wanting to move to alaska!

[RockyMountainSawyer]

The wife and i are seriosly concidering moving to alaska. We really like the idea of living completely off the grid, and being self reliant. Obviosly we cannot just pack up and go, we would like to make this happen within the next five years. We have alot of questions and concerns, that is why I am posting this on this forum, there is alot of knowledge here i would like to tap into. Our plan right now is to have a sawmilling business of somekind. We have heard that aquiring timber in alaska is fairly easy, we would like to know if this is acurate. Also we would like to get to know people who live there to get a better idea of what we are up against. Thanks in advance i'm sure this will be an eye opener.    RMS

[Piston]

I would like to marry your wife....
Just kidding, but I wish my wife would consider that    Good luck, I'll be following this post with interest.  I've only been to Alaska once and can't wait to go back, it seems like the most amazing place. 
I have worked with a few people from Alaska and they have all loved where they live. 

[Qweaver]

Hey Rocky, you might want to read this account of moving to the great north.  http://www.jenninewardle.com/
These two people planned it out well and it's been pretty tough...way to tough for me...and I'm pretty tough.  Read this from the beginning.

[red]

I hear you can see Russia from there  .......

[RockyMountainSawyer]

I really do think that sarah has the right idea, i will just have be sure and keep my distance when she has a shotgun(wouldn't want to be there for another dick cheney shot). 

Also i took a quick look at that blog, looks like there is going to be alot of good insight there, thanks. We would like to go up and visit at least once during each season to get a good feel for the weather. I am sure that it will be tough, but i also believe that it will be worth every challenge. We have a great support group of family and friends that agree that alaska is the place for us. The dream of living off the grid i believe is shared by alot of people, the problem is finding someone with the same dream, i got real lucky with my wife to say the least. The ideal situation for us would be to buy about 100 acres or so of good mature timber ground. We have built cabins together before and believe that we could build a very comfortable dwelling in about a years time, if i am able to get my mill on site. I figured that a d-log shell with a gambrel roof system would be our best bet. That isn't the fanciest way to do it but i believe it is the quickest and easiest way. Also if we could find a property that has a year round spring or creek with good slope to build a dam would be great. In my mind if a person has a dam there are limitless possibilties, power being the big one. Having a cheap power supply allows you to have more luxeries. Anyway i plan on building everything at least once here before i go. I  think it would be easier to work all the bugs out in an area close to a hardware store. I plan on selling these things also to help fund our dream. So bear with me on the first project of building a cabin in the middle of an idaho winter. Any suggestions to make it Alaska frindly would be much appreciated. Thanks again RMS

[northwoods1]

I'd visit there 1st before I got to far along thinking seriously that it is something you might want to do. And then if your real serious , go up and stay for 1 winter and see if you can take that.

Living in Idaho might give you a basic idea of what a severe winter is like , but do you think you could take 6 months of it being dark most of the time. For most folks that is the determining factor. You might think you can but just try it. It drives people wacky

[Warbird]

We have heard that aquiring timber in alaska is fairly easy, we would like to know if this is acurate. Also we would like to get to know people who live there to get a better idea of what we are up against. Thanks in advance i'm sure this will be an eye opener.    RMS

Where did you hear this about obtaining timber?  I do not own a mill, nor have I spoken with the big mills here in the Interior of Alaska but it sounds suspicious to me.  We already have large commercial mills here and breaking into the market in this area would likely be difficult.

There used to be a large mill/pulp mill in SouthEast Alaska, in Ketchikan.  I'm pretty sure that mill went out of business (a long time ago) due to regulations of timberlands there.  It hurt the local economy very bad.  I have relatives living there and might be able to get further information.

As for what you are up against, what do you want to know?  Moving here can cost a lot, depending on what you bring with you and which part of the State you move to.  You should also be prepared for the cold and extended darkness.  The further north you go, the worse it is.  And it can really screw with your head.  Here in Fairbanks, we get ~3 hours of sunlight on the shortest day of the year.  In the Arctic, where there are no trees, the sun goes down and doesn't come back up for ~2 months. 

