General Discussion

Jersey Devil

(10,511 posts)

7. Great to visit, but I don't think I'd wanna live there

Wed Oct 8, 2025, 10:28 AM

Oct 8

Visited Alaska for a week almost 20 years ago in February to see my first grandchild. My son in law was in the AF and stationed at Elmendorf AFB and had a house in Eagle River, a suburb of Anchorage. Sun rose at about 9:30 am and set at 3:30 pm (only up north in places like Nome does it go dark all day) and the streets, parking lots and sidewalks were all covered with about 6" of impenetrable ice all winter. But the scenery was beyond breathtaking. Bald Eagles roosting in the trees everywhere, shining a flashlight into the woods in the back yard and seeing a thousand glowing eyes look back at you, delaying dinner at a restaurant because a moose was napping in the driveway and wouldn't move, ice sculptures in downtown Anchorage, the local hospital shutting off its automatic doors because moose kept walking into the lobby, skies, mountains like you have never seen before.

Cannot edit, recommend, or reply in locked discussions

Edit history

Please sign in to view edit histories.

Recommendations

7 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

nilram h2ebits RazorbackExpat chowder66 love_katz Sequoia ReRe

42 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

So You Think You Can Hack It? The Cold, Hard Fucking Truth About Alaska [View all] willbrad9080 Oct 8 OP

okay but like why so mad WhiskeyGrinder Oct 8 #1

He didn't sugar coat his advice, just an honest appraisal. Ferryboat Oct 8 #6

The Robin Williams movie Insomnia used the perpetual sunlight in the summer as a motif. John1956PA Oct 8 #2

I am under no delusions about it Cosmocat Oct 8 #3

I don't watch reality TV.... markie Oct 8 #4

Loved Northern Exposure! But... rubbersole Oct 8 #21

"Mosquitoes so big they could stand flat-footed and f*ck a turkey." Ocelot II Oct 8 #29

Ha ! The shattered steel wrenches was the first thing that popped into my mind. eppur_se_muova Oct 8 #35

Heard them tell this joke: rubbersole Oct 8 #39

Great place for opportunities if your willing to work harder than you ever worked. Ferryboat Oct 8 #5

Great to visit, but I don't think I'd wanna live there Jersey Devil Oct 8 #7

Made it 7 winters in Anchorage. callous taoboy Oct 8 #8

Been here since 1985 Arthur_Frain Oct 8 #9

Hawaii wouldn't disappoint I'm told. 1WorldHope Oct 8 #26

Lived on Guam for a couple of years. Arthur_Frain Oct 8 #36

Sorry, I live in Nebraska. I've never even been to Hawaii. 1WorldHope Oct 8 #38

I lived there a couple years AKwannabe Oct 8 #10

Those long days and nights would be hard. Probably as a result of that I saw a lot travelingthrulife Oct 8 #11

Good essay, written with serious grit. Welcome, willbrad9080 Clouds Passing Oct 8 #12

I'm guessing SCantiGOP Oct 8 #13

"you'll end up as a frozen cautionary tale." Aviation Pro Oct 8 #14

I know I couldn't handle the big dark. I live in the San Francisco Bay Area and a few years ago, the combination of Fil1957 Oct 8 #15

I lived in Anchorage from 1965 to 1972 Mblaze Oct 8 #16

Thank you for sharing your experience. MLAA Oct 8 #17

Not sure how/if it's connected, but Fairbanks just voted out their R mayor. TheRickles Oct 8 #18

The climate and the darkness I can handle; even celebrate. Aristus Oct 8 #19

Bears are not usually ripping doors off. They might nap on the porch Maru Kitteh Oct 8 #20

It's a great place to visit but I wouldn't want to live there. Martin68 Oct 8 #22

Hmmm. Orkney in the U.K. is north of kodiak, south of Fairbanks Layzeebeaver Oct 8 #23

Thanks WillBrad Escape Oct 8 #24

You do realize that Palin is no longer governor, don't you? Gimpyknee Oct 8 #33

I s'pose different people like different places Torchlight Oct 8 #25

meh, nice place to visit maybe but not in my top 10 democratsruletheday Oct 8 #27

One of my best friends lived in Alaska for a good while Jilly_in_VA Oct 8 #28

When I lived kairos12 Oct 8 #30

I hacked it for three years and it was a wonderful experience. Gimpyknee Oct 8 #31

There are other beautiful places Wifes husband Oct 8 #40

Nope Torchlight Oct 8 #41

I have cousins who love it Warpy Oct 8 #32

Oh please, it is full of morons Bluestocking Oct 8 #34

Sounds serious Torchlight Oct 8 #37

Locking per Host Consensus. GP6971 Oct 8 #42