Move to Alaska from Montana???

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berto

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Some of you might think this is a crazy question, but I am seriously considering a move to Anchorage. I am expecting a job offer from a company there that, correcting for the higher cost of living, promises to be several thousand dollars more per year than what I make now so altho we won't be getting rich, we would be able to live comfortably.

Wife and I are leaving Thursday for a long weekend up there to meet and greet the owner of the company and give it and the area a really hard look.

I am an avid hunter and fisher and don't want to shoot myself in the foot by leaving the antelope, muley, and elk hunting as well as all the fishing here in Montana that I have known for 30 years (so I know it very well!) for what might be less than quality outdoor opportunities around Anchorage.

So, would you???
 
If family dosent come in to play. I say do it. Consider your retirement, not sure how much further you have to go to retire. But I always tell my single freinds that have considered the move North...Do it. Plan on 10 years as long as your job allows time to collect all the game that isnt avaliable in Mt. You can always retire here afterwards. Dall Sheep, Grizzlies, Sitkas, and oh, the fishing!
On the other hand, I couldnt do it myself, I mean I could if I wanted, but this is my home and when I am away for any amount of time, I miss it. Also, I am still trying to kill a MONSTER of each of the big game species we have here so I am content.
If you do go North I wuld be glad to watch over your favorite hunting spots when you are away. I promise to send pics!
When you are in Anchorage, take the little lady out to eat at The Glacier Brewhouse. Everything is good but my favorite is the Deep Fried Halibut (and the Heiferweisen)Have a safe trip.

life IS good (right where Im at)
 
Move to Alaska? Where mule deer DON'T live?Are you self-medicating?

Just kidding, if it were up to me I wouldn't go but the choice is yours and we hope to see pics of your annual big game harvests in either state.

Good luck with the decision, may it please both of you!!

Dean Parisian
Chippewa Partners
http://chippewapartners.blogspot.com/
Team Muleys Pro Staff
 
I think I would do it for 4-5 years. Hunt sheep, griz and goats. The rest can be had for just a little more as a NR. Hunting in AK is expensive reguardless of if you're a Res or NR. Just getting to where the animals live is spendy.

I think it would fun for a few years, but I'm not sure I'd want to give up the 3 month hunting season in MT for maybe 2 weeks of hunting you'll get to do up there. I wouldn't count on hunting more than 2 or 3 diffrent animals in a season if that.

I have never lived up there but have quite a few friends and family that do, they all say the same thing. You pretty much have to take a week of vacation to go hunting, short weekend trips are pretty much out of the question. Where as in MT you can usually go hunting every weekend if you want and it costs you nothing more than a tank or two of gas.

I think the adventure of it would be worth it for a few years though not to mention sheep hunting for a 1/10 of what it would cost a NR.

Good luck! BTW there are all kinds of Montanan's in AK.
 
I have made 25 annual trips to Alaska in the last 26 years. I love the fishing and hunting but no way would I move up there for a couple grand a year. You will need to either get freindly with a pilot or hire out a plane to get you to good hunting and fishing. There are a crapload of mosquitos in the summer and it is light 22 hours a day. The winters are cold and it is freakin' dark 22 hours a day for months. There are good people living up there and some awesome country. I think the most beautiful parts are in SE Alaska around Sitka, Ketchikan, Juneau etc. If you go I wish you the best of luck but push the owner for a bunch more than a few grand.
 
If you are mobile in your career, why not? I would love to do that. I would go there while you are young, get your residency and hunt my arse off for those "untouchable" animals that aren't in MT. I would get some Brown Bears, caribou, REAL moose, and a Dall sheep or two, then skinny my butt back here and hunt here for the rest of my life.
 
No way! Alaska is cool as hell with the insane scenery and wildlife but it wouldnt compare to what you've grown to love in the last 30 years. 10 or even 20 thousand dollars won't make up for Montana. Alaska is a place to visit and do things you normally can't. Moose, grizzly, awsome fishing. I personally would not be satisfied without having my muleys, elk and antelope. Good luck in whatever decision you make.
 
lifeisgood,

Family is an issue because we have three kids, the oldest of which is 8, so they are still pretty flexible on where we live. I have been working on selling this AK thing to them and they are buying it pretty well now :)

Sorry, but my Dad would kick my behind if I gave away our honey holes. He is getting up there in age now, but he is still able to hike straight up the mountains and hit those holes, altho if I move I know he will miss his "humule"...

