Well now the possible work assignment has moved from Abilene, TX to Anchorage, AK. I've been to Alaska before but it's always been summer and once in the spring. So any advice from those who have experienced it for more than a few days in summer?

Take lots of money -- winter can get tough but that is a given. My winter trips were uneventful and I enjoyed them. Youngest son lived there for over 20 years.

I lived outside of town and worked at the base for a couple of years. The darkness gets more people than the cold. It gets down to about 5.5 hours of daylight in the winter. First snow that sticks is normally mid-Oct to early Nov. Breakup generally comes early-mid April. Winter temps tend to hover around 20F for most of the winter. Anchorage is in a bowl, so there is little wind. A lot of folks plan a vacation late Jan or mid Feb to get away for a week.

Loved it. Avoid living in the NE part of town. Some of my guys said gunshots were a common occurrence there.

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Originally posted by Herknav:
I lived outside of town and worked at the base for a couple of years. The darkness gets more people than the cold. It gets down to about 5.5 hours of daylight in the winter. First snow that sticks is normally mid-Oct to early Nov. Breakup generally comes early-mid April. Winter temps tend to hover around 20F for most of the winter. Anchorage is in a bowl, so there is little wind. A lot of folks plan a vacation late Jan or mid Feb to get away for a week.

Loved it. Avoid living in the NE part of town. Some of my guys said gunshots were a common occurrence there.

I grew up there, lived in Eagle River and Elmendorf AFB. This is all true. I say go for it, it’s a pretty cool experience and you will enjoy it. Go fishing and skiing/snow boarding and find a buddy with a snow mobile and you’ll have a lot of fun. It’s gorgeous up there in the winter

I've been there enough times to know that getting tossed out of Darwin's should not be a point of pride.

If you enjoy the outdoors you can have the best time of your life, year-round.

quote:

Originally posted by Herknav:
I lived outside of town and worked at the base for a couple of years. The darkness gets more people than the cold. It gets down to about 5.5 hours of daylight in the winter. First snow that sticks is normally mid-Oct to early Nov. Breakup generally comes early-mid April. Winter temps tend to hover around 20F for most of the winter. Anchorage is in a bowl, so there is little wind. A lot of folks plan a vacation late Jan or mid Feb to get away for a week.

Loved it. Avoid living in the NE part of town. Some of my guys said gunshots were a common occurrence there.

winter temps around 20 you say?

There is a bar in Anchorage.

Or was that a Kodiak bar?

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Originally posted by FenderBender:
winter temps around 20 you say?

That was my experience in Anchorage for 2 winters. I think the coldest we saw at our house was maybe -20, but that didn’t last long. Obviously, that’s not universally true across the state.

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Originally posted by Herknav:

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Originally posted by FenderBender:
winter temps around 20 you say?

That was my experience in Anchorage for 2 winters. I think the coldest we saw at our house was maybe -20, but that didn’t last long. Obviously, that’s not universally true across the state.

I lived in Anchorage for 5 years ('09-'14) plus traveled there frequently for business '14 thru '16.

Cook Inlet is on the west and south side of Anchorage and it has the 3rd largest tide in the world so it doesn’t freeze over. Wind is predominantly out of the west so the Cook Inlet moderates the temperature and it’s typically 10-20 degrees warmer than Wasilla in the winter (i.e. 20s daytime and teens night time) and 10 degrees cooler in the summer. When the wind comes out of the north is when you’ll see the temps go below zero (usually no worse than -12).

As far as the sun, winter is 5.5 hours daylight (unless storm or fog) at winter solstice. As the spring or fall equinox occurs the amount of daylight changes by 5.5 minutes per day. Winter can cause seasonal affective disorder (SAD) in some people (eg me) and 3000 to 5000 mg per day of vitamin d3 made me feel normal (TIP: Costco sells D3 and a years worth costs $10 or $11). I slept really well in the winter, but the 5.5 hours between sunset and sunrise (also 2 hours of twilight) messed up my sleep and I’d feel wrung out by Friday. I had both room darkening blinds and room darkening curtains (for the gap at edge of blinds). If I set an alarm to go to bed at reasonable time and let myself wind down in my pitch black room then I didn’t feel wrung out at the end if the week. If I didn't set an alarm to go to bed, then about 1 AM I'd finally realize that it's getting dark and I should've been to be hours ago.

