Questions about moving to the Interior this summer (Anchorage, Palmer: real estate, house)

[forgetwho]

I’ve posted a couple of times previously on other threads, but now I have a whole list of questions and so am starting my own thread.

I am starting to plan in earnest for moving to Alaska (next summer) and renting a small (200 to 500 sq. ft.) cabin for at least a full year. I am considering Houston, Willow, Trapper Creek, and Talkeetna or within perhaps 20 miles of any of those places. (I want to be on a road system but somewhat isolated.) I have spent a few (summer) days in Talkeetna, but I have not yet visited the other places I’m considering.

I am a woman who will be retired and living alone. I have lived off the grid in a semi-remote area (for six years, in California, on a dirt road inside a national forest), and I’ve visited Alaska seven times, so I have some idea of what I’m setting out to do, but I have not been to Alaska yet in the winter. I am mentally self-sufficient, but there are skills I don’t have and at this point am not likely to acquire – like hunting, or even chopping my own wood or changing a tire. So I will need to pay or barter for some services.
I have some questions that I’m hoping some of you can answer:

1. Water – For cabins that don’t have water, how do most people get water? If there isn't an easy source for hauling from, are there people who will deliver water? If so, what is that likely to cost?

2. I guess people find places to shower. But if there's no indoor plumbing (I'm assuming that if there's no water there's no indoor plumbing either), how do people cook and do kitchen clean-up in winter?

3. I have an AWD Subaru wagon I’m planning to bring with me. You have to have a heater on your car's engine all winter, right? How does that work? Does a car heater need to be plugged into an outlet? What's the expense of that likely to be?

4. What heat source am I likely to find in the areas I’ve listed, and what is it likely to cost me to heat a 200-500 sq. ft. cabin?

5. Not considering medical expenses, which I’m calculating separately, or TV/Internet, which I plan to do without, but assuming I need to pay for things like water delivery and wood chopping, what’s the minimum monthly income you think I would realistically need to live on?

6. What can you tell me about Willow, Trapper Creek, Talkeetna, or Houston as places to live?

7. Someone on another thread suggested that I should plan to rent a place either by April 15 or after Labor Day, in order to find something before summer workers come up to rent or after they leave. I won't be able to move before July, but I think waiting until September might be problematic, because I'll want to learn a lot of stuff (and meet people) before winter comes. That would be cutting it close. So maybe I should come up in April and find something and pay rent from then on even though I can't move until July. Does anyone have any thoughts about this - about timing?

8. I'm trying to figure out the cheapest way to move my stuff (I won’t bring much). I live in Washington State now. No way is cheap. But it seems like if I'm moving within a hundred miles of Anchorage, I should stuff my car full and get on the ferry with it, timing my move to coincide with when the ferry makes its cross-Gulf run to Whittier, and then drive from there. Does anyone have any other suggestions?

9. My ideas for finding a place are to look in the Frontiersman and on Craig's List, to call local realtors, and possibly to advertise on the Talkeetna radio station. Does anyone have any other ideas?

Thanks for any help you guys can give me!

[aquariusmom]

I can not help with specifics as I do not know those areas but something that jumped out at me- you sound very prepared mentally and experienced enough that you'll be fine... I agree you can likely buy wood chopped, I bought a cord from some kids in their late teens and am more than happy with the quality and their work- I will say typically when you buy wood chopped, it still needs to be further split. This is just my experience from several locations including Alaska, so be prepared to further split if need be, maybe invest in a splitter if thats too much of a hassle. I have a teenage son so it's not a problem for me

BUT, unless you are physically handicapped (which it doesn't sound like you are since you are looking at interior Alaska ) PLEASE have someone teach you how to change a tire. You CAN do it!! You may feel intimidated because you've gone so many yrs without having learned and because well... vehicles are big heavy things, but you're not likely going to be living in a place where you can call AAA. I feel very strongly that women should have this skill, I guess in part because I have spent so much time alone (my husband is in the coast guard) over the years I have had to be self reliant in basic skills and tire changing really IS a basic skill every driver should know how to do.

