Where do I want to live in Anchorage? (College: condo, houses)

[Moose Whisperer]

Originally Posted by Glitch

Actually, those who live furthest from the water, up on the Hillside, Abbot Loop, Bear Valley, and Glen Alps areas get the majority of snow, and wind, in Anchorage.

I can definitely attest to that. Also, just like up in Fairbanks, the hillside is usually 5-10 degrees warmer than the lower parts of the city during winter.

This last winter the record snowfall at the ANC Forecast office was around 135 inches. Up on the upper hillside where I live was something like 211 inches.

[Moose Whisperer]

Speaking of wich, the first high wind WARNING has been issued for the season. Looks like winter 2012 is getting started.

High Wind Warning
Statement as of 10:00 AM AKDT on September 02, 2012

... High Wind Warning in effect from 2 am to 8 am akdt Monday along
Turnagain Arm and higher elevations...

The National Weather Service in Anchorage has issued a High Wind
Warning... which is in effect from 2 am to 8 am akdt Monday.

* Location... Turnagain Arm and higher elevations of the Anchorage
hillside and Eagle River.

* Wind... southeast 35 to 55 mph with gusts to 75 mph.

* Timing... winds will rapidly increase this afternoon and evening
and then peak overnight tonight into early Monday morning. Winds
will rapidly diminish mid to late morning on Monday.

* Impacts... travel may be difficult. Trees may be blown over.
Loose debris can be moved and damage property.

Precautionary/preparedness actions...

A High Wind Warning means a hazardous high wind event is expected
or occurring. People are urged to secure loose objects that could
be blown around or damaged by the wind.

[jdhpa]

Originally Posted by Moose Whisperer

I can definitely attest to that. Also, just like up in Fairbanks, the hillside is usually 5-10 degrees warmer than the lower parts of the city during winter.

This last winter the record snowfall at the ANC Forecast office was around 135 inches. Up on the upper hillside where I live was something like 211 inches.

I take it a snow blower is mandatory. Do you have a push snow blower or riding?

[JasonAndJulie]

Can we PLEASE resolve the chicken comment? It is pecking me to death.

[Moose Whisperer]

Originally Posted by jdhpa

I take it a snow blower is mandatory. Do you have a push snow blower or riding?

I did the snow blower thing for my first year but then gave up. This is my current snow solution:

[Glitch]

Originally Posted by jdhpa

I take it a snow blower is mandatory. Do you have a push snow blower or riding?

Unless you have a pickup with a plow, snow blowers are definitely mandatory. I have a 98 foot driveway that takes me 15 to 20 minutes to clear. I use a Craftsman 28" 277cc snow blower from Sears.

[Glitch]

Originally Posted by JasonAndJulie

Can we PLEASE resolve the chicken comment? It is pecking me to death.

Here are the answers to those pesky chicken questions:

Why did the chicken cross the road?

Spoiler

To prove to the possum that it could be done.

Why did the chicken cross the road halfway?

Spoiler

She wanted to lay it on the line.

Why did the Roman chicken cross the road?

Spoiler

She was afraid someone would Caesar.

What do you get when you cross a chicken with a pit bull?

Spoiler

Just the pit bull.

On which side does the chicken have the most feathers?

Spoiler

On the outside.

Moderator cut: image removed

[warptman]

I suddenly want a granola bar and a chicken breast.

[jdhpa]

Originally Posted by Moose Whisperer

This last winter the record snowfall at the ANC Forecast office was around 135 inches. Up on the upper hillside where I live was something like 211 inches.

Is that snow removed from residential neighborhoods, or does it just sit there until it melts in the spring? That would be a lot of snow to let melt in a neighborhood

[AK-Cathy]

Wow. Opinions. You got a lot of them. Now for mine. I've lived in AK for 33 years and in Southcentral have lived in Girdwood (granola aplenty but not very walkable) Thunderbird Falls (beautiful and friendly but a real commute) and in a number of Anchorage neighborhoods over the years. IMO, most of what you want is found only in a very few places and that is in Downtown, Bootlegger Cove, South Addition and the Westchester Lagoon areas. There may be other pockets here and there but not entire areas of the kind of thing you are looking for.

Some folks mentioned Eagle River and the Valley. After driving that combat commute for a number of years from Thunderbird, kill me daily and kill me twice during the State Fair and holiday Fridays, with three lanes of stop and go traffic stretching from the ER hill to Muldoon and beyond. We saw that on the way back home from the fair last Monday and I'd almost forgotten. There is no way I'd volunteer for that commute again even if someone gave us a free house out there. I'd have to sell it. It's what drove us back to town. Now if you don't work in Anchorage, or if you work non-traditional shifts and don't mind driving and paying for gas, then maybe consider those areas but I've never seen much "granola" in Eagle River and none in the Valley. Just sayin'.

It's all in what you want. If you are looking for Ballard the closest thing we have is south of downtown and it's not going to be cheap. I'd include Government Hill in all of those traditional old time neighborhoods but the noise from Elmendorf's base airport is beyond distracting. Turnagain and the Huntington Park area is also nice but not as granola or as walkable as it is closer to downtown. I also really like Rogers Park in midtown. It's somewhat geographically isolated and has retained a real neighborhood feel but it's not very walkable in a traditional sense.

We sold our Westchester Lagoon house last year because we snowbird and we now live in north Spenard. It's safe enough but we have to put up with neighbor issues (noise, traffic, trash etc.) that are more endemic to less homogenous areas of town and that includes many of the aforementioned areas in this thread. If it were me, I'd find a short term but decent rental and would scope out the various areas of town until you find what you want.

BTW, in Anchorage on public streets, they do remove snow. Find a street on a school route and it gets removed very quickly.

Best of luck to you