What, exactly, do you mean by "living off the grid"?  This seems to have turned into a trendy term that can mean a few different things.  Do you mean no electricity? No phones? No running water?  All of the above?  If all of the above, you need to be aware that this is hard living and also gets more difficult the further north you go.

What sort of people are you?  What sort of skills do you have?  If you work a desk job in a big city and have never lived very rustic, my recommendation is you be careful. 

[Buck]

This thread will be one to follow.....

[jim king]

I think between Warbird and Plicketycat you have two great resources here to draw from.  There may be more.  The cold and darkness to me would be  unforgiving.

A lot of people come here and fall apart for other reasons.  The life is to easy and to much fun.  Every vice is readily available from the sweet little night life charmers in abundance to lots of drugs and plenty to drink.  There is to much fun to work and think.

Changing lifestyle in a drastic way is not easy and on your own is worse without a group..  As said go there on an extended vacation and survive for six months, if it works and you are ahead of how you arrived you will probably be a candidate.

Here are of couple of examples.  Go slow, in a new land without money can be tough on anyone-----

 

[Chuck White]

My only suggestion would be to get the facts before you head out.

Alaska has some very unforgiving territory, and the weather can change quicker than most of us can think.

[D Hagens]

  Without getting in to great details of one of my experiences building a cabin and having no source of power, water or phone.
 Here’s something for you to try that you can do in your own backyard!
 Set up a tent, bring enough food for a week. Leave your phone, laptop, radio and other things like that and see if you and your wife can do it.
 Determine a set amount of time that you will live like this and see if you can do it. Like others have said, the darkness is the hard part.
 When me and my wife go to the cabin we have no power, just batts and some solar that’s limited in the winter.
 The first thing that we notice is that we work well together and you sure find out fast what true love is!
 I enjoy the isolation as I love being as one with nature but there sure are a lot of people that get cabin fever real fast!

[Magicman]

I've harbored my dream of moving to Alaska for 50 years.  We've only visited once for 2 months, and that was during the "daylight" time.  Sadly, my dream now is only to be able to visit again.

I'll also follow this thread closely.

[SwampDonkey]

Check this out.

http://www.faroutliving.com


This guy is a computer programmer.

[RockyMountainSawyer]

I guess it would help if i gave some background. I was raised on a cattle ranch in nebraska, where in the winter's get to be in the -30 to -50 degree mark. The work still had to get done, like calving 24 hours a day. If anyone of you have ever calved out 2 year olds in nebraska in the middle of febuary, then you can know i'm no stranger to harsh conditions. Once our family moved to idaho i got into carpentry, and soon started my own business in timber. First building track homes then log and timber homes and know i support my family cutting pallet cants with old crappy equipment that i refurbished in and of my own resources. My wife has stood by me through it all. The reason we want to go to alaska are as follows: we don't mind idaho, but we want to live somewhere that is concidered frontier, we want our kids to learn how to live on nothing and have everything. Alaska is an enabler for people who want a challenge. I know that we have what it takes, and don't think that we are just going to run off to the tundra and not prepare. Like i said this is a five year plan. Everything that we can mimmic here to help us get it right there is what we are going to do. Also my idea of living off the grid would be to produce our own power, food and water source. We would like to have the internet, we don't want to live like hermits. We just want to rely on others as least as possible. I apprieciate the comments about the long dark winters, that definatly will be a challenge. We plan on building a shop to work in in the winter, that ought to help with the dark issue. I am really excited to be getting this big of a responce, and i apprieciate all of your comments, keep them coming. RMS

[DouginUtah]

I may be mistaken, but it seems to me that everything you want to do in Alaska you could do just as well in Idaho.

[Buck]

Go for it, Post until you go off the grid. I think you can do it cowboy sawyer. No question about your grit.

[Carpenter]

     We have a pretty similar background.  What part of Nebraska did you come from?  I've always wanted to do just what you're planning.  I probably won't get the chance to now, but can I come visit?  I think you'll do just fine.

[RockyMountainSawyer]

Carpenter you are more than welcome to come and visit, by the way i grew up near dunning on the circle 5 ranch in brewster. There is just something about trees and mountains when all you have ever known is rolling hills.

