FL -> Remote Alaska...

Hello friends,

I have received a rare opportunity to move out to remote Alaska and live a relatively rough lifestyle in the bush and renovate 3 cabins.

I am very, very seriously considering taking this opportunity to go learn about building houses there, greenhouses, bush craft, green woodworking, rocket mass heaters, etc... I will be bringing as many non-frivolous items as possible. I believe one cabin has solar, and Starlink should be in place. I am not sure where it will all lead, if I can make a livable salary documenting it on YouTube so I can buy some land of my own nearby, performing wildlife photography, astrophotography, green woodworking, leather working... I have absolutely no idea where this might lead and I cannot picture in my head any possibilities, but I do hope I will not have to return to FL. What I do know is this is an opportunity to experience the pristine nature I have so longed dreamt about.

The problem is, I have to make the drive from FL -> Homer, Alaska, and then ferry everything to Kodiak Island.

So, I was wondering if there are any people I could meet along the way to lend a helping hand as a guide once I hit the difficult stretch, on the Canadian coast, or along the way to Homer once I hit Alaska, regardless of how that help might be, even if it's just in the form of experiential tips and tricks, or old timey tales of your memories.

Cheers and thank you!

Congratulations on the opportunity!  When you pass through colder parts of the country, stop in at some thrift shops to get warm clothes if you don't have them already.

Jeff Steez wrote: documenting it on YouTube

Start documenting right now! I don’t mean that you should publish it now, you can do that in a year or later or whenever you want, just that you take footage and record your thoughts and actions from the step one.

That would be valuable if you then at some point want to put your journey in youtube, you will have also the first steps to show. I know that I would be more interested in a serie that would start from the beginning, before moving to Alaska. To hear your thoughts and plans and then see it all evolve!

Good luck with the adventure!

This sounds like a great opportunity.

Years ago, a friend told me about her sister and brother-in-law moving to Alaska.

I am sure things may have greatly improved since then.

Some of the things she said they needed to make the long trip were extra spare tires, a tire repair kit, a tire pump, battery jumper cables, and lots of food and water.

And enough gasoline to make the 200 miles between gas stations.

what a fabulous chance!!! I am waaaay out of the way for your route, but i hope you go and i hope it is exactly the change you need.

I am doing the maths now, but I might have to take out a loan to make this work, which I am not opposed to since it came so abruptly and I don't want to dip into savings. I can get relatively low interest rates through Navy Federal Credit Union, however it's not ideal. It would be nice to pickup a new Tiny Camper tear drop camper before I hit Canada... which range from $5,000-$10,000... On the island, I wouldn't really need it, but I can ferry back to mainland Alaska for ~$300, driving directly onto the ferry with the truck and camper... Pretty cool for the few opportunities I might get to travel a bit around the state.

My personal concern is getting stranded out there due to vehicle troubles. The less I have to drive the better, so I don't know how much I would be wanting to actually drive.

Everything is "free" in exchange for my labors, and possibly getting a little bit of supplemental food. I don't have to pay for any of the materials, nor the small boat that he will teach me to captain on those open waters surrounding the island, I will learn quite a bit for free. It's not unlike a bush-based WWOOF-ing experience. He says he barely uses the cabins, so perhaps I'll have an opportunity to buy one that I renovate...

Azure drops to a barge, but the shipping fees are $1/1lb... Getting 50lbs of oats could cost anywhere from $100-$200 I don't eat meat now, so being able to have high quality meat back in my diet that I catch and hunt would reduce my reliance on vegetables.

As for recording, I am a stickler for aesthetics. I don't know if anyone watches ASMR videos on YouTube of individuals hiking through various locations, wild or urban... but they calm me down. I don't like speaking much, or honestly listening to it. I would leave nature and the journey to speak for itself. Could use a gimbal for my phone to capture steady 4k video, and I suppose an external drive to store it all, maybe a new wildlife lens.

It is quite exciting, not confident if I'll be able to pull it off. From the "Land of No Snow" to the "Midnight Sun".

I was just about to buy a book on foraging the Pacific Northwest Coast...

