Alaskan Vehicles (Anchorage, Talkeetna, Petersville: real estate, insurance, to live in)

[Wyld Chyld]

Hello,
When I was 15 my family and I spent a summer in Alaska and I have always wanted to return but was never able to budget it. Now I am making plans to finally move to Alaska within the next few years. I believe I want to live in Talkeetna or another area similar. I was wondering though what the best type vehicles are for Alaska? Currently I drive a front-wheel drive Honda Element but I was uncertain as to how well it would do in winters there. It does well here but we get very little snow and ice. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Phyllis

[BudinAk]

Originally Posted by Wyld Chyld

Hello,
When I was 15 my family and I spent a summer in Alaska and I have always wanted to return but was never able to budget it. Now I am making plans to finally move to Alaska within the next few years. I believe I want to live in Talkeetna or another area similar. I was wondering though what the best type vehicles are for Alaska? Currently I drive a front-wheel drive Honda Element but I was uncertain as to how well it would do in winters there. It does well here but we get very little snow and ice. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Phyllis

Hi Phyllis. Most front-wheel drive vehicles do fairly well here, especially with studded snow tires. In the larger towns and cities, just about anything will work, as they generally keep the streets cleared and "ok" all winter. In Talkeetna, and surrounding area? Hmmm...while I've visited there, I'm not familiar with their winter conditions, but the Element should probably work just fine. If you want to be worry free, then pick something with AWD, or 4WD. My wife and I just bought a new Subaru Outback, which has AWD. Great traction in snow and ice. AWD (and 4WD) vehicles don't generally get quite as good MPG as 2WD vehicles, but I think it's worth sacrificing a few MPG for the extra added insurance of staying on the road, and/or not getting stuck because it "snowed a foot" during the night. We have a 1/4 mile long driveway which is not maintained by either the state or city, so it can get pretty nasty after a snowstorm....

Bud

[rotorhead]

Subarus are pretty close to being the "official state vehicle" of Alaska. There are tons of four wheel drive trucks and SUVs of course, but it seems like I'm seeing more and more Subies in places where gas is already high and getting higher.

We're paying $3.85 for unleaded here, and $3.55 for diesel.

If you live in Anchorage or Juneau, a FWD with good studded snow tire oughta be fine almost all of the time, unless you live out of town or off an unmaintained private road or something like that.

[Wyld Chyld]

Thanks for the replies. I had heard Subarus were a big thing up, but they are so expensive for the bigger ones that I would need. I got the Element because it is great for the space and it doesn't really matter what happens to the interior it just wipes out. I have been looking online at real estate in the Talkeetna & Petersville area, of course I plan another summer trip to view properties but from most of the things I am seeing the type real estate I am wanting is probably going to have an unmaitained road/driveway or none at all. I guess I'll just have to see what type of land I can find when I get there and decide then what to do. Just a curiosity question, do many people still use sled dogs to get around?

[BudinAk]

Originally Posted by Wyld Chyld

Just a curiosity question, do many people still use sled dogs to get around?

Not any more, except as a recreational sport. The native people used sled dogs until the invention of 4-wheelers, snow machines, and outboard motors...so now they are pretty much "motorized"...

Bud

[warptman]

And Airplanes. Plenty of Alaska Native pilots out here in Western Alaska.

[rotorhead]

Yeah, those dog teams are such a hassle to park.

Not only that, but when your shift is up sometimes they don't want to start after they've been left in the cold all day.

[Arcticthaw]

Parralell Parking the dogs is just a real B**** !!!

They don't back that well either! Not like a horse team.

Parking tickets for being over the alloted space is another tough one. They charge by the DOG!!! Minimum of two dogs!

In the cold weather after a long day standing by you have to deal with the square leg problem! Makes for a rough and jerky ride till all the kinks are worked out.

Then the worst of course is if a dog gets stuck to a fire hydrant! Just ruins the poor thing for life!