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Enjoy living on a lake and help with lots of interesting projects Boreal Forest, USA
Last activity
: 21 Apr 2025
Profile information
Usually responds within 13 days
Min stay requested: at least a week
Workawayers needed
Possibility that workawayers are needed
No availability
Details
Host ref number: 667817377862
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Feedback (16)
While we didn't stay at Laura's, we had the pleasure of getting to know her during our time in Talkeetna. Laura is a wonderful person, brimming with energy and always ready to lend a helping hand. We are confident that WorkAwayers will thoroughly enjoy their time here! We also happily spent moments with her two dogs, Venus and Soleil, taking walks
… read more and even engaging in skijoring around the stunning frozen lake she calls home."
Left by Workawayer (Damon) for host
I had such an amazing time in Talkeetna. Laura was a wonderful host, living on the lake as it froze and in the Yurt through the first snowfalls was a surreal experience. Laura has so many amazing friends and I really got the experience of living in an Alaskan community. Work was varied from collecting wood to building sheds. With Laura's friends I
… read more went for a couple of amazing flights and sledding for couple of days in Healy. I won back to back pub trivia without answering a question. This really was a fantastic experience and I will miss so many wonderful people. Thank you Laura.You can only contact Workawayers who have an active membership.
Left by Workawayer (Mitchell & Johanna) for host
We had a wonderful stay here! Laura's energy is contagious and she is incredibly supportive and positive. She is easy to work with and fun to work for. We only stayed for a few days but we have learned many skills like chopping firewood, smoking salmon, processing roadkill moose, and bikejoring. Laura loves food like any Alaskan, so we had a great
… read more time cooking and trying out local food. The Yurt we stayed in was supercosy and convenient with a stove, heater and plenty of blankets. We definitely reccomend this place to other Workawayers!You can only contact Workawayers who have an active membership.
Photos
Workaway Loren showing off the boardwalk she helped build. Venus the wonder dog approves.
Helping to build a ramp for the yurt... just steps away from the lake.
Workaway-er Athena shows off the fiddlehead ferns she picked. We had some for dinner.
That's me, your host Laura
Me and a Workaway-er hauling the wood stove to the yurt. There is now heat in the yurt!
This is my cabin which you will use for cooking and showering.
Swans migrate through in the Spring and Fall.
My dogs Malek and Venus; I put a ski trail on the lake in winter.
The lake for canoeing and swimming.
There's a canoe for your use on the lake.
14' yurt with deck. Where you would stay. I've got more of the railing up and it is getting wired for electricity in the next couple of weeks.
Denali State Park is 50 miles away and you can hike to the tundra.
Feedback
These are extra optional ratings when members leave feedback. The average rating left for each option is displayed.
Accuracy of profile:
(5.0)
While we didn't stay at Laura's, we had the pleasure of getting to know her during our time in Talkeetna. Laura is a wonderful person, brimming with energy and always ready to lend a helping hand. We are confident that WorkAwayers will thoroughly enjoy their time here! We also happily spent moments with her two dogs, Venus and Soleil, taking walks
… read more and even engaging in skijoring around the stunning frozen lake she calls home."
Left by Workawayer (Damon) for host
I had such an amazing time in Talkeetna. Laura was a wonderful host, living on the lake as it froze and in the Yurt through the first snowfalls was a surreal experience. Laura has so many amazing friends and I really got the experience of living in an Alaskan community. Work was varied from collecting wood to building sheds. With Laura's friends I
… read more went for a couple of amazing flights and sledding for couple of days in Healy. I won back to back pub trivia without answering a question. This really was a fantastic experience and I will miss so many wonderful people. Thank you Laura.You can only contact Workawayers who have an active membership.
Left by Workawayer (Mitchell & Johanna) for host
We had a wonderful stay here! Laura's energy is contagious and she is incredibly supportive and positive. She is easy to work with and fun to work for. We only stayed for a few days but we have learned many skills like chopping firewood, smoking salmon, processing roadkill moose, and bikejoring. Laura loves food like any Alaskan, so we had a great
… read more time cooking and trying out local food. The Yurt we stayed in was supercosy and convenient with a stove, heater and plenty of blankets. We definitely reccomend this place to other Workawayers!You can only contact Workawayers who have an active membership.
Left by host for Workawayer (Emily)
Emily was a great help. She fit right in to the scene at my place and into the community at large. She was willing to try any of the tasks at hand. She helped to build a wood shed and a storage shed. She is an excellent log peeler! She learned how to split and stack wood. She also is an incredible baker. She made pumpkin cookies!! She taught me
… read more how to bake bread. Emily has a good work ethic. I like to make to-do lists and she likes to cross things off the list when they are complete.... that worked out well!
