I was on Reddit the other day looking up seasonal National Park work. I was curious about how it works. I have only worked in Olympic National Park, at Kalaloch Lodge. I had come into contact with other employees who had worked all over the country—some in Alaska, Montana, and Yosemite. Many of Kalaloch's management came from the Grand Canyon. I've been emailing the Grand Canyon pretty often, trying to find work there, but I have a feeling that they don't really want me. I believe that persistence pays off, however. We will see.
There were a couple of posts on Reddit asking about what housing is like at Kalaloch. I remember asking someone about it during my first year there, and he said it wasn't bad. At the time I started, I lived in the nearby town of Queets. I actually applied to work at Kalaloch because I wanted a part time job to make some extra money. Well, it didn't turn out that way. I never imagined that Kalaloch Lodge would become such a huge part of my life!
When I asked about housing, the morning supervisor mentioned that Kalaloch Lodge had better housing than Alaska and many of the other places he had been to. He also lived in couple’s housing, which is more private than the dormlike housing that the single employees live in. I talked to some of the others over time, and they had mixed reviews about the housing. When I moved in, I was surprised at how nice it was. I guess I have lived in some pretty nasty places in my life, and I probably expected the worst. But it wasn't bad at all. In fact, I found the place to be kind of cute overall. I lived with three decently clean roommates. One was my morning shift supervisor, and it was sometimes difficult to get the shower, as all four of us got up in the morning and showered every day. That was probably the worst thing about it.
The housing at Kalaloch Lodge is not far from the rest of the lodge. It's across the highway and tucked away in a wooded area. This makes for a super easy commute, which is always a plus. There are a few cabins, each with three floors. On the bottom level are the couple’s and management housing, and on the top of two of the cabins is where the regular employees live.
Inside, there is a downstairs common area, kitchen, and bathroom, while the upstairs is a big room with four beds. Privacy varies depending on how you set it all up. My bed was the leftover one, located right next to the stairs. There was no privacy, and I didn't hang up a curtain (some people do). I had space for a dresser, and that was about it. Those who had been there longer had their areas set up quite nicely, with privacy curtains, tables, shelves, lamps, and other personal touches. Since I was only there for about 4–5 months, I didn't bother spending a lot of money to make it homey. I think if I was staying there longer, I could have made it a bit nicer, and once my other roommates left (they were from Mexico), I would have been able to get a more tucked away part of the room with a lot more privacy and space.
Taking the Bus to Nearby Towns and Around the Park
At the time, there was no internet in housing, and I did not spend much time there. I only came to sleep. I didn't cook at all during my time at Kalaloch Lodge. Our kitchen was a pretty busy place, and I didn't want to get in the way. I usually ate my free shift meal and ordered reduced-price food. I ate a lot of outside food, but the way I did it saved me money compared to buying groceries. I also didn't have much space to keep food, which was another reason I didn’t bother cooking.
If you want to get away for a while, there is a bus that runs only a few times a day south toward Amanda Park (another bus will take you to Aberdeen, and yes, it's possible to go all the way to Seattle if you wish) and north to Forks. Another bus will take you to Port Angeles. I've taken buses in both directions to Seattle and back multiple times. This trip takes a whole day with stops and transfers. Port Angeles and Forks are pretty good places to spend time. Both have nice libraries, coffee shops, and interesting sights. They also have restaurants, though I’ve only eaten at the ones in Port Angeles. You can also take a bus to Sequim for a few hours if you have the day off. Sequim has bookstores, a Costco, and many shops and is easily walkable. It’s about half an hour from Port Angeles. On my days off, I often went to Port Angeles, where I had plenty of time to explore. There are a couple of nice bookstores there as well.
Many parts of the park require a car to get to. I have listed places that you can get to via bus:
•Amanda Park and South Shore Lake Quinault
•Aberdeen and points east to Olympia, Tacoma, and onward to Seattle
•Lake Crescent, Storm King, and Lake Crescent Lodge
•Forks, La Push, Port Angeles, Sequim, Port Townsend and points east towards Bainbridge Island and Seattle
•If you have a National Park pass, you can go to Hurricane Ridge via bus.
If you want to go to the Enchanted Valley, Sol Duc, the far side of Lake Quinault or many of the trails that are more remote, you will need a car.