Anyway, best of luck to you- you sound like you have a real pioneer spirit!! I'm sure lots of helpful more knowledgeable posters will come along with advice for your specifics.

[Marty Van Diest]

1. Water – For cabins that don’t have water, how do most people get water? If there isn't an easy source for hauling from, are there people who will deliver water? If so, what is that likely to cost?

Sometimes someone locally will haul water. Whoever is renting the cabin will know the answer to this. Sometimes the local firehouse will provide water for a fee.

2. I guess people find places to shower. But if there's no indoor plumbing (I'm assuming that if there's no water there's no indoor plumbing either), how do people cook and do kitchen clean-up in winter?

They have a five gallon jug of water which they use to fill up pans. They can heat these on the stove...now you have hot water. Just throw it outside the door when you are done.

3. I have an AWD Subaru wagon I’m planning to bring with me. You have to have a heater on your car's engine all winter, right? How does that work? Does a car heater need to be plugged into an outlet? What's the expense of that likely to be?

An engine heater needs to be plugged in. Generally you only plug it in for 1/2 hour or so before you start it. It depends on how cold it is. You experiment with your car. You don't need to have it plugged in all the time

4. What heat source am I likely to find in the areas I’ve listed, and what is it likely to cost me to heat a 200-500 sq. ft. cabin?

You will probably heat with wood or oil. Sometimes you will heat with propane but that can be expensive. The cost completely depends on how well insulated the cabin is. It could cost you as much as $200 per month on the coldest months. Obviously it will cost you more to heat a 500 sq. foot cabin than a 200 sq foot cabin. If it is very well insulated it should be less than $100.

5. Not considering medical expenses, which I’m calculating separately, or TV/Internet, which I plan to do without, but assuming I need to pay for things like water delivery and wood chopping, what’s the minimum monthly income you think I would realistically need to live on?

People currently living like this would do better, but I'll give a stab at monthly costs. Heat $200, Elect. $50, Food, $400, Gas $200, Water $100, Car insurance and maintenance $200, Rent, cabin w/o water, $400. There is more, I'm probably high on some and low on others.

6. What can you tell me about Willow, Trapper Creek, Talkeetna, or Houston as places to live?

They have quite a lot of snow, cold snaps down to -40F. Mostly warmer than that. Talkeetna is more of a community, as might be Trapper Creek. Trapper Creek is smaller. Houston is warmer. Houston is a city with a mayor, zoning, and even it's own dog catcher. I think Houston has one police man. But you would never know Houston is a city because it's mostly empty land.

7. Someone on another thread suggested that I should plan to rent a place either by April 15 or after Labor Day, in order to find something before summer workers come up to rent or after they leave. I won't be able to move before July, but I think waiting until September might be problematic, because I'll want to learn a lot of stuff (and meet people) before winter comes. That would be cutting it close. So maybe I should come up in April and find something and pay rent from then on even though I can't move until July. Does anyone have any thoughts about this - about timing?

There will be very few choices in mid summer. It would be a good idea to visit the area in April anyway. Just so you know what you will be getting into. The other places are much different than Talkeetna.

8. I'm trying to figure out the cheapest way to move my stuff (I won’t bring much). I live in Washington State now. No way is cheap. But it seems like if I'm moving within a hundred miles of Anchorage, I should stuff my car full and get on the ferry with it, timing my move to coincide with when the ferry makes its cross-Gulf run to Whittier, and then drive from there. Does anyone have any other suggestions?

Probably be cheapest just to stuff your car full and drive all the way from Washington wouldn't it?

9. My ideas for finding a place are to look in the Frontiersman and on Craig's List, to call local realtors, and possibly to advertise on the Talkeetna radio station. Does anyone have any other ideas?