Left by Workawayer (Emily) for host
My time with Laura in Talkeetna was great! She really took me in to her community and introduced me to a whole new group of friends. A traditional day together started with breakfast before we began our working day. This included anything from peeling logs, splitting/stacking wood, working on shed repairs, hammering siding, etc. I learned so many
… read more new skills and tools! Overall, it was a great experience, there is a lot of physical work involved- so be prepared for this. You don’t need too much prior experience though, Laura is a great teacher!You can only contact Workawayers who have an active membership.
Left by Workawayer (Patrick) for host
I had a great experience with Laura in alaska. New skills were learned while also getting the opportunity to see what this small town and the alaska range has to offer. We worked on several projects, the main focus being the construction of a shed from lumber on her own property. Great hospitality, with adventures scattered through out. Thanks for
… read more a fun 2 weeks!You can only contact Workawayers who have an active membership.
Left by Workawayer (Thomas) for host
Laura is a good person to have as a host, she is very welcoming and trusting and made sure I felt at home. She shared here home and great cooking and baking and we got to work alongside a bit on some tasks. She was clear about what she needed done and did not make a big fuss about when I worked. She was also open to me not doing activities that I
… read more did not enjoy, although there was nothing there I did not want to do. She works hard and plays a bit and welcomed me along for social events and hikes. The yurt is also quite nice and the forest is very calming and restive for people used to city life. I appreciated meeting here and having that introduction to the Talkeetna area. You would do well to land here.You can only contact Workawayers who have an active membership.
Left by host for Workawayer (Thomas)
Thomas is an incredibly hard worker. He will give 1000% to any project. In addition to being very physically strong, he has many, many skills. Here's a list of what he did in the three weeks at my place: Built a 15-foot dock, created custom handrails for my deck stairs, finished deck railings, built 10-feet of new boardwalk, built small shed.
… read more
Logging: cut down, bucked up and hauled several dead spruce trees. Helped to dig dirt (mud) for a foundation repair and then hauled 3 yards of gravel 25 yards using a wheelbarrow! Honestly it was like watching a contestant on a reality fitness show. He is also neat and tidy and a good cook. He made lox!
I could list more but suffice it to say that Thomas will not disappoint. I felt guilty over the amount of work he did... way more than expected of any Workaway. If it is conversation you are looking for he has a varied background with lots of world traveling. You would be fortunate to have Thomas in your corner.
Left by Workawayer (Abigail) for host
Laura was my first Workaway host and let me tell ya, she set the bar high. Laura is a wealth of knowledge and is always willing to share her wisdom, I felt like I learned so much in just one week! Laura is one badass lady and living/learning from her has helped me grow in ways I didn't realize I needed to. The work I did with Laura is very
… read more accurate in what she has posted. It is outside manual labor. I chopped wood, stacked wood, (skinned wood?), filleted fish, picked berries, moved rocks, picked up after dogs, etc... Her dogs are the biggest sweethearts you'll ever meet. I absolutely LOVE Malek, Taz, and Venus, I'm already missing seeing them everyday.Laura also introduced me to many of her friends and it was fun to meet the people of Talkeetna. The community of Talkeetna is amazing and spending time with Laura you get to see it firsthand.
I loved loved loved my time with Laura and her 3 dogs and would definitely recommend it to anyone. Laura is the coolest, friendliest lady you'll ever meet. Thank you so much Laura!
Left by Workawayer (Brennon) for host
Laura was an incredible host!! Full of energy and smiles, she made my Workaway feel like a vacation. I stayed about a week on her property and enjoyed every second. Laura is a very knowledgeable Alaskan homesteader and certified bad ass. She has conquered Alaska and has plenty of stories to share around a campfire.
The work expected of me was
… read more well managed and prepared while also maintaining flexibility. Laura was there to help when needed but also gave me space so I could focus on completing my tasks, a perfect leader.
The Yurt was very comfortable and tranquil. Living out of a Yurt is a unique natural experience and I'm grateful I got to experience it. Also, Laura's dogs were the BEST!! I hope I get the opportunity to come back and help again in the future.
Thank You, thank you, thank you, Laura!!!You can only contact Workawayers who have an active membership.
Left by host for Workawayer (Brennon)
Amazing. Stupendous. Awesome. How many adjectives can I use to describe Brennon? He has so many skills there are not enough adjectives! He is very smart, strong, a mechanic, a builder, a figure-it-out kind of guy. He wants to help you out and get all of the tasks done. Additionally he was curious and interested in learning about Alaska and the
… read more Alaskan lifestyle. I wish he could have stayed longer. Come back again Brennon!!! Seriously, if you need a reliable person who has many attributes then you will not be disappointed.
