Commuting to/from ANC will be "tough" to some, not so "tough" to others. If you don't mind periodically having to spend all day or more then it won't be that "tough". From OAK/SFO for example using Alaska, the best I've done is seven hours walking into OAK or SFO to walking out of the terminal in ANC. For every flight you don't get on at either station, well you get the idea. I'll be fortunate enough to have FDX to beg for a ride during the week (thanks FDX guys, you rock) from OAK, but as always I'll have plans B and C lined up as well...just part of the gig.

The worst commute I used to have was SFO to Saipan, which sometimes took two to three days depending on CAL HNL-Guam, so ANC doesn't seem all that bad in comparison.