This state is beautiful, that is true. Moderate climates (depending on your definition) is the South East. Problem is, no road system. And it's a rain forest. Juneau, no roads out and high cost of living. Housing is high because limited room to expand. Same with Sitka. I lived in Haines for a few years and Loved it. Very hard to make a living though. If you don't have to worry about that, Haines or Skagway is great climate. Mild, upper end of the Southeast, connected to Canada (Road System). Just very small so don't expect to go around the corner and buy everything you need. Many go into Canada to Whitehorse for that.
Central Alaska isn't that bad. When I first moved back we would have about 3 weeks of winter in the -25 to -30 range. I haven't seen that for 7 or 8 years now though. But much of offroading is MUD! Also, still into this time of the year, most trails are advised to stay off of. The ground is still too soft and gets torn up to easily. So while you guys are out enjoying life, we're still on the couch (or hiking and such). I've yet to get out to clean up my yard from the winter. Ground and weather is too wet still.
Don't get me wrong, there are groups around Anchorage who do a lot of winter 4Wheeling. They appear to be pretty good people for the most part. Never met them. Another group in the Interior who have better trails, I believe, and they're pretty good people also.
Here's a perfect example. You look across the country and it looks smooth-ish. How wrong could you be?!?!? Also note, they are going slightly uphill and yet they are in water. The organics don't decay very much and the water can't drain. So you will have water on the side of a hill. And once trail is broke it's mud. I've said it before.. On an 4Wheeler, I've had to winch to get through deep mud... going down a significant hill. LOL
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_UMqa5MQBvY
Is it all like that? No. Not at all. This is the country I love right here (don't know these guys, I just searched You Tube).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sVg-9PJOSOg
But that's the Interior. That's 13 hours away from me (one way). So for me to get to many of the trails that I would love, that's at least 10 hours driving (round trip) of highway time just to get to the head of the trail.
This is the country around Kenai....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uS3WmUKloJ8
If you move to Anchorage area, don't move to Anchorage. Have to move north. But if you go too far north then it gets crappy again. I've been told Peters Creek (just north of Eagle River \ Birchwood) is great. Housing cost a lot but many high ranking military and police live in and around that area. I have a friend who lives there and he feels very safe there.
That is rare these days since Alaska has been ranked one of the highest rated states for crime now. Maybe not Violent Crime, but Property Crime. So, I've been researching about leaving and I've been comparing cites to ones that I know. Many sites say the same thing, but I like this ones format.
Crime for Anchorage - 6042 per 100K people
Anchorage, AK Crime Rates & Statistics
Just for the fun on it, here's Los Angeles - 3193 per 100K People
Los Angeles, CA Crime Rates & Statistics
Just read that this is the first time since the recession of the '80s that more people are leaving then are moving here. And many feel our economy is picking up so, that can't be blamed for sole reason of people leaving.
