Life on the Frontier (Anchorage, Fairbanks: vacation, jobs, crime)

[paddleplay]

Thanks again to all who responded so kindly to my “Is AK right for me?” post. Some of the responses I received stirred up a curiosity about what life on the frontier (or in the bush) is really like. It seems that there is a lot of idealism attached to that life-style but also the harsh reality of social problems that appear to run rampant in these areas. So I’m just curious about what the general culture is like. Does this type of life-style attract a certain type of people, or will you still find a pretty eclectic mix of folks. What do people do all day during the summers vs the winters? How far do folks take subsistence living? How about availability of amenities we are so used to like movies, gyms or churches?

….Any stories and impressions welcome.

Best –
Very curious in Virginia

[rotorhead]

Its hard to lump "life in Alaska" into a general category, you can pretty much experience it as you like it.

For residents of Anchorage (and to a lesser extent Fairbanks), life is almost like living in any other city in the lower 48 with the exceptions of the highly variable day/night ratio and the occasional wildlife encounter. The winters are not exceptionally cold by midwest standards, nor do they get nearly as much snow as the great lakes region. There are malls, big box stores, high-end retail, multi-screen movie theatres, museums, an indoor water-park, just about anything you could want as far as shopping or entertainment goes. I knew people who had lived there for years yet had never been out of the city limits....for them the major difference was higher shipping costs for internet purchases. Anchorage also seems to have a coffee shack for about every other resident, you can hardly turn a corner without seeing another one. In a lot of ways it's sort of like a little Seattle, but with the occasional moose or bear to make things interesting.

On the other extreme, there are plenty of people living in Alaska with no access to running water, indoor plumbing, electricity, the internet, telephones, a road sytem, or any of the conveniences of modern life. Some live this lifestyle by choice, others by accident of birth. Most smaller towns and villiages are somewhere between these two extremes, with a high but inverse correlation between their remoteness and their level of amenities. There are always exceptions to the rule though; for example there are a couple of villiages literally within sight of Anchorage, yet far distant from the road network and still living a life highly dependent on subsistance.

If you're looking for a true wilderness experience it's still out there, and closer to ANC than most people realize. Once you're off the road system things change in a hurry, and the daily details of living get a lot more involved. If you're not experienced in wilderness living small mistakes can have drastic consequences, and errors in judgement can become permanent very quickly. This applies whether you're just out for the day on a fly-in fishing charter, or whether you live there year-round. Help is usually NOT just a cell-phone call away, unless you live within sight of the major cities or the highways.

Most all of Alaska is beautiful in its own way and much of it is downright stunning scenery-wise, but its also mostly still a wild place. When you fly over it the extent of its features is awesome, and more than a little bit intimidating. Its well worth coming to see even if just for short vacation.

[1986matthew]

It really depends on what part of the state you live in. The previous post pretty much covered it, but heres my 2 cents.

I live in the Kenai/Soldotna area, and it is pretty much like Anchorage, except that there is less shopping, crime, and people here. Also, there are higher rates of spousal abuse, drug abuse, alchohol abuse, etc. in Alaska than outside Alaska. There are lots of social problems in Alaska. Also, there tend to be more problems in "the Bush", like guys beating their wives and kids. It is sad. And there is a huge meth problem here on the Kenai peninsula, and in the matsu valley. LOTS of drug addicts. I see them all too often in town, where I work. And corruption runs rampant in the local and state government, as was recently seen in the VECO bribery scandal ( you can look it up in the Anchorage Daily News.).

Here in Soldotna it is more blue collar, many people work in oilfield jobs. The divorce rate is high, I don't know the exact figure, but was once quoted 80% here on the Kenai peninsula, which sounds about right, but I don't know for sure. So, there are some problems. From what I have seen, if you like the outdoors, and have money, you will like it, but if you don't, you will become bored after a year or two. The people here are fairly transient.

Also, on of the local radio stations advertises on of their ads as "we drink more beer than any other state, it's not the fresh water we're after" . So, you might think about that...

I don't mean to sound negative, as nowhere is perfect, but I meet a lot of people who move here expecting this amazing crime-free, frontier wilderness, and find out it is not like that. Like my co-worker says, it is like Hawaii, good for a 2 week vacation, but not to live in.

[Rance]

Some are completely happy here, (I'm in Sterling) and some are not. Everyone is different. Those who like it stay...those who don't leave. I for one, grew up here and will die here. I've tried a couple times to live elsewhere, but could not. I can't see this state drinking more beer than any other. Surely not with the amount of people we have compared to some states. Heck some cities have more people than entire Alaska does! Perhaps my growing up here I have a more positive feeling for the place than others. But this state is growing...like it or not...and I would like to see honest, decent folks move in and contribute to the growth of our state. You can't run and hide from todays problems anywhere. But where I'm at...it's really not that bad.