Transcript of Yellowstone Chat - 12/15/08 (Second Half)

Transcript of second half of Yellowstone Chat – 12/15/08 - 9pm Eastern / 6pm Pacific

Unfortunately, I didn't catch the first half like I thought, but hopefully this helps you learn about more about Yellowstone. There was a lot of talk about the employers in Yellowstone - DNC (Delaware North), Xanterra, YPSS, the National Park Service and the Yellowstone Association. Also, taking advantage of volunteer opportunities with the above.

Thanks again to those who showed up to chat. I think that good things are coming down the pike with this experiment. Next topic: Alaska!


6:28pm Bill Berg Speaking of which - a lot of employers in Gardiner need summer help too.
6:28pm Bill Berg Housing can be tricky to find but there are a few summer jobs to be had in our litle town.
6:28pm Brenda what about that little place where they sell the buff burgers the biggest i ever seen
6:28pm Kari Quaas @Coly - to work in HR - great organization skills, some school, etc., etc. I worked in HR for Princess Tours for 5 year.
6:28pm Kari Quaas 5 years.
6:29pm Bill Berg Helen's Corral Drive In - BIG burgers. It's for sale...
6:29pm Brenda really????????????? oh wow
6:29pm Kate it is? That's too bad. I had always wanted to eat there
6:29pm LW Helens!
6:29pm Bill Berg Come buy it!
6:29pm Brenda now that was very popular
6:29pm Kate a tourguide friend of mine said it was great
6:29pm Coly Hope Wondered what working in HR would be like
6:29pm Al anyone know if there are going to be any EAP positions this year at YNP
6:29pm LW so yummy - very good burgers
6:29pm Bill Berg It's a national treasure... We're hoping a local grabs it
6:29pm Kate LOL @ bill: if I had the money!
6:29pm Kate that would be the best!
6:30pm Michael Can you talk a bit about some of the volunteer things they have?Sounds like something I'd be interested in.:)
6:30pm Kate don't know Al
6:30pm Christine and Alan Miller has the economy hurt tourism
6:30pm Bill Berg EAP - Employee Assistance Program... I haven't head aything
6:30pm Brenda them burgers were so huge and good you could eat just one for lunch and dinner
6:30pm Al tx
6:30pm Bill Berg Volunteering -
6:30pm Kari Quaas @Coly - message me later - I'll tell all you want to know about HR.
6:30pm Bill Berg The Park Service uses quite a few volunteers to staff campgrounds and Visitor Centers.
6:30pm LW I was wondering about the economy too - I sometimes check the jobs down in Jackson Hole on their newspaper website and it looks like jobs there aren't nearly as plentiful as in years past.
6:30pm Coly Hope Okay Kari, thanks
6:31pm Kate Volunteering with the Park Service.... at Old Faithful, it's around the Geyser Basin...talking to people, cleaning up trash from the boardwalk areas, telling folks to stay On the boardwalk
6:31pm Kari Quaas you're welcome
6:31pm Michael Cool
6:31pm Kate thats one volunteer opp anyway
6:31pm Brenda isn't that mainly parks service though that staff the campgrounds
6:31pm Bill Berg Volunteers typical get free housing or a free RV site
6:31pm Kari Quaas Don't touch the hot water!
6:31pm Christine and Alan Miller I'd like to know about HR also
6:31pm Michael LOL
6:32pm Kate exactly do not touch the thermal water
6:32pm Kate I've seen too many people do it.
6:32pm Kari Quaas @Chris - Perhaps we can set up a chat about HR sometime. ;)
6:32pm Bill Berg The Yell Association also uses Volunteers - a couple of Yellowstone Volunteer Links:
6:32pm Bill Berg http://www.yellowstoneassociation.org/about/jobs.aspx
6:32pm Bill Berg http://home.nps.gov/applications/vips/volunteer.cfm?id=yell
6:32pm Christine and Alan Miller thanks good idea kari
6:33pm Kari Quaas We'll make it happen.
6:33pm Christine and Alan Miller sounds good
6:33pm Coly Hope Count me in or the HR chat
6:34pm Brenda wondering has the wolf packs grown any or are they still struggling
6:34pm Kari Quaas Done.
6:34pm Bill Berg I really liked recruiting I did for YPSS
6:34pm Michael Are there any guest ranches around YNP?
