I'm building a house in Sterling down on the Kenai. I have 52 parts per billion of arsenic. 'Safe' levels are 10 parts per billion. Can we brush our teeth? Take a Shower? RO for drinking water? Thoughts and suggestions??

Good morning and hello. What are options for Uber/Lyft/taxi from Ester Dome region to Fairbanks airport early morning (pickup around 5am-ish) these days? We have one rental car that the last person was going to drop off. My friends and family are trying to figure out transport options since airlines rearranged some flights.

Thank you for the help.

Has anyone drove from North Dakota/Montana up to Alaska in early to mid January? I am planning to drive up in a FWD/AWD depending on what car I buy and have it winterized before heading up. I am not a stranger to driving in the snow since I am from upstate NY, but I also know it’s different farther I go north. This has been on my mind lately. I will be traveling with a few things and my dog since I am moving up to Delta Junction.

Also to note I am opting to drive up there because I will buy a newer used car from down here, shipping a vehicle seems really expensive and so does boxes of things I would like to bring. I know it’s a higher cost of living, but I am graduating from graduate school in December, and was offered a permanent position there. So money won’t be an issue once I start working, I think the beginning may be a tad rough, but I know I’ll get by just fine.

Thank you!

Dear community,

I live in Germany and currently I am seeking oppertunities in the Alaska for an internship abroad as part of my social work study, as I am very inspired by the way people live and work under unique circumstances like extreme temperatures and isolation, especially in remote villages/cities.

Unfortunatly I have had a difficult time reaching out to local organizations by phone until now. I took the time difference into account when calling multiple times, still no one is picking up the phone in the remote villages. I have been able to reach someone in Anchorage and Fairbanks, but not in the remote cities. Just a couple a minutes ago I called 16 different numbers at 4 unrelated organizations and literally noone picked up. At this point I am clueless. And it makes me sad, because I really would love to learn from people there and gain new perspectives on social work.

Does anyone know why I can't get a hold of anyone there or maybe another way of reaching out to them? (I tried email, facebook, instagram, no responses)

Thank you for sharing and have a great time!

My family just celebrated my grandfather's 95th birthday. In the small town newspaper article about his life, he mentioned he has always wanted to visit Alaska and would still like to someday. My mom and I are starting to plan a trip for next spring, thinking end of May.

He has balance issues and moves a little slowly, but he's still very mobile and adventurous.

Does anyone have any recommendations for things to do, places to stay, etc that would be accessible for us? We haven't proposed this trip to him yet, and we don't know what his bucket list items are, but we're thinking of staying in/around Anchorage and taking the train to Denali one of the days. Probably stay 5-7 days. Thanks!

EDIT UPDATE: I have received most of the information I need, thank you to all who helped me out!! Look as if I will be renting a car for sure in February- and driving from ANC to Talkeetna, and stopping to see some stuff on the way. Doing dog sledding (morning and night) one day, snow machining to a dog sledding kennel the next day, and hopefully a flightseeing tour if i can find another solo flyer to fill the vacant seat, aside from just hanging around town and seeing what's up!!

Sorry to spam this forum like it's my own personal vacation planner, but I got such great information and help in my last post, I want to try again as I get closer and closer to pulling the trigger on a vacation I've looked forward to my entire life.

To recap: I've been doing A LOT of research into my trip to Talkeetna (tentatively February 13ish-18ish per the advice of many) that I am planning, and have most everything squared away. My last hurdle is figuring out my transportation, and it seems it may be easier to ask real folks rather than keep Google-ing, because some of the info is a bit confusing with the intermittent train schedule, various ride services, etc.

I'd really prefer to take the train from Anchorage (where I will fly in), and be able to plop by a window and watch the view and zone out, but it seems the winter schedule slows down and makes this not very possible, especially on a week day.

For reference, ideally, I would be leaving Maryland Thursday evening, and arriving in Anchorage at 2am Friday morning, then leaving again from Anchorage 5am Tuesday morning. Maybe Monday if I don't go snow machining.

Failing the train, is there a bus that would be obviously less comfortable but similarly easy to hop on and off? Once I am there, the place I am staying said most everything is walkable. Or do I need to look into car rentals? Turo was also mentioned. I'm capable of driving, I'd just rather relax, especially after a long flight from the DC area. And I'm a teacher not a playboy, so I'm trying to cut cost if possible.

