national park seasonal worker

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andrew7978

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Mar 19, 2007
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Has anyone here ever worked as a seasonal worker for a national park? I am thinking about applying to work at one this summer in the backcountry. Just wondering if any of you had any experience with this and was wondering if all those survival skills pay off.
 
andrew7978 said:
Has anyone here ever worked as a seasonal worker for a national park? I am thinking about applying to work at one this summer in the backcountry. Just wondering if any of you had any experience with this and was wondering if all those survival skills pay off.
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I had a girl friend once, many years ago, who went to Alaska to work at Denali for the summer. She never came home again. And, no, it wasn't because a grizzly ate her. :D

Pretty much she got room and board and a little cash besides. She also got to do all the hiking in Denali that she could possibly want. Well, almost all. Like I said, she never came home again. I guess the lure of Alaska was just too strong for her.

Be careful of what seasonal work you pick up. It could change you forever. :D
 
I spent 2 summers working for the Park Service.

The bonus is that you live in a gorgeous area where thousands of people go on vacation. I hiked all the time and got to help out with a few SAR's. The pay is all right and you get paid holidays and vacation pay.

The downside is that your working for the Govt. You'd think most of the employees would be super gung ho outdoors people, but for a lot of them it is just a job. Lots of politics going on if you like it or not.

And a far as using survival skills in the backcountry, forget it. Most parks don't allow open fires and cutting trees and such will get you a fine.

Take my advice, get a job with the Forest Service instead.
 
Take a look at www.anpr.org. The Association of National Park Rangers is an organization of permanent and seasonal park rangers. The site has good info on the NPS and some info on working for them. Don't kid yourself, working for the government is policitcal and can be a PITA... But, you do get to do some pretty cool stuff in the wild AND help protect our country's heritage. Try a wildland fire fighting, search and rescue, or a wilderness patrol ranger position.
 
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