Left by host for Workawayer (Corey)
Corey was a great help. He got a shed built!!! He speaks Spanish which was super helpful since my other workaway person also spoke Spanish. He was conscientious and communicated well.
Left by Workawayer (Corey) for host
I met up with Laura for only a few days earlier this summer to help her rebuild a shed in her backyard. She has a lovely property right next to a lake with some happy pups running about. The build went well and I enjoyed meeting her and another Workawayer there. Take care Laura, hope all is well.
You can only contact Workawayers who have an active membership.
Left by Workawayer (Nadja) for host
We only stayed for 2 nights and one full working day at Lauras (dug a hole where the ground was so soft cars would sink into, filled it with rocks, moved a freezer, washed an acrylic dome, built together a small fire pit, put chicken wire around a small area / some random little tasks plus the big hole) - spontaneously while we were traveling up
… read more to Denali.
Telkeetna is a great town!!! If you wanna do flightseeing and wait for the perfect day... and have a camper van to stay in (maybe you wanna try out your camping equipment in a "safe place", know how to handle equipment and have some idea about living almost off the grid - this is perfect! Laura´s spot is beautiful, you have your own outhouse, internet at her house and a shower - help her around her premises with a lot of tasks she does not have the time to do while working - if you are a bit older and enjoy a break from "just traveling" and wanna do some physical work and find out what it means to "live" in Alaska - this is the place for you. She is super easy going, the dogs are adorable and love to be cuddled or taken for a walk.
The task list is described in her profile - very accurate and should give you a good overview.
If it is available you can stay in the Yurt - I think a Camper Van makes it easier.
Thx Laura! And sorry for having to leave a day earlier than planed
(our friends had booked a site for us at Denali by misunderstanding a day earlier...)You can only contact Workawayers who have an active membership.
Left by host for Workawayer (Megan & Catherine)
If I could add some stars to the rating above I would. Megan and Catherine were fantastic workers. They took to living without running water and heating with wood with no problem. They tackled each task with gusto and good humor. When I went away for four days they took care of my house and my 3 sled dogs. They were eager to learn about Alaska and
… read more life in a small village. Here's some of the things they did: split lots of firewood, trail work-cutting brush, built about 20 feet of a boardwalk (used a chopsaw, hammer, level), walked my dogs, drove my vehicles responsibly including an excavator to move a lot of dirt! And best of all we took first place at the pub trivia contest!!! I'm sure I am forgetting some things but let's just say you will not be disappointed with their work ethic and easy going attitudes.
Left by Workawayer (Megan & Catherine) for host
Laura was fantastic. She has such a fun lively personality and was always enthusiastic about showing us something new. She went out of her way to give us the talkeetna experience that we were looking for. She really took an interest in both of us and was very easy to chat with and we had some good laughs. She involved us in a full range of tasks,
… read more walking dogs, helping build boardwalk, splitting wood, organising things for winter, taking down a shed etc. there were a lot of varied tasks for us to do and we learnt so much about building from her. Not only did she involve us in her day to day life but also her social life, we really appreciated the opportunities of spending time with Laura and meeting her friends and even taking part in the local trivia night! Highlights for us. The yurt was super fun to stay in and the lake just along from it is gorgeous. We cannot recommend staying with Laura enough for her vibrant personality, wonderful and absolutely gorgeous huskies and the beautiful place in which she lives. Thanks for giving us an amazing time in talkeetna!
If you are lucky enough to stay with Laura it’ll be one of the best decisions you ever make!You can only contact Workawayers who have an active membership.
Left by host for Workawayer (Maxime)
Maxime was easy going and low maintenance... he caught and cooked his own food! He was not afraid of jumping into tasks such as splitting wood or hauling gravel with a wheel barrow. He is up front about his schedule and his time commitments which is a good thing so that we each knew what was expected. There are some chores he did not want to do
… read more and he let me know that.
Left by host for Workawayer (Zuzana & Dušan)
Zuzana and Jakub were excellent work-awayers. They got a lot done and worked independently. I was going to rent a log splitter but there was no need because Jakub was a one-man log splitting machine! I was going to rig up a come-a-long rope system to level an outhouse but no need because Zuzana and Jakub could move the building without out
… read more ropes!
They were easy going and a pleasure to be around.