Talkeeetna specific: (I did post this on their Reddit too)

I also need to figure out a way to get 20 minutes south in Talkeetna for dog sledding with Susitna Sled Dogs, with whom I will be going out with a couple times. Anyone got any bright ideas for this one if I don't rent my own car? I'm only vaguely familiar with Alaska's layout, but definitely not familiar with the routes within towns and cities. I just Google mapped it hoping I can walk and saw that it is a bit of a hike.

Any reliable drivers in town that pick up extra work for tourists maybe? Fingers crossed.

Hoping to fit in flightseeing along with the dog sledding, and maybe snow machining if there is time and money leftover. Hope I can cram it all in! I am locked in for Susitna Sled Dogs for sure, but happy to take recommendations for a flightseeing/glacier landing tour (I saw a couple.. K2 I think and another) or snow machining, which I haven't looked into yet!

Looking forward to my first trip to Alaska, and fulfilling some lifelong bucket list items. Thanks for any and all help!

EDIT: Looking up rental cars now as that seems to be the best and most affordable option.

We are a family with two small kids and when in Alaska will have a 6 months old. We plan a 6 weeks vacation in June and July, but don't know yet where to set "base camp". Our goal is to enjoy the life Alaska has to offer. We love hiking, camping, paddling in the summer and every once in awhile will do basic fishing. Road cycling would be a big plus. We are looking for a nice small town to stay where we can walk to a coffee shop, dinner or take the kids to a class (when we are not hiking or camping), maybe even rent a boat or ATV. Of course, we will travel to see the big parks (e.g., Denali) and don't expect to only do day trips. Southcentral seems to make sense, but we are not interested in a big city such as Anchorage. We don't expect to go out of the region and will likely come back in the future. Seward, Homer and Talkeetna are popular, but not sure if they are good enough for a family long stay. Palmer and Girdwood also seem relevant. The goal is to be close to nature, enjoy a small town vibe and give the kids an interesting summer experience. Thanks in advance!

I'm from a wet and humid tropical place and can't imagine it being much worse in Alaska. How long is the mosquito season and can anyone make a comparison for me? How are the mosquitoes in Fairbanks versus the rest of the state?

Hi there! We‘re a couple, visiting Alaska this winter. We‘d love to see Matanuska Glacier, but the prices for a walking tour for tourists are insanely high and it‘d be tough to afford them. But, if you bring an Alaskan friend it’s less than half of the price. Now unfortunately we don’t know anyone in Anchorage, but we thought possibly someone from that area might plan a tour there anyway around Christmas time and we could „go together“? Just wanted to give it a try before not going at all. Thanks so much for any help or advice!😊

I've never "hunted" an animal but ive been to camps hanging out with friends where I'm just hanging out as a 2nd set of eyes and company while they shot an animal. So it's gonna be hopefully be a new thing.if my friends processed their own animals id ask them to teach me but they take them to local butchers. How are the locals in regards to teaching someone how to clean and process an animal after. Because that's 1 thing my wife and I are going to want to do to offset the price of food and eat cleaner than we do. I can learn some stuff from YouTube but we're more of hands on learning people.

Moving there in December. Any fun clubs/groups/social things of that sort. Primarily weekends. Fri-Sun. My wifes an introvert, but I want to go out and do things lol.

I’m going to Wrangell-St.Elias next summer and absolutely cannot wait. One of things I’m most looking forward to that’s not in the park itself is driving down the Glenn Highway on the straightaway before it splits at Glennallen. The pictures of the road stretching endlessly toward a towering Mount Drum are some of the most jaw-dropping I’ve ever seen and I’d love to get some shots for myself.

My question is, what’s the best place to do this? Are there scenic pullovers on that stretch of highway? Many of the pictures I’ve seen are seemingly taken in the centerline of the road…is that even safe/doable if you look to your right and left and the coast is clear?

Many thanks for any info you can provide!

I dont have any problems here in AZ, but I'd like to start over in a more natural and beautiful place like Alaska. I've worked only labor jobs most of my life and I just finished an electrician pre-apprenticeship.

I'm posting this to see what you guys would recommend.

Btw, I said I'm from AZ, but I in fact dislike hot weather lol. Also, I prepared enough money for the cost of moving and necessities.

