It's very common to take a seasonal job in Alaska during the summer, but there are also seasonal job opportunities during the winter. Of course, a winter season in Alaska is much different than a summer season for various reasons. To help give you some insight about what an Alaskan winter is like, I interviewed my friend Audrey who spent a winter season living and working in Alaska.
Photo Credits: Yan Xiong Q: Where in Alaska did you work for the winter?
A: I was front desk at Borealis Basecamp. It’s an hour north of Fairbanks. We would fly into Fairbanks and they would pick us up at the airport and drive an hour north. It’s very remote. I started in January [and worked there until the] end of April. It was my first seasonal job and my first time in Alaska.
Q: Most people work in Alaska during the summer, why did you choose the winter?
A: Timing wise [it just worked out]. I graduated the previous spring and had been working at a chiropractors office in the fall. I thought that was what I was going to do [with my life] but I worked there for about 3 months and [thought], “This isn’t quite it.” So, I started looking around and Alaska sounded amazing. I started looking at jobs in Alaska and this was the one.
Q: How did you find the job?
A: Coolworks.com. As far as I know, everyone [I worked with] also found it on CoolWorks.
Q: What was your pay and schedule like?
A: Pay was $15/hr for front desk. I worked 5 days a week, about 40 hours. The day shift was 9:00am to 4:00pm. Then the evening shift was 4:00pm to midnight, because they would have to have someone at the desk 24/7. I only worked the overnight shift a handful of times and that was midnight to 9:00am.
Photo Credits: Abhi Verma
Q: What was a day in the life at work like?
A: My swing of things was the mid-shift, 8 hours, 4:00pm to midnight. I would get there around 4:00pm and immediately do check ins. Everyone would come to the desk and we would [give them their] activity card with all their activities, tell them about dining, and walk them to their igloos. [We would show them] the toilet because it’s a dry flush toilet, tell them about the heater, and about the aurora alarm.
Then I’d come back and write the activity cards for the next day. Other things for that evening shift was to get a fire going outside so people could come and roast s’mores. When it got dark, every 15 minutes I’d step outside to look for the northern lights. We have someone on the front desk 24/7 who is watching when the lights come out, when they do come out we try calling [the guest's] phones and then bang on the door if we don’t get an answer. That was really it… Then I kind of just sat there and read my book and crocheted.
Q: Did you need any prior experience or training?
A: Not really. I think I had one interview with the general manager and she hired me right then and there. [I had] onsite training with the girl who was working that current position. I did three days of shadowing and then you just jump in on your own
Q: What were the biggest perks of the job?
A: The biggest perk, with most seasonal work, is the low cost of living. Rent and food [was only] $200 a month. And where you are living... it's beautiful. We could [also] do any snowmobiling, or snowmachining, for free… dogsledding was separate so you had to pay for that but it was really discounted.
Photo Credits: Yuhan Du
Q: How did housing and food work as an employee?
A: It was $200 a month for housing and food. The way that food worked… We had our own staff chef who made all the meals. The food… it was fine… it was kind of like cafeteria food sometimes… it just depended on how the chef was feeling that day. You could buy whatever dry food you want [in town] but you didn’t have refrigerator space or access to [a kitchen to cook]. They have a very nice 5-star restaurant for the guests, and [staff] could work shifts and get a free gourmet meal that was really good!
Housing was [right on property and] very hostel-like. There were two bunk beds in each room, 4 people to a room, and they were very small rooms. The building I was in [had] 4 rooms with 4 people in each of them and all 16 of us shared 2 bathrooms. They hall in their water so you have to use tokens to shower. [Every week] you got 10 tokens with 4 minutes each, so 40 minutes of shower per week. It never effected me, I never shower that much anyway.
Q: How did you get around or get off property?
A: I did not have a car but we could ride on the guest shuttles everyday. They also arranged staff shuttles twice a week. Every Sunday evening they would take people to town to go grocery shopping or just to get off property. On Thursday evenings they would arrange a staff activity... rock climbing or axe throwing… stuff to get off property.
