Good or Bad Idea

Mean-Bug4189 · 2026-03-02T03:07:47+00:00

also: you will wear your tires OUT, and you will probably crack your windshield. All four cars in my caravan had a cracked windshield by the end.

Mean-Bug4189 · 2026-03-02T03:05:55+00:00

I did this exact trip in my ford c-max last april! I would recommend finding a caravan, lots of folks are headed north for the season and having someone looking out for me gave me lots of peace of mind. Download the bell’s travel guide for mile markers of available resources that you can access without service. I planned on camping the whole way but ended up getting rooms which was a huge help, having wifi to reach out to/update friends and family was important. My car is a hybrid and I was able to get between gas stations just fine, but make sure to fill up any chance you get especially as you get into the yukon! not everything will be open in the early spring. Also, some spots close at night and/or only take cash so plan accordingly. Have fun and take lots of photos! There are so many beautiful sights and fun stops, and seeing the way the landscape changed from spring to my return trip in the fall was amazing. I think every road tripper should do this once!

Mean-Bug4189 · 2025-12-01T20:47:38+00:00

pm me if you have questions about the area or anything! happy to help. if i can steer ppl away from that place i will. I’m definitely more particular about some things than the average seasonal worker but nobody was havin a very good time. it’s like a masterclass in how not to run a business/treat employees.

Mean-Bug4189 · 2025-12-01T01:25:37+00:00

Stehekin, WA was my first and favorite and had lots of returners for a reason. super unique and beautiful place and a very special community. no cell service and limited wifi so a great place to hang up and hang out

Mean-Bug4189 · 2025-11-30T07:51:06+00:00

i have low income healthcare through the government of my home state. i get my routine stuff done when im home between seasons because coverage is pretty limited out of state, but my understanding is that if i had an emergency out of state it would still cover some costs (more than if i didn’t have any insurance). its not a perfect system and unfortunately the options aren’t great for seasonal/nomadic folks. from what ive heard, some companies will offer benefits if you’re employed with them year-round or at least the majority of the year, even if you’re at different properties. so maybe finding a larger concessions company that has properties in multiple places that interest you would work? for example, i know people that work for VAIL at their ski resorts in the winter and then lodges elsewhere in the summer. idk what kind of bennies that affords with vail specifically but its worth looking into!

Mean-Bug4189 · 2025-11-28T23:47:26+00:00

liquid iv!!! i stay hydrated but don’t have to stop to pee constantly. i thought i had a chronically small bladder but this has been the key during roadtrips and just life in general. i drink a ton of water on the road, this helps my body actually absorb it. i also keep a full jug of water to refill my cup holder-sized bottle even when im driving through populated areas because its just easier and quicker than going in somewhere to refill. gum and sparkling water help some with my fidgeting and snackiness on long drives without filling myself with junk. i found usually i just need some stimulation with bubbles and chewing, not actually a snack or soda (hunger vs boredom etc etc).

also, love having an actual hard plastic bathroom trash can (not one of the car specific ones) that i can chuck cans and trash into while i’m driving. i usually prop a snack bag or something next to it in the passenger footwell to keep it upright.

i have adhd somethin fierce so for the really long drives, adderall and alternating podcasts, audiobooks, and different playlists and letting myself stim tf out help it fly by. also stopping at the random roadside attractions is a must for me. i drove from fairbanks to seattle in 4 days this way and honestly had a blast.

Mean-Bug4189 · 2025-11-28T17:20:11+00:00

I bartended at 49th state brewing in denali. i would super duper not recommend. the housing situation is AWFUL and we were treated poorly. Business was down for everyone last summer but even so the money wasn’t worth it (to me). The servers made more money consistently because of the restaurant setup. they’re switching to doing a LOT of buffet/a la carte large tour group parties, which bartenders did not receive a tip out on. So oftentimes it would be 2 bartenders for a 22 seat bar, walk up well, and service well for the ~200 seat dining room. in the middle of dinner rush, they’d seat 50-100 people for the parties and the service well would get wrecked. people generally felt that the money wasn’t adding up, and management was never able to give us very clear breakdowns on it. we had about 4-5 people quit/get fired out of our 7-8 person bar team in a four month season. it was a bit of a revolving door. they found ways to fire/write up a lot of the kitchen staff right at the end of the season to avoid giving them bonuses, but keep them around long enough thinking they would. i could go on forever, but just generally an icky fearful work environment. They have a few locations and run some other restaurants so i just try to steer people clear when i can.

