I grew up in Anchorage and have lived in Fairbanks since '89. Any rivalry (outside of sports) is for people who are just not busy enough--and both places have lots of things to do. I miss the Kenai Peninsula and big mountains right outside of Anchorage, but I like Fairbanks traffic better and love winters that stay wintery. If you are going to come cross-country ski, you've got to try Birch Hill for civilized trails and the White Mountains for semi-civilized trails.