Another consideration when looking for that cozy Alaskan cabin is its foundation. Most are built on pilings (wood or steel driven into the ground)or post-on-pad (shorter posts, usually wood, set on gravel or concrete pads). These foundations are often used for cabins because they're less costly than pouring a slab or crawlspace. They're also more effective if the soils are sketchy.
Sketchy soils mean possible permafrost - permanently frozen soils. A traditional concrete foundation will melt the soil, causing instability and shifting. Pilings can be driven through icy layers, sometimes even to bedrock, depending on location. With both pilings and post-on-pad foundations, the bottom of the house sits off the ground, leaving a space for air to flow and keep the ground beneath close to its natural condition. Both types of foundations also allow for jacking and leveling if (and in the case of full-blown permafrost, when) the house shifts. Keep in mind that jacking and leveling aren't cheap, and they wreak havoc with sheetrock.
Engineers are the best point of reference for evaluating whether soils are stable and foundations appropriate. The Department of Soil Conservation maps soils and can give you a general idea of what's beneath a particular property. You can also pay for core samples to be augered up and analyzed, but keep in mind that much of Alaska's permafrost is discontinuous, so it can show up on one part of the property and not on another.
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