I will recommend to the owner that he take us to the Glacier Brewhouse after we arrive tomorrow night. While there I will try the Halibut, thanks for the tip.
 
bambistew,

I also think the 4-5 year plan sounds good, but to do that we have to completely pull up stakes here and that will hurt cuz we are pretty well entrenched here. Given how property prices have skyrocketed here the last 5 years, if we want to come back here in 4-5 years we may not be able to afford to live where and how we live...this may end up being a one way ticket.
 
gleninaz,

I agree that the money will have to talk pretty loud or it is a no-go. I already told the owner what a lateral salary would be for me, so he knows he has to beat that number.

The winters here are actually colder than Anchorage, but the darkness in the winter could be an issue. The darkness is definitely something I wil weigh in my decision.
 
LAST EDITED ON Oct-11-06 AT 01:37PM (MST)[p]drahtaar,

My career isn't exactly mobile. It's actually something that is on the way out around here but thanks to high crude oil prices is on the way up in AK, so this opportunity fits amazingly well.

When my wife and I first got married, we both agreed that if we ever moved somewhere it would be AK. I am at the age, and my kids are at the age, that now is the time to do it if we are ever going to. That is why this is weighing heavily on my mind.
 
Start taking pilot lessons you will want to be the one flying the plane and just riding.
 
patience,

you hit the nail on the head; the toughest thing for me would be leaving all the aspects of the great outdoors I know so well for a complete unknown.

my wage here will not allow me to afford to visit AK until I am almost dead, so unfortunately it's all or nothing.
 
here you are trying to leave MT and here I am trying to get in!! You can have AZ if ya want!!
 
Aaron,

Man I don't know if I could do that or not but that is up to you to decide along with the "other boss". LOL
I have a very close friend who was born and raised in SD and after returning home from VN he went to Alaska along with the family BUT kept the ranch back in SD. They spent 20 years up there but came back during the winter holidays to SD.

They hunted, fished and had a great time and made a bunch of money (Alyeska Pipe Line) and he lived and worked at Valdez.

Best of luck on your decision and I hate to see you sell that beautiful home there in MT. What the heck are you going to do with the Antler collection?

I have another friend who moved to Oregon two years ago and now wants to move back down here, but with the inflation of home prices can't afford to so is basical stuck in Oregon. Big decision time ahead for the both of you and good luck with whatever you decide.

Brian
 
I hear that about the prices of land and homes here now. I know I couldn't touch what I have now for what my mortgage is.

I am kicking myself for not working a little harder to pick another 20 or 40 in this place.
 
Brian,

Yeah, I am wishing already we could rent this place and somehow manage it from AK for 4-5 years, but I know that wouldn't work very well...too likely we would have poor renters and too much financial stress.

I do know that if we decide to go for it, my antler collection will be safe and sound with local family!

Thanks for the input.
 
Scottyboy,

I wouldn't even consider AZ, but AK...

I saw your thread about considering a move to MT from AZ and noticed some of the small towns you were considering. My wife would have issues with most of them, but I wouldn't!

If you haven't already, check out some real estate on-line and you will be shocked at how little places cost in those small towns! I have done the same for MT to AK and it ain't pretty.

Good luck with your move.
 
berto, either way, good luck on the choice made. Moving is tough!! Especially out of state moves. My move from TX to Az was tough, but you ajust.
 
I was born and raised in Wyoming for 20+ years and loved the antelope, deer, and elk hunting every year. After college I got the offer to come to AK. I hope we never leave. Last year I shot dall sheep, mountain goat, and muskox. This year it was caribou and moose. Next year maybe a big brown bear. Where else can you catch fish that weigh more than my 11 year old.

Although the hunting is more expensive than MT and takes more planning and time, it is a great place to live. The darkness bothers some people but we still get 5 hours of daylight in the shortest part of the year. The winters are longer and darker but not as cold as Wyoming. PM me if you want to talk to someone who has made the move. My brother comes up to hunt atleast once a year.

Steve
 
Cheap real estate on the high line? I have a house in Galata Ill sell to you Scotty for five thousand dollars, yes five thousand, no joke, no neighbors, easy comute to work (kindof)

life IS good (and maybe you could talk me down to $4500.00 and a case of beer)
 
Galata, MT?? Are you serious? That is freaking hilarious, dude. I am shocked to find someone on this site that knows where that is, let alone have a place there. Sweet!

As for MT to AK, I would take the cold and wind of a hi-line winter than the darkness of an AK winter. Been there, done that. It would have to pay extremely well, that is for sure. Take care with whatever decision you make. Remember, it is not where you are at, but who you are with that makes life what it is. My 2 cents.
 