I am moving to Anchorage in about a month or so from New England and am not sure what to expect or what to buy for a winter coat. I obviously am used to cold winters but not quite as extreme as I’ve heard Alaskan winters can be. I’ve looked through this thread trying to find some recommendations but I’ve heard mixed things or the recommendations do not come in plus sizes or are wayyyyyy too expensive. I won’t be doing any crazy activities and will mainly be wearing it walking around and doing errands and maybe some little day trips to check out the sites. Any recommendations?

Side note: my fiance is coming with and will need recs too. He is over 6’ and wears a 3x or 4x depending on the sizing

TLDR: I’m a plus size woman (2x/3x) moving to Anchorage from New England and need recommendations that are good for Alaskan winters but also aren’t too pricey (under $200 ideally)

I am a Californian (not that it matters) contemplating a move to the Anchorage area. I work remote. I need to have good quality internet. Will I be able to get it there?

Hello, I will be visiting Seward this weekend and was wondering what my options might be for getting access to Exit Glacier now that Herman Leirer Rd is closed for the season.

I had been in contact with the Park Rangers and they just informed me the other day that they have now shut down the road for automobile traffic.

Now I have seen that their is a shuttle service available from a private company (not affiliated with Kenai AFAIK) that is active in the shoulder season from September-October, but from their page it seems they have some sort of licensing that allows them to still use the road - I’m not even sure how that would work, but they do advertise that they can transport you to Exit Glacier during these early winter months.

However, the park rangers have suggested using bicycles during this period as heavy snow has yet to sit in. We aren’t exactly in a position to do this.

Is walking a possible option? From where the road is closed it would be about a 3 1/2 - 4 hour walk to get to the Exit Glacier trailhead. From what I’ve seen of the road it does still look fairly scenic.

TLDR: Is walking the road a viable option to access the park during this season or should I be looking at these supposed private shuttles that will transport us?

I have a month of time off for all of December. I want to spend it in Alaska as I’ve always wanted to live there, and would consider this a trial run to see if I can hang with it in the winter. My job is already done remotely, so finances would already be managed were I to move more permanently.

I’m born and raised in Washington near a place called Winthrop, which definitely isn’t Alaska but I do respect what an even darker, colder, and more rural winter would mean. I’m also quite good at winter driving as a bonus.

I’ve been twice before, to Anchorage (and surrounding south central area) in July and Fairbanks in early October two years ago. Between the two, I strongly preferred the feel of Fairbanks.

Now when I went to Fairbanks last time, I feel like I’ve seen everything already in a day and I bet there’s even less to do in December. My question specifically is, if I go spend a month in Fairbanks will there still be community events or activities to do? Or will it be so cold I’ll be stuck in my airbnb the entire time? Im a pretty quiet person so I don’t mind entertaining myself and just surfing the web, but I’d also like to be able to get out there and make a few friends if I could.

Cheers in advance and happy to give more info if anyone wants to chat about this!

I am a 25 yr old warehouse worker from Columbus, Ohio and I visited my friend in Wasilla over the summer. She's been begging me to move up there and in with her for almost 2 years now. It wasn't until I saw the state that I truly fell in love with it. I am planning on moving in spring of 2026 at the latest. Any advice on the area and the job market? Things to consider when moving across the country? I plan on visiting again in April/May 2025. Any advice appreciated.

I'm planning my trip to Alaska (Anchorage and Fairbanks) in late January. I have contacted a number of places where I will be staying and have had the best customer service experiences I can recall!

I would like to bring a little something as a thank you when I come... preferably a food or similar thing. Also something easily carried on a plane. Is there something special that y'all miss in the winter? (I do know that you have stores and such!) I'm coming from So Cal. Looking for any suggestions. Thanks!

I'm going to Alaska (for my second time) for work in mid November. I'll be in Anchorage for two days and Fairbanks for one. My hotel in Anchorage is a couple blocks from work, so I figured I'll just catch an Uber/Lyft from the airport and walk to work both days. I didn't have any issues catching a ride when I was there in Summer.

My main concern is Fairbanks, as I haven't tried ride share there. Are there enough drivers that I can rely on getting a ride from the airport in the morning and back in the afternoon? Or should I rent a car? My work is paying, so it's not as much a money issue as ease of use. Since I'm only going to work, normally I would just catch a Lyft.

Thank you in advance.

