Asklemmy

Depends on what part of Alaska you're talking about. South Central is all connected by a road system (yes, it's paved) but there really aren't many alternative routes, so if there's a bad car accident or a landslide, you're effectively cut off.

Another difference is the distance between places. When I travel to the lowered 48 I'm always reminded of that fact as pretty much every few miles is an exit to a new town but they all seem to have the same shitty strip/outlet malls and chain restaurants, like carbon copies of the next town over.

Here there tend to be small communities along the highways but all the communities seem to have a distinct vibe and flavor as other than a few pockets of larger communities there aren't many chains until you get to the more populated areas.

Plus no billboards obstructing the views as you drive along the highways so it's very scenic most of the time. Mountains everywhere for most of the road system.

Outside the road system the communities tend to be pretty small and very rural as they're usually native Alaskan villages or small towns along the panhandle in the South East. They're close to BC so very similar climate and topography.

Along the coast are many fishing towns that all tend to be similar. Harbor, bars near said harbor, churches, and small homes. With a general store and maybe a library.

Up north is where the climate sucks most of the year, except for about 2 weeks in the summer. Not many people other than Alaskan Natives are brave enough to live up there full time. I've worked up there on a 2 week rotation schedule but if I had to be up there full time, I'd go insane.