Jeff,  what an amazing opportunity!  I am just a little jealous.

I am curious.  Just how "Floridian" are you?  And by that term, I mean how adapted are you to hot, humid temperatures?  At about what temperature do you start to feel cold?  The reason I ask is obvious.  Personally I grew up in a part of the country with hot, humid summers and cold winters.  At present I live in an area with extremely mild winters and it amazes me as to what locals consider to be cold weather.  Absolutely by no means am I saying that you can't undertake this adventure--far from it!  I am only asking how much of an adjustment will it be for you to acclimatize from Florida summers to Alaska winters.  As has already been mentioned, stock up on warm clothing and my personal recommendation is to invest in layered clothing.  Long underwear might just be your best friend once the cold weather hits.

But wow!  What an opportunity.  I really want to know how this works out for you.

Eric

From the earliest stages I can recollect, I have abhorred heat and humidity. Have never been a beach person, never owned a boat, never go diving or snorkeling, rarely go fishing. I am an outdoors person, I have to be, but I can't stand living here most of the time. I just deal with the climate to enjoy the nature and usually stick to the dry interior scrubs which are isolated and ever shrinking.

I am not making claims to justify this move, because it's still in the early, nebulous, planning stages and there's no certainty, but I am 100% an Alaskan, Pacific Northwesterner, maybe Rocky Mountain-ite, at heart, so this opportunity must be met with momentum.

What I feel inside my head that brings me peace is like a classic Bob Ross painting, happy trees and snow dappled peaks.

From the crisp, cold air, to the still visibility brought about by a chill, the aesthetic of fly fishing, the gear, the wading, bundled up in pants and a jacket... I much prefer how boots, pants and a jacket look on me than shorts and a t-shirt which is what I wear 99% of the time. This list can endlessly go on, wearing leather jackets, crafting clothes from pelts, as Davy Crockett may have.

I enjoy being cold over being remotely too hot. I've seen snow once, it was not as cold as it got when I stayed in north Florida for a while and I wasn't ready for the occasion clothing-wise. The humidity shreds you up in Florida. I have never been in 0F, but humidity is troublesome here. It will take adjustment no matter what.

According to zone maps the place I'd be is very southern Alaska, an island in zone 6b, therefore it gets cold and still has humidity, but it's nowhere near Fairbanks or Northern Alaska weather... So, it might be difficult, yet something I can enjoy and am somewhat accustomed to at the same time. Island life... Just a different kind of island.

I love Florida as an idea and geography, and its wildlife, but it's not for my body, at least with all the concrete that turns the place into an oven. I overheat and sweat incessantly, most people here just travel from one A/C'd building to the other, whereas I could spend the entire day outside (yet not at the beach) for an eternity, and it gets quite miserable.

Pristine Alaska... Very little roads, both good and bad... A trade off for relative peace?

Floridian by necessity, not by desire.

0-Florida/10

Jeff,

Like I said, I am a bit jealous.  I too love the cold, crisp air.  I have spent some time in Minnesota winters and have fond memories of the cold there.  Probably that plains cold will be colder than the 6b Kodiak island cold--honestly, it is hard for me to believe that Kodiak island is zone 6b as that is the zone I live in now and I am VERY far to the south, but I guess that is what ocean proximity does for you.

You mentioned the idea of the little camper.  I think that is a smart move.  What type of vehicle will be towing it?  Pickup?  SUV?  Something else?  I hope I am not being too pushy, but I just love the thought of what you are about to do.  Regarding your concerns about potential car problems, I imagine that having a good set of tools, supplies and some spare parts would be a good idea for starters.

And as you mentioned above, good that you are sort of inherently inclined to be in the cold.  When I have to do work in the cold, I always layer up my clothing.  What I have found is that I use a 3-tiered layering system for all but the most frigid of cold.  First layer--some type of long underwear (but not cotton.  I can explain why if you need).  Second layer--loose fitting warm and bulky clothes (could be jeans or sweatpants or something else).  Third layer--something that is wind-proof.  These three layers by themselves will do a lot to block all but the most frigid cold, and as Kodiak island has fairly mild temperatures for AK, these might work for you.  Of course, Carhart overalls work wonders also.

