Moving to Tuluksak (Anchorage, Fairbanks, Bethel: for sale, buying, school)

[AlienOddity]

Hey all,

My wife has accepted a teaching job in Tuluksak starting in August and I have been doing some research into transportation. I've read that snow machines and 4-wheelers are common so I was wondering what a new-ish model of each of these might run. What are the chances of finding one locally? Is Bethel a better source?

Thanks,

John

[stiffnecked]

Make sure you like it out there first before you invest in stuff like that.

[FloridaKash]

Most everything you find in the village will be pretty beat up and well used. With that said, you may want to buy something used in Anchorage or Fairbanks and ship it. Of course shipping will be spendy but you'll get a better machine that has not been as abused. Of course, with that said. I have a 2005 ATV for sale which has hardly been used except for plowing my driveway and hauling clam buckets up the beach. DM me if interested.

[Floyd_Davidson]

Originally Posted by stiffnecked

Make sure you like it out there first before you invest in stuff like that.

Make sure you are well equipped with stuff like that, or you can't possibly like it there.

I don't know about Tuluksak specifically (haven't been there in over 35 years), but generally snowmachines and 4-wheelers cost between $6000 and $9000 new, and maybe half that for a used one depending on condition. I'd guess that buying new in Anchorage and having it shipped is the cheapest for a new machine, and buying in Bethel would be the least expensive for a used machine. (Actually, if you have the time or contract in Anchorage, buying a used one there might be a good deal too.)

Just a few words of warning though. If you are not good at maintaining such machines, go for a new one or one that some school teacher put only 300 miles on. Anything actually used for hunting by a local is likely to be very used, and not very well maintained.

And don't go exploring by yourself. There's a lot to learn about safety and survival. Initially the safest operation is to always go in pairs at least, though three or four are better. If you are alone and get stuck or have a machine break down it means your life is at risk. Being in a group of 2-4 means you just have a different kind of fun than what had been planned.

[warptman]

There are a bunch of used ones for sale here in Bethel at the moment. You may be able to find a great late model machine from the past few years. We didn't have much snow this past winter and a lot of them just sat around for most of it. You are moving at a great time of the year, the silver salmon will be returning and the Tuluksak River has a large run of them each year. Bring with you a 9wt Fly Rod and a few medium weight spinning rods.

[Marty Van Diest]

But having stuff like that will make you like it out there more. If I were you I would just go there and shop around locally. Buy something used from a local if possible. You might pay a little more and you might not get exactly what you want, but it might buy you some goodwill also if you do it right.

If I were there I would want a boat...look on google earth, you aren't going very far in a 4 wheeler but a boat can get you out far enough to get in trouble, and that's what its all about :-) Actually, looks like a great place to explore. Get a snowmachine for winter.

I've never been there so take what I say with a little grain of salt.

[Floyd_Davidson]

Originally Posted by AlaskaKash

Most everything you find in the village will be pretty beat up and well used. With that said, you may want to buy something used in Anchorage or Fairbanks and ship it. Of course shipping will be spendy but you'll get a better machine that has not been as abused. Of course, with that said. I have a 2005 ATV for sale which has hardly been used except for plowing my driveway and hauling clam buckets up the beach. DM me if interested.

That's the kind of a deal to jump on!

[RDawg]

Originally Posted by Marty Van Diest

If I were there I would want a boat...look on google earth, you aren't going very far in a 4 wheeler but a boat can get you out far enough to get in trouble, and that's what its all about :-)

I would want a boat, too. I wonder whether there are boats for sale in the bush as well?

[warptman]

Bethel has three boat dealers here:

Swanson's Marina---Sea Ark boats, Evinrude Outboards, and Polaris Snowmachines.

Prop Shop---Wooldridge and Lund Boats, Mercury Ouboards, and Yamaha Snowmachines.

Backcreek Marine---Riverrunner Boats, Yamaha Outboards, and Ski-Doo Snowmachines.

[Floyd_Davidson]

Originally Posted by Marty Van Diest

But having stuff like that will make you like it out there more. If I were you I would just go there and shop around locally. Buy something used from a local if possible. You might pay a little more and you might not get exactly what you want, but it might buy you some goodwill also if you do it right.

If I were there I would want a boat...look on google earth, you aren't going very far in a 4 wheeler but a boat can get you out far enough to get in trouble, and that's what its all about :-) Actually, looks like a great place to explore. Get a snowmachine for winter.

I've never been there so take what I say with a little grain of salt.

Initially I was thinking a boat... but school teachers are commonly gone in the summer!

The tough question is between a 4-wheeler and a snowmachine. In Tuluksak the snowmachine is probably the winner by a wide margin, particularly for a person that might not be there most of the summer.

That's exactly the opposite of Barrow, where much of the time that we have snow on the ground it is just too danged cold to enjoy a snowmachine. Here a 4-wheeler is more useful than a snowmachine for most people.