Concerned parent (Anchorage, Wasilla, Palmer: vacation, job, school)

[Huntress1]

Palmer and surrounding areas. I've always lived in small towns and hope to bring up my kids in the same environment, just wondering if it's a safe and close community? Are there town festivals and community get togethers? Are there activities for the kids and teens for after school?

[User 2]

Originally Posted by Huntress1

Are there activities for the kids and teens for after school?

Driving around drinking and shooting stuff up out on the Palmer flats is discouraged now, so I'm guessing the kids have to find something else to do now....
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[Huntress1]

Tell me your kidding!

[Marty Van Diest]

Palmer has something like a 6000 population but the area around Palmer has 20-30 thousand people. I don't know how large of a town you are in now but that gives you some idea.

There are town festivals, parades etc. I have lived here for a long time...30+years. I like it but you need to know that it is WINDY in Palmer in the winter time. You can find some places with no wind, but you need to look for them.

It is important to get kids to like winter activities. My 13 year old loves winter . He snowboards, snowmachines, makes snow forts, ice skates, snow shoes on Lazy Mountain etc. Winter is his favorite time of year. He is really bummed when we don't have much snow.

My daughters are ok with winter but like summers better.

You don't have to worry about the darkness. Just get a good LED
headlight and get used to doing things outside in the dark. My sister-in-law climbs Lazy Mt several times a week in the dark. No big deal...for her. I don't mind the dark but couldn't climb the mountain once a week.

[Huntress1]

Originally Posted by Marty Van Diest

Palmer has something like a 6000 population but the area around Palmer has 20-30 thousand people. I don't know how large of a town you are in now but that gives you some idea.

There are town festivals, parades etc. I have lived here for a long time...30+years. I like it but you need to know that it is WINDY in Palmer in the winter time. You can find some places with no wind, but you need to look for them.

It is important to get kids to like winter activities. My 13 year old loves winter . He snowboards, snowmachines, makes snow forts, ice skates, snow shoes on Lazy Mountain etc. Winter is his favorite time of year. He is really bummed when we don't have much snow.

My daughters are ok with winter but like summers better.

You don't have to worry about the darkness. Just get a good LED
headlight and get used to doing things outside in the dark. My sister-in-law climbs Lazy Mt several times a week in the dark. No big deal...for her. I don't mind the dark but couldn't climb the mountain once a week.

Thats comforting to know, my 12yr daughter has been bugging me to start snowboarding, is the ski resort close?

[jimshree40]

We lived in Alaska for 9 months. Decided to move back due to the fact we could not get hired on by anyone up in the Palmer, Wasilla area especially in the fall and winter months. You need to be a sourdough or your trade is in high demand to land a job up there. We could in Anchorage but with young children, we didnt think that to be very safe. Beautiful place to vacation. Very lonely up there. We moved back to Montana.

[Marty Van Diest]

There is no ski resort close, you can go up to Hatcher Pass and ski-snowboard for free.

[Alaskapat528]

Originally Posted by jimshree40

We lived in Alaska for 9 months. Decided to move back due to the fact we could not get hired on by anyone up in the Palmer, Wasilla area especially in the fall and winter months. You need to be a sourdough or your trade is in high demand to land a job up there. We could in Anchorage but with young children, we didnt think that to be very safe. Beautiful place to vacation. Very lonely up there. We moved back to Montana.

Yes you won't usually get hired in Wasilla or Palmer at any decent paying job UNLESS you are a relative or have a friend in the Borough, school system or city halls. Anchorage...don't blame you for not wanting to live there. You could have lived in Wasilla or Palmer and taken a job on the Slope but you'd work 2-3 weeks on, 7 days, 12 hours and then get a week or 2 off, but that's hard if you have a family. Yep can get lonely up here, especially when you have family in the lower 48. Best of luck to you and your family. Never been to Montana but I hear it's also "big sky" country and a very pretty place.