I hope you don't mind my unsolicited advice, but I can hardly help but to live partially vicariously through you at this point.  I am sure that many of us will if you document this on YouTube or even just keep us updated.

Eric

No problem, I will take anything I can get from people that know more than me. Just ran 3 miles at 2:30PM in FL, never fun even though it's not summer. The UV is crazy, not to mention there are no sidewalks right now and dust everywhere from construction. I cannot take my skin off to cool down, nor can I go down to my skivvies and hop in a pond because they're toxic gick.

I only have a car I share right now because I don't necessarily believe in car dependency unless you're out in the boonies. So I'd have to buy a ~$5,000 truck and stow it on Kodiak Island, I doubt it'd be used much except for each summer. Was thinking of snagging a "Tiny Camper" brand rugged camper before I enter Canada, pick it up in Tacoma or nearby... Though if I'm not traveling, perhaps the camper could wait until next summer when I can tour interior Alaska with it.

I wish this opportunity come about, say January of this year, because making it out there for a reasonable time before winter is pushing it. Ideally I would be heading out before this month ends, and I don't know if I can force that hand.

It just might have to be delayed a year, which is good and bad. It would let me save some more money and not rush into things, but that's a whole year gone. I don't need a lot heading out there at first, although it'd be nice. I could always return to Florida after this winter to get more things over there, but that's extra $$$. It's expensive enough getting out there one time, I don't plan on having to do that over and over, perhaps just a few times.

If I were to delay a year, I could get some astrophotography gear for those long, light-pollution free nights, a better wildlife lens, swap my Mac mini for a MacBook Pro. etc... USPS does ship there. Perhaps the shipping would not be as bad as I imagine for relatively small items if I went for it without those items.

This opportunity is impermanent as of now, I don't know where it will lead... Will I be able to purchase a cabin I work on? Will I find land to purchase nearby? Will I use the summer to ferry back to mainland Alaska and roam around Denali for photographs in the camper? If I make build a gigantic greenhouse for food and plant fruit trees, would that prove to the sponsor that I am a valuable asset to the land?

For about $15,000 I could have nearly everything I've ever dreamed of... But without any sort of path to ownership, I'd still be reliant on living to an extent under someone else...

_______

For now I am looking around the island on Google Maps, there's some interesting stuff in Kodiak and nearby as well. The rest seems to be wilderness lodges. I will be looking for opportunities to make money out there, hopefully enough to buy my own land if I am not afforded some other opportunity. I imagine any connections I make would be willing to help me out with getting a cabin going if I can't harvest logs and do it all myself. It's a different world out there. One I cannot find any more enticing than I already do.

One part of me feels like I don't deserve this and might fail. The other part of me wants to manifest and create a solid foundation, a YouTube Channel, a Patreon, a no-video photography and writing blog journal, because at the end of the day, there are creators and consumers. I feel I have been a consumer for too long because I don't necessarily have a life I enjoy. I know what I like to watch on YouTube when I can't live the life I want. It doesn't help change lives, but it can help inspire others, it can help reduce anxiety, there are too many people in this world for every person to live exactly how they want... Thus, things like ASMR hike videos through Japanese small towns have reduced the burden of my own anxiety, it's better than the garbage peddled on TV, it's pure reality... There are 3 hour videos of a camera pointed at a port as it changes from day to night with hundreds of thousands of views.

There is a real opportunity here to muster something up. Not to mention the wildlife retreat faces the mountains with a gigantic window spying upon the unknowing wildlife. It would not be unreasonable to setup a subscription based YouTube channel for 4k viewing.

I am a millennial with an obsessive eye for aesthetic quality and ambience, these are subjects of the Modern Wild West that is the internet. Hard work gets you far, smart work can get you further, faster.

So it seems to me like the first thing you would need would be that truck or similar vehicle.  I certainly need not have every bell or whistle, but something reliable would be required.  Obviously for $5K we are talking used.  That might well be more like $10k, but we can worry about that later.

