Moving To Alaska....What Should I Know?
- Thread starter Zorro
- Start date
Aguila Blanca
Staff
Winters are colder than in San Diego.
On a more serious (and gun-related) note: FAR fewer restrictions on firearms. Carry permits are optional. Not needed in-state, but they will issue a permit if you want one for purposes of reciprocity, or being able to obtain a non-resident permit from a state that requires you to have a home state permit.
Suggest you log onto www.handgunlaw.us, click on Alaska, and start reading their links.
On a more serious (and gun-related) note: FAR fewer restrictions on firearms. Carry permits are optional. Not needed in-state, but they will issue a permit if you want one for purposes of reciprocity, or being able to obtain a non-resident permit from a state that requires you to have a home state permit.
Suggest you log onto www.handgunlaw.us, click on Alaska, and start reading their links.
What part of Alaska?
BTW moving north you will notice a dramatic difference in daylight. I see it even between Sacramento and Seattle. Winter days are going to be very short and often a gloomy overcast. Folks from the more southern states sometimes find it hard not having 12 hours of sunny sky every day. Summer days are very long with 20 hrs or more of daylight.
BTW moving north you will notice a dramatic difference in daylight. I see it even between Sacramento and Seattle. Winter days are going to be very short and often a gloomy overcast. Folks from the more southern states sometimes find it hard not having 12 hours of sunny sky every day. Summer days are very long with 20 hrs or more of daylight.
Saw in the other thread that you're moving to Elmendorf/Anchorage area.
The saying in Alaska goes about like this: "Anchorage is 45 minutes from Alaska."
All the amenities that you're accustomed to in CA will most likely be available in Alaska's largest city.
Gun laws are awesome. Coming from CA, you'll think you've died and gone to gun Heaven... BTW, you have. No permit required for carry, open or concealed.
The "mommy and daddy approved" list does not exist in Alaska. If you can dream it up, your wallet will be the only limiting factor as far as firearms are concerned.
It's colder. A good measure of the weather; whatever the weather in Kodiak is, you'll see it in Anchorage within the next day, only it'll be just a little colder in Anchorage.
If you're expecting them to salt the roads, you're mistaken. They'll plow and gravel them, but salt is a no-no. In Alaska, fisheries reign supreme. Anything that will affect fisheries in a negative way, doesn't happen. That includes salinity levels from excess salt on the roads.
Buy a 4-wheeler and a snowplow attachment for it before you move. You'll thank me later... About a week after Thanksgiving, you'll be very thankful you're not shoveling every morning. Open the garage door, crank up the quad, plow the driveway in 2 or 3 minutes, return quad to garage, get in the truck and go to work.
Get a 4wd vehicle if you do not have one. At minimum, get a vehicle that is front wheel drive. Rear wheel drive only is not something you want to tackle your first Alaskan winter with.
Buy a new set of tires for your vehicle and get snow studs put on before you move. Studded tires can get expensive in the fall season. Supply/demand, etc...
Clothing
- Layers layers layers. Cotton kills. Never wear cotton in the winter, especially when you're going out into the woods.
- Under armor cold gear.
- Carhartt arctic jackets and bibs.
- Extra-tuff boots.
- Red head "lifetime" smartwool socks.
- Wool or fleece pullovers
- Manzella fleece gloves
If you have any questions about anything, let me know. Either on this thread or via PM. I'll do what I can to help you.
The saying in Alaska goes about like this: "Anchorage is 45 minutes from Alaska."
All the amenities that you're accustomed to in CA will most likely be available in Alaska's largest city.
Gun laws are awesome. Coming from CA, you'll think you've died and gone to gun Heaven... BTW, you have. No permit required for carry, open or concealed.
The "mommy and daddy approved" list does not exist in Alaska. If you can dream it up, your wallet will be the only limiting factor as far as firearms are concerned.
It's colder. A good measure of the weather; whatever the weather in Kodiak is, you'll see it in Anchorage within the next day, only it'll be just a little colder in Anchorage.
If you're expecting them to salt the roads, you're mistaken. They'll plow and gravel them, but salt is a no-no. In Alaska, fisheries reign supreme. Anything that will affect fisheries in a negative way, doesn't happen. That includes salinity levels from excess salt on the roads.
Buy a 4-wheeler and a snowplow attachment for it before you move. You'll thank me later... About a week after Thanksgiving, you'll be very thankful you're not shoveling every morning. Open the garage door, crank up the quad, plow the driveway in 2 or 3 minutes, return quad to garage, get in the truck and go to work.
Get a 4wd vehicle if you do not have one. At minimum, get a vehicle that is front wheel drive. Rear wheel drive only is not something you want to tackle your first Alaskan winter with.
Buy a new set of tires for your vehicle and get snow studs put on before you move. Studded tires can get expensive in the fall season. Supply/demand, etc...