Those should work, but don't rent something until you actually see it. Local realtors in Talkeetna include: McKinley Real Estate, &Talkeetna Real Estate. Willow has Trapline Realty. Lots of cabins, perhaps most, are rented with a notice on a local bulletin board. If you are actually here, stop at the local gas stations, stores, and restraunts to read their bulletin boards. People put up rent flyers on these all the time.

[Metlakatla]

The area you're considering is in South Central Alaska and is not considered to be in the interior. Not that it really matters.

I can answer some of your questions but am very short on time. I agree that you need to learn to change a tire.

Unless something has changed in the past year there is no water delivery service.

Cooking and cleaning in a limited water supply isn't so much for one person but I don't think I'd want to do it again. If I were you I'd seriously look for a place with water.

[RAMFEB31]

Let me see now. You are a single woman in middle or later part of life wanting to experience the rigors of life in Alaska in the dead of winter that can get as cold as -40F w/apparent questionable survival skill. You want to live in a small cabin possibly w/no plumbing or electric and probably heat/cook only w/wood (wood is much cheaper than oil for heating and/or cooking) but have not learn to chop wood and cannot change a tire on your car. You are thinking of minimum or no medical insurance coverage but will live in some of the towns that have only very basic care. WOW!! You are one brave woman!! Perhaps you may wish to at least learn to change your tires, chop/saw some wood, start a wood fire in a cooking or heating stove and more before you move up there.

[Metlakatla]

Let me tell you how I change tires.

When a tire needs changed, stand by the side of the road and look confused.

It won't be much longer before some nice man arrives and changes it.

Sorry, but it really does work for me.

I have no clue how to change a tire the real way.

[Rance]

Tire changing is easy as 1-2-3. Why just this summer I had to change one on the haul road. 7 minutes and that included removal of spare from under the van.
Splitting wood is quite easy but you will need practice. The last thing you want to do is chop into your foot or leg out in the middle of nowhere.
You may be required to haul your own water in 5 gallion jugs or smaller if you cannot carry the weight of 8.34 pounds per gallon.

[Marty Van Diest]

Lets see, how many flats have I had in the last few years? We have 4 cars in my family, three teenage drivers. My wife had a flat about 3 years ago when she hit a pot hole on Trunk Road. That was the last flat.

Get good tires, drive normally and you won't have to worry too much about flats. You won't really be living in the middle of the boonies if you are in the places you mentioned. There are neighbors and neighbors generally are helpful, especially in the winter.

As far as chopping wood. Most of the wood you buy will be split, but you will want some of it to be smaller so just ask the person you buy the wood from to deliver a load of smaller split wood. They will be happy to because they will make more money.

Or you can heat with oil.

I am working on a super-insulated 256 sq ft cabin that I plan to rent out eventually. It is insulated well enough that one plug in electric heater keeps it warm without breaking the bank. Sorry, i don't think it will be done when you are ready to come up. Besides, it's in the Palmer area.

[forgetwho]

Thanks to everyone who has replied so far. Some of the information you've given me and suggestions you've made have been extremely useful, and I've been very encouraged by most of your responses.

Just to get past the one negative comment first, a couple of points of clarification: I didn't say I'd have minimal medical coverage, I said I am calculating the cost of that separately. In fact, I have researched that thoroughly and will have good medical insurance. Also, I have plenty of experience making fires in wood stoves (and, as I said in my first post, I lived off the grid for 6 years - with a generator, industrial batteries, and an inverter for power), and I can carry five gallon jugs of water.

Several of you suggested that I learn to change a tire, and I think that's a really good idea. So I'm following up on that. I also will plan a spring trip to the area, and I appreciate the suggestion to look on bulletin boards for rental ads.

Marty, you are right that it would be cheaper to drive than to take the ferry - I've priced that out since I wrote before. In fact, it would be much cheaper to drive. Another reason to learn to change a tire.

If anyone (prior responders or new ones) has any more ideas at all for me, please keep posting! I want all the info and ideas that I can get. Thanks.