I think the idea of the tiny camper is great!  I just looked up their site and I think that having one of those for your own free lodging would be ideal.  No matter what, you would always have a place to sleep and stay out of the elements.

Since you are talking about building cabins, are you required to bring your own tools?  I was thinking that perhaps you might make two lists of tools.  The first would be a basic mechanic's set (socket set, etc.) and the second being a carpenter's set (hand tools).  From there maybe think about getting a basic 18v cordless tool set.  If you are on a budget but want something with reasonable quality, I have two thoughts.  Firstly, consider Ryobi as they make an 18v everything-under-the-sun.  The second is Kobalt (Lowes) which are actually 24 volt tools and are turning out to be pretty impressive.  Just a couple of thoughts.

Have you thought about remote power?  Might you be able to get a couple of solar panels and either a small battery generator or build a battery generator yourself?

You mentioned the astrophotography (I LOVE this idea).  Would you be trying to support yourself via a YouTube channel?  If so then getting all those electronics would be important.

I am sure that you have thought all about these ideas and much more.  Obviously, anything you acquire before embarking on this adventure you would have to pack and carry and while it would be nice to bring one of everything, there are limits to what you can put in your vehicle.

I can understand why you almost want to wait a year to try this.  You could have a whole extra year to prepare stuff, but the opportunity is now.

Eric

Property on Kodiak wasn't very inexpensive as I remember. But with 18hrs of night during the winter and low light pollution there could be some great photo opportunities. Northen Lights show up not as much as a little farther north but they do present.

Robert Ray wrote:Property on Kodiak wasn't very inexpensive as I remember. But with 18hrs of night during the winter and low light pollution there could be some great photo opportunities. Northern Lights show up not as much as a little farther north but they do present.

I looked up Kodiak, and it is at 57 degrees North, which is the same as me! We can get some pretty good Northern lights. If you have clear views to the North and are happy to get up every 20 minutes to check during active nights you can get some great pictures with appropriate photographic equipment. This one was taken locally (not by me!)

source
If you check out the web link, Andy gives some advice on photographing aurora.

Thanks for all the advice everyone... One step at a time I suppose. Since I am not wealthy, I don't think there's a way to make this transition "easy". It will be rough no matter what.

Since I removed my debts, I have about $2,500 invested at this point in time. My focus on investment is what really restricts me monetarily. Money would make this transition far easier due to the costs of bush planes and shipping things. But I can't let it become everything...

For now, the photograph and astrophotography are just romances, they're a dime a dozen... It doesn't mean I can't make it unique and carve something out online. I would like to document as much as possible on YouTube with good videography.

One cabin has solar as far as I know. I should intend on getting my own generator and panels, as well as learning about storing energy in DIY battery banks. The guy says he has everything for cabin repair, I'm bringing personal items that I prefer, such as hand tools, axes, adzes, drawknives for rustic log furniture, etc... Would need to figure out a source of clay for a rocket mass heater and oven.

There's much to do... much to consider... But these are things that I would enjoy doing... enjoy considering... rather than the monotonous, dull, and nearly sadistic doings and considerings that modern life consists of. These are problems which warrant my interest and time, not, "I wonder what chemicals they sprayed on this even though it's labeled as organic"...

It must be an experience alone sipping that crystalline water from a freshly melted mountaintop stream, something taken for granted yet of poor quality in most cases in the modern world...

One thought would be to get a truck with a bed long enough for you to sleep in.  Put a topper on it and get to AK.  On the way there just pitch a tent.  Once you're unpacked at your destination you can sleep in the back of the truck.  

If you need to get a loan for a truck that might be easier than getting one for a camper.  Plus a new camper depreciates significantly once it's off the lot.  Used ones that are over 10 years old have often depreciated to the point where you can sell them years later for what you paid initially.  

A $5-10K truck (if 4wd) may be worth more when you get to AK than when you leave FL.  Not sure but low rust, used 4wds might be valuable in Alaska.  In any case it probably would hold it's value well.

This is a long way of saying that I'd be willing to dip into savings to buy a solid used truck and maybe a tolerable used trailer instead of waiting another year or getting a loan for them.  

