[SAMIAM]

if you got a job offer to work there for 90K a year in Anchorage?

I know that's not GREAT money, but for me, that's actually a good chunk more than what I've been making the last few years as someone in his early 30's.

I really respect the breadth of knowledge and wisdom by many Allcoasters, and I'm sure many of you have visited Alaska on at least a fishing trip.

I asked some of my friends and the only answers I got were "if they paid me a million dollars, half a million, or "no" because I don't want to be eaten by a bear/moose, freeze my butt off, etc. So I look to this board for advice from people who might actually be familiar with the place.


Sorry this isn't a fishing related question, but of course there is some awesome salmon and halibut fishing there, which is a plus.

I'm just getting the feeling that Alaska would be a lonely, obviously freezing, and in the winter, dark place with too many drunk guys who used to be ex-convicts. It would be a major change from living in LA.

 

[Wils]

if you got a job offer to work there for 90K a year in Anchorage?

I know that's not GREAT money, but for me, that's actually a good chunk more than what I've been making the last few years as someone in his early 30's.

I really respect the breadth of knowledge and wisdom by many Allcoasters, and I'm sure many of you have visited Alaska on at least a fishing trip.

I asked some of my friends and the only answers I got were "if they paid me a million dollars, half a million, or "no" because I don't want to be eaten by a bear/moose, freeze my butt off, etc. So I look to this board for advice from people who might actually be familiar with the place.


Sorry this isn't a fishing related question, but of course there is some awesome salmon and halibut fishing there, which is a plus.

I'm just getting the feeling that Alaska would be a lonely, obviously freezing, and in the winter, dark place with too many drunk guys who used to be ex-convicts. It would be a major change from living in LA.

I hear that you can share a teepee with a drunk guy who used to be an ex-con on those long dark nights for next to nothing...as long as you provide the bare meat.

But anyway, GO FOR IT! You're in your early 30s. Go out and find out for yourself if the sterotypical alaskan male is correct. 90K is darned good money for someone who is open for job offers but also can't make a major decision.

BRW: "used to be an ex-con"? What is his classification now? :?

 

[SAMIAM]

if you got a job offer to work there for 90K a year in Anchorage?

I know that's not GREAT money, but for me, that's actually a good chunk more than what I've been making the last few years as someone in his early 30's.

I really respect the breadth of knowledge and wisdom by many Allcoasters, and I'm sure many of you have visited Alaska on at least a fishing trip.

I asked some of my friends and the only answers I got were "if they paid me a million dollars, half a million, or "no" because I don't want to be eaten by a bear/moose, freeze my butt off, etc. So I look to this board for advice from people who might actually be familiar with the place.


Sorry this isn't a fishing related question, but of course there is some awesome salmon and halibut fishing there, which is a plus.

I'm just getting the feeling that Alaska would be a lonely, obviously freezing, and in the winter, dark place with too many drunk guys who used to be ex-convicts. It would be a major change from living in LA.

I hear that you can share a teepee with a drunk guy who used to be an ex-con on those long dark nights for next to nothing...as long as you provide the bare meat.

But anyway, GO FOR IT! You're in your early 30s. Go out and find out for yourself if the sterotypical alaskan male is correct. 90K is darned good money for someone who is open for job offers but also can't make a major decision.

BRW: "used to be an ex-con"? What is his classification now? :?

They got their convictions off the record under the condition they go to Alaska become former ex-convicts.

 

[Wils]

if you got a job offer to work there for 90K a year in Anchorage?

I know that's not GREAT money, but for me, that's actually a good chunk more than what I've been making the last few years as someone in his early 30's.

I really respect the breadth of knowledge and wisdom by many Allcoasters, and I'm sure many of you have visited Alaska on at least a fishing trip.

I asked some of my friends and the only answers I got were "if they paid me a million dollars, half a million, or "no" because I don't want to be eaten by a bear/moose, freeze my butt off, etc. So I look to this board for advice from people who might actually be familiar with the place.


Sorry this isn't a fishing related question, but of course there is some awesome salmon and halibut fishing there, which is a plus.

I'm just getting the feeling that Alaska would be a lonely, obviously freezing, and in the winter, dark place with too many drunk guys who used to be ex-convicts. It would be a major change from living in LA.

I hear that you can share a teepee with a drunk guy who used to be an ex-con on those long dark nights for next to nothing...as long as you provide the bare meat.

But anyway, GO FOR IT! You're in your early 30s. Go out and find out for yourself if the sterotypical alaskan male is correct. 90K is darned good money for someone who is open for job offers but also can't make a major decision.