Q: What did you do in your free time?
A: I honestly didn’t go off property a whole lot and I didn’t feel the desire to, I was happy there. We had a bunch of people who were learning to crochet together… lots of snowmobiling, puzzles, movies, campfires… I would go to the ski resorts to go snowboarding a couple times.
Photo Credits: Yuhan Du
Q: What was it like living in Alaska during the dark of winter?
A: Honestly it was amazing. I got there in the very beginning of January and I think December 21st is the winter solstice, so thats when nights start to become shorter and shorter. I remember arriving when it was dark and it was still dark by the time they picked me up the next day. That whole drive up was when sunrise was. I was just in awe the entire time because it was winter in Alaska. The trees were covered in snow but covered differently than I had seen anywhere else… the snow covered the tees more fully. During sunrise it was hot pink and icy and it was so magical… Then 3:00pm was when it started getting dark again, like sunset. So you have 4 hours of light. Just having the darkness and relishing in the times when there was light... I fully loved that.
Q: What was it like living under the northern lights?
A: The aurora borealis was defiantly the highlight. The northern lights are crazy… it took me a few days until I finally saw the first real show and it was just … you never expect to see something like that or know how to describe it. I would say on average [I saw it] 2-3 times a week at different intensities. I remember the first time I saw them I looked up at the sky and it just looked like a waft of grey smoke. I was like, “What is that? Are those the lights?” If you pull out your phone and take a photo on high exposure for 10 seconds then it will composite all that together and make it look green on your phone… I was like, “but in real life it just looks like that? I feel kind of ripped off”… Then a few day later a real show came out and it was everything you expected it to be and more… they were shimmery and it was beautiful. I loved it.
Q: How did you deal with seasonal depression and it being so dark?
A: You always hear people say [Alaska] needs more light [because of] seasonal depression and all these things… I never struggled with that, it was fully magical for me. They did put the happy lights around the housing, I am all for that, those help. [One of my coworkers], he was the more consistent overnight worker and I think he struggled with that. He was always working the night shift so he would be out during the day and wasn’t sleeping. He was like a zombie. Eventually they moved him over to a totally different schedule [and that was a lot better for him].
Photo Credits: Vincent Guth
Q: Was it strange working in the dark?
A: That wasn’t bad. It felt like… I don’t know how early you woke up for Christmas as a kid but it was probably before dark… you wakeup before dark and you know its really early but you are just kind of excited. You have exciting things to do and the earliness doesn’t phase you. That’s what it felt like most of the time when I would wake up when it was still dark. It just felt cool to be there.
Q: What was the weather like and how cold did it get?
A: Normally 20 below. That was pretty average. I wasn’t working outside but I would go outside pretty often because I would be running around and doing errands. [However] I just wore leggings, a shirt, and a vest. I don’t know how I did it but I remember when it was above negative [everyone was] like, “It’s so warm.” The majority of days were more clear than not. Wind didn’t really bother me, sometimes it was breezy but thats it.
Q: What packing tips do you have for someone heading to Alaska for the winter?
A: Pack something to make your room a little homey. I would say the string lights or fairy lights, it just helps make where you are living more of a home. Even though you know you aren’t going to be there long term you want where you sleep to be comfortable and environmentally soothing. Of course you want more clothing [for the cold] and a hobby. Its super important to have something to do and create… puzzles, books, crocheting, knitting… something you can do with your hands.
Q: Would you ever work a winter in Alaska again?
A: Absolutely!I loved my experience there. I couldn’t see career growth there long term and I don’t think I would want to live in Alaska long term because its too far away from family, but I loved it.
Conclusion
A big thank you to Audrey for staying late after work to give me all the details about her winter seasonal job in Alaska. If you are heading to Alaska for the winter, your experience may not be exactly the same as hers, but hopefully her experience will help give you some insight as to what it may be like. If you have experience working a winter season in Alaska, please share your experience in the comments below!
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