Mike makes a good point about a 4wd truck and especially a trailer.  Even a simple 8’ trailer will hold a lot of stuff and transport it easily, leaving you the bed of the truck as a camper.  Of course, this option precludes the tiny camper, but that is a decision that only you could make as this is your money and your ambition.  But as I was checking out the tiny campers, they were in the thousands (and back ordered till June) and I bet that you could find an 8’ trailer in the hundreds.

On a slightly OT note, about 20 years ago my wife and I were getting ready to replace a vehicle—my very bare-bones, very high mileage, tiny little pickup.  I wanted to replace it with a Ford Ranger with an extended cab (NOT crew cab).  Basically, I wanted a simple, compact pickup.  My wife wanted a minivan.  When we priced them, the pickup was $1000 more and had 4 fewer seats.  She won.  My compromise was that I got a trailer hitch and a simple, 8’ trailer.

My point with this is that I paid about $700 for the hitch and trailer together and that trailer hauled more than the little truck bed ever would have.  The trailer is retired now, but I may get another and it gave me a lot of hauling ability for cheap—and that was with a minivan!  A truck would pull much, much better.

By no means is this the only option, I am merely pointing out one possible option.

Good luck,

Eric

That's true, cars are one of my least favorite purchases, I only share one right now. If I didn't have to own one and could walk or bike everywhere, I absolutely would... Vehicle expenses, gas, insurance, maintenance, buying new cars, can total to $500,000-$1,000,000+ if you invested the money spent at 7% compound interest. I would rather be a millionaire (before taxes) than own a vehicle... at least for a while. Even then, I would prefer an ol' reliable. I have an affinity for things like '90s Tacomas, virtually indestructible, plenty of parts available, and extensive DIY info.

I have no inclination towards any method at this point, whichever makes the most sense. Not opposed to a truck and topper. Hauling a trailer... fine for me (bears are my main concern and what warranted interest in a tear drop camper).

If I recall correctly, the Swedes are famous for hauling their vacation campers with little cars.

Now, a bit of a waiting game. I've done most of what I can. I must build trust with the man I met on Alaskan forums that owns the wilderness lodge. I sent my voter registration card with critical info blotted out, and my driver's license, sent my plans and intentions, such as hopefully finding land nearby that I could develop myself once I leave or he decides it's time for me to go. I do prefer hiding my identity on the internet to an extent but I am also completely open.

Hopefully this works out.

If you don't own a vehicle, to me it makes more sense to fly to Alaska if you decide to take the job.

A lot of folks who are at Wheaton Labs don't own vehicles.  Seems to me if they can do it there you could too in Alaska.

Once you get to Alaska buy a bicycle or a motorcycle.

A vehicle is a major expense for a job that might not work out.

If a vehicle still seems like a must buy it in Alaska after you find out that the job is going to work out.

Tools and clothing can be shipped to your new location as folks in the military do.

Anne Miller wrote:If you don't own a vehicle, to me it makes more sense to fly to Alaska if you decide to take the job.

A lot of folks who are at Wheaton Labs don't own vehicles.  Seems to me if they can do it there you could too in Alaska.

Once you get to Alaska buy a bicycle or a motorcycle.

A vehicle is a major expense for a job that might not work out.

If a vehicle still seems like a must buy it in Alaska after you find out that the job is going to work out.

Tools and clothing can be shipped to your new location as folks in the military do.

Unfortunately it is not a job. I will be living off of some savings for however long I stay, I imagine no more than a year, while also trying to find work opportunity and leverage to stay. Savings will mostly cover food, I don't have to buy anything else, and I won't have to buy meat or fish. Hence why I'd prefer to take out a loan for a vehicle and anything else I could possibly need while as far from civilization as possible in America anymore.. $15,000 over 3 years would cost me barely a few hundred dollars in interest, that's a bargain for what I'd get right this moment with the money, none of it would be a sunk cost, either.