[Left Coast Chris]

What part of Alaska are you thinking about?  I worked for about 5 years on the panhandle on Prince of Whales Island.  We worked both summer and winter on a sawmill, dock and power house.  I was in college and flew back and forth to and from school. 

I would suggest you start by working up there a summer and establishing some connections.   That is assuming you need to make a living working a job.  If you have funds to sustain yourself then you could research communities and go from there.  The southern part of the panhandle is really great for fishing, hunting and lots of trees.  Not sure how many priviate timbered parcels are available.  Only smaller lots in town as far as I knew other than mining claims.  The winters had maybe 6 hours of sunlight.  Lots of rain and access is by air and barge.  No Doctor.  No law enforcement that I ever saw.  I did metal fabrication at the saw mill.

One thing to consider, is raising your family and oportunities for the kids.  On Prince of Whales Island there was fishing, loging the sawmill a couple of bars a seasonal cannary and a couple of stores.  Oh, there was one guide service also.  Very few if any kids past grade 8 there.  No  High School and not many oportunities after that through High School and College.

Food for thought.

[Brucer]

I knew a couple who did just what you're planning to do -- in Northern Washington State.

[SwampDonkey]

There is just something about trees and mountains when all you have ever known is rolling hills.

I lived on the wet coast for a time. And for me it's more than just trees and hills, it's Acadian forest timber on them hills and dryer weather and sun. And being able to grow a garden in good soil that isn't constantly soaked like a mud flat.  

[sandhills]

This truly is interesting, I'm sure you're very capable of doing this but I would definetely listen to the locals and learn as much as I could before attempting it.  I grew up pretty much the same, just a little further east and the cold doesn't bother me either, but this is Nebraska, I honestly don't know if I could handle an Alaska winter off the grid, seems like it would get old really fast.  I too am interested in what part of Alaska you're considering, I got to spend part of a summer in the Haines/Skagway area, that is also why I have no trouble understanding why you would want to do this.  It is by far the most beautiful country I've ever seen.

[Warbird]

The areas these guys are talking about are very far to the south.  Something to understand about Alaska is how HUGE it is.  If you take a scaled map and lay Alaska over the United States, you begin to understand just how large it is.

The further south you go, the more daylight you have during the winter and the easier the living is.  However, the flip side is that in a place like Ketchikan, they get enormous amounts of rain during the winter.  This means almost every winter day is gray, rainy, and dreary.  While you do have more daylight there, you still have to contend with that.

Lots of pretty trees in Southeast Alaska, though.  Lots of huge cedar.

[Stephen1]

This will be another good thread to watch same as PC's

[fishpharmer]

Here you go, this link shows what Warbird was talking about...

http://www.birds-eye-view.alaska.edu/ch2/story2-3.htm

[Tom]

I think it gets too cold up there. 

[Jeff]

It gets too cold down there!

[SwampDonkey]

Sibling rivalries.

[SwampDonkey]

Reading about the fella and wife in SD on that link I posted is enough to make me want to stay home. The pictures look a lot like southern Alberta. Yup, I'm staying home.

[ely]

up or down it gets too cold.
my cousin and his wife moved up there in more like 5 weeks. but they live in northpole alaska.

[Mooseherder]

Is there name calling and mean spiritedness between the North and the South?

[Jeff]

Depends on what color their chainsaw is.

[Warbird]

Jeff got it. 

[North Pole Kid]

I say go for it. 
Yes- it is hard, but well worth it.
  Not to be a downer, but the cost of living up here is high, but there is lots of work.  My Grampa used to say "Everyone needs a ditch digger", and it holds true up here.  I agree with Warbird, if you are a desk jockey, stay home, but if you are blue collar, this is the place to be.  Lots of oil jobs, construction, roadwork, etc.  Southeast is going to be more like Washington, but as you move north, a little more in-hospitible.  I am in North Pole (how'd you guess), just outside of Fairbanks, and I can't dream of being somewhere else. 
  As far as off the grid, tone it down a little.  There are people who do it, but were raised there.  I have a cabin out in the bush, and spend alot of time there, but couldn't/wouldn't do it year round.  There are plenty of places to be kinda off the grid, but still have some services. 
  I moved up from Oregon, so keep planning, it can be done.