Also how much heating would you need in a small house to keep it warm? Like the temperature of the heating and, like, do you guys use oil or electric heat or fireplaces or what? And same thing for cars too actually, would cars and doors be sealed shut and would the heat in your car be enough to keep you warm?

Lastly, where IS the most precipitation, rain or snow in AK, on one hand I loveeeee the snow, and the rain and part of the reason why I want to move up there, on the other hand? Whilst not a huge obstacle, I am not fond of physical or disgusting jobs.

Hi everyone! I was offered a job position in Delta Junction, AK today and I am very excited. What is the best way to find an apartment? I have a few months to look.

I am from upstate NY, so I am used to some winter, but nothing like what I will encounter when I move. Any advice or recommendations of what I should prepare for, that I should know, or tips to navigating Alaska. I also have a pup that will be with me!

Currently I am unsure how I will get there or transport my personal items, or if I really should. I am mostly just attached to my kitchen aid. I am assuming it will not happen until January. I may be hopping into this too soon, before I know more logistics, but I am so excited and anxious about this change of lifestyle.

I’ve read some posts about vehicles… I saw Subaru Outback and Toyota 4Runners seem to be popular choices. What are your thoughts on Toyota RAV4s?

All and everything is helpful! I appreciate everyone’s time.

PS I will be a recent graduate student so money is a tad tight at the moment, but once my job starts I will be financially better😅 again, thank you for your input and help!

I'm a writer looking to write a screeplay that takes place in a small, northern alaskan town in the winter. I like to research the places I write about, and as such was hoping to research this same environment. The two towns that have caught my attention so far are Fort Yukon and Arctic Village, but I'd love to learn about any of the more remote towns in the Yukon/North Slope area.

Is there anyone in this thread that I could interview, for 15-20 minutes who lives in one of these remote towns?

I'd also love to take a trip this winter up to one of these towns, and stay there for a week to get a feel for how the residents live and what it's like being up there in the winter, but I don't see any hostels or lodging of any sort. Are these just not on google maps or would I have to find someone to stay with? and where would you recommend I go for a trip like this?

Visiting Faribanks around Mid March 2025. Will be renting a 4x4. Wanted to know if taking a tour for northern lights is necessary or should just be good with driving around if the forecast shows possibility of northern lights. My first time visiting Alaska and want to know if it'll be a safe choice to do tour over driving by yourself.

Okay, (I have posted in a lot of these threads previously in the weekly Ask Alaska thread in r/Alaska with a lot of questions) I am zeroing in on my first Alaskan vacation, with the primary goal being dog sledding.

I am a teacher, and trying to plan this trip around my breaks so I can take less leave, with the longest being winter break (late December to early January) or Spring Break (mid April).

Rough plan is to fly into either Fairbanks (preferably) or Anchorage, and make my way to Talkeetna for dog sledding, and hopefully a plane tour with a glacier landing type thing around Denali...

Is there anything I should account for that would make either January or April the clear winner for when I should book? Flights aren't looking too pricey for either. I've also asked the dog sledding company I've been in contact with this question, but would like to hear from others as well for context, nuance and diverse opinion.

Some things I'd like to hear from people (not Google) about:

• Is there more open in Talkeetna in the Spring?
• Are northern lights more visible in January?
• Are conditions better for sledding either/or?
• Is it easier to book a flight tour for Spring rather than January? That kinda thing.
• Would I be better served to rent a car, or use a train then taxi to get from Fairbanks/Anchorage to Talkeetna?

One more thing- Please understand that while I am not necessarily used to Alaska cold- dreary, frozen, arctic wasteland is my dream, and I actively, truly and honestly like cold and snow, especially since my state went from regular blizzards to not a single inch of it over winter. I was once a Boy Scout, I've strolled Sweden in January, and I own a Snow Mantra. I believe in my ability to take it, or at least adapt to it and look forward to it!!

Oh one last thing-- in factoring in plane ticket prices I need to add the cost of checked bags which inflates a lot of the ticket prices I am finding (annoying). Does anyone have any tips for circumventing this? I know Alaska Airlines allows 3 checked bags when traveling in the state, and it seems like if I sign up for their "elite" rewards program, I may get some checked bags for free as well. Southwest unfortunately does not seem to run from the DC/Baltimore area to Alaska.

Edit: Also, it seems one of the proprietors of the dog sledding coverage may be due in January according to her Instagram.. I assume they have employees and such, but that may throw a curveball into things if I opt for January!