Restaurants are totally different tourist season from rest of year. Tourist season they have long waits, food quality decreases, and service generally blows. The other 8.5 months you’ll have little or no wait, very good food, and good service (by Alaska’s low standards). If you have a bad experience in summeer give tgem another shot outside of tourist season. Simon & Seafort’s is a good example of this phenomenon as they have 1.5 hour (waits (don’t count on being seated anywhere near your reservation’s time), the food is good but not great, and the college kids serving don’t give a shit if the plate they put in front of you is what you ordered (don't bother sending it back as it'll take 15 minutes to flag someone down and another 30 minutes to get the right food). However, the other 8.5 months it’s prompt seating, outstanding food, and personable service. Nearly all Anchorage residents are in agreement that one of the worst things to happen to a restaurant is to get mentioned in a tourist guide book.

IME, Fred Meyer was the best grocery store chain. However, New Sagaya had the best fresh fruit and vegetables as well as fresh seafood. Costco and Walmart greatly improved logistics to Alaska and everyone has benefited. You really should have a Costco card to make living there more affordable.

When I get home, I’ll edit this and put in restaurant recommendations link and link on things to do.

I used to get a lot of visitors in the summer so I put together this Things to Do in South Central Alaska guide. One of my philosophies is that I wanted visitors to plan their own vacation as it really sucks when somebody comes with no plan and complains the entire time.

I don't have a copy of my restaurant recommendations at home (I mainly used it for coworkers on business trips).

This message has been edited. Last edited by: tatortodd,

I traveled back n'forth for nearly 10-years first doing a bunch of climbing, which evolved into a couple of relationships.

Anchorage is a funny town with a lot of idiosyncrasies. It's the big city of Alaska, so, those outside of town like to refer to it derisively as Los Anchorage, and they call Fairbanks, Squarebanks. Naturally, it's where all the media lives, corporate HQ's, multiple shopping malls, nice restaurants and generally where all modern amenities & services are.

When the annual Permanent Fund dividend checks get sent out (early Oct), it's pretty amusing seeing people gathering at the truck dealerships, snow machine dealerships (NOT snow mobile), buying electronics at Costco/Walmart or, booking a winter vacation at the travel agents...yes, they still exist.

Spring time otherwise known as break-up season gets a bit nutty, everything is perpetually wet or muddy, winter has played havoc with the roads and with people driving late in the season with their studs, end up destroying the roads ergo, lots of vehicles have cracked windshields. Great business to get into up there BTW. As things warm up the moose are traipsing around all over the place, you'll send plenty of photos to your friends in the lower-48. When the bulls are in rut, they'll start chasing joggers all through the parks...every runner has a moose and/or bear encounter story.

Best non-Italian pizza I ever eaten was at Moose's Tooth Pizza. It's now a Anchorage institution and the owners are legends in the dining scene. Great beer and really good pies. I really miss it..may have to see if someone can send some down... The girls drink as much as the guys and get into fights a lot more often, spent too many nights at 'koots.

Alcoholism is a problem, and a major issues with the natives. Drinking during the winter is real and those that get caught into that spiral are near hopeless. While Los Anchorage is used derisively, it's also the escape that many natives seek when their communities are toxic or, trying to escape the small village balony that holds back many.

Tourist season is really an issue. There's a handful of communities in the US that experiences first-hand what the crush of tourism does and all the stupidity that comes with it: NYC, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Hawaii, Key West, Orlando, etc. From the cruise ship passengers riding up on the buses, to all the RV'ers driving up the ALCAN or taking the ferry system. It's hard to describe other than it's a period of time when Anchorage residences either get away or, bite their tongue, make some money and hope the season goes quickly.

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Originally posted by corsair:
people driving late in the season with their studs, end up destroying the roads ergo, lots of vehicles have cracked windshields.

Incorrect. Anchorage doesn't use salt and sand on their roads. They use crushed gravel and during a Chinook or spring break-up the gravel is no longer embedded in ice and that's when you get all of the windshield strikes and body panels get paint chips.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: tatortodd,

I was stationed there for a year, but long ago when Chilkoot Charlie’s opened and before the pipeline, so it’s hard to imagine how much things have changed. Things that haven’t changed are the countryside and climate (not much, anyway). Mosquitoes were ferocious during their season, so I preferred the rest of the year, actually. I found the long days more disrupting to my schedule than the long nights, and aluminum foil on the bedroom windows on Fort Richardson was common.

At one time I planned to settle there, but I believe I wouldn’t have been as happy as where I am now, even though we can expect snow starting in September and running into May. I sometimes think it would be interesting to go back, but then perhaps I should just remember it as it was.

The gravel / sand thing reminded me... I was there for a few weeks 20+ years ago in early May. I didn't know there were curbs and sidewalks in many places, I just thought all the roads had dirt shoulders. Then one day there were curbs! The street cleaning crews must come through and it was like magic! lol

It's a long dark winter but there are many places in the lower 48 with much colder winters than Anchorage.