Left by host for Workawayer (Athena)
Athena was amazing. She is completely at ease with living off grid, getting her hands dirty, using an outhouse. She is independent and is happy to work alone. She is a great cook; I haven't eaten that well in a long time. I wanted her to stay longer! Come back Athena... there is more to explore in Alaska!
Left by Workawayer (Athena) for host
What can I say about my time with this beautiful woman living out her dream in the Alaskan wilderness? Only that I had the greatest time; that I learnt new things pretty much everyday; that I ticked items off my bucket list that I didn't even know were on it; that I ate better than I do at home; in short, that I couldn't have asked for a better
… read more workaway.
The tasks can be physical but was varied and fun, and Laura is very fair and flexible in what you do. She is a font of knowledge about Alaska, mountain climbing, skiing, frontier-living and local history, and her three sled dogs will melt your heart in minutes. The yurt is just perfect (or will be, once the glorious ramp is done XD ), and waking up each morning to the sounds of the forest was something I'll never forget.
This is not the place to go if you're after '21st century Western city living' (god knows why you would be), or are afraid of getting your hands dirty. But if you don't mind rolling around in the Alaskan forest with a couple of gorgeous huskies, or traipsing through the bog in search of the perfect Denali backdrop, then you'll probably have an absolute blast. I know I did. :)You can only contact Workawayers who have an active membership.
Left by Workawayer (Lenore) for host
I was sharing photos of my travels the other night and realized I haven't written all my reviews. It's not for a lack of things to say. I thoroughly enjoyed my time spent at Laura's. First off, the accommodations are lovely. I was lucky to stay in the yurt, but camping here would be cool too. The work was varied with an extensive list of tasks to
… read more choose from. I appreciated Laura's directions, demos, drawings and maps. She had the necessary tools which made the work more fun and was generous sharing her Xtratuf boots, which I almost lived in. I moved a lot of wood around, painted dog houses, made kindling, tried to split logs- which ended up being kindling due to my bad aim, and helped make a boardwalk, practicing ambidextrous hammering skills (also modeled by Laura). Went out on the lake with her paddle board, took a sauna or two and the highlight: walking those beautiful dogs as the autumn colors intensified every day. What a treat. Thanks Laura. Photos are on the way as promised.You can only contact Workawayers who have an active membership.
Left by Workawayer (Gioia) for host
I stayed one week at Laura's place (7-8 till 15-8). What was it an incredible beautiful experience. I came from New York and i realy wanted to get to know the Alaska culture. I know it now for sure. Laura is an amazing person who teach you a lot about the culture, nature and the work what has te be done. I took the dogs the whole week for a walk,
… read more i tried to cut wood (i thought it was easy but its not haha but still nice to know how it works), i whole wood and sort it out, sort here shed out en reorganized it. I went to a nice meeting were Laura was talking about here trip to Denali and did some more things but overall it was an interesting week and beautiful week.
It was one of my most beautiful experiences in my traveling. Laura is a realy friendly, independent and sweet woman. It was a overwhelming week for me what i will always remember. I guess in winter time its also an nice experience. Again Laura thanks a lot for everything. big hugs for your beautiful dogs.You can only contact Workawayers who have an active membership.
Left by Workawayer (Tessa) for host
I had a really good time at Laura's place, even though it was short (already had a flightticket booked). She is easygoing and very practical. I also very much enjoyed her dogs, the lake, the yurt and Talkeetna.
Thanks again Laura ;)
You can only contact Workawayers who have an active membership.
Left by host for Workawayer (Tessa)
Tessa was brilliant. She got so much done... and she was given a very long list! She was very easy going and self directed. I enjoyed having her here.
Left by Workawayer (Elizabeth) for host
I worked for Laura for about two weeks from the end of September through early October, and it was a wonderful experience. Laura is a friendly, caring host who made me feel welcome, introduced me to the Talkeetna community, fed me a lot of salmon, took me hiking in the tundra, and gave me work which was varied and at times physically demanding,
… read more but nothing I couldn't handle. Laura is good at giving directions and making sure you have things to do, so I always knew what was expected of me.
If you're looking for a quiet place with a small, close-knit community, beautiful nature, dogs, northern lights, and gorgeous views of Denali, I highly recommend this Workaway.
By the time I left I felt like I was working for a friend as well as a host.
Thank you so much Laura, and I look forward to coming back someday.
-ElizabethYou can only contact Workawayers who have an active membership.
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Information for those planning to visit the US
If you are NOT a US CITIZEN and are planning to visit to work, volunteer or study, YOU WILL NEED THE CORRECT VISA. To find out more information you need to contact the embassy in your home country BEFORE travelling. Do NOT attempt to enter the USA without the correct visa!
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