Anchorage Safety (travel, homes, crime)

[msn26]

Hi,
First off, thanks for your time. I will be staying in Anchorage for a good two weeks this June (traveling from Asia for a conference). I was concerned after seeing the high rape rates in Anchorage (sorry if I sound paranoid). I was planning to hike on trails in the Chugach State Park (only by day). Is that safe? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
M

[Rance]

Hike with a friend? As long as you don't go hiking in the late evening or in the dark you should be fine. I'd be more concerned with running into bears than rapists. So get you some pepper spray which can be used on either subject.

[msn26]

Rance,
Thanks for the suggestions. I am planning to hike with a friend (at least convinced him to join me now ). But you scared me with your other point - bears. Should I be really concerned if I just stick to the park trails. Sorry if I sound so paranoid.
M

[Rance]

Be concerned not scared. Make some noise as you hike along. Talking, singing, shout out every now and then. The more of a heads up bears get that you are there or headed their way...they will scamper off into the woods. But in June there is a good chance of walking up on a mother with cubs. The last thing you want to do is surprise a mother with cubs. So make some noise.
And if you meet some scarey looking guy on the trail...if they take even one step in your direction, you blast them with that pepper spray! If they start screaming "whyyyyyy"...you just tell them Rance told you to and run! Always check your back as you hike along. Don't give anything or anyone the opportunity to sneak up behind you.

There are lot's of bears in and around Anchorage. You have just as much chance meeting one on the city trails as you do on darn near any of the state park trails.

[msn26]

Thanks again!!! I will take the trail. Also planning to bike around the Tony Knowles trail.
Thanks!
M

[Rance]

You'll be fine. Enjoy the hikes.

[travelmate38]

Lets call a spade and spade folks. Anchorage is a cess pool and becoming worse by the minute. It is full of gangs, drug dealers, prostitutes, thugs, rapists and more. There are parts of Anchorage that have NIGHTLY shootings! NIGHTLY!! Muldoon, Mountain View, just to name a few. And if you escape these idiots The town is chalk full of 4X4 punks cruising the streets drunk in the wee hours of the morning, waiting for someone to "look at me wrong" so I can get in a brawl and look tough in front of my trailer trash girlfriend.

Sorry, but the truth is the truth. Anchorage has become an inner city pitt, full of zero lot line homes, (today's trailer courts) where neighbors have ZERO respect for each other.

The valley has it's issues too, trust me it does, but at least here, you can have a few feet of space between yourself and your bad neighbors. Crime is different with few gangs. Lots of home burglaries, people who snap and kill their families, pot growers, meth heads, hippie wanne bees, pitt bull breaders, but overall, hey you can still convince yourself you're "living the great Alaskan way of life......" NOT

[Rance]

I'm living the great Alaskan life. Sounds like your not...but I am. I would think someone with your pisspoor attitude would pack up and leave for greener pastures, whether in or out of state.

[travelmate38]

Originally Posted by Rance

I'm living the great Alaskan life. Sounds like your not...but I am. I would think someone with your pisspoor attitude would pack up and leave for greener pastures, whether in or out of state.

Care to dispute the factual post or just generalize? I named specific problems in there. They are all true and many here don't like to hear it. Care to talk about the 12 women who are rapped along the bike paths every year? Or the gangs? Ever been out KGB and see the dust cloud of meth between the haze of pot smoke? It's all true and most here know it.

As for leaving, I got one foot out the door.

[Daniel_T]

Safety shouldn't be a concern while in Anchorage. Take precautions as you would anywhere else, but Anchorage is a safe city and I doubt you will incure and trouble. I lived there for 14 years and never had a problem at all.