WHERE WOULD YOU GO... to build a remote cabin and live off the land? (Anchorage: sale, to rent)

[arctichomesteader]

Originally Posted by Toes1023

So much for land of the free right? As far as rights go to land to pay for it and claim it as something of your own is re-dick-u-liss. The american indians the aboriginies and a butt load of other tribes and peoples had no word for owning the earth. If we where a people that understood that we might actualy live i a sivilization that would thrive instead of fail miserably. To "live free or die" is no longer a phrase used today now it is "Consume or die" its really sad

Then get a wall tent and supplies and head to some of the vast federal lands open to camping/trapping/hunting...

[Glitch]

Originally Posted by Toes1023

So much for land of the free right? As far as rights go to land to pay for it and claim it as something of your own is re-dick-u-liss. The american indians the aboriginies and a butt load of other tribes and peoples had no word for owning the earth. If we where a people that understood that we might actualy live i a sivilization that would thrive instead of fail miserably. To "live free or die" is no longer a phrase used today now it is "Consume or die" its really sad

You can also buy land outside of any borough and not have to pay property taxes. Of course, you do not get any services either, but that should be expected when you are not paying property taxes. But since you pay no property taxes, once the property is completely paid for you truly do own the land.

The State was offering treed five acre lots near Tok for $4,500, which I found particularly tempting since Tok is not in a borough. I had been looking around the Glennallen and Chitna area because neither are in a borough, but the water table is too deep. Most of the residents in that area have to have their potable water brought in via truck from Kenny Lake. I am not sure how deep the water table is around Tok, but it is worth finding out.

[spunkynortherngal]

Hello,

I've got a 5 acre chunk with a small cabin on it that is located near the town of McCarthy. When I lived out there year round, I hauled water from nearby creeks. The pop of the area is very small. It is definitely considered remote living. All of the land surrounding this 5 acres is Department of Nat Resourse land- wildlife preserve and wilderness refuge. Beyond that it is mostly National Park land. You'd never have neighbors within miles. It's on Craigslist here in Alaska. Take a look, google the area and the town of Kennicott for more info. Hunting in the area is doable and if you are a resident out there, you get subsistence hunting and copper river subsistence rights-that means more salmon than you'll ever be able to eat. Good luck on your dream, ignore negative people.

[Frostnip]

Originally Posted by Rance

Back when I was in gradeschool in Sterling and Soldotna...we had actual classes that taught survival in the woods. We'd have to go out and build shelters, fires, snare rabbits, perform first aid etc. This occured from fall to spring so conditions changed with the seasons. One of the best classes I ever had and I wish they still did it to this day.

We had this at my high school back in Wisconsin, believe it or not. It's maybe the only class I've actually used since high school

[cjg5]

I wish we had classes like that here! Sounds great!

[poschulte]

Right now, seems the worst idea. I've loved AK for 25 yrs but had a good job and fishing/hunting down pat. I'm leaving now to get back to the country where the weather's better, soil's better, more opportunities, and to live off the land in retirement. Remember the Alaskan bird - the Mosquito!

[Emhartain]

Originally Posted by bongo

Lori, I don't think it is so much "badmouthing" as Alaskan realism which you could encounter any place across our state. This is not -48 mentality creeping up but hard core AK realism, IMHO. Real Alaskans will tell you how it is & not mince words. Alaska is a tough place for, as you said, "living off the land." With the short growing season it's a tough place to garden for even minimal self-sufficiency.

The number one piece of advise I would give is have a job lined up ahead of time. With a job offer, Alaska is much more manageable. Then one can deal with shoveling snow, plugging in vehicles, getting correct tires for vehicles, driving on black ice, getting subzero clothing for all the kids, keeping dogs in at night, learning to live among bears,moose or even wolves, etc.

What is your line of work and perhaps we can point you to some communities for job opportunities?

Well, it is an intriguing thought.. to brave the cold and dark of Alaska.. what, 4 summer growing months? I'm not sure I'd really be able to pull it off.. it would have to be one big garden! I suppose hunting some game and fishing the rivers and streams would help, but, no.. not without a home and income, could I believe that I could survive one winter in central Alaska.

So, how are the computer jobs up there, anyway? Anything open for a 15+ year tech?

[Emhartain]

Originally Posted by Glitch

That may be true, but you do have to buy the sugar, pectin, and canning wax or mason jars if you want to keep that fruit or make that jam. People who have no experience canning, smoking, or preserving food should not even consider attempting to "live off the land."

Leafy greens are always seasonal. I know of no way to preserve them so they would be edible months later. Although, I have had mixed success preserving fiddlehead ferns by blanching them for about 2 minutes in salted boiling water, then putting them in a zip lock bag and freezing them. However, there are lots of other vegetables that can be preserved, such as tubers, legumes, squash, corn, etc.