BRW: "used to be an ex-con"? What is his classification now? :?

They got their convictions off the record under the condition they go to Alaska become former ex-convicts.

LMAO!!!!

 

[SoCal]

I would go!!!!!

I have a co-worker whose veterinarian daughter lives there and runs a practice and raises sled dogs.

She has visited extensively and reports that there is good life up there. Daughter lives with 2 other women and they date the local guys...but complain too many locals have problems...so, if you're a normal guy you should do fine.

Enjoy the adventure and go for it....you can always come back south.

 

[SAMIAM]

I've heard the drunk, former ex-convicts of Alaska even fight one another for fat girls.

 

[Long Beach Bob]

If you are single with no responsibilites, you should go for it..once in a lifetime opportunity for a real adventure and memories you will cherish forever....cold as hell winters, yes, but, it is the last frontier you will see in your lifetime..there are women everywhere in the world; some just look better than others at 2 am..college chicks work up there in the summer...a fat chick and two furry dogs will keep you warm in the winter...$90,000 is good money in the current economic situation with layoffs occuring everywhere...a wife, kids and mortgage will tie you down in one place soon enough...need we say more?.....

 

[jackpotJennings]

If the opportunity presents itself and there is nothing holding you back then go for it I say. I went on Semester at Sea in 1989 and travelled around the world at the age of 19 and those lessons I learned then apply more today in my life than anything I have ever done. There is nothing that says you can't come back if you don't like it. Character is revealed in times of adversity, not formed. I've read your posts and your a very intelligent guy for being 30 or so years of age....Just make sure you keep in touch with the rest of us. Us married guys with kids (or kids on the way ) will need your experiences to live vicariously through. Whether it's 3 months or 3 years....L.A. will remain the same and you won't be missing out on anything unless we have an intense El Nino year and people start catching Yellows and Dorado off the piers.:tu:

This post edited by jackpotJennings 06/05/2008

 

[SAMIAM]

If you are single with no responsibilites, you should go for it..once in a lifetime opportunity for a real adventure and memories you will cherish forever....cold as hell winters, yes, but, it is the last frontier you will see in your lifetime..there are women everywhere in the world; some just look better than others at 2 am..college chicks work up there in the summer...a fat chick and two furry dogs will keep you warm in the winter...$90,000 is good money in the current economic situation with layoffs occuring everywhere...a wife, kids and mortgage will tie you down in one place soon enough...need we say more?.....

Most look better than others at 2am...with beer goggles :tu:

 

[SAMIAM]

If the opportunity presents itself and there is nothing holding you back then go for it I say. I went on Semester at Sea in 1989 and travelled around the world at the age of 19 and those lessons I learned then apply more today in my life than anything I have ever done.

There is nothing that says you can't come back if you don't like it. Character is revealed in times of adversity, not formed. I've read your posts and your a very intelligent guy for being 30 or so years of age....Just make sure you keep in touch with the rest of us. Us married guys with kids (or kids on the way ) will need your experiences to live vicariously through. Whether it's 3 months or 3 years....L.A. will remain the same and you won't be missing out on anything unless we have an intense El Nino year and people start catching Yellows and Dorado off the piers.:tu:

Congrats JJ on being a daddy! :tu: (I'm assuming..)

Not much adversity in Alaska if I get the chance to go. No crabbing on the Bering Sea... more like pushing pencils in Anchorage.

I miss the days when you could catch yellows off Hermosa Pier, even Redondo Beach. I think it's the dirty water that keeps the pelagics away from the pier. Our local beaches used to have blue water once upon a time :tu:

 

[HD]

Trust your gut. It's usually more reliable than your head. I must part from the herd here and remind you that:
1. There is no life east of I-5
2. You will miss the tan lines on the ladies
3. Money doesn't buy happiness-appreciation for what you have does.

Before making any life-long decisions, go there and stay for awhile. Feel the water before you jump in...you may find it chilling beyond your wildest expectations and hate it more than you could ever imagine. :\

 

[SAMIAM]

Trust your gut. It's usually more reliable than your head. I must part from the herd here and remind you that:
1. There is no life east of I-5
2. You will miss the tan lines on the ladies
3. Money doesn't buy happiness-appreciation for what you have does.

Before making any life-long decisions, go there and stay for awhile. Feel the water before you jump in...you may find it chilling beyond your wildest expectations and hate it more than you could ever imagine. :\

People go sledding and sew drum skins for their leisurely activities. Yup Yup.

These are like the last couple of years I have left before I fall out of that 18-34 demographic. Wow, I need to think about this carefully. These are precious years to be spending time in the artic wilderness for sure.

