Random Questions to Alaskans... (Anchorage, Fairbanks: ski resort, oceanfront, how much)

[traceraz]

Good morning Alaska!

I have a ton of questions about your beautiful state. I've seen the pictures of whales, mountains, snow, elk, water, crab, and it has sparked my curiosity. I'm just going to list the questions that I have below, I've browsed through some of the threads and have a good idea, but right now I am throwing around the idea of a move up there in a couple years. (I need to be by the ocean so it will be SoCal, NoCal, NY and maybe Alaska).

I want to live by the water and in a progressive city, so this rules out the villages and igloo towns. I am thinking more along the lines of Anchorage, or close coastal town that offers a job and a good way of life. I've looked at a map and it doesn't look like Alaska has very many roads, for instance to Barrow, or to Scammon Bay, I assume that the trek is made by sleds pulled by dogs, or snowmobiles?

O.k. the questions are coming to me in rapid fire, so I will just list them right here:

1) Getting around Anchorage. How is it getting around in the snow and for how many months is there snow on the ground in Anchorage?

2) Sunlight. Are there some days where there is no sunlight at all? How is the morale around the area, are people in generally high spirits?

3) Locals and Outsiders. How do the locals view the outsiders. Is it sort of a "small" big town, where everyone knows everyone?

4) Work. It seems most of the industry is in oil, crabbing and I'm not sure what else. Are these two industries flooded, how does the job market look? I read in another thread some guy had an IT degree and accounting degree, plus working on a Masters, sounds a bit overqualified, but said he was still looking for work.

5) Deadliest catch. Is it realistic for an able bodied man to get a job on one of these ships catching crab for three months, or longer? Does one need to be in on the inside, i.e. (not what you know, who you know?)

6) Gangs. I was watching Gangland and they had an episode on Anchorage gangs and said it was like the wild west - is that true? They mentioned the drug trade was a free for all up there. (Mods delete if innapropriate, just curious)

7) Buildings. In Gangland they showed a picture of Anchorage, I'm curious as to what company/companies own the high rise buildings downtown.


8) Wilderness. I noticed lots of wilderness areas on the map, I also saw pictures of Alaska with no snow. Are there any areas to go mountain biking with no snow? If so, is there a possibility one might run into a bear or other dangerous wild life?


9) What is the best ski resort in Alaska?


10) It seems there are a lot of settled down families in Alaska, some who have moved there to "farm" the land, etc... So, how is the single scene? A fair amount of decent females? Would it be better if someone moved out there married?


11) Getting paid to live in Alaska. All I know about this is that one has to live in Alaska for over a year I beileve and they get a check from the oil proceeds? Is that correct?


12) How much is a gallon of milk?


13) I always wondered why Alaska has such a small population. It seems there should be more people living there, I wonder if the only deterrent is the snow and lack of human contact?



O.k. these are all the questions I could muster up at this moment, but have many more. Any input is appreciated, I hope to at least be able to visit Alaska soon, I sure would like to see one of those blue whales off the coast, or a polar bear, looks like a very beautiful and scenic state.

[Metlakatla]

Can you please enlighten us on what you think is an "igloo town"?

Sounds like you're interested in Anchorage; the male/female ratio is about equal there.

Don't count on a crab boat job, please.

We do have airplanes up here to get around in.

[megensmom]

Anchorage to me is just a normal big city,that just happens to be in Alaska. They have malls,bars,many walmarts,target,etc. To me when I was in Anchorage I didn't notice the weather being as cold as it is up here close to Fairbanks,and the sunlight/dark issue wasn't as noticeable either.
But I wouldn't say it was a "small"big town. I don't think it is a place where everyone knows everyone and for the most part of what I have experienced up here,most people are friendly but they don't care about all your goings on as long as you don't mess with them.

When I bought some milk back in March in Anchorage it was $3 a gallon.

Gangs are starting to show up everywhere I think.

But the only true way to find out all the stuff you want to know is come visit before you move up here. With the economy the way it is don't expect jobs to be just everywhere. You can always try and get hired on the Alaska RR or in Denali one summer and then you would have a job,be able to see the places,and have a place to stay. Then at the end of the season you could either return to where your from or maybe stay.

[mal_flisk]

1) Getting around Anchorage. How is it getting around in the snow and for how many months is there snow on the ground in Anchorage?

Snow is usually on the ground from October thru April in Anchorage. Studded tires are nice, but not a necessity of you are a safe driver.