Again, you make it sound like people who don't live in Alaska are idiots when it comes to canning and preserving food.

I, for one, live in the desert, have raised tropical fruits and vegetables, as well as arid, temperate and so forth. It's not about the climate, it's about DEALING with the climate and getting what you want REGARDLESS of the weather.

Live in the ice and snow? Build a greenhouse. Seem impractical? Live in it. Now it's practical.
Yes, you need materials and stuff to do that, but once the initial investment is made, you can simply improve and expand from there. Use gutters and such to capture melted snow and turn it into irrigation. Make a room with a ceiling to get out of the heat (lol, funny to think of, but so true) on sunny days. Now that your garden is weather-proof, you can expend your energies differently; harvesting wood, berries, wild roots and tubers, flowers and other edibles and storing them in

OMG! A FREEZER!!! WHO WOULDA THUNK IT?!?! HOLY CRAP! I don't need mason jars or pectin or wax or NOTHING, except maybe some zip-loc bags. Take out a bag, snap off a handful of berries, put bag back in freezer. Put bag in warm location, in sun, or warm by the stove until defrosted. Take berries out of bag, put in bowl. use blunt instrument to mash the crap out of said berries. Spread mashed berries on feshly toasted bread - jam.

It's one thing to SURVIVE in Alaska. It's totally another to thrive and be comfortable, which you seem to assume all us -48ers dream to come to Alaska to do.

In all honesty, I bet the skin on my back that I could go out there and not only survive, but thrive and make all you locals look like old ladies for all your dour, sour-mouthed talk about the adventurous and determined.

You see, I'm not some fat old slob tired of 'working for the man'. I don't think I can go to Alaska and build a 6 bedroom mansion with my bare hands, have hot and cold running water and gilded porcelain commodes. I'm a fit, healthy, energetic 43 year-young person who knows how to work the land (look at me, I'm in the desert growing pitaya and papaya for christ's sake) and fish and hunt, as well as fell a tree, strip, split and tab logs for cabins, lay plans, build furniture, weapons, and tools. All I need is a fertile place to go do it all, and a little money (or a job) to get me started.

To answer the actual question on this thread, to which I have not acutally read one yet... I would go to one of many possible locations:
Cloudcroft, NM (Lincoln National Forest)
Bear Lake, CA (Bakersfield area or San Bernardino? Can't remember.. High Desert)
Somewhere in the hilly parts of Oregon
Alaska - Maybe the southwestern part, where the pacific weather keeps it a little more tropical.
Vancouver - Or Alaska in the same area

Basically, I could be dropped off anywhere in the world, in the mountains, in a forest, and live indefinitely right off the bat.

Of course, being a former U.S. Marine doesn't hurt.

So, don't have disdain for us lowlanders. We may be warm and stupid, but we're strong and determined too.

You can take a man out of the country, but you can't take the country out of a man.

[Emhartain]

Originally Posted by arctichomesteader

You can make it without pectin. You could tap birch trees and boil the sap down until it's just sugar (yes I know, time, fuel and labor intensive and not particularly practical, but doable just the same). Of course that still leaves needing jars...

Potatoes have got to be the most practical of vegetables for Northern areas. The right varieties store all winter in a root cellar and they grow just fine in short, cool summers. A person could live off potatoes a long time if needed.

Ahh, yes.. I forgot about 'taters. Boy do I love 'em too. I mean, for a meat and pototatoes person, living off the land in Alaska should be a no-brainer. Deer, Moose and Caribou Jerky, Rabbit or wolf for a treat meat, all with some potatoes. Shredded and fried, cubed and curried, boiled, mashed, you name it. Meat and potatoes is always good.

Oh, by the way, a simple solution to sugar and pectin is to use Quince. Quince is one of the only fruits that is rich in natural pectin. Simply take a few quince, boil the crap out of them, mash them through a cheesecloth and collect the juice. Take the juice and mix it with a couple cups of your favorite wild or grown fruit, mash well, strain, saving the pulp and re-introduce the fruited quince juice to heat. Cook down this mixture until it gets syrupy, put it in a jar and let sit in the fridge open for a half a day then cover. Makes about a half a jar of jelly... jam if you put the pulp back in there, and will keep for about 2 weeks uncovered in the fridge. Longer, of course, if frozen.

You can also take the quince 'sauce' that you made from mashing them for their juice, and mix with apple juice or even a little water and eat that. It's not as good as applesauce, and tends to turn a mauve color from cooking, but the texture is about the same and if you wet it with applejuice, you can hardly tell the difference from applesauce.