[ARKANSAWYER]

  Now I have spent 3 winters in Alaska at Fort Greely in the cold weather test station and at Black Rock training.  I have seen cold and to be artic certified you have to spend 3 days and 2 nights out and it has to get to -30 to count.  All you have you carry on your back.  It will sure cull the men from the boys most quick.
  So if you want to see if you can do it then just throw the main breaker at your house and turn off the water and gas.  Get a 5 gallon bucket in the bathroom and put in a wood stove to heat and cook on.  You will need to pretty much just move into the room with the wood stove as you are not going to be able to heat the whole house with what wood you can cut by hand.  I had a buddy who lived off grid back in the 80's in Delta Junction and his cabin was 16x20 with walls about 1 ft thick and roof at 2 ft thick and all they had to burn for wood was spruce.  It was nothing for him to burn a cord a week just to keep from freezing.
  There was a PBS show about a guy who flew into some lake up in Canada and built a cabin and lived there by himself till he was in his 80's.  Did it all by hand and way off the grid.  Some friends would bring supplies from time to time by plane.
  Folks move here to Arkansas all the time and try to live off the grid and grow their own food.  Most are gone in just a year or two.  Many do not last the summer.  It is hard work to grow, kill, and store your food.  It is hard work to cut wood to get through 7 months of winter.   I have lived where during the winter the street lights never go off and in the summer they never come on.   It takes some getting used to.  And wait till summer when the skitters take after you.  I just thought they were bad in the swamps of Mississippi.  But there are only snow snakes up there.

[fuzzybear]

well I'm across the border and it's not much different here. It fall into the catagory of living north of the 60th.
  All I can do is sugest you make a plan and stick with it. It takes 7 years min. to set yourself up for living off grid. Now that's an avarage number, may be shorter may be longer.
 

   Things you have to think about that slip most peoples mind when planning are simple things you take for granted every day.   Example is food.  Now you run to the store when you need food, here offf grid, the store may be a days journey. So you have to have at least a 2 month supply of food.

   Fuel is another supply you will need. Transportation, skidoo for winter, if you keep trails open a long track will do, if you have to break trails to get to town you are going to need a wide track.  If you decide to go totally off grid and use dog team, you need lots of meat for the dogs.
   As far as burning a cord of wood a week, that's extreme.  A cord a month on average here. When it does go to -40/-50's you will burn a cord in 2 weeks. So you need to have at least 10 cords to start your winter.
   When you build your cabin I would suggest building only as big as you need. keep the side walls around 6' and stay away from big open areas. Build a foundation that is double thick, Keep the air out of the floor. There are ways to make radiant heated floors using the wood stove to heat the coolant and it will circulate without electricity. Build in a style that allows you to compartmentalize. This way you can add a small stove to certain rooms for back up heat when it reaches -40. Don't try to heat with one large stove, you become a slave to it if you build to big.
   Water is a major problem living off grid. you have to have a good source of water nearby. in the winter you will have to keep the hole in the ice open to get water. You could go with a plastic holding tank. but you will find that 250 gal will go very fast if you do not conserve water. Most people think you can melt the snow and drink it to survive. This is NOT true. Snow contains no minerals that we need out of water. It is good for doing dishes and washing your self. But remember it takes 1" of water to make 1' of snow, so when you fill up a 5 gal pot with snow you anly get about 4-5 inches of water. it takes alot to fill up a pot.
   If you don't know how now, teach yourself now.  Like cooking, do you plan on packing 100lb propane bottles out into the bush, if not then you need to learn how to cook ontop of and inside the wood stove.
   We have a saying here that is very true, " you spend all summer getting ready for winter, and all winter trying to survive."
FB

[Tillaway]

I have done allot of work in SE Alaska.  Lots of timber in fact residents are allowed something like 5,000 or 10,000BF( can't remember exactly) per year off the Tongass NF.  It is not really advertised but you can check around to get more info.  The problem is all the Cedar within reach of every open road is gone.  I used to see folks getting their wood all the time.
Quite a few portable mills in operation on the islands because of the free logs.  I can't remember seeing a community without one.  The purpose of the program is to supply building material for residents.

