Moving to Fairbanks AK?

[minddoc]

I just had a phone interview for a job in Fairbanks...? Its a great job and good pay but...It seems far away from everything.

 

Can some one give me some feedback on how the world of climbing/skiing is up there? I know Denali is a two hour drive but thats not a weekend trip. Thanks for the help.

 

 

[wfinley]

Dig around on this page for potential weekend trip ideas: http://www.uaf.edu/aac/

[jhamaker]

I'm up here on a job. I love April and May up here (what I call the Delta ski mountaineering season). I've climbed most of the two and three day Delta peaks w/ the AAC and had an absolute blast!

 

I realy want to do longer trips up hear. I once commented to Stan Justice, a long time AAC member, that they were so lucky to have all these expedition possibilities in thier back yard. He responded that the problem was getting out for just the weekend.

 

By the end of May, everyone take to the water. See http://www.fairbankspaddlers.org/ for trip ideas.

 

For sanity's sake, locals take a least two wks off between December and March and head closser to the equator - unless they are avid mushers.

 

There is also a fencing club here, yoga, gyms, ice rinks, a few miles of *lighted* nordic ski trails (two weekends ago, US National Championships were held here).

 

The water is hard, there is a mosquito season, but like anywhere the people make the community, and Alaskans are outright notorious for being gregarious (outside of work anyway).

 

There is one megaplex theater, three large grocery stores, a university and too many bars to count. A 10 by 12 foot dry (no water) cabin will cost you $250-$300. Many folks opt for full utilities minus water. Running water will probably double the price of any accomodation. Cost of living is 150-200 percent higher than WA.

 

If you want to do some exploring in AK after the 3rd wk in April I would not mind driving up w/ you for some trips. P.M. me.

[jhamaker]

I'm up here on a job. I love April and May up here (what I call the Delta ski mountaineering season). I've climbed most of the two and three day Delta peaks w/ the AAC and had an absolute blast!

 

I realy want to do longer trips up hear. I once commented to Stan Justice, a long time AAC member, that they were so lucky to have all these expedition possibilities in thier back yard. He responded that the problem was getting out for just the weekend.

 

By the end of May, everyone take to the water. See http://www.fairbankspaddlers.org/ for trip ideas.

 

For sanity's sake, locals take a least two wks off between December and March and head closser to the equator - unless they are avid mushers.

 

There is also a fencing club here, yoga, gyms, ice rinks, a few miles of *lighted* nordic ski trails (two weekends ago, US National Championships were held here).

 

The water is hard, there is a mosquito season, but like anywhere the people make the community, and Alaskans are outright notorious for being gregarious (outside of work anyway).

 

There is one megaplex theater, three large grocery stores, a university and too many bars to count. A 10 by 12 foot dry (no water) cabin will cost you $250-$300. Many folks opt for full utilities minus water. Running water will probably double the price of any accomodation. Cost of living is 150-200 percent higher than WA.

 

If you want to do some exploring in AK after the 3rd wk in April I would not mind driving up w/ you for some trips. P.M. me.

[minddoc]

Thanks for all the info. I need to think about this.

 

 

[Baltoro]

I do some work up there with the outdoor shops. Two good shops for outdoor clothing with all the brands you'd expect, Beaver Sports and Woolly Rhino. Beaver has a much better hardgoods selection for climbing, skiing, biking. Wooly Rhino , like many shops in AK doubles as a "hook and bullet" store. It seems everyone sells bait, knives and firearms.

 

Nordic skiing is second only to drinking in AK in the winter and in the summer people boat and fish. Lots of paddling opportunities. There's a couple of guidebooks for climbing remotely near Fairbanks but it's not going to have the ease of access, quality or quantity as Vantage or Leavenworth or Tieton or I guess an established crag in WA for that matter.

 

Fairbanks is very cold (well bleow zero) and very dry in the winter and stays dark for a long, long, long time. But for another chunk of the year it stays light pretty much all night with nice warm temps all day/night long.

 

Anchorage is a $100 plane ticket and hour away and there's ice to be had 20 minutes outside of town for a lot of the winter.

 

As mentioned above, AK can be expensive. If you're thinking of getting into cycling or kayaking when you're up there and if you're driving up I'd buy the boat or bike now as things are expensive to ship up there and the selection isn't nearly as good as what you'll find in Seattle.

 

If you want some connections in Fairbanks pm me and I can pass along some email addresses for you to get in touch with.

 

I wouldn't move to AK if I had any trouble at all with alcohol, depression, boredom, porn or gambling addiciton or any addiction for that matter as the winters are long and hard and dark and everyone your around is fighting the same things. That being said, lots of people love it and wouldn't trade it for the world. Good luck.