Moving to alaska, Advise?

1. What are the roads like between washington and anchorage/fairbanks?

That depends what time of year you will be traveling. In June, July, and August, and September the roads are good. Any other time, you can reasonably expect the possibility of snow. I got caught in the worst blizzard driving conditions I've ever seen on Halloween a few years ago near Whitehorse. Almost total whiteout conditions, trucks stuck all over, cars off the road. The road is terrible near the Canada-Alaska border (between Haines Junction and Tok) due to permafrost, so take it slow there. The road department is constantly working on that section.

2. Can i pull a trailer up the roads in the winter? Not advisable, but can be done.

3. Whats the weather like compaired to the seattle area?

Depends where in the state you are. If you are in SE, it is very similar. If you are in the Interior like Fairbanks, it is warmer in summer and much colder in winter. Anchorage has lots of snow and colder in winter, but summer is similar.

4. Whats UAA like? Is it a good campus?

It's pretty. Anchorage has a good bus system that goes to campus.

5. Whats the aviation program like at UAA? UAF is better.

6. How cold does anchorage and fairbanks get? Will i need an engine heater?

Yes. Have your car winterized when you get up here so they can be sure to put what is needed. You may also want battery blanket, oil pan/stick heater.

7. Is minimum wage higher or lower then washington?

It's going to be going up from $7.75 to $8.75 in January. Then up another $1 in a year and remain $1 over federal standards. Not sure what WA is to compare it to.

8. Is the cost of living higher?

Yes. Everything has to be shipped or flown in.

1. The roads are pretty good, but there is always the chance you could run into a storm along the way. I first moved up in early March, although it was a mild winter in the lower 48 and southern Canada that year. I hit a good amount of ice on the Glenn Hwy between Glennallen and Palmer.

2. Sure.

3. The weather is colder, dryer, and snowier than Seattle. Fairbanks is sub-zero all winter long. Anchorage is below freezing all winter, but usually above zero, but windier than Fairbanks.

4. I can't really answer. From what I have seen the few times I drove around UAA, it seemed like an OK campus.

5. No idea.

6. See number 3. Definitely get a block heater in Fairbanks (and possibly an oil pan heater and battery heater, too--check with a good mechanic on whether the block heater or oil pan heater is better for your type of engine). There are outlets all over the place, especially at UAF. It is a good idea in Anchorage, but I would check to make sure that there is an outlet wherever you plan on living (I don't know if they have them in the UAA dorm parking lots or not).

7. No idea, but you can easily look it up. I know it is higher than the federal minimum.

8. Yes.