It would be pretty hard to starve in SE, every low tide supplies clams.  Sell the car for island life, buy a boat that can handle rough water, preferably a fast one.  A trip to the doctor is via float plane, so is the ride to the hospital (I should know).  Plan on rain, one year I was up there there were just 7 days without it that year, even the residents were complaining.  Garden will have to be indoors and probably under lights.  You can have about anything delivered via barge or landing craft.  Even hot pizza delivery via regular scheduled flights form Juneau or Ketchikan.  Grocery shopping is via mail order.  Its cheaper to buy from a Seattle grocery and mail it up than the store in town.  One large NW regional department/grocery has a program for SE Alaska.

The drawback is that you need to be independently wealthy to pull this off.  Work is seasonal, if you can find it.  The only industry is fishing / processing, tourism and associated support.  Timber is mostly tribal export logs. What land is not owned by the Government is owned by a tribal corporation.  No real private timberland that I can think of.  The full time work is with the Government or tribal corps. 

[LOGDOG]

RockyMountainSawyer,

This used to be a dream of my wife's and mine. I think we're over it. We've been contemplating such a move for about the last 6-7 years. In that time I've followed the real estate market every week and watched the same homes (some not all - but more than I'm comfortable with) stay on the market the whole time. I've seen some come up for sale, sell and then come up for sale again. It's interesting to watch an area like that intensely for such a long period of time. I even read the local papers week by week.

If you want to meet Alaskans then here's a good Forum: http://forums.outdoorsdirectory.com/
Bookmark that one. You'll need to be a member to see some of the posted pictures. When you get to the homepage of that Forum, scroll down towards the bottom and you'll see there's a whole section dedicated to Alaskan Living. You'll find a number of threads there on both moving to Alaska and living off the grid.

I'm not sure how Jeff would feel about me posting real estate websites on here that I've found but I've found some with lots of remote properties. Believe me, I have a ton of information on this topic archived.

After looking at it thoroughly though, my wife and I have come to the conclusion that there are places that are good to live  and there are places that are good to visit but not necessarily live. For us, I think Alaska falls into the latter.

The reality of life is the thing that a person needs to hold onto when considering something like this. When you have a tooth ache and there's no dentist around you might be rethinking where you're at. One of the places we were considering - Prince of Wales Island- actually has a "dental boat" that comes around and you need to either wait until it does for treatment, or catch a 3-4 hour ferry to Ketchikan or hop a floatplane to Ketchikan. Either way, it's a long, expensive trip or a long, painful wait. Little things like not having access to a pharmacy when you're sick and need medicine can make a huge difference when it comes to quality of life and overall health.

Now, there are places in Alaska where you can live that have conveniences, but you'll find that they basically look like the cities and towns in the lower 48 and have all of the things (on the negative side) that usually prompt us to want to move off the grid. So what you end up with is living some place that's not really the Alaska you and I have dreamed of, but the cost of living is super high because it's Alaska. We decided the lower 48 is a better fit at this stage of our life. That's just us though. If you two decide to give it a go then that's awesome. Best wishes on that. Let me know if you want me to send you a bunch of websites via pm that I've accumulated over time on the subject.

Be sure to check out that Forum. 

Take your time doing the research.

[Carpenter]

     Boy, you guys sure are putting a damper on a good thread with all that realism.  You're making me think of it as Sewards Icebox again.   
     The way I read it, they didn't intend to live entirely off the grid but just to be as self sufficient as possible. 

[Warbird]

Not trying to put a damper on anything.  I'm trying to help the OP out.  From the sounds of it, he's got the grit to make it here.  I just want him to have the knowledge and tools to get 'er done if he pulls the trigger on it.

[Raider Bill]

But look at all the great info that's flowing in!

Log Dog made some great points, actually everyone has. That's a huge step to take.

Check out Plickety Cat's posts and blog. They are doing it but man does it sound hard and expensive.

[Buck]

I hope he tries it and keeps us posted.

[Chuck White]

     Boy, you guys sure are putting a damper on a good thread with all that realism.  You're making me think of it as Sewards Icebox again.   
     The way I read it, they didn't intend to live entirely off the grid but just to be as self sufficient as possible. 