It's not too bad in the winter, there are plenty of places in the lower 48 that get much colder. Providence is a nice facility. Native is as well, actually. Lots of outdoors activities. Probably wouldn't move my family there but much worse places to do a temp assignment.

Great Alaskan Bush Company.

Anchorage is generally a good place.

As noted, winters are mostly mild for a far north location. There is usually a couple weeks of -10 to -20 degree F each winter, often in January. Otherwise Anchorage is warmer than Minnesota. Big temperate effect from the ocean. The light (lack of) is worse than the snow and temp. You wake up in the dark, drive to work in the dark, work inside and don’t see the sun, then drive home in the dark and go to sleep. But in the summmer it’s 20 glorious hours of sun. So get out during the weekends even if you just go for a drive or a walk.

Schools are good. Public does their best with the Federal mandates and Head Up Ass school board and district administrators. The teachers are mostly good to great. Public (ASD) charter schools are common. Lots of private K-12 schools too, mostly religious/church based. Most of the religious based schools have certified teachers, standardized testing, all as a ASD school would. None of the religious schools I know of are whacked out nuts. And of course they are selective by nature of cost, and by their admission and behavior standards.

Most of the ‘urban’ in Alaska is in Anchorage. [To be fair, Fairbanks is close as far as what amenities it offers, but it is -50 every year.] Live in Mat-Su Valley (Palmer or Wasilla) if you want to commute 45-75 minutes a day, each way, in the dark, on ice rutted underlit Highway. When any accident happens you will be late for work or unable to get to work, full stop. There is one road between Anchorage and ‘the Valley’. But you get more lot, or more House (square footage). Except most people in the Valley just have a 10% bigger lot and house and paid 10% less to still live in a subdivision with no view, and then have to commute 2 hours a day. Did I mention you drive on ice in the dark during the winter, on one road?

Alaska just made the most dangerous state, and Anchorage the most crime ridden city in the state. But as with most urban crime, it is often self-selecting. Don’t be a gang member, don’t sell or use drugs, and drink and slut, and don’t hang out with those who do. Most major crime is now not your problem. Most of the ‘bad’ crimes are lowlifes killing each other, drug or gang issues, or chronic alcohol problems (leading to shootings, fights, sexual assaults, etc). You may still be affected by rampant drug use (especially heroin/opioid/meth), homeless, and lowlifes. They have been stealing vehicles in record numbers, and stealing anything and everything in driveways and yards. There are regular ‘routes’ that some criminals cover every few days. This is nothing new in cities with expanding homeless and/or drug-using populations, and if it’s not there yet it’s coming to your neighborhood soon.

The good still outweighs the bad. It is beautiful, summer and winter. You have wildlife literally in your yard (Boss, I can’t cone to work; there is a moose laying down in front of the garage). Fishing is great, hunting is good. Hiking and camping can’t be beat. There is everything from temperate rainforest to semi-arid arctic to explore. There is no state income tax. There is no state sales tax. Anchorage property tax is high, but total tax burden is low. We have local breweries, distilleries, farms, music, theater, and almost every cuisine you can hope for in restaurants.


Read the list (that was posted above) on things to do; it’s pretty good.

Go to AR15.com and hang out and search the Hometown/Alaska forum. Please do not immediately ask the same question as everyone else has before searching and reading, because all this has been asked and answered every month or so there.

If you are familiar with driving in winter and snow, that’s not Alaska. We don’t really plow or maintain roads well in winter. If you have a 2 wheel drive pickup or ‘SUV’ sell it where people want them. 2 wheel drive cars do ok because owners understand they are cars, and fragile. 2wd trucks/SUVs may be rugged and capable in most places, but they get sold at huge losses up here, usually in the spring after sliding all around the past winter. Get four winter rated all terrain tires (the snowflake symbol; not just all weather), or four studless snow tires (Blizzaks or similar), or four studded tires. And don’t believe the aluminum stud lie; they don’t last and don’t give as good traction as steel studs. You will be driving on an increasingly thick layer of ice from November to March, and you want good tires.

ETA: darkness gets to some. Alcohol is some people’s escape, even in ‘normal’ people. But the biggest thing I’ve seen break up families is distance (time and cost) from seeing relatives. If you or your spouse are a clinger family and have to see mom/dad, or siblings, etc, that is often a huge driver in breakups. Figure $800/person and a day of travel each way; you just don’t see family very often.

One morning last winter when I got to work.


Last summer; 40 minutes from my house:

And if you’re coming this winter, establish residency by Dec 31. Bank Account, drivers license, rental lease, utility account, something.

Hunting/fishing licenses and permits are cheaper and better, and you’ll get the PFD a year sooner.