Always wanted to live in Alaska. Did you?

[Lee Whitsel]

A friend here in town just got his daughter home from Alaska. Lives out in a bush village as a single woman and is one of a couple school teachers. The stories she's telling us makes we want to go live there, but at our old age are lives are well past our prime. We just turned onto Tubi on our tv and been about almost 2 years since we watched the real daily lives of living above the Artic Circle hunting, fishing, trapping, Building their own cabins by hand etc. What a great family show if you have not watched any of "The Last Alaskans" we where amazed at how hard the lives of those people who live up there are. Watch it for yourself we loved every show so much were going to watch them all over again. It's the real deal on this show....

 

[Bill K]

Having been to Alaska numerous times over the years, sightseeing, hunting, fishing and visiting some family members and friends that live there, I have enjoy each trip, however never wanted to actually move and live up there, for various reasons.
As for most of the shows on TV, that show some living the rough and tumble life, especially alone, most are on the but on side, with all the camera crews, etc that goes into filming those shows and a lot of the people actually don't live in the rough and tumble life style shown, some may, but most seem to leave with the film crews and go into the larger towns and their real homes.
But the shows are entertaining.

 

[nakneker]

I lived in the Bristol Bay area for 3 years, absolutely loved it. My wife at the time had no fondness for living where it was fly or boat in only. I still go back every four years silver fishing and I also do a hunt here and there. Alsaka is big and the style of living varies quite a bit with the location. If I would have been married to the wife I have now we would have never left and I encourage anybody with any notions of Alaska, whether it’s to live there or visit, to do it. The younger the better but even if your past your prime follow your heart, do it!

I’m headed up this year for Silvers and some black tail hunting. Silver salmon on a fly rod is one of my favorite fishing trips. We’ve found 3 locations over the years where you won’t see a soul and we catch fish until we’ve had our fill. We fish small rivers where you wade across and get any where you want on the water.

I’d recommend avoiding the combat fishing you’ll find on the road systems. Too accessible, it can be few fish and high chaos. It pays to fly out even if it lightens your pocket a bit. Plus it’s more of an adventure. Those small plane rides out into the bush are a lot of fun.

 

[RichMoAK]

Yep, and I did it 19 years ago. Never looked back!
My wife and I took a cruise here. When we got back to Texas, both of us finished out our teaching contracts and started packing. It was that quick.
When you know, you know!

God always provides.

 

[Brians356]

With one exception, everyone I know personally who've lived in Alaska (a dozen or so) have all eventually moved down to the 48. Four of them lived there at least ten years, one (now age 65) is stll there. A brother-in-law worked on the North Slope for thirty years, but never had a home in AK, he commuted by air every few weeks out of Idaho where he still lives.
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[jpx2rk]

I've always wanted to go there just to see it. I watch the reality shows, but have often wondered just how "real" they were. Entertaining anyways. LOL

 

[butchlambert]

My Dad was stationed at Ladd AFB in Fairbanks from 1953 to 1956 and I loved it as a kid. My wife and I moved to Anchorage in 1975, but moved back to Texas in the summer of 1980. We thought that we needed to be closer to our elderly folks. Now we realize that we could have flown back almost as quick as driving to their homes. We loved Alaska and the people.

 

[nakneker]

With one exception, everyone I know personally who've lived in Alaska (a dozen or so) have all eventually moved down to the 48. Four of them lived there at least ten years, one (now age 65) is stll there. A brother-in-law worked on the North Slope for thirty years, but never had a home in AK, he commuted by air every few weeks out of Idaho where he still lives.
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The best of both worlds. Thats what most I know that live there do too.

 

[DocUSMCRetired]

A friend here in town just got his daughter home from Alaska. Lives out in a bush village as a single woman and is one of a couple school teachers. The stories she's telling us makes we want to go live there, but at our old age are lives are well past our prime. We just turned onto Tubi on our tv and been about almost 2 years since we watched the real daily lives of living above the Artic Circle hunting, fishing, trapping, Building their own cabins by hand etc. What a great family show if you have not watched any of "The Last Alaskans" we where amazed at how hard the lives of those people who live up there are. Watch it for yourself we loved every show so much were going to watch them all over again. It's the real deal on this show....