Clothing
- Layers layers layers. Cotton kills. Never wear cotton in the winter, especially when you're going out into the woods.
- Under armor cold gear.
- Carhartt arctic jackets and bibs.
- Extra-tuff boots.
- Red head "lifetime" smartwool socks.
- Wool or fleece pullovers
- Manzella fleece gloves
If you have any questions about anything, let me know. Either on this thread or via PM. I'll do what I can to help you.
Stevie-Ray
New member
You should know that some of us are envious. Our winters are a bit more temperate, but your scenery trumps it.
I'd love to live there.
I'd love to live there.
CharlieDeltaJuliet
New member
One of the most important things to do is to get up every morning and remember how beautiful the place is. I love Alaska, and have family in Fairbanks. The wife and I will relocate there one day. Enjoy the area brother, take time to take it all in...
As Aguila said, be sure to read the handgunlaw.us page. Alaska is famous for constitutional carry, but they do have some restrictions you might not think of, eg getting a homeowner's express permission before bringing a gun into his house. Also, IIRC, brass knuckles and nun-chucks are verbotten. Be aware that there are several locations in Anchorage which are posted "No Guns". Shopping malls, performing arts theatres, etc. Consider using dry lube on any gun that's going to be cold-soaked; even gun oil gets thick at some point. Assuming you conceal your carry piece, it's probably not an issue; now you just have to figure out how to draw from under a heavy coat. I saw a gun jacket once that only zipped from just above the waist upwards, leaving the bottom loose enough to pull aside for easy access. Can't remember the brand, but looked like a neat idea.
If you're in the military, I expect you have to wear what they give you? Otherwise, plan on spending $400 for clothes.
Indera Military Fleece long johns from Walmart.
Carhartt hoodie. (yes I know it's $70.00 but it's worth every penny.)
Refrigiwear hooded overall from Alaska Industrial Hardware.
Refrigiwear gloves and mittens, also from AIH.
Bunny boots from G. I. Joe's Surplus at 5011 Arctic Blvd. $50 cheaper there than the big Army/navy store.
There are pros and cons between an overall and an insulated pants/jacket combo. Take your pick. But I would highly recommend that the hood on the jacket be permanently attached; the snap-on hoods allow plenty of room for the wind to blow up the back of your neck. That's why I went with Refrigiwear over Carhartt.
Don't let the locals convince you that you only need bear spray or bells. Familiarity breeds contempt.
Carry a .500 S&W for the bears, and a 12 guage for the mosquitoes.
If you're in the military, I expect you have to wear what they give you? Otherwise, plan on spending $400 for clothes.
Indera Military Fleece long johns from Walmart.
Carhartt hoodie. (yes I know it's $70.00
but it's worth every penny.)Refrigiwear hooded overall from Alaska Industrial Hardware.
Refrigiwear gloves and mittens, also from AIH.
Bunny boots from G. I. Joe's Surplus at 5011 Arctic Blvd. $50 cheaper there than the big Army/navy store.
There are pros and cons between an overall and an insulated pants/jacket combo. Take your pick. But I would highly recommend that the hood on the jacket be permanently attached; the snap-on hoods allow plenty of room for the wind to blow up the back of your neck. That's why I went with Refrigiwear over Carhartt.
Don't let the locals convince you that you only need bear spray or bells. Familiarity breeds contempt.
Carry a .500 S&W for the bears, and a 12 guage for the mosquitoes.
I'm going to be different.
Don't buy anything until you get there and find out what you need, unless you plan on having a garage sale after you get there.
Based of the above post, I'm assuming you're going the the Anchorage Bowl. That area is not a lot different the most metro areas in the lower 48.
There are basically two Alaska's, The Bush and the Road Network. About 90% of the people live on the road network and its just as crowded as most placed in the lower 48.
In my 22 years in Alaska I spent a good deal of time in both areas. Different as night and day.
As to long days or long nights, you have just as much daylight as anywhere else. Just spread out a bit different. You'll get use to it, not something to worry about.
Same with the cold. You will go through a lot of window washer fluid, that is a given.
The Anchorage area had some good shooting. Shooting and reloading supplies are plentiful (a lot better then Wyoming).
Hunting sucks unless you're rich. Unless you live in some bush areas hunting is rich man's support. You have to fly out and that cost big bucks.
The exception is waterfowl. Best duck and geese hunting in the world across the knik arm from Anchorage. (Palmer Hay Flats). But you have to watch the tides and mudflats they will kill you.
Fishing is great, you can drive to some of the best fishing anywhere on the Kenai Penn. But its gonna be crowded.
The biggest danger in the Anchorage Bowl is moose/vehicle accidents. When the snow gets heavy, moose like everyone else take the easy route, meaning they'll get on the highway to move where there isn't any snow.