6:34pm Kate they're doing ok, last I heard. Bill...? anything?
6:34pm Bill Berg It felt really great to offer jobs to folks to come to Yellowstone.
6:34pm Kate yes Michael, there are some in Jackson area also Montana
6:34pm Brenda I want the scoop on Alaska so if you do a chat anytime soon on that let me know
6:34pm LW there's a few near there and also near jackson (tetons)
6:34pm Bill Berg LOTS of wolf activity out there.
6:34pm LW and there's the chino hot springs too
6:35pm Kate any Parvo seen last winter/this?
6:35pm Bill Berg My wife is a Ranger at Tower and she had a pack surrounding the house a couple of weeks ago... Got some great audio of the howling... Really got out dog going.
6:35pm Kari Quaas Re: Alaska - I think that it might be our next chat, fyi.
6:35pm Kate wonderful Bill!
6:35pm Kate Yay Kari
6:35pm Kate count me in on that
6:35pm Brenda last I heard the wolfs lost a new set and they weren't growing.
6:35pm Bill Berg Alaska.... Montana and Wyoming on Steroids
6:36pm Kari Quaas AH laska
6:36pm Kate I got photos of a wolf howling (and got to hear it, too) real close, on the road to mammoth as we were going along in the luggage coach
6:36pm Coly Hope Never saw a wolf in Yellowstone but did see some coyote
6:36pm Kate lol Bill
6:36pm Brenda really I'm there
6:36pm Bill Berg It was a tough year for Wolves and Bison but things are looking up.
6:36pm Brenda oh I seen plenty of wolfs
6:36pm Kari Quaas You can find that wolf video on My Cool Works.
6:36pm Michael Hard winter last year?
6:36pm Kate good, Bill, I know the last couple of winters haven't been good for the Bison
6:36pm Kate yes Michael
6:36pm Brenda seen coyote and bear and all sortsa animals
6:36pm Bill Berg It was a hard winter...
6:36pm Kate I worked winter 07-08
6:36pm Kate and it was hard
6:37pm Brenda Yeah I was 99 to 06
6:37pm Bill Berg More snow than we'd seen in quite some time.
6:37pm Michael This winter might be the same sounds like.
6:37pm Kate someone said that it was actually what Yellowstone was supposed to be getting as a "normal" amount lol
6:38pm Al 75 here now wish i was @ yellowstone!
6:38pm Bill Berg yep it was.... took me back to the 70's
6:38pm LW i would love to go for the winter - be a whole new experience for me. Is it hard to get winter jobs?
6:38pm Kate I would have liked to have been in the Park in the 70s
6:38pm Kate to work Yellowstone in winter for Xanterra you need to have worked for them for a summer, pretty much
6:38pm Bill Berg Winter is fantastic... not as many jobs, but it's not for everybody.
6:39pm Bill Berg I loved it out there
6:39pm Kate Before I worked my first winter there I was a winter-hater lol...now I love it
6:39pm Brenda I know they only hire like 200 or 300 with Xanterra for the winter
6:39pm Kari Quaas @Kate - funny
6:39pm LW Is it only xanterra that's open in Winter?
6:39pm Kate and the Winter Olympics at Snow Lodge were great! I don't drink but it was still a lot of fun to get involved with
6:39pm Kate DNC has a store open at Mammoth
6:39pm Kate he he @Kari
6:39pm Bill Berg YPSS has just a few jobs and the Yellowstone Association has a few winter jobs as well.
6:39pm Brenda park service also
6:40pm Bill Berg DNC has some jobs at their store in Mammoth in the winter.
6:40pm Bill Berg Uncle Sugar - the Park Service. You bet.
6:40pm Kate lol
6:40pm Christine and Alan Miller Is DNC a private enterprise
6:40pm Brenda yeah and in the winter it's old faithful and Mammoth only
6:40pm Kari Quaas Why Uncle Sugar?
6:40pm Kate yep
6:40pm Kari Quaas DNC is private, yes.
6:40pm Christine and Alan Miller Thanks
6:41pm Kate only two locations, so there is some competition for the winter jobs from the summer staff
6:41pm Coly Hope I am tired of winter probably because the last 10 years or so I have lived in northern New Hampshire, Adirondacks and the Rocky Mountains.
6:41pm Brenda Delaware North is a huge consessioner
6:41pm Brenda they have been in Yosemite for years
6:41pm Kari Quaas @Coly - That could do it.