It is probably important to note, that those reality tv shows, are scripted shows. Many of which were actually filmed in Washington State, Oregon, and California. They aren't even in Alaska or filmed in Alaska... Just something to think about.

 

[Pawnee Bill]

Alaska was nice, but the mosquitoes!!!

 

[bsekf]

If you like the outdoors, you got to visit Alaska. Our bus driver went there at age 24, no running water for the first 5 years. But the stories she told about how it is after the tourist season, made me want to try it. Imagine a dog sled on a windless starry night with nobody or light for 50 miles, nothing but silence and the ore Boulis. Just the squeak of the sled runners and the dogs panting. No TV, no internet and no 911!

 

[Rocky Mt High]

Spent time up there a couple times in the interior in my salad days. I hung out in Manley Hot Springs and bummed around the Tanana and up the Yukon rivers helping various people with their summer chores. Working at fish camps cutting fish and harvesting roe, helping others doing anything to get ready for winter.
A great place, but I tell friends some things those shows dont emphasize are the mosquitoes, high humidity and constant drizzle. Even so , I would have stayed except for the fear of the long dark of winter. I have a lot of respect for anyone who can gut that out year after year.
By the way , out in the bush you’ll run into folks really living off the land- no TV stars out there…

 

[Doug Casner]

Got a buddy stationed up there in the air force. Do all that hunting and fishing on resident tags. loves it. Doug

 

[Tesoro]

All the Alaskans I knew who made enough $$ all bugged out to Hawaii or Central America for the dead of winter!! The cold isn't as bad as the darkness.

 

[swd]

My wife was born and lived there until her early teens. Lots of family still up there. Every time we went up we looked at each other with question of should we stay. Finally in our mid 40’s we realized the dream was probably harder than we wanted to live. May-September is definitely Heaven there. I’m over due for a trip up!

 

[lawman29]

Spent a few years there...
Barrow 11-18-91 that's the peak of the rising sun and then goodnight for 2 months


Fairbanks....


Wish I had a photo from one of the villages in summer with a native completely covered head to toe including goggles...


Oh and then there's Ketchikan, spent a few weeks there on details, average annual precip150 inches...

 

[sandwarrior]

I spent a short time there working on planes. If I were not married and had little kids, I would have stayed. A lot of money to be made up there (cash) and good fishing and hunting. Two subsistence caribou and I forget how many fish you can take. When not busy, you can hunt ptarmigan (white grouse) and maybe if you feel up to it, you can get a bear tag.

 

[7315br]

With one exception, everyone I know personally who've lived in Alaska (a dozen or so) have all eventually moved down to the 48. Four of them lived there at least ten years, one (now age 65) is stll there. A brother-in-law worked on the North Slope for thirty years, but never had a home in AK, he commuted by air every few weeks out of Idaho where he still lives.
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Interesting comments Brians356.

I lived full-time (year around) in Kenai, Alaska from 1968 till 1993. Was in the flying business for most of those years. There's more than twenty people I know that all live in Reno, and all are from the same town of Kenai. My first home after leaving Alaska was in Reno (on my 3rd one now). I did leave to run a corporate flight department that turned into a fifteen year job (but I kept a home in Reno during that time).

I agree that most people I've known do seem to eventually return to the lower 48. I did after 25 years. I still would live up there except for my age. It "ain't" easy, but very rewarding for the most part. I still believe I'd be running a lathe for somebody else in Louisana, if I wouldn't have taken the chance at a young age (20 years old) and moved to Alaska. The opportunities were endless in those days!

naknekers comment about fly fishing for Silvers is right on the money. My favoite sport in Alaska!​

Picture of just a normal day for part of my commuter fleet in Anchorage (1980's vintage). Good size Silver on Silver Salmon Creek.

 

[D-4297]

No Thanks . There are no pages in my Map-Book where the ground turns white , and the temps go below 32F for even a short period . I'll "suffer" with those 115-116 F days for a week or so a year . But thanks for askin .

 

[JSH]

Buddy told me you spend 4-5 months preparing for 7-8 months.

Never fished for salmon I am game, though my favorite sport is eating them ;-), candied and smoked would be a good way to die. Man dies from over consumption of smoked salmon.

Heat, y’all can have it. I can always put on more clothes. I start trying to cool off shedding clothes and folks get mad.