2) Sunlight. Are there some days where there is no sunlight at all? How is the morale around the area, are people in generally high spirits?

Minimum sunlight times in December are around 4 hours in Anchorage. Less as you get further north. Morale is an individual thing, but most people have their own ways of making winter a great time. Outdoor activities help.

3) Locals and Outsiders. How do the locals view the outsiders. Is it sort of a "small" big town, where everyone knows everyone?

There is a small town feel to Anchorage, but I grew up in Chicago. I see people I know on almost every shopping trip I do in stores throughout town. But with 300,000 people, I don't know everyone.

4) Work. It seems most of the industry is in oil, crabbing and I'm not sure what else. Are these two industries flooded, how does the job market look? I read in another thread some guy had an IT degree and accounting degree, plus working on a Masters, sounds a bit overqualified, but said he was still looking for work.

Work is available in some industries and falling off in others. Construction is still going on, and skilled trades are in demand. IT is not a major industry here.

5) Deadliest catch. Is it realistic for an able bodied man to get a job on one of these ships catching crab for three months, or longer? Does one need to be in on the inside, i.e. (not what you know, who you know?)

Not realistic at all. Yes you need to be on the inside.

6) Gangs. I was watching Gangland and they had an episode on Anchorage gangs and said it was like the wild west - is that true? They mentioned the drug trade was a free for all up there. (Mods delete if innapropriate, just curious)

Not at all, but I don't go looking for those folks either.

7) Buildings. In Gangland they showed a picture of Anchorage, I'm curious as to what company/companies own the high rise buildings downtown.

Oil companies, engineering firms, etc. Hotels, too.

8) Wilderness. I noticed lots of wilderness areas on the map, I also saw pictures of Alaska with no snow. Are there any areas to go mountain biking with no snow? If so, is there a possibility one might run into a bear or other dangerous wild life?

Lots of wilderness and trails. No snow at the lower elevations in summer months. yes to mountain biking, yes to bears and moose.

9) What is the best ski resort in Alaska?

Alyeska in Girdwood, 40 miles from Anchorage.

10) It seems there are a lot of settled down families in Alaska, some who have moved there to "farm" the land, etc... So, how is the single scene? A fair amount of decent females? Would it be better if someone moved out there married?

50-50 ratio in Anchorage.

11) Getting paid to live in Alaska. All I know about this is that one has to live in Alaska for over a year I beileve and they get a check from the oil proceeds? Is that correct?

Can take up to 2 years to qualify.

12) How much is a gallon of milk?

$3-4.00 a gallon
13) I always wondered why Alaska has such a small population. It seems there should be more people living there, I wonder if the only deterrent is the snow and lack of human contact?

Yes

[warptman]

My igloo melted a month and a half ago. I'm in my sod house now, sod smells funny after a while. I love the igloo, no stench to it. You have to watch out if you sit on the toilet too long your bum will get frost bite.

[spleenificus]

Durn Warpt, I thought there was an odd aroma about you...
As for the toilet, you're plum right.
Out here we have fur-lined honeybuckets.
COZY.

[Jerseykat]

Umm I'm sorry but I'm at work and in one of those odd moods.
I just have to respond to these.
Any factual errors are purely my own and my own warpt (no pun intended) sense of humor.

Originally Posted by traceraz

I have a ton of questions about your beautiful state. I've seen the pictures of whales, mountains, snow, elk, water, crab, and it has sparked my curiosity. I'm just going to list the questions that I have below, I've browsed through some of the threads and have a good idea, but right now I am throwing around the idea of a move up there in a couple years. (I need to be by the ocean so it will be SoCal, NoCal, NY and maybe Alaska).
I live just outside of NYC and got to tell you that when I think of oceanfront living New York state doesn't pop to the top of the list.
Yeah there is Long Island but that's about it. Unless of course you are looking for a great lake, or a river, or stream or pond....
Not to be snide but maybe check out an atlas to see the actual coastline of the US.

I want to live by the water and in a progressive city, so this rules out the villages and igloo towns. I am thinking more along the lines of Anchorage, or close coastal town that offers a job and a good way of life. I've looked at a map and it doesn't look like Alaska has very many roads, for instance to Barrow, or to Scammon Bay, I assume that the trek is made by sleds pulled by dogs, or snowmobiles?
Define Igloo towns please this confuses me. I've also read tons of threads here and looked a countless pictures and haven't seen one igloo.
Must be missing something and will have to go back and check again.
Warpt please post pics of your igloo cause I gotta see this.
And Warpt I believe they have ointments for your unfortunate condition.