6:41pm Kari Quaas ;)
6:41pm Christine and Alan Miller Do they have housing
6:41pm Brenda in what about 2000 they took over for Hamiltons
6:41pm Kate I've always lived in snow states.... and always hated it....till I got to Yellowstone Dec of 2006 and I fell in love......
6:41pm Brenda yep they do
6:41pm Kate yes Chris
6:41pm Al If tired of winter try Death Valley...a great winter place and you can play golf for free every day
6:42pm Kari Quaas nice
6:42pm Bill Berg Play golf beow sea level I hear
6:42pm LW LOL = I can imagine it gets old after a while. But I'm from San Diego so I want some actual seasons for a change. I spent two winters in Jackson Hole and loved it. Then I came home and I find myself missing snow.
6:42pm Bill Berg sheeesh "below"
6:42pm Al Every day below sea level
6:42pm Coly Hope It is driving in white out conditions and having to start your car and hope it didn't freeze up.
6:42pm Kate I learned to cross country ski in Yellowstone. Highly recommend the ski shop staff at Snow Lodge ;)
6:42pm Bill Berg What did you do in Jackson LW?
6:43pm Kate yes, do tell LW
6:43pm Bill Berg I learned to ski at Old Faithful too. BIG fun. Lone Star, Fern, Mallard Lake, and on and on
6:43pm LW Worked at the Ranch Shop and round Up
6:43pm LW retail
6:43pm Bill Berg Was it hard to find housing in Jackson?
6:43pm LW i liked living there - but it's soooo expensive to live if your employer doesn't have housing
6:43pm Brenda ahhh the round up I been there
6:43pm Kate what was that like LW? I've thought about trying for there if I don't get alaska
6:43pm LW jackson's a fun place to live - but very expensive
6:43pm Kate expensive housing is no fun, for sure!
6:44pm Kate which is why I like employer housing better :)
6:44pm Brenda Hi reginald
6:44pm Kate seems more reasonable
6:45pm LW actually round up has apartments that employers can rent for a good deal - but when i wanted to find another job it just didn't work because the housing is so pricey. It's like ... L.A. rent prices in Wyoming
6:45pm Kari Quaas whoa
6:45pm reginaldcohen anyone work in the laundry department at yellowstone
6:45pm Kate not I
6:45pm Bill Berg I've always sort of wished I'd worked a summer or two in the Tetons. Launched a lot of climbing trips from Yellowstone to the Tetons.
6:45pm Kari Quaas Hi Reginald - nope
6:45pm Kate Have you climbed the Grand Teton, Bill?
6:46pm Coly Hope Never worked laundry
6:46pm Christine and Alan Miller Hi Reginald, no
6:46pm Bill Berg I've been IN the laundry... it's a pretty nice facility in Gardiner.
6:46pm Bill Berg I've been up the Grand a few times...
6:46pm Kate very cool! The view from the top must be fab
6:46pm Bill Berg The laundry was state of the art when it was built awhile back. I expect it's still pretty cutting edge.
6:46pm Brenda I was there to get my uniform but that is it lol
6:46pm Kate I'm an armchair climbing groupie lol
6:46pm reginaldcohen i work there in 2006
6:46pm Kari Quaas lol
6:47pm Kate I've also applied to work Signal Mountain Lodge
6:47pm Kari Quaas Well, we've got about another 10 minutes left of the official chat.
6:48pm Kate wow that's gone by fast :)
6:48pm Kari Quaas I would love to hear your thoughts on dates/times/subjects.
6:48pm Brenda I worked at the warehouse but not the laundry
6:48pm Kari Quaas Alaska next?
6:48pm Kate yes Kari
6:48pm Kari Quaas HR another time?
6:48pm Christine and Alan Miller I just want to say thanks it's my first time
6:48pm Brenda your kidding that was quick
6:48pm Coly Hope Sounds good
6:48pm Kari Quaas @Chris - ours too!
6:48pm Kate I'm glad you came to chat Chris
6:48pm Kate nicely done, Kari
6:48pm Christine and Alan Miller sounds good for HR
6:48pm Kari Quaas Monday night good?
6:48pm Kate and I am glad Bill came
6:48pm Coly Hope Could also do a chat on RVs and Eastern seasonal jobs
6:49pm Kari Quaas @Kate - thanks!
