8 Great Reason to Work in Mount Rainier National Park

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Starting in early May, over 200 people arrive to work in Mount Rainier National Park.  These people come from all over the world to spend the summer in the Park.  These people live and work on the mountain.  They are split between the National Park Inn, Paradise Inn, and Sunrise Visitor Center.  The staff comes from different walks of life; the college students, the park bums, and the retires looking for something to do.

You can walk to work.
8 Great Reason to Work in Mount Rainier National Park

The staff lives in or near the Inns or near them.  A couple of the retirees come with their RV’s and live at the base of the mountain.  Everyone else lives on the mountain. I had a 4-minute walk from my dorm room to work.

Further reading – 5 Tips to Help You Adjust to Higher Altitudes

You live in history.

8 Great Reason to Work in Mount Rainier National Park

Most of the staff in Paradise lives in the historic building.  The girls are split between the Paradise Inn and the Guide Services building.  I lived in the Guide Servies building.  I shared a tiny room with a roommate, mouse, and two bicycles.

Get to enjoy the fresh powder before the tourist arrive.

8 Great Reason to Work in Mount Rainier National Park

Most of the staff arrives about two weeks before the inn opens.  We get to enjoy the last couple of snowfalls before guests descend on the Inn.

You get to adopt wildlife as a pet

8 Great Reason to Work in Mount Rainier National Park

This doesn’t mean we feed or take care of them.  We just see the same animals every day.  They kind of become that person you see on the subway and nod your head at.

This is the view you see every day.

8 Great Reason to Work in Mount Rainier National Park

This does assume that the mountain is out.  She likes to hide behind the clouds.

After work activities, included a hike down the mountain.

8 Great Reason to Work in Mount Rainier National Park

When you get off work, you are in the National Park.  A friend and I decided after we got off work one day to hike down the mountain.  It was early season so the trail wasn’t well marked so we had a fun “I hope we are still on the trail” hike.  We took comfort when we found the river and snow covered bridge.

Plenty of time to hike the Wonderland Trail.

8 Great Reason to Work in Mount Rainier National Park

Wonderland Trail is a 92-mile hike that circles Mount Rainier.  It usually takes between 8-14 days to hike completely.  Working in the park makes it easy to section hike on your days off.

You make amazing friends.

8 Great Reason to Work in Mount Rainier National Park

Every summer, people from all over the USA, Romania, Turkey, Singapore, Jamaica, Colombia, and many more arrive.  Everyone blends to form a community.  There is always someone up for hiking, climbing or having an adventure.

Do you want to visit or work in Mount Rainier National Park?

8 Great Reason to Work in Mount Rainier National Park

28 thoughts on “8 Great Reason to Work in Mount Rainier National Park”

  1. Love the point of adopting wildlife as your pet 🙂 That photo of the fox sure does it justice! Awesome photo!

  2. Even though it seems a little too cold for me, it seems like a great opportunity to meet people from all over the world and explore the mountains.

    1. It was cold for like the first week or two. The snow stayed until late July but the weather warmed up by the end of May. The people are amazing and make the experiance great.

  3. I have just survived the Finnish winter which I had to go all the way through for the first time in 3 years after moving back here, and I must say that even seeing photos of snow still hurts my eyes, haha!! The mountains look beautiful, though 🙂

  4. What a wonderful experience, although I’m not a cold happy person, maybe during summertime 🙂

    1. They are curious and unfortunately some people feed them. So they come up to people looking for handouts. I would try to keep my distance.

  5. That sounds like such an awesome opportunity! I wish I had been that adventurous before I got married and had kids 🙂

    1. Its never too late for an adventure. About half the staff are retired with kids. They use it to make a little money and spend time in the park.

  6. I always wanted to work in Yellowstone or the Tetons after I went there as a kid. Never did it but I sure love visiting National Parks (especially those) still.

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