And yes the trek is made by dogsleds and snowmobiles.
So if you are moving up bring Alpo, gonna take alot of kibble to get you to the west coast of AK. Maybe bring some milkbones too.

O.k. the questions are coming to me in rapid fire, so I will just list them right here:

1) Getting around Anchorage. How is it getting around in the snow and for how many months is there snow on the ground in Anchorage?
Please refer back to dogsled and snowmobiles.

2) Sunlight. Are there some days where there is no sunlight at all? How is the morale around the area, are people in generally high spirits?
Nope total darkness descends on the land (think plagues of Egypt type of darkness) and the madness insues with the locals.

3) Locals and Outsiders. How do the locals view the outsiders. Is it sort of a "small" big town, where everyone knows everyone?
Yes everyone knows everyone in Alaska, and everyone knows the governor. Anchorage is a big small town and the small towns are just small small towns. Outsiders are converted to insiders or they are sacrificed to the wildlife.

4) Work. It seems most of the industry is in oil, crabbing and I'm not sure what else. Are these two industries flooded, how does the job market look? I read in another thread some guy had an IT degree and accounting degree, plus working on a Masters, sounds a bit overqualified, but said he was still looking for work.
5) Deadliest catch. Is it realistic for an able bodied man to get a job on one of these ships catching crab for three months, or longer? Does one need to be in on the inside, i.e. (not what you know, who you know?)
6) Gangs. I was watching Gangland and they had an episode on Anchorage gangs and said it was like the wild west - is that true? They mentioned the drug trade was a free for all up there. (Mods delete if innapropriate, just curious)
7) Buildings. In Gangland they showed a picture of Anchorage, I'm curious as to what company/companies own the high rise buildings downtown.
Yes reality televison shows the reality of Alaska. Everyone is either in
the oil business or on a fishing boat or a survivalist in th wilderness. If you are not in one of these industries you are sitting in the igloo dreaming of joining a gang.

8) Wilderness. I noticed lots of wilderness areas on the map, I also saw pictures of Alaska with no snow. Are there any areas to go mountain biking with no snow? If so, is there a possibility one might run into a bear or other dangerous wild life?
Nope pretty much all a snow covered wilderness with bears cruising the streets looking to pick off the dogsledders and snowmobilers.

9) What is the best ski resort in Alaska?
Alyeska

10) It seems there are a lot of settled down families in Alaska, some who have moved there to "farm" the land, etc... So, how is the single scene? A fair amount of decent females? Would it be better if someone moved out there married?
Again define "decent". Are we talking church going god fearing women in pioneer dresses? Gotta get a handle on what you think is decent to give an accurate opinion. But you noted you might move up in a few years. I'd say go now all the decent ones will be gone soon.

11) Getting paid to live in Alaska. All I know about this is that one has to live in Alaska for over a year I beileve and they get a check from the oil proceeds? Is that correct?
Yes the state of Alaska gives away money to live there thus eliminating the need for a job. This is how the state subsidizes those not on Deadliest Catch, Ice Road Truckers 3 or any other reality show based in Alaska.

12) How much is a gallon of milk?
Way too much so no one drinks it.

13) I always wondered why Alaska has such a small population. It seems there should be more people living there, I wonder if the only deterrent is the snow and lack of human contact?
Actually there are millions of people but they are in the wilderness, which is not wilderness at all. To keep down the influx of people looking to get on reality TV or the public payroll, Alaska has carefully hidden all the major population centers in the wilderness and paid big oil money to keep them off the map.

O.k. these are all the questions I could muster up at this moment, but have many more. Any input is appreciated, I hope to at least be able to visit Alaska soon, I sure would like to see one of those blue whales off the coast, or a polar bear, looks like a very beautiful and scenic state.

And to the original poster I hope I didn't cause offense this was meant in fun.

[Grannysroost]

Jersey, I think you summed it up very well...now off to re-seal our igloo today...

[spleenificus]

Outsiders are converted to insiders or they are sacrificed to the wildlife.

That just slays me.

