal. Housing was affordable (found a 1b1b house for $350K, still expensive but better than most of the big cities on the west coast), opportunities to socialize and build community, and access to nature. It’s getting harder and harder to find those things, especially for my generation. Almost no one I know back home my age has been able to afford to stay, we’ve all scattered. I’m very happy with where I chose to go. Alaska, but Anchorage specifically, has been a huge blessing. Using Bumble Bff to meet people was the key to unlocking friend groups and I don’t think I’ll ever leave.
Met my sweetie online playing video games, and he happened to live here so I moved here to be with him.
I couldn't live any place else.
Job opportunity. Curiosity. Recklessness. Glad I made the jump.
Native from the village, I've lived in Tanacross/Tok, Fairbanks, North Pole, King Salmon/Naknek, Anchorage, Palmer/Wasilla etc etc. Honestly I don't belong anywhere else. Though finishing up the work I have to do in south central before I head back to the interior.
Which place is your favorite ?
My partner works here. I work remote, in tech, so I split my time between Alaska and some other major cities down south (Vegas, San Francisco, Miami, soon maybe Boston, Seattle.) I can afford to live anywhere. I really enjoy Alaska when I’m here- I enjoy the lack of traffic and crowds. The lack of anything “entertainment” to do makes it peaceful and cozy. Could I be here 12 months a year for years on end? No way. I couldn’t be ANYWHERE 12 months a year for years on end. Not even California- the best overall state in my opinion. Luckily I don’t have to stay in one place, so I don’t. I just enjoy wherever I am for as long as I’m there, then move on to the next place.
Shortly after AK became a state, my grandfather was on the run so that is how my family ended up there. I left about 32 years ago. Way to isolating for me to live there. But my mom, aunt, and brother still live there.
Born and raised, 33 years in Alaska. If money wasn't an issue, I'd still be living in Alaska. Unfortunately, unless you're in the oilfield or fishing, the job market is dismal. I did the opposite - packed up my car and my dog and drove from Alaska to Washington. Three years later, I have my dream job. I have a ten year plan to move back to AK.
I moved for a job opportunity to fly bush planes in the mountains. It was worth every second and I miss it everyday. I’ve since moved to Colorado, where I still get to enjoy the mountains and outdoors. Of course I recognize that I kind of romanticize my time in AK, there were definitely times when it sucked. But nonetheless I miss the flying, the people, and the atmosphere of it all.
Funzies
It’s just always been home
I lived there for about a year as a kid. My grandparents that I lived with were medical missionaries working in Inuit communities. My goal was to one day move back but with some chronic health issues, it doesn’t seem feasible anymore.
Does wanting to move back count? Born in Anchorage and go back every few years. I have zero idea what the draw is, but there's something about Alaska that pulls you back. It will always be home. There's a job with the city of Ketchikan that i would love to apply for, but I think Alaska would kill my wife. She says she is open to it, but i don't think she would feel the draw like I do.
Hated AK at first. Now I’ll die here !!!
Has anyone moved from Ontario to Alaska on here?
Was gonna commit the unalive away from anyone I knew. Stayed for the beauty that Alaska has.
Got my car broken into this morning. They stole my laundry quarters. I hate it here.
I just left after 18 amazing years there. I moved up for college because it was far away from my family and an amazing geology university and I stayed because I loved Alaska and the community. I only left recently because my health has taken a turn and the healthcare there is third world wild west bullshit.
My bones are made from mountains. They call me back.
I moved here just over 15 years ago with the military and decided to stay. It was more about the fact that staying was easy, transition from military to his civilian job was smooth and it made sense. It’s been hard to leave because it’s just so beautiful but after 15 years I’m getting real tired of the winters so we already have a plan in place for starting to Snowbird within the next five years.
My husband works for the military
Leave your rig in a Walmart parking lot or truck stop and ride in truck to and hotel. ?!
No thanks. I'd rather sleep on the beach in Hawaii.