Your venture is doable for sure.

Just take the time and think it out before jumping.

There are times and places in Alaska where you can be in a Life & Death situation in a hurry.
Be it the weather or some of the critters that grow there.
A lot depends on just where you intend on going.

I really liked Alaska for the 4½ years I was stationed there.  I was at Elmendorf AFB (near Anchorage).
The weather there isn't much different that right here at home.  We just had the light/dark to deal with.
When I was driving down the Alaska Highway, heading home, I met a family somewhere near Dawson and the guy had a Woodmizer sawmill behind his pick-up and his wife was towing a large camper trailer behind a Suburban.  They were headed for some "homestead property" somewhere in Alaska.
Looked like he had all his ducks lined up.

I'm wishing you the best of luck and good fortune in your move.

[fishpharmer]

Rockymountainsawyer, this is a great thread, I sure am glad you asked.   At one time I wanted to move to Alaska, Jack London quenched most my thirst. Really, I just never wanted to leave the South. I still want to visit Alaska.

Since your gathering info., tonight, for the first time I watched a show on National Geographic Channel about Alaskan State Troopers, interesting show.  Might you give you a a view of Alaska from another perspective.   

[LOGDOG]

Funny you bring that up Fishpharmer. One thing I noticed every week in the paper was the police reports and arrest reports. It's actually startling to find out how many cases of robbery, DUI, DWI, Drunken brawls, domestic abuse, etc there are up there vs. here. I read a report that said Alaska was one of the states with the highest rate of domestic abuse. Between that and the robbery issues that I saw on a coninual basis it made me think that people have a hard time making a go of it. That can cause people to steal or in a husband/wife scenario ...argue about money. Throw in the alcohol and you've got a situation that gets out of hand.

One thing that everyone I have ever talked to regarding moving to Alaska has said is, "Come with a pocket full of money". That saying, "Success is when preparedness and opportunity meet" comes to mind. I think it's wise that RockeyMountainSawyer has made this a 5 year plan. That's a good amount of time to get his ducks in a row and think it through. Also enough time to either hone or develop skills to support the new lifestyle. I hate to say it but there's a pile of sawmills up there and they've got the headstart on connections and relationship business. One thing there is a shortage of is Dry Kilns. Also something that has seemed to be a very necessary trade up there is a good solid diesel mechanic. Doesn't matter if it's big equipment on land or at sea, that stuff breaks down and it's expensive to fix. Look at the money Capt. Phil was having to spend on his boat on Deadliest Catch.

If I were going to live off grid I guess I'd probably try to take in some classes at a local trade school for Solar power and the networking of the panels, batteries etc. I personally would need to take a class on the basics of electrician work as it's one skill I have not learned over the years. May be a good idea to take some carpentry classes if you're looking at building your own place if you're not familiar with carpentry.

I'd probably get used to living off of a tight budget and doing a shop to fill the pantry/freezer for say 6 months at a time and stick to it without fudging one bit. (That's not actually a bad idea even if you stay down in the lower 48.) Check out this couples blog:
http://thehappytrappers.blogspot.com/   ...... I follow it. There's commentary in there on the shopping they do for their extended trips over the winter in their cabin while trapping. Maybe you can email them back and forth and get some tips. I know some of the followers of the blog contact them since they mention it in comments on the blog itself.

I'd probably (if I didn't already know how) learn the basics of butchering meat and putting it up whether via a canning process or curing process. Practice that while you're down here and maybe get used to eating that way. See how you like it.

I'd probably plant you a garden while you're down here. If you're not familiar with gardening it'd be good to get some practice in. SInce Alaska's growing season is short you may want to build you a little cold frame greenhouse and try growing things very early in your growing season and very late in the growing season while you're down here. Again, practice putting up the vegetables via canning, drying, etc.

A class in navigation and map reading probably wouldn't hurt depending on how far off grid you intend to be.

I'd make it a point to pay off any debt well before you leave town. Aquire the tools you may need while you're down south. Learn how to use and take care of them ahead of leaving for up there. Maybe even build you a cabin down where you live now as a practice run.