[Jonotastic]

I have a ton of questions about your beautiful state. I've seen the pictures of whales, mountains, snow, elk, water, crab, and it has sparked my curiosity. I'm just going to list the questions that I have below, I've browsed through some of the threads and have a good idea, but right now I am throwing around the idea of a move up there in a couple years. (I need to be by the ocean so it will be SoCal, NoCal, NY and maybe Alaska).

If you are considering NoCal and SoCal...you won't like living in Alaska...not even Anchorage.

I want to live by the water and in a progressive city, so this rules out the villages and igloo towns. I am thinking more along the lines of Anchorage, or close coastal town that offers a job and a good way of life. I've looked at a map and it doesn't look like Alaska has very many roads, for instance to Barrow, or to Scammon Bay, I assume that the trek is made by sleds pulled by dogs, or snowmobiles?

There are no cities in Alaska that I would call "progressive."Alaska is very much a conservative Republican state and most of the locals share the same morals and values. You won't find many or any marches for same-sex marriage or assault rifle bans here.

O.k. the questions are coming to me in rapid fire, so I will just list them right here:

1) Getting around Anchorage. How is it getting around in the snow and for how many months is there snow on the ground in Anchorage?

Easy if you have a car or truck. The snow varies....late fall until early spring...it varies each year.

2) Sunlight. Are there some days where there is no sunlight at all? How is the morale around the area, are people in generally high spirits?

Not in Anchorage...shortest winter days....maybe 10:30am until 3:30 pm? Spirits are normal. Summer, the days almost never truly get pitch black. The sun stays out a good 20 hours.

3) Locals and Outsiders. How do the locals view the outsiders. Is it sort of a "small" big town, where everyone knows everyone?

The way locals view outsiders varies. You will run into the same people, but you won't know everyone nor have that feeling.

4) Work. It seems most of the industry is in oil, crabbing and I'm not sure what else. Are these two industries flooded, how does the job market look? I read in another thread some guy had an IT degree and accounting degree, plus working on a Masters, sounds a bit overqualified, but said he was still looking for work.

I have no idea...I know crabbing is very hard to get.

5) Deadliest catch. Is it realistic for an able bodied man to get a job on one of these ships catching crab for three months, or longer? Does one need to be in on the inside, i.e. (not what you know, who you know?)

No.

6) Gangs. I was watching Gangland and they had an episode on Anchorage gangs and said it was like the wild west - is that true? They mentioned the drug trade was a free for all up there. (Mods delete if innapropriate, just curious)

No.

7) Buildings. In Gangland they showed a picture of Anchorage, I'm curious as to what company/companies own the high rise buildings downtown.

Banks and Hospitals.

8) Wilderness. I noticed lots of wilderness areas on the map, I also saw pictures of Alaska with no snow. Are there any areas to go mountain biking with no snow? If so, is there a possibility one might run into a bear or other dangerous wild life?

Yes and Yes. Moose kill more people than bears though. You can buy a gun and carry it in Alaska though.

9) What is the best ski resort in Alaska?

Alyeska

10) It seems there are a lot of settled down families in Alaska, some who have moved there to "farm" the land, etc... So, how is the single scene? A fair amount of decent females? Would it be better if someone moved out there married?

The ratio is pretty even. The type of women here are very different though. Most couldn't imagine living in a big city such as San Francisco or Los Angeles. Most love the outdoors and camping versus shopping. Most wouldn't be able to live in a hot climate such as Florida or Hawaii. A lot are into a more natural look versus designer clothes, manicures, heels etc. It depends what kind of girl you like. There aren't as many places to mingle with the opposite sex.

11) Getting paid to live in Alaska. All I know about this is that one has to live in Alaska for over a year I beileve and they get a check from the oil proceeds? Is that correct?

You have to live in Alaska for at least a year before you get a check. The amount varies each year.

12) How much is a gallon of milk?

Don't remember.

13) I always wondered why Alaska has such a small population. It seems there should be more people living there, I wonder if the only deterrent is the snow and lack of human contact?

The job market wouldn't be able to sustain a large population. The majority of people who live in Alaska love it.

O.k. these are all the questions I could muster up at this moment, but have many more. Any input is appreciated, I hope to at least be able to visit Alaska soon, I sure would like to see one of those blue whales off the coast, or a polar bear, looks like a very beautiful and scenic state.

You won't see a Blue Whale, they are almost extinct. You also won't see a Polar Bear. Think Moose, Sheep, Salmon, Eagles, Brown-Black Bears, and maybe a Grizzly.