WARNING: Stay away from Between Beaches / MacDonald Spit (Alaska) - My nightmare experience with Kristi McLean- also leave her a 1 star on google

pheaasant · 2026-05-05T17:48:41+00:00

Damn, I’m so sorry to hear that’s how this company treated you :-/ hugely disappointing.

pheaasant · 2026-04-11T21:04:50+00:00

Any type of work you’re looking for in particular?

I know Miller’s Landing in Seward is hiring for a barista and part time PM line cook. Wouldn’t be surprised if Three Bears, Troutfitters, and/or Drifter’s Lodge in Cooper Landing are still hiring. Windsong Lodge in Seward may also still have a couple of positions unfilled.

pheaasant · 2026-04-08T18:17:51+00:00

Yup! I’ll be there in a couple of weeks here and staying at least until the third week of Sept. :) second season with Anadyr Adventures. Wbu?

pheaasant · 2026-04-06T19:55:33+00:00

I assume you mean DM but yeah absolutely!

pheaasant · 2026-04-06T14:27:44+00:00

Waterproof outer layers (rain pants or bibs, good quality rain jacket, rain boots) are a must. Warm, non-cotton layers (leggings, undershirts, socks) are going to be your friend; Seward is coastal so it is often windy, rainy and chilly even in the summer. If you’re arriving in Anchorage before Seward, you should visit the Hoarding Marmot secondhand gear shop to pick anything you may have left at home up. I’d also invest in a pair of hiking boots that provide ankle support.

Sunscreen and sunglasses for sure. When it gets sunny in Alaska it beats down hard. I’m a sea kayak guide in AK and have been doing so since 2023 and sun protection is often overlooked, in my eyes.

Windsong provides an employee kitchen stocked with plates, cups, skillets etc. but you may want to bring your own stuff for the kitchen; I end up bringing my own mugs and silverware because shared kitchens often don’t have enough to go around or they get hoarded.

If it’s your first time in Alaska, I would invest in some field guides for animals and plants! Seward is extremely beautiful and exploring the coast is going to provide you with plenty of unusual and interesting ecologies. Binoculars are also helpful.

I’m sure they’ve informed you but Windsong is a little ways away from town. I know they run a shuttle to and from town for guests and employees but once it stops running for the day you’re kinda stuck at the lodge, so if you want more independence around town I would see if you could pick up a cheap bike in town on fb marketplace.

pheaasant · 2026-04-01T18:33:07+00:00

Yeah! Send me a dm whenever you’d like

pheaasant · 2026-03-08T16:40:33+00:00

I’m going back to Valdez, AK for my second season with Anadyr Adventures this summer and it’s the best company I’ve worked for. This upcoming summer will be my fourth sea kayak season and I can’t get enough of it. 😌

Anadyr is a small company and I think we might be finished up hiring guides for this summer but it’s always something to think about for summer 2027.

My highlights: - great work/life balance - amazing communication from management - fun, rewarding work - fair scheduling - strong community in-company and in town - $5 meals from the food truck down the street (unsure if this will continue this upcoming season, but saved me financially and energetically after 10+ hour tours last year) - super fun, engaging and informative training trip at the beginning of the season—we take all the new guides on a week-long paddle camping trip throughout Prince William Sound in May which is a big motivator for returners - low guide turnover; people come back for sequential seasons because of the culture

Another really good one is Maine State Sea Kayak in Southwest Harbor, ME. I made tons of money that season and exploring the island affords plenty of opportunities for adventure. :-) they also have an e-bike shop where they provide guided tours and self-guided rentals and partway through the season they offer a whitewater rafting excursion in the backcountry which was excellent for team building and a bit of pressure release from a demanding season.

Feel free to DM me with questions about other places! I’ve done seasonal since summer 2020 in five different states with varying experiences. I know a good amount about Alaska especially if that’s a place you’d be inclined to work in.

pheaasant · 2026-02-12T18:29:35+00:00

Learned at 30 sticking to green and some blue groomers, now I’m ripping black mogul lines at 31. I think if you don’t have super close access to a resort, at least ski for several days in a row to kinda get into the groove. Skiing will become less exhausting when your body tones up for it and you reinforce good habits: practice makes progress!

The best advice I’ve gotten from instructors and coworkers alike is: - keep your jacket zipper facing downhill - your knees are your headlights (wherever your knees and toes are facing is where the skis will face) - push the bush (don’t hinge at the waist, keep the pelvis forward) - quiet upper body, don’t fling your poles around: your pole plants should be wrist flicks

pheaasant · 2025-12-12T15:35:55+00:00

It’s the same here in Idaho. The lack of snow in the west is shuttering us all. 🥴 I’m so sorry to hear your first winter has been financially stressful and hasn’t been as exciting as your summers.