Just stuff like that.  

I hope you keep us posted. I'd love to follow your progress and live vicariously through you.   I don't think anyone hear wants to discourage you at all. It'll just go better for you if you plan it out well.  

[jim king]

It sounds easier down here in the Amazon.  Plenty of food, warm and not enough worries about living but 20% of the European blood immigrants wake up dead for one reason or another and 50% of the rest go down hill.

Think about it, I hope you do well but don´t ever forget your limits.  If you have never tested your limits you will there or any where similar .  I like air conditioning and a supermarket as close as possible, like 5 blocks.

Telephone, internet, electricity, water and a bunch of other things are not bad.  Going against the grain is always good but when it is to better your self.

[North Pole Kid]

  It doesn't have to be a dream.  If you look at the stats on AK, unemployment has declined (we are in the top ten for work), house prices are stable (recession has not hit us as hard), and population has been flat for a while.  Its a good place to live, but there is definatly some acclimation to the surroundings.  Getting in a bind can be life or death in -50 weather, but as long as you know what your getting into, no worries.
  I dumped a snomachine thru the Tanana river (crossing to my cabin in the winter) at -40.  Dropped thru and got soaked to the bone, but I was prepared for the worst, and was not a big deal.  (My wife had an issue with it)  Just be prepared and you'll do fine.

[LOGDOG]

Bump .....

Where you at RockyMountainSawyer? Just bumping this thread along to see if you checked out the Alaska forum and how that research is coming.

[Raider Bill]

I was watching a show on Discovery green I think it was titled the Alaska experiment.
They put several couples or teams out in the bush at cabins. Gave them some staples, guns and fishing equipt. Judgeing by the one show I saw they are not going to make it through the winter.

[Warbird]

Sheesh.  How come I wasn't selected for that show?

[Chuck White]

Sheesh.  How come I wasn't selected for that show?

They probably figured you know too much!   

[LOGDOG]

I've seen that show.  What I want to know is, how do these people find out about these castings?

[KellyH]

Jim King - I have a friend that is logging in Guyana and loves it.  His only complaint is he needs more equipment and transportation is costly.  He has invited me down several times but work keeps getting in the way ( fear of snakes & spiders too).   General vices aside I'm more worried about the creatures of the jungle than the creatures of the nightlife.
If you could share anything about the region it would be greatly appreciated.  Maybe this is a great idea to start a different thread altogether?

Sorry everyone I kinda wandered off track just a bit.

Thx!

[Autocar]

I finaly had or made time today to read the whole thread. What young man hasn't dreamed about moving to Alaska and run a trapline. When I got discharged from the army in 69 I was ready to set at home for a while but often wonder where we would be today if I would of taken a job on the pipeline. Ive been there twice it is a beautiful state for sure, but to think about the dark days and a cord of wood a week no way anymore  Cutting eight cord anymore about kills me it use to be fun but somewhere along the line it has turned into hard work. Even here in Ohio I think about being more independent of the power company I guess that will be my living off the gread. 

[SwampDonkey]

A lot of that dream'n is too much Grizzly Adams, Davey Crocket, Roy Rogers, John Wayne, and Daniel Boone, growing up.   Never shows those guys ever working much for their keep.

[Autocar]

Yep I agree my dream came from a magazine called Fur Fish Game when I was younger I loved to run a trap line and there aways storys about trpping in Alaska and Canada.

[SwampDonkey]

Yeah, some writer (David Richy) from Outdoor Life Magazine was with my grandfather for a story on fishing. Here's an excerpt from Google.

http://books.google.ca/books?id=EQtHAAAAYAAJ&q=arnold+demerchant&dq=arnold+demerchant&hl=en&ei=xE0XTYzzN4WBlAeV9LyrDA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=2&ved=0CC0Q6AEwAQ

It was part of this book.

http://peterborough.kijiji.ca/c-ViewAdLargeImage?AdId=224777130

[clww]

That PBS documentary Arkansawyer was talking about is titled "Alone In The Wilderness". I did a Goggle search and you can buy a copy from the film producer (cheaper direct than on Amazon, too). Very good and informative film that I have a copy of.
 I'll echo the other members-think long and hard. Make several visits before you jump into it.

