Reviews & Comments
Ketchikan, AK
Wonderful community -
10/3/2006I've lived in Ketchikan for four years after living in interior Alaska for over 20 years and a few cities in the lower 48 for a few years. Kechikan is full of friendly, helpful, and talented people who give it a wonderful sense of community. The weather is moderate year round with a lot of rain (about 190 inches/year). When the weather is good it is one of the most beautiful places I've ever seen. There is typically very little snow in town in the winter, but there is usually snow in the mountains (a short drive and/or hike from town). In the summer the town is overrun by tourists who arrive on large cruise ships. The tourist industry is the major backbone of the economy. In the winter the town is very quiet and many businesses close. Ketchikan is a large island that can only be accessed by plane or boat (ferry). It is a great place for people who enjoy fishing, hunting, kayaking, art, music, and community and for people who don't mind rain and wind.