All I know is I'd rather be in Alaska trying to make ends meet than stuck in Florida with relative safety. If summer comes and I have to leave the bush and go to mainland Alaska to try and find opportunity, so be it. I'd be disappointed to have to go back and suck from a city, but... maybe it'd be better than Florida. I don't know, I have no expectations. If worse comes to worse and I'm about to die of starvation, then I can fly back to Florida...

The reason I don't fly is because I can't bring all my belongings with me and when you add the freight shipping expense, well, you might as well just have bought a vehicle and driven at your own leisure seeing the entirety of the American countryside and camping along the way. You can drive onto a ferry to arrive. It's perfect... It is not like shipping something from Orlando to Miami for $10... It will cost thousands upon thousands of dollars to ship the items I intend to bring in a truck. Not to mention I can bring bulk food from Azure inside the vehicle rather than pay to have it shipped at $1/lb. So I can stock up on a multiple years worth of grains and cereals and just stuff them into the camper or trailer, avoiding a great shipping fee.

Wheaton Labs is not a job with income. This opportunity not particularly unlike that to be honest, however, as of right now, the major difference is there is no path to land ownership, otherwise it's actually almost identical in nature except for the environment and needs of said environment, and save for all the permie minds. Although, the man is a scrounger, re-user, and quite ingenious.

What I would be learning is hunting, bushcraft, maritime navigation, the ins and outs of living rough in Alaska, while fixing up 3 cabins, although one is in quite good condition already now that I check. It's often used for guests though from the main wilderness lodge. Photography in bear country, clean food, astrophography, space for woodworking...

I would say flying is not an option and vehicle ownership is a must. There is simply no other way. Once I arrive by vehicle I have to fly in a bush plane anyway to the location... It's in the middle of nowhere and the nearest town by bush plane has about 5,000 people... Buying a vehicle and having to sell it is not particularly troublesome. In all honesty I could use a truck even living in FL... As was stated I'm sure on the island there's a premium for vehicles, even in Anchorage.

It might be possible to live without a vehicle at Wheaton Labs but that is a lucky and special case. You could basically survive without leaving the property, and even then, someone must own a vehicle to get deliveries to maintain said property, so it's still vehicle dependent. Do you get USPS? It's not as though you're depending on a horse and buggy. Everybody out there is dependent on float plane.

Very few places in the US provide opportunity to live without a vehicle, a bit of a rose tinted glasses outlook. We don't even have sidewalks where I live in many places, people get smashed in the fake, painted "bike lanes" all the time. Living without a vehicle in the US is a romantic ideal and impractical, and If my life revolved around not owning a vehicle I would absolutely try to move to Europe.

There is a fine line between vehicular slavery and vehicular freedom.

At the end of the day, I am not pursuing this opportunity to find endless worry, I am pursuing it to leave worry behind, and I'm not about to start piling on the worries by overanalyzing it. I must transform worry into problems to solve and things to do.

I'd probably go for a minivan or some kind of SUV or crossover with a hatch and enough room to sleep in the back with seats either folded down or taken out altogether. I think you'd get a better vehicle for the price versus a pickup. Used pickups are super expensive here though.

I lived in my '94  Jeep Cherokee for a few months. I folded the back seats down and had three tote bins with all my stuff (dishes, clothing, towels, tools, etc.) lined up along one side. I put a piece of plywood over top of them, an old felted wool blanket for a mattress, and that was my bed. A taller person might need to sleep diagonally. The space next to the bed was for my big dog. The front passenger seat was my pantry. It worked well.

The only thing about living in such a tiny space is you have no where to dry things out if you get wet. It was worse for me because I had two dogs I'd have to dry off before letting them in so they didn't get my sleeping bag wet. Okay, now what do I do with those wet towels when it's raining for four days?

I think having multiple spaces for such a long trip would be handy. I'd use one of those rooftop carriers for stuff like wet towels that you just can't do anything with immediately. There's all kinds of things you can put on a trailer hitch besides a trailer, too.

If you're hauling a bunch of dry food goods up with you, check prices at Organic Matters. (omfoods.com) They have an outlet in Bellingham, WA if their Canadian prices are too much. Keep in mind you'll be burning more fuel to move it, though. I know lots of people up north get pallets of food shipped up to them from the OM near where I live.