I have a healthy quince tree and have discovered many useful recipes for this otherwise inedible fruit.

[Glitch]

Originally Posted by Emhartain

Again, you make it sound like people who don't live in Alaska are idiots when it comes to canning and preserving food.

Where in my post did I even mention Alaska? I said that "people," meaning anyone, anywhere, with 'no experience canning, smoking, or preserving food should not even consider attempting to "live off the land."' Did you even bother to read the title of the thread before reviving this almost two year old thread?

Originally Posted by Emhartain

I, for one, live in the desert, have raised tropical fruits and vegetables, as well as arid, temperate and so forth. It's not about the climate, it's about DEALING with the climate and getting what you want REGARDLESS of the weather.

And I can guarantee that you are not living off the land. It very much is about climate, latitude, and even altitude. Those factors determine the flora and fauna of the land one is attempting to live off.

Originally Posted by Emhartain

Live in the ice and snow? Build a greenhouse.

Plucked from one of those magical greenhouse trees no doubt.

Originally Posted by Emhartain

Yes, you need materials and stuff to do that, but once the initial investment is made, you can simply improve and expand from there.

If you are not making everything you need from your surrounding environment, you are not living off the land. It was much easier to live off the land in States like Oregon and Washington, but it is still possible in Alaska, with a lot of work.

Originally Posted by Emhartain

Use gutters and such to capture melted snow and turn it into irrigation. Make a room with a ceiling to get out of the heat (lol, funny to think of, but so true) on sunny days. Now that your garden is weather-proof, you can expend your energies differently; harvesting wood, berries, wild roots and tubers, flowers and other edibles and storing them in

OMG! A FREEZER!!! WHO WOULDA THUNK IT?!?! HOLY CRAP! I don't need mason jars or pectin or wax or NOTHING, except maybe some zip-loc bags. Take out a bag, snap off a handful of berries, put bag back in freezer. Put bag in warm location, in sun, or warm by the stove until defrosted. Take berries out of bag, put in bowl. use blunt instrument to mash the crap out of said berries. Spread mashed berries on feshly toasted bread - jam.

It's one thing to SURVIVE in Alaska. It's totally another to thrive and be comfortable, which you seem to assume all us -48ers dream to come to Alaska to do.

In all honesty, I bet the skin on my back that I could go out there and not only survive, but thrive and make all you locals look like old ladies for all your dour, sour-mouthed talk about the adventurous and determined.

I will take that bet.

Any idiot that would haul a freezer into the bush is bound to be dead within a month.

Originally Posted by Emhartain

You see, I'm not some fat old slob tired of 'working for the man'. I don't think I can go to Alaska and build a 6 bedroom mansion with my bare hands, have hot and cold running water and gilded porcelain commodes. I'm a fit, healthy, energetic 43 year-young person who knows how to work the land (look at me, I'm in the desert growing pitaya and papaya for christ's sake) and fish and hunt, as well as fell a tree, strip, split and tab logs for cabins, lay plans, build furniture, weapons, and tools. All I need is a fertile place to go do it all, and a little money (or a job) to get me started.

Good luck with that plan. You are clearly another Chris McCandless wannabe.

Originally Posted by Emhartain

To answer the actual question on this thread, to which I have not acutally read one yet... I would go to one of many possible locations:
Cloudcroft, NM (Lincoln National Forest)
Bear Lake, CA (Bakersfield area or San Bernardino? Can't remember.. High Desert)
Somewhere in the hilly parts of Oregon
Alaska - Maybe the southwestern part, where the pacific weather keeps it a little more tropical.
Vancouver - Or Alaska in the same area

The most southwesterly part of Alaska are the Rat Islands, of which Attu Island is part. At 52° latitude you are not talking "tropical." Alaska climate zones range from temperate, boreal or sub-arctic, and arctic. And there is no place in Alaska that is "the same area" as Vancouver, BC. It is well to the south of Alaska with a temperate climate, similar to Alaska's southEASTERN panhandle.

Originally Posted by Emhartain

Basically, I could be dropped off anywhere in the world, in the mountains, in a forest, and live indefinitely right off the bat.

It would not be as indefinite as you might like.

Originally Posted by Emhartain

Of course, being a former U.S. Marine doesn't hurt.

It does not always help either, being a former U.S. Marine.

Originally Posted by Emhartain

So, don't have disdain for us lowlanders. We may be warm and stupid, but we're strong and determined too.

You can take a man out of the country, but you can't take the country out of a man.

I have a lot of disdain for lesser-48ers who think they have a clue what Alaska is like, having never even visited the place.

You think you know everything about everywhere when in reality you have utterly no clue what you are talking about.