Best Place to Live

[Sleddogg]

So here is a question for those of you that know AK.
If you were to consider moving there and wanted to live in a town that would support you and your wife with a decent job, amazing snowmobiling as well as great hunting/fishing/camping.. Where would it be?
Just looking at options and thought this would be a great place to start.
Thanks!

 

[sutton600xp]

Live in th Mat-Su Valley and work in Anchorage. IMO

 

[MORSNO]

Live on the outlying areas around Anchorage where you can still commute to town for work. Chugiak/Eagle River, Mat-Su Valley, Indian (south of town), etc. It really depends what you do for work. I think Kenai/Soldotna would be awesome, but not much for work for me down there. The entire state is great, it depends on what you are looking for.

 

[FrankieJames7]

fairbanks...wasilla/palmer...yeah seems to be good places if you want a job here...

 

[Burn Down]

If you don't want to trailer your sled for 3 hours to get to the mountians stay away from Fairbanks... Oh ya the entire month of january was -30 to -50*F lol.

 

[EagleRiverDee]

I'd have to agree with the others that say stay away from Fairbanks- they get super cold weather and not a lot of snow, and it's flat for the most part. You'd have to drive either down to Cantwell or Valdez to get any good riding in.

I live in Eagle River, 20 miles north of Anchorage. It's a good location as it's close to the jobs in Anchorage, it's not too crowded where I live, and good riding is 1 to 2-1/2 hours away depending on where you want to go. I'd have to agree with folks that recommend the Anchorage/Mat-Su area as being the most flexible as far as job availability and riding availability both. If you're willing to work remotely and have the skills, you could take work at a remote mine or up on the Slope and then pretty much make your home anywhere in Alaska and go riding out your back door when you're home on R&R. There is shift work available 2 weeks on/2 weeks off up to 6 weeks on/6 weeks off.

 

[mmsports]

I picked Valdez

Good riding good jobs a little pricy to live but so for I like it.
This week pics

 

[Burn Down]

Kevin,
Did you move to Valdez Permanent?

 

[mmsports]

That is the intent

Well I do not have a home yet nor a job but that is the intent. I am living up here working on sleds and looking for a job and place to live. Just staying at friends for now. Listed my home in Idaho.

 

[The Fourth Wolf]

Sleddog,
Anchorage, as Alaska's largest city is your best bet due to the sheer volume of conventional job opportunities. Even at 300,000 people it's more of a huge small town than a city. I've been here 20 years and really like it here. Yes, it's got it's problems...there's 300,000 people but overall Anchorage is a good place to live.

There's not much hunting or riding to be had in or close to town but Anchorage is 1 to 3 hours from millions of acres worth of backcountry riding and in summer/fall for all sorts of other outdoor stuff.

The Mat-Su Valley (short for the Matanuska and Susitna Rivers that frame it) is popular and growing and an hour closer to everything north of Anchorage but if you do the math, on average you'll commute 600 or more miles a week to live in the Valley and work in town. At over $4.00/gal for gas that adds up fast, but if you're mostly a weekend rider it makes sense to budget that fuel for riding instead of commuting. If you can work in the Valley then it's not a bad choice.

Now, if you're in a niche specialty and can make a good living in a small town then Valdez (pronounced Val-deez). Be warned Valdez gets a lot of annual precipitation. If you love the sun then get farther away from the saltwater.