Expert: Michael Donaldson - 9/28/2006

Question
My husband and I and our two kids (ages 2 & 7) are seriously considering moving to Alaska for my husband's potential new job in Palmer.  Any and all information and/or advice you could give regarding moving and living there would be appreciated.  We would be relocating there from Hawaii (we moved to Hawaii from Colorado so have some idea of cold weather). :)

Answer
Hello Sondra!

Well, if it gives you any indication how I feel about the Palmer area...I would pack my bags right this second if I knew I could find a job there myself. The Wasilla/Palmer area is one of the more beautiful "developed" areas of Alaska.  I always tell people it's the "Switzerland of Alaska", due to all the farmland, cows, and gorgeous mountains as a backdrop. (I've been to Switzerland 5 times, so I can fairly compare it)  Obviously, you'll experience a slight culture shock compared to life in Hawaii...but as you pointed out, you're used to winter weather and mountain terrain. (I love Colorado too by the way)  

Palmer (population: 5200) itself is a quaint little town in the Mat-Su Valley, which is short for Matanuska-Susitna Valley (refers to the two major rivers that traverses that area). It's located along the Glenn Highway - only 50 miles from Anchorage and about 100 miles from Denali National Park.  The summer's are absolutely beautiful averaging around 75F degrees and the winters around 10F degrees (that's better than where I lived in Fairbanks where typical winter temps were -30F degrees!)  Your kids (and you both of course) will love the Musk Ox Farm and the annual late summer harvest of GIANT vegetables that are so famous for that area. You also need to spend a day exploring nearby Hatcher Pass Road with its twisty-twiny gravel road and old mines.  But the "pearl" and one of the most photographed scenes of that area is right up the Glenn Highway at Matanuska Glacier...go see it in the fall and it'll bring tears to your eyes it's so beautiful Sondra. I used up nearly a whole roll of slide film of it one September day, and ended up with one of my more prized photographs. Copy and paste this entire link to see a great shot of the glacier which is VERY similar to the one I took: http://aolsearch.aol.com/aol/imageDetails?invocationType=imageDetails&query=mata...

Well, I hope that helps answer your question about Palmer, Alaska.  Let me know (thru the AllExperts feedback) if it did. Bottom line Sondra: you and your husband couldn't pick a better area of Alaska to live, work, play, and bring up the kids. Go enjoy "God's Playground"...take care!

 Michael Donaldson