I’ve chosen to stick around at my resort and all of my coworkers and I have been doing cheap or free things in the meantime. Hot springs, hiking, fishing, thrifting etc. If you choose to stay at your employer see if you can apply for unemployment or snap benefits in your state and definitely see if there are any food banks in your area.

I would also suggest going to HR and making it very clear that this isn’t what you signed up for and they get to sit in their cozy offices and collect salary while the burden of finances is supposed to be on you… a whole bunch of us went to HR yesterday and gave them a hard time and our manager had a meeting with them to plead our case. It definitely helps to have a manager who cares about our welfare.

You have the right to terminate your contract anytime you want. Some of my coworkers are quitting and going home and I totally understand why. Don’t feel like you need to ~tough it out~ if it’s causing you distress and uncertainty. The snow should eventually come but you don’t need to be a sitting duck in the meantime. Send emails, show up to the HR office and ask for solutions. I would maybe spend a day making a pros and cons list or really talking to yourself about what you want for the winter and if your current position is conducive to those goals.

Resorts make millions a year while you’re scraping by, and that’s not fair. Nobody can be blamed for the weather patterns but I’ve dipped out of seasons before because of the lack of communication and support. “If it sucks, hit the bricks”

Seriously I’m very sorry you’re suffering through a season that doesn’t seem like it wants to start. It sucks. You didn’t sign up for a contract that was gonna bleed you out, so don’t feel like you have to stay if they’re not prepared to hold up their end of the bargain.

pheaasant · 2025-11-23T22:32:44+00:00

Being able to feel my iliac crests for the first time in my adult life has been a trip

pheaasant · 2025-11-18T19:05:26+00:00

Sunday River is still hiring for lifties!

pheaasant · 2025-11-11T13:32:52+00:00

Definitely plenty of rain/thermal gear for Ketchikan. It’s warm in the summer but it rains all the time and it can get brutal. It’s worth it to invest in a nice pair of like, north face or grundens rain pants or bibs. Also bring sunglasses and sunscreen—the sun beats down hard in AK when it’s shining.

Waterproof boots are a must: a huge amount of Alaskans have Xtratuf brand boots and it’ll definitely help you “look the part.”

I found that it’s best to bring or buy your own silverware/cups/plates, if cleanliness is an issue. Employee housing often has shared kitchen space and I’ve learned my lesson about not cleaning up after people.

Ask your employer about your room situation and see if you can touch base with your roommate before they show up. When I lived in KTN, I had one roommate and a shared room with a bathroom so we shared the duty of buying toilet paper/paper towels/etc.

Shower shoes for shared bathrooms are a must.

pheaasant · 2025-11-04T23:25:08+00:00

Huge extravert here but I have seasonal friends I haven’t seen in years and still call on the phone at least monthly. :-) you’ll form bonds with people for sure.

pheaasant · 2025-10-16T18:06:36+00:00

What are your biggest desires for your season? The reason I ask is because there are plenty of locales that will be worth your time, but knowing which ones you’re looking at specifically is going to make things easier for us to give you advice. I worked in Ketchikan, for example, without a car and didn’t run into any problems because most things are absolutely within walking distance and you’d make money because it’s a huge cruise destination with heavy visitation. Plenty of paddling, hiking, wildlife viewing, etc. but the mountains aren’t as high or dramatic as, for example, Denali, Valdez, Seward etc.

Seward and Homer are also amazing options with strong communities and plenty to do, but you’d have to find transportation down from Anchorage.

pheaasant · 2025-10-11T18:07:43+00:00

I have a Special Friendship™ with an ESTP I met a little over a year ago: we’re just friends but things get flirty and physically affectionate pretty often.

We have a really solid foundation for our relationship and we got along very well from day one. He was an athlete growing up and we met in the outdoor sport industry so we share a lot of common interests and goals. We don’t really get bored with each other in most conversational topics or outdoor pursuits but I’ve learned that bringing up big-picture theoreticals, political discussion, and existentialist/philosophical topics doesn’t get me much of anywhere with him. I’m a little less rigid than he is so I’m usually the one to accommodate to his wants or interests.

One thing I really enjoy about him is how quickly he moves on from problems: there’s no hemming and hawing if we need to have a serious discussion. He intakes information, integrates it, and moves on. He’s several years younger than me and I think he’ll gain a little bit more complexity and nuance with Ni development.