6:49pm Kate yw, Kari!
6:49pm Bill Berg @Kate - here's the view from the Grand. http://flickr.com/photos/ynpk9/234033749/
6:49pm Kari Quaas Yes - RVs for sure.
6:49pm Michael Thanks from me too..I hope everything works out for all..
6:49pm Christine and Alan Miller Good for me today unless I'm working
6:49pm reginaldcohen going back to alaska next summer
6:49pm Brenda claps hands for Kari and Bill great job both of you
6:49pm Kari Quaas cool
6:49pm Kari Quaas :)
6:49pm Bill Berg Nice to chat with you all.
6:49pm Kate @Bill.... VERY nice! wow
6:49pm Kari Quaas We're here to help! Thanks to Coly for getting us back on track with this.
6:50pm Christine and Alan Miller Yes great job!
6:50pm Bill Berg THANK you or using Cool Works. Find some great gigs out there.
6:50pm Kate thanks to everyone for coming :)
6:50pm Brenda I am trying to go to Alaska this up coming summer if not the Delaware north Yellowstone
6:50pm LW woah, this chat is going by so fast!
6:50pm Kari Quaas Feel free to stay and chat!
6:50pm Coly Hope You and Bill did all the work I should thank you
6:50pm Kari Quaas I hope that more folks with use this now that it's easier. :)
6:50pm Kate and the transcript will be available for others who could not come?
6:50pm Christine and Alan Miller goodnight from me, everyone hope we do it again
6:50pm Kate I'm a chatroom fiend sometimes ;)
6:51pm Kari Quaas Well, you got me to think more seriously about it again.
6:51pm Kate nite chris
6:51pm LW Does anyone have any information about tour guide positions?
6:51pm Bill Berg What would you guys think about us letting an employer host a chat from time to time?
6:51pm Kari Quaas Yes, I will post the transcript as a blog post.
6:51pm Kate That would be terrific, Bill
6:51pm Bill Berg hmmmm
6:51pm Kate thanks, Kari!
6:51pm Bill Berg Tour Guide positions... that covers a lot of ground.
6:51pm Kate Xanterra may well need more tourguides for 09, LW
6:51pm Michael That would be great Bill..
6:51pm Kate if you want Yellowstone
6:51pm Kate in particular
6:52pm Bill Berg There are also some good companies out of Livingston and Bozeman that hire guides to take folks around the Park.
6:52pm Kate :)


6:52pm Bill Berg and the Yellowstone Association guides are very good.
6:52pm Kate yes they are
6:52pm LW really? That might be an interesting position.
6:53pm Kate Xanterra employees get free YA tours during the summer and they are wonderful!
6:53pm Kari Quaas You really can't beat the deals you get working in the tourism industry.
6:53pm Kate I agree, Kari
6:53pm Bill Berg http://www.yellowstoneassociation.org/whatsnew/
6:54pm Kari Quaas Cool link, thanks
6:54pm Kate yes, thanks
6:54pm LW thanks for all the links, Bill
6:54pm Bill Berg U bet
6:54pm Christine and Alan Miller thanks, bill
6:53pm Bill Berg http://www.yellowstoneassociation.org/whatsnew/
6:54pm Kari Quaas Cool link, thanks
6:54pm Kate yes, thanks
6:54pm LW thanks for all the links, Bill
6:54pm Bill Berg U bet
6:54pm Christine and Alan Miller thanks, bill
6:55pm Kari Quaas Have a great night, everyone! Thanks so much for coming!
6:55pm Kate thank you, Kari
6:55pm Kari Quaas yw
6:55pm Bill Berg Have a great evening everyone. I'm going to put another log on the fire - it's 8 below in Gardiner. Good night all.
6:55pm Christine and Alan Miller thanks
6:55pm Coly Hope Thanks Kari
6:55pm Kate I'm going to go as well
6:55pm Kari Quaas You bet!
6:55pm Michael Goodnight ya'll Thanks again...
6:55pm Kate good night all!
6:55pm LW bbr, that's cold!
6:55pm Kari Quaas Stay warm!
6:55pm LW G'nite everyone!
6:56pm Christine and Alan Miller 70 in FL
6:56pm Kari Quaas No fair!


Online (10)
Al
Ann Carr
Bill Berg
Brenda
Christine and Alan Miller
Coly Hope
Kari Quaas
Kate
LW
Michael