[oldaxman]

I have been to Alaska several times to work, never liked it much, too  much rain, too many bugs, couldn't wait to get home but I'm a grouchy old man so take that into consideration.

[SwampDonkey]

That PBS documentary Arkansawyer was talking about is titled "Alone In The Wilderness". I did a Goggle search and you can buy a copy from the film producer (cheaper direct than on Amazon, too). Very good and informative film that I have a copy of.
 I'll echo the other members-think long and hard. Make several visits before you jump into it.

There is also a sequel, where they go back later in his life. These shows get played a lot on PBS during pledge drives. I've probably watch them 5 times. Knowing how harsh it can be in northern BC, gives you a little more sense. Hahahah, I can remember one comment the old timer, in the sequel, said under his breath about being coached what to say on film. That drove it home right quick.

[fuzzybear]

after a week and a half  of -40,  I'm starting to get cabin fever.......supposed to warm up to a nice -25 in a day or two.  I just have one thing to say to winter   

[jim king]

after a week and a half  of -40,

fuzzybear:
I remember once looking out the window and the thermometer was at -40.  A week and a half ?

You have a great sense of humor to put up with that.

I could not do it.

[Warbird]

I hear you, fuzzy.  We've been having similar temps.  -40's F at the airport, -30 F at my house this morning.  Supposed to warm up tomorrow or Sunday.  Here's hoping...

[fuzzybear]

    It's warming up    Going logging very soon. hit -35 and is snowing. supposed to warm up to -25.  Just in time to... I think I was starting to loose my mind 

[LOGDOG]

Just watching the show "Flying Wild Alaska" ... they just said the teen suicide rate up there is 9 times the national average. Sad, sad. The notion of living in Alaska seems romantic but I think the reality is a whole different thing. 

[Qweaver]

    It's warming up    Going logging very soon. hit -35 and is snowing. supposed to warm up to -25.  Just in time to... I think I was starting to loose my mind 

Wow!  It's 9 deg F outside tonight and I can't even think about working in that.  You guys are tough.

[ARKANSAWYER]

 And silly me has been complaining about 30 degrees and 4 inches of snow.

[LOGDOG]

Right Arky. I just got back from a long walk around my property and was sitting here thinking as I read some of these posts about -30 degrees ...how good we have it in the South. Doesn't mean I won't be complaining about the heat come July and August though.

[SwampDonkey]

It's not all that bad, we don't even need air conditioning here in the summer. Sure some use it, I never did, just a ceiling fan. Sure it can get toasty in a house, but usually it passes in a day or two. Believe it or not I knew quite a few old timers over the years, and as hot as it can get up here, they don't even want a fan on them. I don't care where you are 90 F with humid air is miserable. Even 85-90 F dry heat in the house from the furnace is pretty tough to, I prefer about 70.

[jim king]

I don´t have to cover the tomatoes tonight.
http://www.accuweather.com/en-us/pe/loreto/iquitos/quick-look.aspx

[SwampDonkey]

Well, guess I need to feed the furnace before crawling under the wool blanket for the night.

[pineywoods]

Right Arky. I just got back from a long walk around my property and was sitting here thinking as I read some of these posts about -30 degrees ...how good we have it in the South. Doesn't mean I won't be complaining about the heat come July and August though.

Complaining about the heat in july and august is a God-given right of all southerners. 

[red]

ok  its july

[Buck]

So hot we cant even catch a breath to complain

[LOGDOG]

ok  its july

....And man is it hot and humid!!! Dreaming of the North today. Even looked at some Alaskan real estate today just to try to trick my brain.  Didn't work. 

[Coon]

It's hotter than all get out here again today as well.  I just cant take this heat anymore.     Even the shade was too hot fer me today.  Give me the cold any day atleast you can put another layer on.  You can only take so much on before you're down to your skivvies.      It's kinda hard to have no clothes on while you're cutting, grinding and, welding..... I feel like an Eskimo at a nudist beach on a hot summer day right about now.      I better go take a shower now before I get myself sent to the boiling hot woodshed.