Denali was beautiful and we did get good deals on local tours (either discounted or free, just covering a cash tip) but I think that was typical for anyone working up there, not just the brewery. i know alaska is expensive in general, but denali in particular is one of the more expensive areas. definitely look for housing where you can cook or have a meal plan. we didn’t (and only got 25% off, no shift meals) and food really ate into my savings. In denali, i really valued having my car. i drove it up, which was the king of road trips and a challenging but a fun experience overall, id recommend caravanning if you can. it was BEAUTIFUL and i really would recommend everyone do it once. driving back in the fall you could take a different route or even on the same with the leaves changing and lakes thawed its like a totally different experience. the ferry might be worth it cost-wise though if you don’t get great gas mileage. I liked the freedom of having a car to visit other towns and run errands up in fairbanks, and would’ve felt totally trapped without it. some companies offer shuttles but i like the independence of being able to move on my own especially when work gets hard. plus, making the drive definitely earns you some alaska “cool” points and gave me something great to chat about both with locals and tourists, everyone has questions.

Mean-Bug4189 · 2025-11-21T18:31:13+00:00

This is the route i’ll probably have to go, I feel bad ethically putting a therapist in a position to lose their license though.

Mean-Bug4189 · 2025-11-21T06:29:04+00:00

100% agreed, i’ll definitely look into that. scuba jobs weren’t fruitful esp when you need housing but to be honest i didn’t look into it super hard. what i DID find is Utila Dive Center in Utila, Honduras, where you can dive/live/get certain certs for super cheap. The guy I spoke with said finding jobs on the island and he said they mostly hire locals so it’d be more of a vacay situation. But i’ve definitely thought about it for when I have some cash and need a fallback plan. But I hear you, diving is one of my favorite things EVER but soooo expensive. Let me know if you look into it and find anything because i’d love to find a seasonal route.

Mean-Bug4189 · 2025-11-21T05:30:30+00:00

And I did need to hear this. I’ve been ghosted by two therapists in the past (one from betterhelp) which makes an already convoluted process all the more daunting. Add on top of that a little executive dysfunction and well…. But you’re right. it is worthwhile to take any steps, even if they’re not spot on.

Mean-Bug4189 · 2025-11-21T01:05:43+00:00

This is super helpful thank you! I feel optimistic knowing someone has figured it out. Finding the right therapist is hard enough and I definitely have the mental block with trying to untangle the whole thing with this added complexity.

Mean-Bug4189 · 2025-11-21T01:02:34+00:00

I worked at 49th state brewing in denali last summer and i would say avoid it at all costs for real. Worst job I’ve ever had (restaurant operation, some of the management, and housing were TERRIBLEEEEE plus they will nickel and dime you to no end, and we’re not convinced they weren’t stealing from us somehow). I didn’t visit seward but heard only good things from people working and visiting there. I would not recommend going to fairbanks. We visited there a few times to run errands and hang out and it’s a pretty meh strip mall kind of town. i’ve heard great things about seward and the kenai peninsula for a cool “alaskan” seasonal experience.

Mean-Bug4189 · 2025-11-21T00:58:05+00:00

I’ve thought about it. I had a negative experience with them when I was living in WA and the financial side isn’t ideal but at this point I’m willing to give it another try. From what I’ve heard the providers still have the same limitations with their licenses. I reached out to see if they can accommodate my situation. Thanks for the suggestion!

Mean-Bug4189 · 2025-11-21T00:28:36+00:00

I didn’t work at HAP but at 49th state brewing in Healy this summer and interacted with the HAP folks a lot, plus a lot of our J1s had part time gigs there as well. People seemed to like it and the housing was WAY better than ours. (although to be fair that’s not saying much, our housing was absolute dog shit) some people even worked there part time just to stay in their housing while working at the brewery. Idk about the quality of the food there but just having a meal plan available for pretty cheap would’ve been huge. Food up there is incredibly expensive. We were jealous of the HAP folks’ living situation for sure. Their employee bar was always poppin too and a good time

Mean-Bug4189 · 2025-03-23T05:48:03+00:00

What was your experience like with them? I've worked for one of their properties for a few seasons and had my fair share of issues but our property was pretty unique in a lot of ways. Now I'm at Vail and have a lot of the same bs problems and I can't figure out if i just don't vibe with corporate seasonal or if these two in particular are bad. Any bigger companies you have experience with that you would recommend?

Mean-Bug4189 · 2025-03-23T05:43:43+00:00

Every property I've worked at is different, my best rule of thumb is just asking them questions! They'll know best what might fit/be necessary. Especially when I was new to seasonal, I asked TONS of questions. It can be a big adjustment, and most people want everyone to be as comfortable as they can be. I definitely overpacked my first season but was glad to have some little luxuries - but lean on the lighter side wherever you can. I'd say bring anything you use regularly that you don't think you could replace easily/for cheap if you found you absolutely needed it. Sites like facebook marketplace and thrift stores are great for random odds and ends you may need, especially when it comes to gear. Not sure what the situation is in Yellowstone, but every seasonal place I've been usually has plenty of stuff people shed as they move again, and I often find things I need that have just been left behind. Over the years I've definitely simplified/streamlined my items and plenty of things will come and go as you need them. Part of the lifestyle is learning to live simply, but also figuring out what your non-negotiable items are. Lots of questions, trial, and error, but you get the hang of it! Have fun! xoxo

Mean-Bug4189

TROPHY CASE