 

[OldDiver]

If I was only in my 30's and had the chance. That I didn't go to work on the pipeline 30 years ago is still a regret I will always carry.
Alaska is the last great US frontier, see the sites !!
Living conditions depend on where you will be.
Get a REALLY warm down bag and good boots before you leave !!
And send back a report on your travels for us old vicarious adventurers.

 

[WJW]

I've been to Alaska (Kenai/Anchorage area)for two plus weeks a year, ten out of the last eleven years. I'll be up there again in July. All of those trips have been in the summer time. I also spent a week up there in the middle of January five years ago. (One of my best friends lives up there, got married, and I went up for the wedding.) Alaska is a very special place in summer or winter. The only way to answer your question about whether to go is to know whether you like the outdoors. If you like to fish, snowmobile, hunt, camp, mountain bike, hike...and have a bit of disposable income to allow you to do those things...you'll love it. A single guy making 90K should have no problem having a great time and attracting enough girlfriends to keep it interesting. My buddy moved up shortly after high school and has never looked back. He has a camper, three "snow machines" (as they call snowmobiles), a Quad-runner, a drift boat, and a bunch of other stuff. He's set for having fun in the winter or summer. In winter he's still doing the outdoor stuff, he's just dressed warmer. The Aurora Boreallis is pretty cool winter show as well. He's divorced now and, as far as I can tell, he gets enough "action" to stay happy. Anchorage is not as cold as many people think. It's right on the ocean and that has a significant moderating effect on temps. Minnesota or even upstate New York is colder. I looked quickly on the NWS and saw that the average high temp in January for Anchorage is 22 degrees. The average low is 9 degrees. For Minneapolis the average high is also 22 degrees and the average low is a bit colder than Alaska at 4 degrees. As far as snow, upstate New York, Minneapolis, and Chicago all get a lot more snow than Anchorage. And while Anchorage does get dreary by about the middle of January, most people who can afford it take a week or so and fly to see their friends in So Cal, or go to Hawaii, etc. You'll be able to afford it. Anchorage has a population of like something under 400 thousand and is a pretty cool city IMO. Lots of good night life. Dozens of good nightspots with lots of pretty girls running around. Clean city. Some fantastic restaurants ranging from super-fancy/expensive to burger/beer joints. And quite a bit more in the way of cultural attractions (live theater, philharmonic, movies, museums, etc.) than many other places I've been. There really are a lot of very nice hotels. As far as girls, I see plenty of good looking girls when I'm there. Not as many as Newport Beach, but plenty all the same. It's like anyplace else in the Pacific Northwest. A lot like Seattle IMO. The whole thing about there being a lot more men than women is NOT true concerning Anchorage. In rural areas where mining and fish are big draws, that may be true. But in Anchorage the mix is like 49 percent women and 51 percent men. The short days in the winter would bug me. In January I think they have about six hours of sunlight every day. But with the dusk and dawn twilight hours, the period of time it's "light" out is probably around eight hours. The flip side is summer when there is like twenty hours of actual sunlight every day and with the dusk and dawn hours added, it really only gets "dark" from about 2:00 am to 4:00 am. I think I'd have no trouble living up there. I couldn't live in Fairbanks, but Anchorage would be no big deal IMO. As long as you have a decent place to live, a decent SUV with 4WD, and good outdoor gear, you'll be set. The short days in Winter would be more than made up for by my love of the fishing/hunting/etc that is so available. If you want, drop me an e-mail and I'll give you the e-mail of my buddy up there. Bill

This post edited by WJW 06/05/2008

 

[SAMIAM]

