I've been hired!!!!! Yippee Skippy!!!

It's finally time to let the cat out of the bag. Lindsay decided to move up her wedding date to August 27th, 2011. So, I knew when I was offered a position, it was going to hinge on my availability for the summer. I wanted to be back a month before the wedding, so I was looking at the end of July as my exit date.
I was offered 2 different positions, from 2 different companies.
First, Xanterra http://www.yellowstonejobs.com/offered me Reservations Sales Agent, stationed in Mammoth Hot Springs. I found out that if I stayed in the dorm, I could start sooner, than if I was planning on staying in an RV. I said I wanted to come right away!!!! The job contract that we set was from March 15th - June 15th, for 90 days.
I could stay on until my planned date of leaving, fulfill my contract and receive the $3 a day bonus upon completion. (if you don't fufill your contract, you are not eligible for re-hire - ever.....) This job is all phone work. I would be taking phone reservations for the hotels. Eventually it would work into Campground reservations and hopefully, booking activities.
If there's work available past that date, then I will stay longer.
The next job I was offered was with Yellowstone General Stores. http://www.visityellowstonepark.com/employment.aspx First off, they were going to put me at Roosevelt (yes!!) as a retail associate. However, the contract period didn't fit in with my time frame. I couldn't start there until the end of May (oh my-May?). Then, they offered me Set-up Crew, which is just a 6 week position, beginning April 18th (a month later than the other job). This job sounded super! I would live in West Yellowstone in an apartment, be on my own for food, drive all over the park daily to areas that aren't open to the public yet, and set up all the General Stores. Canyon, Old Faithful, Grant Village, Lake, Roosevelt, Norris (?) I loved the idea of being able to be out and about, hopefully spotting some wildlife while on my way to and from.
That job would end June 3rd. Just 6 weeks. If there was another position available, I could move into that, but of course, no promises were made. They need to know who's coming when, and leaving when. Of course, I get that.

I really struggled over which position to take. I liked getting there earlier, and being in Mammoth for 3 mos, being able to observe Winter in Yellowstone, and stay through June 15.
However, the Set-up crew job is more my style, a lot of moving around, doing different things, and doing retail display, which I am good at.

I decided on the Mammoth Job with Xanterra. I can be there by March 15th, snowshoe, (freeze my butt off) cross-country ski (?) (more cold), take photos (and freeze) Hear the wolves howl & watch their pairing off - hopefully, (watch my breath freeze) and be in the park before the crowds arrive. I hope I get to see some of the first bears as they emerge from hibernation.

I'm so excited!!!!!

Looking at the long term.....here's my plan. I will work in Yellowstone for 3 months. At the end of my contract, hopefully, they will need me in another position or the same one. I will take whatever they have, unless I am too homesick and ready for my own bed again. Otherwise, my plan is to return to Oregon by the end of July, so I have a month to help Lindsay with the last of the wedding preparations.

Then, if there's anything available, I would head back to Yellowstone for the fall, after the wedding. Either way, I will be in Yellowstone the last part of September/early October, on my way to Montana for my yearly trip there. I will be applying for some other things around the park. Maybe I will get some inside scoop on what it takes to get one of those NPS jobs!!!
I'd really like to spend every season there, but it doesn't have to be all in one long run!!

So, along with my crazy desire to spend some extended time in Yellowstone, and work in the process, my One and Only daughter is getting married at the same time. Life Happens!!!!!!
Enjoy the ride!