If you were retiring from the military and could teach either high school or college. Why wouldn't you chose to live in Valdez?

I keep looking and it's coming up roses. Am I blind or is it pretty close to heaven?

D99

I too believe that Valdez is about as close to heaven as any place can get but don't throw the idea around as it may get some to thinking about a move.

I know why it keeps coming up as roses...

Istaga,
Any residue from the oil spill still in evidence?

quote:

Originally posted by BulldogMaster:
Istaga,
Any residue from the oil spill still in evidence?

I have been searching PWS for 5 yrs and have not found any evidence of the oil spill. Housing in Valdez is a problem & expensive, most of the land is strait up. Dam nice area

If you have the teaching skills, experience, and job in Valdez I'd think it could be excellent. Jobs are limited in small towns....doubt you'd be happy on a military retirement alone.

Also, the military benefits you might expect like health care may not exist or require you to come to Anchorage.

Finally, you must love snow. They get LOTS of it.

Most of us end up living near where we can find work.

Cheers,

Dan

The fishing is awesome in Valdez but you have to drive 26 miles out of town to hunt or go out in a boat.It is one of the prettiest places in Alaska.It gets dumped on by snow 10 feet at a time when it snows.The mountains there can get 30-50 feet of snow.It offers close deer,mountain goat and bear hunting.Of all the coastal towns I do like it best.Its about a 5 hour hrive from me and I love going there.There are not that many year around jobs but alot of seasonal summer jobs

"If you were retiring from the military and could teach either high school or college. Why wouldn't you chose to live in Valdez?

I keep looking and it's coming up roses. Am I blind or is it pretty close to heaven"

Cause I hate like hell to spend all my time moving snow in winter. Not too bad a drive from old Fairtown to Valdez for halibut & salmon. Just my humble opinion. Bear in Fairbanks

.........I fell timber in Two Moon Bay ,3 years after the spill and I couldn,t find and oil ...From the logging camp you could see Bligh Reef ...Most of the Blathering along is just the Enviromentalist wacko,s trying to raise money ...,.,.............The snow thing is a major challenge tho ...dgr416 was accurate in his assessment ......Then you need to get over Thompson Pass to get anywhere ,, Or you can take the Ak. Marine Highway to various places like Cordova , I think it goes to Whittier now and you can drive thru the tunnel to get to the big city ......You can also get there from Seward or ports in Cook Inlet.,.,.,..,,,...,.,...,,.It,s kind of like our own Cruise ship ....Since the tunnel opened it makes it ALOT easier getting to Anchor Town .. Lot less pukeing too .......Going over the Highway is fun also .......The Sound has some of the most awesome scenery on earth ....But in the fall it regularly rains an inch an hour for a day or 3 in parts of the Sound ......The Sound is nice ,, and huge ,, and the weather kills ,,, Ya gotta have your s--t together to be out on the sound ...

I have only lived in Sitka and Barrow, I like the idea of living someplace where I can use the exchange and commisary but don't want to live someplace over 10,000 people.

I would rather live on the road system than off of it.

I won't have any teaching experience when I retire. I will have the degrees and the desire.

I am not sure that I want to put up roots anywhere, until I am 50. Maybe spend 10 years teaching around Alaska looking for heaven?

For three months of the year June- August Valdez is a nice place to visit. "IF" you own a boat and like to fish! The other nine months are Rain, Rain, Snow and more Rain! Not my idea of a great place to live.. If you have lived in Sitka you know all about rain.

quote:

Originally posted by gumboot458:
.........I fell timber in Two Moon Bay ,3 years after the spill and I couldn,t find and oil ...From the logging camp you could see Bligh Reef

The oil didn't reach Two Moon Bay. It flowed southwestward from Bligh Reef. You can still kick up rocks in the intertidal zone and find oil goop at Knight Island and some of the others in the southwestern Prince William Sound.

It may be contained in those pockets, under the rocks, I don't know.

I lived in Juneau a year and usually go to Valdez a few times a year.I treasure being able to drive out of a place.I hated Juneau the antihunting capital of Alaska.It does have a good sporting goods store.Hook-line and skinker is an awesome little sporting goods store in Valdez.I think Valdez is the biggest kept secret of fishing in Alaska.It has some of the best fishing for Pinks which are the funnest to catch,Silvers which smoke up good but dont do good in tnhe freezer,Halibut and lingcod.I turely love going on trips to Valdez but it does not have moose.It has bears on the islands both costal and Black and mountain goats and deer.It is one of the most beautiful places in Alaska.I try spend two weeks a year there.I plan on putting my 5th wheel there for the summers in the near future.It a very expensive place to live with not much housing but its worth it.I would rather stay there three moths of the year or make long visits.I have friends in Fairbanks who leave their boats all summer there and fish about every weekend.The price of fuel has cut down on their trips.Fish Central is a good place to rent a boat if your sea worthy other wise find a good charter the sea can get bad outside of the inlet.

Shot you a PM. Buddy of mine teaches at the H.S. in Valdez.

Thanks Matt! I will look him up!

I haven't lived in Valdez, but work with some folks that have. The housing market is overpriced for what it is based on the folks that work in the pipeline terminal making lots of money. I get the feeling there is some animosity between folks who do and don't work at the terminal. Also Alyeska is in a re-org (they always are) and there is a good chance a fair number of folks will be out of work sooner than later, which will drive down housing prices when a bunch of houses come on the market.

As was mentioned, Valdez gets alot of snow, lots and lots of snow, sometimes 20 feet on the ground. If you're into extreme skiing and ice climbing, it is an incredible place.

It's a great place to launch into PWS, which opens up incredible fishing and hunting.

I'd take Seward, Homer or Kodiak (not necessarily in that order) over Valdez any day, and I like skiing and ice climbing.

I have six years until I retire. I thank everyone for their help. I will try not to spend the next six years dwelling on where I am going to live, and if I do I am pre-thanking you for listening to me digress and worry.

Thanks Again, Go Navy beat Army!