Remote, very remote land

[andrew]

Just wondering about this place which is for sale. It appears to be as remote as you can find in Alaska. ;D

www.remoteproperties.com/interior/rayriver.html

[Jenny]

That place looks and sounds WONDERFUL. ;D If it's really that remote, that sounds like THE place! Thank you for offering Andrew. When you get ready to close the deal, just let us know. We'll e-mail you with our full names and whatever information is needed for the title ;D

Jenny

[jd]

Oh my. That does look grand. I'd like to pan the gravel in that river too.
JD

[andrew]

This sounds very tempting. I'd do it, but I am not a young man anymore. I just wonder how hard it is to find a partner to go into something like this? It would certainly be plenty of land and work for two families?

No one has all the skills, and so finding people with other skills than yours would be smart.

I guess you'd have to be careful and know who you are getting into it with, i.e., know that you can trust them to be honest, so on.

[andrew]

jenny said:

That place looks and sounds WONDERFUL. ;D If it's really that remote, that sounds like THE place! Thank you for offering Andrew. When you get ready to close the deal, just let us know. We'll e-mail you with our full names and whatever information is needed for the title ;D

Jenny

I thought you already had a place on that lake, I forget the name of it? Do you and Chuck want to go in half with me on this one? ;D

[Washkeeton]

It is nice Andrew but there is a few things to consider:
1. what shape are you in?
2. It says 60 miles from the dalton hwy. This is way north. There by it is in the freezer most of the winter and probably by the brooks range. Winters to 80 below are not uncommon here. The dalton is closed for the winter so you have all that travel area by your self. Also dont plan on any kind of a garden. Too far north. You will be looking at native plants and berries for food.
3. How close are you to native land or was this an native parcel? I would check on it because there are northern villages that will not accept any whites and will terrorize them. Especially newbies.
4. How close are you to a water source as the yukon, or other tributary. Yes moose and carabou are great but the diet main stay of the north is salmon. Will you be able to run a fish wheel or net to get your take for the winter food supply.
5. Subsistance?
6. Have you ever lived out like this and know wilderness survival well? or are you dependant on the city? You look to be from Austin. The AK wilderness is very unforgiving.
Just some things to ponder and think about before you jump in head long.

[jd]

Still looks great, and I'd still like to pan that gravel bench. Just mabe with a pard, and for sure with my 41 on my belt.
JD

[Washkeeton]

I would carry the 12 gage with a mix of slugs and buck shot. Not a problem. Panning would be nice. lol

[ugashikrobert]

Andrew:
One of the natural balances I've seen up here is the fact that the greater the challange the greater the rewards. You are getting some excellent advice here that I wished had been available to me when we made our leap of faith. I was 52 when we both retired and moved out here over ten years ago. Looking back I would of liked to of done it earlier for a lot of reasons but working long enough to provide the financial outlay turned out better than what I have seen of people attempting a income in the bush. Living off the taxpayers dollar in the form of grant money or selling the outdoor experience in the form of hunting or fishing isn't for me. I have no problem with the people who sell the outdoor experience if they can do it without compromising the experience of the people who do not. Maybe its just my area but I just haven't seen it done well here and in general think if you enter the bush with the attitude it owes you a living you need to realize the only thing you really own is the small parcel you purchased and the rest belongs to everyone. In fact I happen to believe you owe the area a living. That view is defintely a minority view. When the neccessity of providing a income is integrated into the undertaking its priority usually ends up well above consideration for others.
Being only 60 miles from an established highway isn't bad but will probably make you dependent on someone else to get you there for openers. If you use an air taxi look closely on what it takes for them to survive. There existence depends on taking people into areas like yours and no matter what they tell you there long term goals are income not preserving the natural state of the area you are investing in. The commanality of both things I've brought up here is guides and air taxis are in a money making proposition in an area where the real value to most people is the lack of people. You do the math.
Along with that you need to look closey at who really owns the land around what you are considering. I work as a trespass officer for a native corporation because they convinced me there long term goals would benifit the area. Over time I've seen there decisions made by people far removed from the reality of the area they oversee. Again money rules.
The other possibility is the area is owned by the Feds or the state. To me one of the best option is living slightly outside of a Federally controlled area like we do where you are only slightly restricted if you do not exploit the area commercially. You need to dig deeper than the people who sell you land or profit from you presence in any way to get the real feel on how the area is utilized. Anyone with there hand in the till will treat it like any other business.
If your considering a partner choose wisely. I really can't think of anything similair that would reflect what the possibilities are of your partner surviving. Although the benefits are many I will say the odds of a successfull survial are against you. I've always said if you think you are really married spend a few winters in the bush with only your bride. Same thing applies to a partner.
Don't let all of this deter you from what could be the most challanging and rewarding experience of your life. Look at your options at retirement like I did. I had the option of getting in line with the rest of the sheeple or doing something I had always dreamed about. Looking back at it there really wasn't a decision.