Tell me about Alaska!

valkyrie · #1 06-23-2003, 09:34 PM

Okay, I know I've been talking about moving since the Dawn of Time, but...

Every summer when it starts to get hot, I do nothing but complain and say, "I want to move to Alaska!" Well, what if I did? I've never been there and I know very little about it, but if any of you have ever been to the state, I'd love to hear about it. I'm most interested in the Anchorage area -- what to do, jobs, rental prices, political climate, all that kind of thing.

Thanks much!!

ZTAngel · #2 06-23-2003, 10:00 PM

I went to Alaska on a family vacation a few years ago. It's absolutely beautiful there. I was there in August when the weather was in the 60's. Also, it never got dark outside which was really weird. I have trouble sleeping unless my room is pitch black so imagine it being midnight and still bright outside.
I had never seen "purple" mountains before (like in the "America the Beautiful" song) until I went to Alaska. Make sure to go to Denali National Park. We took a bus tour and I got to see all kinds of wildlife up close. We also took a boat tour of glaciers. That's the only time I remember freezing my butt off while I was in Alaska. Besides that, the summer weather there is very nice. I just wouldn't advise going there during the winter.

bruinaphi · #3 06-23-2003, 10:15 PM

I've only been to Alaska twice: once to Juneau and once to Anchorage. I enjoyed the scenerie a lot but as a liberal dem and major environmentalist I was a fish way out of water there politically. Practicing law there as a liberal dem would be a very difficult road to hoe.

In Juneau we went salmon fishing and it was an amazing experience. We also went to the local glacier (can't remember name). It was breath taking.

Outside Anchorage the Denali National Park is gorgeous as mentioned above (about 250 miles to the north). I was there for my sister's birthday (Halloween weekend) and there was a lot of snow already. It was gorgeous.

One of our very involved Phis (former CMC for Mid-Atlantic and graduate of Johns-Hopkins) moved to Alaska about a year ago. I *think* she is living in Fairbanks still but planning on moving to Anchorage soon.

If you want her contact info PM me.

LD

AlphaGamDiva · #4 06-24-2003, 03:34 AM

paging aurora_borealis to the "tell me about alaska" thread.....aurora_borealis to the "tell me about alaska" thread....

aurora_borealis....?

CutiePie2000 · #5 06-24-2003, 10:45 AM

Valkyrie,
Have you shelved the idea of Seattle? I think you'd like it there...it's not too hot and not as far away!

xo_kathy · #6 06-24-2003, 03:10 PM

Valkyrie,
My mom lives there now. Geographically it is beautiful. I visited her in Fairbanks in August and they were having a weird hot spell and it was 85 degrees! But of course that is not normal. The sun thing you get used to, and most curtains are lined so you can sleep fine. The long dark periods are what get you. My mom got pretty depressed.

My mom lives in Anchorage now and definitely likes it better than Fairbanks. She is however, anxiously awaiting her next, and final, move to Oregon. It's SO hard to drive from Anchorage to the 'lower 48'. And even a flight is 3 hours to Seattle and then however long to your next destination. And it's (the state) highly conservative. My poor liberal mom is dying!!!

Anyway! Not to put the poor state down! It was awesome to visit! And I suggest that everyone does. However, I think unless you are really in a pioneering mood, stick to the lower 48. I agree with CutiePie - check out the Northwest for some nice climates if you are really looking to move.

valkyrie · #7 06-24-2003, 03:12 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by CutiePie2000
Valkyrie,
Have you shelved the idea of Seattle? I think you'd like it there...it's not too hot and not as far away!

I have sort of given up on the idea of Seattle because I think I want to live in a smaller town and I know that it's impossible to get a job there and has been for quite a while. I'm actually planning on going to Colorado, but I thought I'd ask about Alaska because without fail, every summer, I start to think about it. I don't think I could live in such a Republican dominated place as Alaska, though, and it's probably too far from my family (since I'm deathly afraid of flying -- so Colorado is more reasonable because I can drive there).

I just wish someone would buy my place so I can get out of Chicago!!!

edited: Oooh, I forgot to say -- I have heard some very good things about some of the towns nestled way, waaay up in northwestern Washington state, right near the Canadian border, but I don't know much about them. That's another idea...

xo_kathy · #8 06-24-2003, 03:23 PM

My mom is looking at Grants Pass, Oregon. Southwest Oregon, about an hour and half from the ocean, about 3 hours from Portland. She says it's beautiful...

CutiePie2000 · #9 06-24-2003, 03:40 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by valkyrie
edited: Oooh, I forgot to say -- I have heard some very good things about some of the towns nestled way, waaay up in northwestern Washington state, right near the Canadian border, but I don't know much about them. That's another idea...

Don't forget Portland, Oregon and points surrounding! I don't know much about Portland, to be honest, but I think it's quite a bit smaller than Seattle. If you are wondering about border towns, you should talk to Jill1228, who lives in Blaine, WA. Also, SmartBlondeGPhB is near Seattle, she is in Edmonds, WA! (More inland, there is Spokane-- I don't know much about Spokane, WA but I think it is decent sized).

Or just move to a "foreign country" (LOL)....come to Vancouver, Canada! Just be forewarned, the excessive rain can be a bit much at times.

bruinaphi · #10 06-24-2003, 04:48 PM

My whole family lives in the PNW and from what I've seen you can get a job as a lawyer right now in Seattle better than in a lot of other cities. My best friend from law school is living there now and works for Davis Wright Tremaine. There is a great Seattle alum group as well.

My family has lived all over Oregon and until about a year ago my mom lived on the Oregon Coast. Talk about impossible to find a job -- unless you want to work for the county and there is an opening and you have connections you are SOL there.

Kind of an interesting aside, OR is not a community property state so there is a lot of estate planning work to do converting all of the Trusts of people who move there from Wash & Cal.

What kind of law are you looking to practice when you move?

valkyrie · #11 06-24-2003, 05:48 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by lauradav
What kind of law are you looking to practice when you move?

Good question -- I am not planning on practicing law. I am not planning on taking the bar exam wherever I move, and even if I stayed in Chicago, I'd be looking to get out of the practice of law. I just don't like it at all -- too bad I can't get a refund for law school!

SDTSarah · #12 06-25-2003, 12:46 AM

Oh, I want to go to Alaska SO BAD!!!!! Argh! I will go someday, I will...

ShyViolet · #13 09-16-2003, 12:34 AM

Hi All,

Just surfing around GC and found this Alaska post from this summer. I've lived here almost my whole life, minus high school in the "lower 48." (currently I'm in Fairbanks) and love it. I hope to return after graduate school.
Anchorage is a lot of fun, in my opinion, and there are smaller towns close enough to Anch. that living in a city isn't always necessary. Fairbanks is nice, it's pretty spread out, and there's a fair amount of stuff to do. There are a lot of jobs all over Alaska in the summers (if you ever wanted to give it a try), espcially in Denali Park, or around Anchorage or on the Kenai Peninsula. As far as the politics, many politicians are conservative, but a fair size of the population is liberal, so it balances out.
The winter is the only thing I'd change: -50 is just too cold. The dark winters aren't bad, and I LOVE the summers! It's always sunny and warm, and if you want to sleep, then that's what blackout curtains are for.

Hmm... what else... The mosquito is the unofficial state bird, haha. Carharts and flannel are always in fashion.

Alaska is so beautiful and a lot of fun, there are things to do outdoors, places to go (if you're in Anchorage or Fairbanks), and the people are really nice!

I'd be happy to answer any more questions!

~ ShyViolet