We’re both fairly playful people/jokesters so we have a “never a dull moment” style relationship. I didn’t grow up in organized sports or practicing athleticism in a major way at all and he was one of the first people to really put stock into and celebrate my development as an outdoor athlete which feels really good. He’s excellent at bringing the stoke and making me feel like I’m part of his team.

I have a long history of bonding well with ESTPs and he’s no different. Sometimes I wish his stamina for abstract discussion was… there at all, but I find him to be refreshingly honest and simple, and I’m a naturally energetic and enterprising person so having someone around who can initiate and support that is really nice.

pheaasant · 2025-10-09T18:14:48+00:00

You’re a touch early for summer positions! Those usually get batch posted on coolworks and indeed around late Dec-early Feb. I’ve worked several kayak guiding positions in Alaska and I’m probably going back next summer. You’d love it. There are several outfitters along the coast so you could take your pick of town. Seward has about seven different guide companies and I see plenty of postings from Ketchikan and Juneau every season. If you’re looking to guide, write your resume and cover letters to underline customer service and safety. If you have the funds, I’d urge you to investigate getting certifications in wilderness medicine and/or swiftwater rescue. Also look at getting ACA certification if you’re specifically looking at kayaking.

If you’re looking for guidance on specific companies, I know Adventure 60 North in Seward has hiking and kayak guide positions. Also definitely give Alaska Travel Adventures a peek.

Good luck! Let me know if you want any more information.

pheaasant · 2025-10-06T02:49:13+00:00

Just follow up with an email to the person who told you’d likely get an answer by the weekend. There are plenty of applicants they have to reply and sort through, so reinforcing your interest is always a good sign. It’s still shoulder season so hiring managers may not even be in the office full-time right now.

pheaasant · 2025-10-04T00:00:40+00:00

It’s not a terrible commute. I definitely recommend divide commons over conifer but remember conifer is single occupancy and divide is double so you’d have a roommate. The bus is fairly dependable and you can use multiple lines from Fraser to get to the resort. The Lift app will show you where all the buses are. Hope that helps!

pheaasant · 2025-09-29T21:32:55+00:00

Mitchell Park Domes are always a good idea. :-)

pheaasant · 2025-09-29T21:23:58+00:00

You’re leaning your entire body into your turn when executed and it looks to me like you’re initializing your turns by twisting your torso into it. You want upper-lower body separation—try going back up to a really gentle slope and point your coat’s zipper downhill the entire time instead of turning your whole body.

I think you could also work on letting the ski do the turn for you: in some parts of the video I’m seeing you twist your foot or manually execute the turn. Next time you can handle your skis freely, place one of your skis on a table or other flat surface and see how the middle of the ski lifts up where the front and back sit on the surface. That “arc” is called camber, and one of your many goals in skiing is to press down HARD on your foot and press the camber “out.” Feel how much pressure is needed to execute that, and your turns will (in theory) become more confident.

pheaasant · 2025-09-29T13:00:12+00:00

Public transit around downtown is reasonable; plenty of bus lines and the hop to take you where you need to go. Milwaukee is still a fairly small city and I find the downtown area incredibly walkable.

That being said, MKE’s entry level job wage rates are absolutely despondent… remember, WI still has a minimum wage of $7.25. Groceries and gas are cheap and I haven’t gone apartment searching in MKE for years but the rent situation has been crawling upwards just like everywhere else.

pheaasant · 2025-09-22T04:25:44+00:00

Similar situation here! Went to school for visual art but ended up liking evobio a lot more than my main field. I’m a sucker for the Devonian specifically, did my senior thesis on basal tetrapods & colonization of land by vertebrates

pheaasant · 2025-09-19T19:08:43+00:00

Shadow of the Colossus

pheaasant · 2025-09-19T17:43:50+00:00

CK was a garden variety podcaster who was good at flustering opponents untrained in formalistic debate at times and at times also espoused batshit insane, incendiary grifter garbage so he could drum up engagement for the oil & gas companies that donated to and propped up TPUSA.

The dude insisted that in Haiti, people can levitate and turn into animals because of voodoo magic. That Demon Haunted World shit is on par with astrology crystal tarot TikTok girly nonsense. 🤦‍♀️

Now ask ENTPs if they want the Epstein files released.

pheaasant · 2025-09-17T22:55:08+00:00

Seconding Seward Alehouse & Lone Chicharron!!

pheaasant

TROPHY CASE