Alright, I'll look into that place, never heard of it.

I will have to consider the benefits of each type of vehicle. I have no real intentions of off roading to destinations, at least not for a few years. The vehicle, I imagine, will be mostly parked during the winter and sparsely used through the summer unless I leave the location to travel.

I don't know about the utility of pickup truck in a place like Alaska, versus other more manageable terrains in the lower 48, since it's mostly mountains, lakes, glaciers, and a sparse road system there.

I'd imagine adventure is more often found by float plane than off-roading and camping. If it can pull the camper or trailer, it should be just fine.

Jeff Steez wrote:[Unfortunately it is not a job. I will be living off of some savings for however long I stay, I imagine no more than a year, .

Even if someone is not being paid, that is still a job. Working is a job.

As someone who has been a manager over volunteer workers ... it does not always work out.

This is even more reason not to buy a car or some sort of vehicle.  

Especially if someone is living off savings.

Taking out a loan to buy a vehicle will eat up savings in a hurry.

Anne Miller wrote:

Jeff Steez wrote:[Unfortunately it is not a job. I will be living off of some savings for however long I stay, I imagine no more than a year, .

Even if someone is not being paid, that is still a job. Working is a job.

As someone who has been a manager over volunteer workers ... it does not always work out.

This is even more reason not to buy a car or some sort of vehicle.  

Especially if someone is living off savings.

Taking out a loan to buy a vehicle will eat up savings in a hurry.

Since I don't own the land where I live, my mind has completely shifted already given this opportunity. Even if I don't make it to Alaska this year (ideally should be out there right now) I'm about ready to leave my microscopic garden behind and camp throughout the USA for photography and blogging pursuits.  I can't take the development, construction and pollution anymore. Maybe a year of roaming around in the lower 48 would prepare me for Alaska and put some hair on my chest.

I will always be "relatively" poor unless I get lucky online or stumble upon some unique opportunity. I find it difficult to participate in society. I'd go back to college if most of academia these days wasn't ridden with political discourse and the fact most academic pursuits are frequently used in the name of evil.

I still seek simplicity. I'd head to Wheaton Labs if I was sociable.

Got a one way plane ticket for June.

Not sure I will be able to manage to stick around once the season is done, but I will be trying my damndest.

Jeff Steez wrote:Got a one way plane ticket for June.

Good luck to you. At least it will bring new experiences. I hope it all works out and please let us know how you get on! Sometimes it's better to regret what you have done, than opportunities you didn't take (does that make sense?).

Envious !!! (Because it sounds better than jealous ) I was looking at 4 acres and a cabin falling over on Edna Bay,  but the logistics of transport and not being wealthy enough for my own seaplane plus a dad w dementia near the Great Lakes means I’m probably falling back east instead of northerner…

I grew up in the cold. I’m covered in fur. When it gets really ‘bad’ outside I get tempted to put on layers and try to climb tall things…so I have no fear of the cold.

I fear being trapped in poverty due to poor planning or unmitigated risks though.

I lived in my Subaru for a summer, and regularly move into it spine injury permitting it will be home again next month when I sell out of CO and look around to land somewhere - one less camper van, threw a roof rack w extension on there and tada ! Truckwagon but as pointed out if you have no car and no money its a potential money PIT that you can either fix or abandon when feces and ventilator meet. I’ve driven ru’s places ATVs can’t go All The Time, and have the bills for the new axles etc to prove it. I would not hesitate to armor the bottom and drive her to AK if my situation weren’t what it is right now…

Health Insurance and proximity to help if you fall off a ladder while trying to balance a worm drive and your framing hammer with a 4x on your shoulder ?

How much and what do you need to have if you need to bail ? Do you trust yourself to know if you are at that point ?

How do you feel about mosquitos lol from what I’ve heard FLA is NOT AK for bug fun…

Lots of questions, but I’m QA - QA is paid to be paranoid.

Most Important - Can I come visit ?