Moose, Caribou,Browns, interior Grizz, Blacks, Dall Sheep, Mountain goat, Sitka blacktail,Wolves, and the fishing is some of the best in the world, King crab and Dungy's too! I lived in Juneau for a couple a years and loved it. I would do it again if the oppurtunity presented itself.
 
My neighbor moved up to Alaska this past June. He came back this year to elk / deer hunt here in OR. He has horses and informed me that hay is $400 per ton!!! Thats grass hay! The guys are right about hunting up there. You will have to hire a plane each time to get to the good hunting spots.

It's a BIG decision for you and your family. All I can say is pray about it and you will come to the right decision.

muleyman
 
Horse hay? I hunted a couple weeks ago off of a Yukon tributary and I was thinking to myself.... There is more grass in a 500 yard opening than there is from Great Falls to Miles City (MT) If somone could generate a cattle breed with long legs like a Moose or cows that could walk on that spongy moss stuff, you could grow them 5000# up there. Thats expensive hay, guess I wont gripe about $100 hay. Must be kinda hard to put up with Bush Planes!

life IS good
 
I haven't read through all of the posts, but will give you my opinion and a similar situation.

1- I would base it on family. Schools, crime, cost etc...

I would then take into consideration the "recreational" opportunities also. However, that would be secondary.

I had an offer to go Montana (from Utah) a few years back. I was ready to go, but then thought about my family and am glad I stayed.

I would definately take EVERY cost into consideration before I committed (especially housing and health care). Its sounds like a good opportunity. Good luck
 
Hey Aaron,
It was tough moving to AZ from CO recently and when I went bowhunting elk back 'home' it was even tougher to leave to come back to the desert. I am trying to make the move to AZ temporary but the job situation and opportunity here has been good to us so it is rough, plus my wife's family is here.
What do your 3 kids think? Hope the trip up there takes a lot of question away and the decision will be easier. zlike somebody else said you could experience AK for a few years or so then get back 'home'.

Jeff
 
It would be had hard time of the year to move right now. I have a brother and his family who has been there for 3 years. During the winter its real tough he said because of the lack of daylight. Its been real hard for his family. Of course he has been in Iraq for the last year, and that has a lot to do with it. But his wife complains of the cold and the short day light during the winter. Of course you make up for it in the summer with the extra long hours of daylight. tough for the kids to sleep at a good hour. Just wanted to give you some input from someone who lives there. Hope it helps.
 
Several key points made. Family. You say your dad is starting to get up there...is it worth it to stay to build more memories? Other family? Check out the schools. I've known a couple of poeple who taught in Anchorage. I don't know which schools, but they had guards in their school and violence was a problem. Daylight, or the lack of it, doesn't bother some, and is extremely hard on others. Look at how the long Montana winters and short days effect your family members and multiply it some. It really comes down to you, your wife, and the kids.
 
All,

Just got back from Anchorage. Caught a head cold while there but I won't hold that against 'em. ;-)

The meet and greet with the company owner and the team I would be working in went very well and the company appears honest, stable, and on the verge of growing. Alot of that growth would come from my filling the opening, which of course means I would be under some pressure to make the growth happen, but that's to be expected in my business.

While there, my wife and I met with a realtor and spent an afternoon looking at places priced from $200K to $400K (both ends of our price range). We also spent the better part of a day driving around different areas of town and gathering "house for sale" flyers and walking through open houses that happened to be going on. Geez, houses are high-priced there compared to what a person can get here!. We also visited several grocery stores to get a feel for the cost of food; seemed groceries were about 25% higher...gasoline was about 15% higher. I will put together a spreadsheet (I am an engineer, so of course I will put together a spreadsheet :)) to compare the offer when it gets here so I can figure out what the financial advantage is, if any, compared to where I am now.

We took in some of the local sights and visited some restaurants to get a feel for the area, the nightlife, and the people. The area is of course beautiful, but I can see already it will be expensive for me to pay a pilot to fly me out to get away from the crowds to hunt...where I am now I can drive an hour or two, hike in a mile or two and hunt. Restaurant food was excellent if not better than that, and I do not have one single complaint about the people; all were friendly and helpful. All seemed very happy to be up there.

Thanks to all for your input. I may be PM-ing one or two of you to get more details.

Time will tell.
 