Mid February may be an option as well if I plan it over President’s Day weekend.

I'm considering moving to Alaska with my wife, and I'm looking to learn more about it from hopefully the locals, but others are invited to comment as well. I do part of my research by talking to people on Reddit.

If you need to know:
*Yes, I will visit before I move there.
**If the post is too long, thank you for your time, but no comment is necessary.
***Yes, I have been looking into several places to live. My research phase consists of several options.
****If you saw my post in /Alaska feel free to carry on our conversation here.
***** I appreciate you all (:
****** Idaho, NE Utah, and West Virginia are high on my list as well. Possibly Canada, too, but then I have to deal with Visas.

Purpose
My wife and I both love the outdoors and want to move somewhere full of adventure and that offers a home surrounded by woods. Our free time is spent rock climbing, camping, and snowboarding. I'm looking to get into kayaking and some hunting. I love home improvement and building funky structures like saunas, treehouses, and home interior projects. Since climbing is our main hobby, there are not many routes established compared to other parts of the USA, but I'm hoping to develop some areas nearby where I live and help add to the climbing community over the next few decades.
We both love the cold. Amsterdam is too hot for us, and most people complain about it. I lived in Aspen, CO, and the weather was lovely. The dark months seem like an exciting new adventure and a great time for heavy coding and home improvement projects. Sunny months seem like a great time for big backpacking and big wall-climbing trips. I might consider starting a very small-scale outfitting company (12 clients a year) to help bring some of our friends and professional network to see AK.
What do y'all think? Will we survive/fit in?
Work
We both work remotely. I'm a neuroscientist, experimental designer, and video game developer. She is a UX/UI strategist. We live in Amsterdam, NL, (USA citizens) and work entirely from home; no significant change exists. Our jobs are secured already, and income is not an issue. I want to start my video game studio (company) and I'll do so wherever I move. Is anything weird going on with taxes or remote workers in AK? I imagine this will be fine since we're both USA citizens.
Family
We're about to start having some children. How's education out there? I'm an ex-teacher and plan to homeschool my children, and likely some of the local children, in regard to mathematics, computers, science, and practical life. What about the social life for children? Are there enough sporting, gymnastics, artistic, dance, and other children's groups for proper social development?
We are close with our extended families and they will visit as much as they can handle the long travel times. Any thoughts on bringing family in from the East Coast of USA?
Supplies
How is the access to high-quality food (hunted meat is high-quality, in my opinion)(meat, fruit, and vegetables)? How about access to any fruits and vegetables?
Does Amazon deliver out there? How about other online deliveries? Maybe they deliver to a dropoff point in the city and I can go pick stuff up when needed? Do people get a trailer and make big hauls to the city and load up on everything for months and then head back home and freeze/store everything in a barn? Or is it simply a long drive to access all these things and Amazon drops off packages to your doorsteps with drones? lol
Friends
We're quite social humans and have decent friend groups wherever we go. I'm known for bringing people together despite different backgrounds and cultures. Albeit, we usually bond over rock climbing, grilling, and board games. Are people in AK making friends or do the majority kind of stick to themselves?
Rivers
How are the rivers there? Can you swim in them? Are they freezing cold year-round? I grew up swimming down the Florida rivers and absolutely love it. Colorado rivers were too shallow to swim through. West Virginia rivers were perfect. How is AK?
Towns
Any good recommendations for cool towns? I love the small-town vibes where you know most people if you spend enough time there. What are the cool towns with nice bars, a small music scene (folk, jazz, metal, rock), a nice restaurant or two, wholesome entertainment (put put golf, escape rooms, farmers markets), etc?
I hear Juneau is really cool. Heard Anchorage is a little too touristy. Those are the only two people have mentioned.
Transport
I'll have a heavy-duty truck and likely will get a snowplow. Is this common? I've done a lot of hauling in big trucks with trailers and a lot of 'treacherous snowy off-roading'. In reality, I'll only need to go to the grocery store and maybe to some good adventure spots during the deep winter.
Considering getting a boat as well. Experienced deep sea nautical captain. But I'd enjoy learning to sail if possible.
What have I missed?
I'm sure I left a ton out, but please feel free to add something or ask questions. Thank you for your time and input. And if you comment, maybe we'll be friends one day in AK!