I have no backup plan, there are always a million "what ifs" to consider, an extremely experienced wilderness guide is plenty. I've got an ultralight backpacking pack on the way for carry on and a single duffle bag luggage. I have barely any debts and an investment fund I'm adding to each month. I've got cash and credit if I "need" to get back, plus I'll make a nice bundle of money, room and board are free, during this season. I've already been contacting some places around AK, Fairbanks, smaller towns, looking for winter work once it's done.

I will take care of myself and avoid making even a single mistake. Tomorrow is never promised, unless you are in prison or experience some other type of restriction, live free or die. The most difficult thing about freedom is the freedom afforded to be complacent. It's all been considered, if Richard Proenneke had made a mistake out there or been mauled by the bear that charged him, it would've been over. It comes with the territory. Alaska is so wild that if you have a vehicle or a $200 float plane ticket, then you can find adventure. Adventure everywhere, right out your backyard. No problem living acres along the road system. I'm sure people will help. Harsh climates tend to make people work together more often than not.

I've already forced my hand here, moving as far away as American-ly possible. There's no point in adding a "plan b" safety net so I can just give up if things get hard and return as though nothing happened. Giving up after I set out on a goal should have repercussions, even self imposed ones.

Mountain biking, hiking, split boarding, fly fishing, kayaking, foraging, photography, hunting, carving... I will do absolutely anything for these pursuits or die trying. Not going to live idly in the "Parking Lot Capital of the World" that is America anymore. Off to the Last Frontier, less parking lots there.

Perhaps an opportunity will present itself before winter comes in the very place I'm going, no idea. Perhaps I will fly to Europe and backpack in the winter, no idea again. I've been able to move forward only when I stopped thinking so much and let go of worry. The world doesn't care about you, billions of people have died, billions living on Earth currently will die, right back to the soil, the only one there is to truly care is yourself.

I am not wise and nothing I said here means much, just things I've pondered the past few weeks as I prepare.

Edit: Forgot to mention it turned into a seasonal job, multiple posts said that it's not, which was accurate at the time.

That sounds like an incredible journey—both physically and personally. If you’re bringing leatherworking into your Alaska life, be sure to connect with other craftsmen and homesteaders online for tips and support. Also, definitely tap into local Alaskan homesteading groups—there’s a lot of wisdom out there. Wishing you clear skies and solid ground ahead!

Did you make it??

Jeff Steez wrote:Hello friends,

I have received a rare opportunity to move out to remote Alaska and live a relatively rough lifestyle in the bush and renovate 3 cabins.

I am very, very seriously considering taking this opportunity to go learn about building houses there, greenhouses, bush craft, green woodworking, rocket mass heaters, etc... I will be bringing as many non-frivolous items as possible. I believe one cabin has solar, and Starlink should be in place. I am not sure where it will all lead, if I can make a livable salary documenting it on YouTube so I can buy some land of my own nearby, performing wildlife photography, astrophotography, green woodworking, leather working... I have absolutely no idea where this might lead and I cannot picture in my head any possibilities, but I do hope I will not have to return to FL. What I do know is this is an opportunity to experience the pristine nature I have so longed dreamt about.

The problem is, I have to make the drive from FL -> Homer, Alaska, and then ferry everything to Kodiak Island.

So, I was wondering if there are any people I could meet along the way to lend a helping hand as a guide once I hit the difficult stretch, on the Canadian coast, or along the way to Homer once I hit Alaska, regardless of how that help might be, even if it's just in the form of experiential tips and tricks, or old timey tales of your memories.

Cheers and thank you!

I have lived in Alaska twice. Once in a remote village, only get there by bush plane. Second time was on an island in the southeast, Prince of Wales (went there to NYC for a year to work for Johns Hopkins.) Putting my homestead up for sale in northern NH and hope to go back for good this summer. Will be traveling through Canada most of the way (except to 15-20 mins it takes to get across the CT River into VT to go to the nearest border crossing) and then the Alaskan portion. Long trip. I made a somewhat similar trip to get to POW taking a ferry from Prince Rupert to Ketchican. Hoping to find some one who will go and help me navigate while I travel.