This is a very big move. I hope things work out for you what ever you do. I could never do it. I love looking for antlers at the drop of a hat too much. I will keep sending you a SE MT update now and then so you don't froget about mule deer and shed antlers.
Antlerradar
 
antlerradar,

don't worry, if i decide to make the move i will never forget about mule deer or collecting their sheds!

and i always appreciate the SE MT updates you send me.
 
I had that same decision to make about a year and a half ago. I made the move. I do miss the deer hunting and the elk hunting, but I sure love the summers up here. The hunting is not as easy as some make it out to be. It is totally different than anything I have ever done. The move is tough but you can always go back. You may never get the opportunity come move up here. Oh and the fishing isn't that bad either. Good luck
AKCAT
 
Aaron,

I guess you and your pops are going to have to make the most of those trophy area muley tags you drew. When are you going to come over here to fill them?

Good luck on the decision. My advice is if it is interests you now is the time to move. I have a Freshman in high school and it get tougher to think of moving them as they get older.

Nemont
 
I dont know how easy it is for me to say, I'd have to move my kids, or leave them behind too, but if given the chance, and they were willing, I go, what's the worst that could happen? You bust your ars getting up there live a few years and them come back? I guess it is a tough decision, but I have family up there and they all cant seem to leave, well exept to fight this nasty war. I have a aunt, two uncles, and 5 cousins in alaska, and they hate to leave, even to come down to the state for a visit. . .
 
NeMont,

We are heading over there next Tuesday and will stay through Sunday. I hope the weather cooperates.

You offer good advice about the move getting harder as my kids get older. The president of the company will be extending me an offer tomorrow, so I will see where that leads me.

take care
 
If you make the move I will be right behind you in a few years once I find a job up there. Back in the spring of 02 I spent 2 weeks there and absolutely fell in love with AK. When I came home from Iraq in April and caught my now X wife with a new "friend" she made I have decided that there is nothing holding me back now and am committed to making that move. Hopefully my commercial/multi engine/instrument ticket will come in handy up there, I am sure that it will. You can always move back, but you only live once!
 
hey all,

just an update for you. as of yesterday i have the written offer in-hand, so now the clock is ticking. i have until next friday to decide my fate. the owner of the company made the offer he and i had discussed, so it is very fair...

i will keep you posted.
 
i used to live in ketchikan alaska. was a rain forest 300 days a year. would go to anchorage all the time. saw the northern lights and moose at the airport and in town at times. gas milk ect. spendie, you fish and hunt alot and have a garden and can food. everything is sent by barge in trailers. you pay for the shipping in the cost to you. if i could make the money year round running heavy equipment i would be back. wish you the best and the snow is dry hard to make snow balls. lvoakey
 
lvoakey,

i did check out housing there, and although housing costs are much more reasonable in those three areas i am not willing to take the time to make the commute to work every day...life is too short to spend it commuting. the furthest i am willing to live from anchorage is eagle river.

thanks a ton for your input!
 
Berto,
If you take that job in Alaska and they expand as you expect and they start looking for other employees from Montana let me know. I love Montana, but I'm about due for a change of scenery.
 
To those who have been following this thread,

I decided I better give this Alaska thing a try or I may regret not doing it somewhere down the road, so I signed on the dotted line today.

I will be moving up there during March, and I will definitely be keeping in touch with my friends here at MM once I am settled up there.

Thanks to everyone for all of your good input!
 
I think you are doing the right thing. If you don't you will always wonder if you should have. If you find the time come down and have a look at the antlers befor you leave.

antlerradar
 
Aaron,

Wishing you the best on the move and hope that all works out for the family and you. Stay in touch.

Brian
 
I say go!!! You can always come back to MT. If you don't go you'll never know and that is a crappy feeling. Godd luck!!!
WACAT
 
Sounds like you and your family are in for an adventure!

Take it in stride and take in everything in a positive way and accept the changes that you are not used to in Montana. Sure the winter darkness is longer but its not as bad as it sounds and the northern lights are fascinating. You will learn to take advantage of the outdoor life you enjoyed in Montana in Alaska for different species.

Sure your hunts won't be like home for a quick evening trips etc but you will now have a the fun of having longer hunting and fishing trips each year planned out. Do go after Dall sheep! Pursueing giant Alaskan bull moose and caribou will replace the elk hunting and hunting sitka's will replace your mule deer.

The fishing is absolutly fantastic and you will be spoiled.

Make sure you visit one of the best outdoor stores in Anchorage -- Barney's Sport Chalet. You're going to want to pick up a Barny pack for sheep and goat hunting. Everything you need and find out to be equipped for Alaska hunting.
 

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