I've been to Alaska (Kenai/Anchorage area)for two plus weeks a year, ten out of the last eleven years. I'll be up there again in July. All of those trips have been in the summer time. I also spent a week up there in the middle of January five years ago. (One of my best friends lives up there, got married, and I went up for the wedding.) Alaska is a very special place in summer or winter. The only way to answer your question about whether to go is to know whether you like the outdoors. If you like to fish, snowmobile, hunt, camp, mountain bike, hike...and have a bit of disposable income to allow you to do those things...you'll love it. A single guy making 90K should have no problem having a great time and attracting enough girlfriends to keep it interesting. My buddy moved up shortly after high school and has never looked back. He has a camper, three "snow machines" (as they call snowmobiles), a Quad-runner, a drift boat, and a bunch of other stuff. He's set for having fun in the winter or summer. In winter he's still doing the outdoor stuff, he's just dressed warmer. The Aurora Boreallis is pretty cool winter show as well. He's divorced now and, as far as I can tell, he gets enough "action" to stay happy. Anchorage is not as cold as many people think. It's right on the ocean and that has a significant moderating effect on temps. Minnesota or even upstate New York is colder. I looked quickly on the NWS and saw that the average high temp in January for Anchorage is 22 degrees. The average low is 9 degrees. For Minneapolis the average high is also 22 degrees and the average low is a bit colder than Alaska at 4 degrees. As far as snow, upstate New York, Minneapolis, and Chicago all get a lot more snow than Anchorage. And while Anchorage does get dreary by about the middle of January, most people who can afford it take a week or so and fly to see their friends in So Cal, or go to Hawaii, etc. You'll be able to afford it. Anchorage has a population of like something under 400 thousand and is a pretty cool city IMO. Lots of good night life. Dozens of good nightspots with lots of pretty girls running around. Clean city. Some fantastic restaurants ranging from super-fancy/expensive to burger/beer joints. And quite a bit more in the way of cultural attractions (live theater, philharmonic, movies, museums, etc.) than many other places I've been. There really are a lot of very nice hotels. As far as girls, I see plenty of good looking girls when I'm there. Not as many as Newport Beach, but plenty all the same. It's like anyplace else in the Pacific Northwest. A lot like Seattle IMO. The whole thing about there being a lot more men than women is NOT true concerning Anchorage. In rural areas where mining and fish are big draws, that may be true. But in Anchorage the mix is like 49 percent women and 51 percent men. The short days in the winter would bug me. In January I think they have about six hours of sunlight every day. But with the dusk and dawn twilight hours, the period of time it's "light" out is probably around eight hours. The flip side is summer when there is like twenty hours of actual sunlight every day and with the dusk and dawn hours added, it really only gets "dark" from about 2:00 am to 4:00 am. I think I'd have no trouble living up there. I couldn't live in Fairbanks, but Anchorage would be no big deal IMO. As long as you have a decent place to live, a decent SUV with 4WD, and good outdoor gear, you'll be set. The short days in Winter would be more than made up for by my love of the fishing/hunting/etc that is so available. If you want, drop me an e-mail and I'll give you the e-mail of my buddy up there. Bill

Thanks for the informative post Bill. :tu: Definitely makes Anchorage sound like just another city. Much appreciated. Still can't get over the fact that when you look at a map, Anchorage is like at the very upper northern part of the globe. It is literally as far north from LA as New York is east. It just feel so... remote. And yup, hard to believe that it being so far up north, the average high temperature in January is 22 degrees Fahrenheit and average low is 9 degrees Fahrenheit. I guess it's a little bit colder than what you get in the east coast. Hard to believe. I've been in colder weather in NYC and Philly. Can't say I liked it though!

This post edited by SAMIAM 06/05/2008

 

[Brad_G]

Life is about collecting expereinces, and living in a different part of the country, especially like Alaska, is something that you will remember always. If you've got the ability to try it, I'd say go for it.

But bottom line, its your decision.

 

[DockRat]

I would think $90,000 would go alot farther in Alaska than LA.

Why would you not go ?

What reason's are holding you back ?


Little scared ?
Girlfriend holding you back ?
Gonna miss your Mama ?
1st time flying more than 20 miles from your nest ?
Too comfortable in your boring daily routine ?
Do you enjoy freeways and traffic reports ?
Afraid some Alaska chick will beat you up ?
Too freaked out by chicks with hairy armpits ?
Scared to death your gonna die up there ?
Worried about getting Bi-Curious ?

LMAO typing this, just kidding.


Go For It !!!

Fantasy
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h203/ryan282/*******%20and%20white%20trash/whitetrash.jpg Reality
DR

 

[walkerman]

90K is not worth 6 months of darkness. There's a reason that there are so many habitual drunks and so many suicides up there. You get up, it's dark. You go to work, it's dark. You go home, it's dark. No thanks.

 

[mogandave]

90K is not worth a life is misery, but how bad can it be for a few years? I think a lot would depend on the Job as well. If it?s a job you think you?ll enjoy, I?d go for it. Four things can happen, you hate it and come back, no big deal. It?s not that bad, but the job sucks so you come back, no big deal. You love it and the job is great, you stay, life is good, no big deal. You love it, but the job sucks, this is the only scary situation, because you don?t want to stay in a job you hate. It?s okay for a while, but it wears you down, and you don?t even know it until you?re nutzo.

 

[BillP]

Sounds like you have nothing to lose. If you don't go you'll likely be saying "what if?" the rest of your life.