Deadman Lake (Fairbanks, Fort Yukon, Nenana: for sale, buying, taxi)

[Blksheep]

I'm considering bidding on a lot on the north side of Deadman Lake(West of Fairbanks) I can't go there on such short notice to check it out but for the price I don't think I could go wrong unless it's a swamp? It would likely just be an occasional vacation destination and long term investment property.
From what i've read the best way to get to it is by float plane or snow mobile in the winter but I don't plan on going there in the winter. I have a few questions for people in the know..
Can you get to the lake using a 4 wheeler in the summer time?
How is the fishing?
Any issues with the cabins there getting vandalized?
Are forest fires common in the area?
Why are there patches of large and small trees around the lake, logging or fire?
Are there flooding problems when the snow melts, it looks like a bowl?
Is the ground dry & firm in the summer months or wet and marshy?

Thanks for your replies

Lonny

[heathen]

I've never been to Deadman Lake, but I've spent the last several years determining vegetation type and wetland status from satellite imagery (google earth in this case) in interior Alaska, so I'll weigh in.

I don't see evidence of major fires in the area, though the imagery is several years old, and the dense black spruce around the lake is the forest type that readily burns in interior Alaska. Fire danger is something to keep in mind. The patchwork of forest is due to permafrost. Looking at the google earth image, the light green areas are stands of mature birch trees. These are the most desirable areas where you can be reasonably sure you won't have permafrost. The dark green areas are dense black spruce, maybe with some larger white spruce mixed in. This may have permafrost a ways down, but may be reasonable to build on if you take the right precautions. You should visit the land in summer before buying if you want a secure investment. The more brownish areas are black spruce bogs. Permafrost is close to the surface, and building would be a nightmare.

It looks like the land for sale is trying to avoid the bogs, but some parcels are definitely better than others. If you want to be on the lake shore and can't visit first, try to hit those parcels at the northwest and southeast corners of the lake where birch forest touches the lake shore. If you don't need to be on the lake, go for that big patch of birch to the north.

Without personally knowing the trails in the area, it looks like getting there with a 4-wheeler in summer would be very tough at best. The trail from the east (Nenana/Fairbanks) is definitely winter only. It looks like there's a small chance you could get in from Manley Hot Springs, but I wouldn't count on it.

[bortstc37]

I believe there have already been a couple of threads about property on Deadman Lake. They might have all kinds of useful information!

[Blksheep]

Originally Posted by heathen

I've never been to Deadman Lake, but I've spent the last several years determining vegetation type and wetland status from satellite imagery (google earth in this case) in interior Alaska, so I'll weigh in.

I don't see evidence of major fires in the area, though the imagery is several years old, and the dense black spruce around the lake is the forest type that readily burns in interior Alaska. Fire danger is something to keep in mind. The patchwork of forest is due to permafrost. Looking at the google earth image, the light green areas are stands of mature birch trees. These are the most desirable areas where you can be reasonably sure you won't have permafrost. The dark green areas are dense black spruce, maybe with some larger white spruce mixed in. This may have permafrost a ways down, but may be reasonable to build on if you take the right precautions. You should visit the land in summer before buying if you want a secure investment. The more brownish areas are black spruce bogs. Permafrost is close to the surface, and building would be a nightmare.

It looks like the land for sale is trying to avoid the bogs, but some parcels are definitely better than others. If you want to be on the lake shore and can't visit first, try to hit those parcels at the northwest and southeast corners of the lake where birch forest touches the lake shore. If you don't need to be on the lake, go for that big patch of birch to the north.

Without personally knowing the trails in the area, it looks like getting there with a 4-wheeler in summer would be very tough at best. The trail from the east (Nenana/Fairbanks) is definitely winter only. It looks like there's a small chance you could get in from Manley Hot Springs, but I wouldn't count on it.

Thanks Heathen, that's a wealth of info, I never would of thought that permafrost would dictate the type of trees that could grow

[Blksheep]

Originally Posted by bortstc37

I believe there have already been a couple of threads about property on Deadman Lake. They might have all kinds of useful information!

Thanks for the tip, I read all those threads but didn't find all the info that I was looking for.

[warptman]

Buy a plane!

[Blksheep]

Ha, what would be a average price to have a small plane drop you off & pick you up a week later? 65 miles one way+- from Fairbanks ?

[warptman]

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[starlite9]

Originally Posted by Blksheep

Ha, what would be a average price to have a small plane drop you off & pick you up a week later? 65 miles one way+- from Fairbanks ?

Well the cost of the plane will be in the $600.00+- for each trip out about a two hour ride in a float plane out and back, they don't charge for just one way. If you get dropped off, then double that. You can find cheaper fairs, but that is just average in a Maule or Cessna 180 on floats.

Now if you buy it sight unseen, that may cost you ten times that for a bog.

As far as not having a recent forest fire through there, that is good and bad, good that there is old growth, bad because there is old growth! You have the next area of the half a million acre fire! When my cabin is at on Totek Lake, it's about 80 miles south of your lake, we had a major fire through there about three years ago, new growth is coming up, all the old growth laying down burnt up so we have a clean area for a major fire from fuel. All the new growth will attract new animals to the area for food and in about two more years it will be the moose Capitol of Alaska. Just the way the cycles go!

Flown over the area many times, but your dream lake is too close to the Yukon and you won't want to be gone too long or you may have vandal issues to worry about. When I bought at my lake I first made sure it wasn't on the trail to somewhere else, that way people don't stop by and help themselves to your stuff. So look on google maps and see what trail systems go by where you want to build remote.... Lot more than just finding a good chunk of ground!

As they say "Location, location, location!".

Good luck on your dream.

[warptman]

Star, sell him yours.