Recently, we've been getting a deluge of film crew up here with any number of a dozen niches to make a reality TV show about. Unfortunately, this year worse than recent memory, we've been getting a bunch of yahoos selling everything, and moving up here, thinking it's the promised land. Every joker seems to think that all they have to do is show up, start digging, and they're gonna be striking gold. Or worse, they think they are just going to find some remote area, and live off the land. These people are idiots. Those shows are HEAVILY edited, making Alaska into something it's not. There is NO area where you can homestead... it's gone, over with, kaput. Land is either privately owned, and very expensive (now), or it is government owned and "squatters' cabins" are burned by the park service every year. We as residents, are now fighting over fishing and game management, because there's not enough anymore. I live in the Halibut capital of the world, and they're talking about limiting us to 1 fish a day (it's about $200 just to put the boat in the water and get to fishing grounds). Last moose season, I saw not a single legal bull, but easily 100 hunt groups within 5 miles from my cabin. Living off the land up here is simply not feasible (anymore) You need a boat, airplane and a 4 wheeler to even think about being successful enough to live solely off of game meat. Think you're just going to pick up a small chunk of land on a salmon river? Better have REALLY deep pockets. Over the last few weeks, I've seen more U-Hauls, and family trucksters pulling household goods start showing up, with no plan, no job, and limited funds. They're just going to be another problem for the taxpayers to support when they realize you can't just walk off the road anywhere, and shoot a moose, while throwing together a log cabin.
I second, Akheloce's sentiments, in most instances.... There is State, and Borough Land for sale, but Residency is required for some of those sales, and Residency takes a Year to earn, for most Alaska State things. There is private, land for sale, but GOOD land, isn't going to be cheap, unless you just happened to sell a chuck of Kaliforna, before the Land Crash of '09, and pocketed the proceeds. There are Seasonal jobs, around, but they are jobs with LONG Hours, and Minimum Wages, and they dry up in the Fall, real fast. Those Yahoos who came up looking for GOLD, lost their SHIRTS, and much more. They never even came CLOSE to recouping their Investment, and went about the whole process, WITHOUT Clue ONE. I watched the whole series, and I knew they were going to go home broke, after the FIRST Episode. We see, these type of DREAMERS every year, and 95% of them don't make it thru the first SUMMER, let alone the FIRST WINTER. If you dream of Alaska as a New Home, best you get a reality check from a local, FIRST, before you even think, of trying to drive up the AlCan. You need a PLAN, and a Place to live, and an income, that will sustain you once you get here. This is a HARD place to live at best, and this country will KILL you if you aren't smart about how you live here. There aren't many jobs that last year round, even for folks with LOTS of skills, and someone who isn't connected to the local economy isn't likely to even know about them, let alone land one. .....
When I was a teen I had this fantasy of moving to Alaska and trapping for a living,living off the land and striking gold.Events conspired against me and I never got there,for one reason or another.Best thing that never happened to me.Now that I'm older I realize that I probably wouldn't have made it thru the first winter.I'd like to go there and look around,but that's not gonna happen either.I do still enjoy my fantasy though,dreaming doesn't hurt anybody..
Sorry to hear it. Had the same thing happen here in NC when we made Money Magazine's #1 best place to live in '94. A tidal wave of people arrived willing to work for next to nothing. Really watered down my wages. As for me personally? Alaska has no draw. While the reality shows are interesting, I've yet to see a sunny day on any of them. 40 below zero doesn't thrill me either. You guys are SAFE from me!
Thanks for the interesting prospective, from folks that actually live in beautiful Alaska. I realized the reality shows were mostly hype, but didn't know much of the information discussed in this thread about your state. It isn't quite as glamorous as tv makes it out to be I am sure. Of course nothing in life is!
These shows are the natural follow-on of the Liberal desire to go some place 'pristine', to enjoy 'the simple life', then they insist on bringing in all their same old vices, crimes, abuses and typical way of life. They remake the 'paradise' into their own type of Hell. Montana, Oregon, New Mexico, Florida, the Carolinas, Texas - ad infinitum. They see, they come, they take over and destroy. Alaska is just the latest to feel this. At least when they fail up there, they either leave or die. Here, our state governments end up supporting the barstages.......