Tons of moose/vehicle accidents every winter, the Moose are hard on cars.
Main thing, like I said, don't buy a bunch of crap until you get there and find what you need. If you're on the road network, especielly in the Anchorage Area, it isn't that much different the the lower 48.
Don't buy anything until you get there and find out what you need, unless you plan on having a garage sale after you get there.
Based of the above post, I'm assuming you're going the the Anchorage Bowl. That area is not a lot different the most metro areas in the lower 48.
There are basically two Alaska's, The Bush and the Road Network. About 90% of the people live on the road network and its just as crowded as most placed in the lower 48.
In my 22 years in Alaska I spent a good deal of time in both areas. Different as night and day.
As to long days or long nights, you have just as much daylight as anywhere else. Just spread out a bit different. You'll get use to it, not something to worry about.
Same with the cold. You will go through a lot of window washer fluid, that is a given.
The Anchorage area had some good shooting. Shooting and reloading supplies are plentiful (a lot better then Wyoming).
Hunting sucks unless you're rich. Unless you live in some bush areas hunting is rich man's support. You have to fly out and that cost big bucks.
The exception is waterfowl. Best duck and geese hunting in the world across the knik arm from Anchorage. (Palmer Hay Flats). But you have to watch the tides and mudflats they will kill you.
Fishing is great, you can drive to some of the best fishing anywhere on the Kenai Penn. But its gonna be crowded.
The biggest danger in the Anchorage Bowl is moose/vehicle accidents. When the snow gets heavy, moose like everyone else take the easy route, meaning they'll get on the highway to move where there isn't any snow.
Tons of moose/vehicle accidents every winter, the Moose are hard on cars.
Main thing, like I said, don't buy a bunch of crap until you get there and find what you need. If you're on the road network, especielly in the Anchorage Area, it isn't that much different the the lower 48.
It's actually hard to answer your question without knowing where you're going. I just came from Sitka, and it is far different than the Interior. If you're a hunter, where you're living will have a huge impact on many things. You also need to be weary of laws within each borough. Although state law is pretty unrestrictive as far as gun laws, the different municipalities will each have their own laws and you need to know them. Off the top of my head, according to state law, you're allowed to discharge a firearm on your own property, but try to do that in most cities/towns and some villages, and you'll be arrested pretty quickly.
Like has already been stated, you can carry concealed without a permit. Unlike Arizona (which gives some added benefit), for example, the only benefit you get for getting your permit is reciprocity and being able to skip the NICS check. Keep in mind that if you are carrying and law enforcement stops you, your are REQUIRED to notify them. Failing to notify can be an easy way to get a night in jail. Luckily, most of the State Troopers (and all of them I know) believe in an individuals right to carry a firearm, so that's a good thing. Even the liberal areas of Alaska (like where I'm from) are pretty darn gun friendly.
Like has already been stated, you can carry concealed without a permit. Unlike Arizona (which gives some added benefit), for example, the only benefit you get for getting your permit is reciprocity and being able to skip the NICS check. Keep in mind that if you are carrying and law enforcement stops you, your are REQUIRED to notify them. Failing to notify can be an easy way to get a night in jail. Luckily, most of the State Troopers (and all of them I know) believe in an individuals right to carry a firearm, so that's a good thing. Even the liberal areas of Alaska (like where I'm from) are pretty darn gun friendly.
warbirdlover
New member
According to the shows on TV pot is readily available there.
Glad I don't live there for that reason!
Glad I don't live there for that reason!
22-rimfire
New member
One of the things I would invest in in the lower 48 is tire "chains" for each of your vehicles.
Much depends on where exactly in Alaska you are talking about in terms of needs. A couple good rifles might be a good thing.
Much depends on where exactly in Alaska you are talking about in terms of needs. A couple good rifles might be a good thing.
kilimanjaro
New member
Unless you drink a lot, bring a bunch of books with you for the winter...
Do invest in a good camera if you can afford it. The scenery is outstanding, you will never forget it.
Do invest in a good camera if you can afford it. The scenery is outstanding, you will never forget it.
riggins_83
New member
I'd expect WildAlaska to chime in here soon... gorgeous state and great gun laws!
thedudeabides
New member
umm...why isn't this the law throughout our ENTIRE fine nation?
Why do we spend time and money regulating and restricting what is a constitutional right?
Carne Frio
New member
Hey, Zorro; are you still here ? If so, here is a link
to a great, Alaska specific, forum. There is a whole
lot of relocation information in this sub-forum.
http://forums.outdoorsdirectory.com/forumdisplay.php/82-Relocating-to-Alaska
to a great, Alaska specific, forum. There is a whole
lot of relocation information in this sub-forum.
http://forums.outdoorsdirectory.com/forumdisplay.php/82-Relocating-to-Alaska