Tis the Season!al Work Guide
“Seasonal work rocks!” - not a direct quote from Kaylor but he would say that!
Happy New Year to all! 2023 has already started off with a bang and rather quickly. With the turn of the year, it’s already time to start planning for the exciting months ahead. It’s also a time when a lot of exciting seasonal positions for the busy summer season will start to open up. Though it’s not everyone’s cup of tea, I personally recommend a seasonal experience to anyone that’s in search of a new and intimate adventure outdoors. After a bit of experience, and immense fun, I thought it best to share my seasonal experience thus far, in hopes of assisting some of you in decisions to spend a summer in some really cool destinations.
One thing we will talk about in-depth in regard to seasonal work: the connection you make!
What should you expect?
Over the past 2 years, I’ve taken a few seasonal positions and I can honestly say I’ve enjoyed all of them. That’s not to say there were not parts that weren’t enjoyable…I mean, it’s work too! Along with plenty of sunshine and daisies, you do have to work with the general public.
“Do what your best to make guests happy but always remember, there’s always the 2%”
- a quote from one of my favorite supervisors in Yosemite.
Most of these jobs are related to hospitality and/or customer service. That means you will certainly have your “favorite” guests roll through periodically throughout a season. Even with the worst of them, there’s no question that most people share your excitement for the parks. The positive interactions grossly outweigh the negative and, for me, they kept the good energy going. There’s no question that your own exploration only increases your time on the job. Most of these positions will allow you to speak to the public who will ask you some of your favorite questions: Which trail should I hike? Best place to see the sunset? Where’s the bathroom!! Stick around until the end for some of my favorite questions from visitors. There are some difficult parts of adjusting to life in forests but the toughest was one none of us expected: the goodbyes.
WAY more than a job.
Some of the best off days were spent with friends, and on trails!
It’s no surprise why seasonal work is so popular. There’s something so enticing about the unknown and there’s plenty of that when in seasonal gigs. There is a multitude of great reasons for you to try the “dirt bag” lifestyle - I can show you why by explaining how it’s changed me. After falling in love with outdoor recreation in beautiful Western North Carolina, it was apparent that this industry was something I wanted to be a part of. While learning about the professional side, I felt I was lacking experience for high-profile jobs and in national parks in general. I found numerous entry-level positions and the one park that particularly caught my eye was none other than America’s first.
One of my many Yellowstone sign pictures!
After accepting a job earlier that year, I drove 2,000 miles through 10 national parks to end up in Wyoming to start my summer journey, while managing to miss my own college graduation. I say the same thing every time I finish that story - it was the best decision of my life. The solo road trip alone was spectacular and that did not compare to a summer on trails, viewing wildlife like BEARS for the first time, and memories created with new and now lifelong friends in the pictures you see in this post. Through a fragile period in my life, I learned so much about what was important to me moving forward. More moments like these was at the top of my list.
We spent minimal time in front of screens, and maximum time with one another. Learning, growing and bonding with one another is the way it should be every day, no? After Yellowstone, I went to California for the first to live in the Sierra Nevada’s. Yosemite was a different experience as so many aspects changed - the season, the lifestyles and much more. As I still work in and around Yosemite today, the experience was just as magnificent. I was able to work a front desk and meet many interesting people who were awesome in their unique way. I was able to connect with officials of the park and grow my interest in non-profit work in public lands. My interests aligned well with a profession I was excited to finally start: adventure guiding!
Sentinel Dome is one of Yosemite’s top destinations. More notably, it’s where Michael and I made an album cover.
I’ve noticed a certain theme from each position I’ve taken. Yellowstone taught me peace, Yosemite is where I learned loads about communication and guiding is still teaching me. You learn more about yourself than you do the entry-level jobs I obtained and used these destinations as stepping stones in finding my own path. The overarching theme for me has been self-belief. As a photographer, I used my endless opportunities to cultivate a space in my mind that allowed me to turn a hobby into a career! There’s no doubt I owe much of that to the people I’ve met along the way.
Plenty of blissful views to dance for in our parks, especially while road-tripping with people I didn’t know 4 months prior. These are moments I shared with some of my closest friends that made wildly unfamiliar places feel like home.
How to do it
My limited experience may not provide every angle of the seasonal life but I’m sure I've learned some of the most important parts of sustaining the lifestyle. The most impactful piece I’ve gathered is to make friends. Whether it’s your first time or maybe theirs, you’re bound to teach one another something new. Plus, the insight you may be missing lies in those friends, who quickly become family.
With the help of my friends, I have compiled a short list of places that we believe are excellent places to start your seasonal experience. While there are tons of destinations offering so many different things, these places fit well as far as starter packs go.
These pertain most notably to the summer season - being the busiest, it provides the most opportunities to try living somewhere you’ve always wanted as well as experiences you never thought of having. I personally recommend trying at least a single season to explore a destination of choice. Most of my coworkers have been college students exploring something different. It’s also where I started after graduating from university - because these are the best times to try it. Here’s to wasting youth on experiences outside, in hopes that we find lifelong memories, friends, and self-belonging. It’s where Mother Nature will welcome you and pay you! In more ways than one.
