moving to Alaska without confirmed housing (Fairbanks, Metlakatla: apartment, refrigerators, employment)

[Arktikos]

Originally Posted by jtayjohnson

Yes In fact I would like to move ASAP during winter because I would prefer to pack more layers to keep warm. I have checked the weather at whitehorse, Yukon and Kenai, AK, it doesn't seem like the temperature falls so much below 10 Degree Fahrenheit at this time. And I've dealt with maybe 28 or slightly less, both in car and camping, so I reckon that I perhaps can deal with something colder?

What's the rule of thumb for cold management in AK? ie what does a few deg drop in temperature entails?..

Whitehorse average low in winter is around zero, not ten. It’s colder than Kenai. Temperatures along Alcan highway can get much lower than that too, low enough that your car (and you) may not survive unless prepared for Arctic conditions.
But you won’t be driving this winter, whether you want to or not. As others have said, no chance Canada would let you through.

[jtayjohnson]

Originally Posted by Parnassia

It is one thing to "deal with" temps of 28F for a few hours at a time on a camping trip and quite another to live with 10F 24/7 for days or weeks at a time. Keeping everything thawed and functional takes a lot more energy (in the form of heat and money to pay for that heat). Many manmade materials that make up the everyday stuff we use get brittle and fragile at those lower temps. You are more vulnerable to frost injuries at those lower temps. Add a bit of wind chill to 10F and the effective temperature drops significantly.

Sure I dealt with cold over night, for days over the weekend setting up tent making the my immediate layers as warm as possible with bblankets and a 10 deg winter bag. Yea I've dealt with my hands freezing and burning while I tried to open things, and that's not a good experience (which is why when I'm late and the sun is down, I don't even bother to set up tent but just sleep in my car)

I've however like you said, never had to deal with broken down equipments or maintaining equipments at such temp. for an extended amount of time.

And that was my question: from say, Seattle to Kenai, AK, how cold can it get? Or where's the coldest stop in your opinion?

Well it's good to know how you dealt with wind chill and such instead of bragging about how cold it is or how brittle your "everyday stuffs" are, whatever "everyday stuff" means.

[jtayjohnson]

Originally Posted by Arktikos

Whitehorse average low in winter is around zero, not ten. It’s colder than Kenai. Temperatures along Alcan highway can get much lower than that too, low enough that your car (and you) may not survive unless prepared for Arctic conditions.
But you won’t be driving this winter, whether you want to or not. As others have said, no chance Canada would let you through.

ok thanks for mentioning Alcan highway, i'll perhaps look into the books that mention about drives to Alaska or the Alcan highway. Perhaps I will see how "prepared" they are for Arctic conditions.

[jtayjohnson]

Originally Posted by Threestep2

Do whatever you want.

28 to 10 is a different ball game. You forgot to mention dark.

Internet and Internet for WFH or anything else is a different ball game. You know what they call gamers on Hughes Net?

Nothing extravagant in most of AK ist not cheap.

You have no support system and the way your posts sound limited funds and no research but a couple of days in Seattle.

pretty sure I did mention dark, safety, and warmth. Isn't this research right now?
yea i'm doing research on what equipments to bring that's all and how the winter journey on ALCAN is like.

[jtayjohnson]

Originally Posted by Truth11

We did that with WA and nearly ended up homeless...wasn't told there was such competition for housing. I'm sure Alaska isn't as quite desirable,but it doesn't hurt to check out the housing supply anyway. Though if you're single and mobile,and don't mind living in things like RVs then maybe it won't be as bad.

Yea I guess it depends on what constraints you have currently going on in your life and how do you define homelessness. If you could tough it out in your car then perhaps you would've more time to find housing (if you want to). It also depends if you would like to live in the city, suburbs or rural and the commutes and ways of living changes (time spent getting supplies etc).


Currently I'm also trying to get a suitable SUV to be mobile. Might just load up my stuffs and be itinerant about the rest areas or truck stops (as I did on my way down from Seattle before the new years, car broke down, ended up stuck in some small town east of SF bay and had to rent a Nissan Versa for the week of new years and just slept in the boot head first). Found a nice pull over by the highway to take a walk to the edge of a reservoir. Also the rest area near Fort Tejon Historic State Park is a good place to spend the night too. I'm guessing most people would prefer to drive past LA or just head straight up the mountains rather than waste the cold in the rest area.

[jtayjohnson]

Originally Posted by ketchikanite

The housing market in Alaska is extremely tight and expensive.

depends on where and hhow you define expensive.

Seattle can be tight too with micro apartments at $600/month but you don't have your own kitchen and living in an apartment. Suburbs have more houses and further from city and might cost lesser (maybe more so in unincorporated areas)

[Metlakatla]

Oh for the love of god.

[Haolejohn]

Originally Posted by jtayjohnson

pretty sure I did mention dark, safety, and warmth. Isn't this research right now?
yea i'm doing research on what equipments to bring that's all and how the winter journey on ALCAN is like.

You haven’t. You think you can sleep in your car while driving to Alaska in January or February which is what ASAP means. Dude. You. Are. Going. To. Die.


-10 to -60 temps will be expected. Just make sure you have a will written before you leave.

[AustinB]

Originally Posted by Metlakatla

Oh for the love of god.

Some people just don't get it.

[thatdurncat13]

Another Into the Wild adventurer.