There is also the campsite and nearby beaches that provide lovely walks in nature that can be had anytime. Writing this makes me miss the place quite a bit.
Many people do have their own cars. I was one of the few who chose not to. I did have a car parked in Queets, but I didn't want to spend money on gas and upkeep, so I kept it there. A few of the long-time employees chose not to drive as well. And of course, there are always those from other countries and folks who lost their license for various reasons (such as a DUI).
The Transient Nature of Seasonal Work
Due to the transient nature of seasonal work, you meet a lot of interesting people at Kalaloch Lodge. This is the nature of the job. Strangely, seasonal work is looked down upon by many who see it as "temporary." Some perceive seasonal workers as "running away" from something. I understand that perspective. I left home right at adulthood, and if I could do it again, I would have left earlier. I wish I had known about this type of seasonal work as a young adult. Instead, I went to college, then university, then law school. But if I could do it over again, I think I would have gone straight into seasonal work, taking jobs at various national parks, saving money, and building a career from it.
My own life has been highly transient. While my employers have generally spoken well of me (though I could have done better here) I have never been able to sit still for long. I grow bored easily and move on. I also grow weary of relationships, withdrawing and eventually resenting people. I reach a point where I avoid social interactions and feel disconnected. Perhaps this is a defense mechanism—a way to make it easier for me to leave rather than getting too attached and staying. As psychologist John Bowlby theorized in his work on attachment, "individuals who experience unstable attachments may develop an internal working model that predisposes them to avoid deep emotional connections" (Bowlby, 1988).
I imagine that I will one day work at another national park. Now that I have a family, it’s harder to find a place with family housing that accepts children. That’s why I pushed so hard to work at the Grand Canyon. Kalaloch Lodge does not accept children, even though I asked for this policy to be changed. They said they could not but did not explain why. I think I understand their reasoning, though.
The Negatives About Kalaloch Lodge
 |
| My bed in the Kalaloch Lodge employee housing |
 |
| Bonfires on the beach were common. |
The main downside to Kalaloch Lodge is its isolation. It is located far from any town, on a windswept part of the Washington Coast. Dense forest shrouds the hills, making it too thick to explore. Therefore, your world consists of the beach, the lodge, and the places along the highway. While the beaches are beautiful, many people get restless here. Getting out only really is worth it on one's day off. A day trip to Port Angeles is really a day trip. If you want to go to Forks, you'll have either half an hour or closer to three and a half depending on the bus timing. There is a health club with a pool in Forks and many of my coworkers took advantage of that. There is also a library, bowling alley, and a couple parks that are nice to relax in when it's not raining. I also enjoyed going there for iced coffee drinks, which I found myself addicted to. Speaking of which...
Another downside is the prevalence of addiction. While substance abuse exists everywhere, I felt it was more visible here. When people have homes to return to, they can hide their addictions. At Kalaloch, it is out in the open. Alcoholism and drug use are problems. Some engage in youthful experimentation, but others use substances out of boredom or depression. Studies have shown that isolation can increase the likelihood of substance abuse, as loneliness and lack of social support are major risk factors (Hawkley & Cacioppo, 2010). Depression is also an issue. One of my fellow employees committed suicide right after her shift. I would have never guessed she was depressed. I can’t say that I wasn’t, though—I probably hid it well myself. One look at my journal would have revealed that.
I do not say this to be judgemental. I am truly grateful that I do not battle the addictions that many face, and I can't imagine what a hell it is for some people to try to rid themselves of that. And that is not to say that I am not addicted to certain things. I believe that everyone has a propensity to addiction in some form. I know that I do, and that's why I have been extremely careful to avoid certain substances and activities. I know it could ruin me perhaps faster than others.
The Diversity of People at Kalaloch Lodge
Kalaloch attracts a diverse mix of people. I actually found this aspect interesting and considered it a massive benefit of working there, but it also caused some conflicts as well. The Forks area is one of Washington State’s conservative strongholds, where the Trumpism is widespread. While Forks is socially conservative, Kalaloch Lodge has a much more progressive atmosphere. Many of my fellow employees identified as a gender different from their birth, and all sexual orientations were represented. This created an interesting dynamic. Seasonal work also attracts people who struggle to integrate into mainstream society, leading to high tensions at times. As psychologist Erik Erikson noted, "identity formation is a lifelong process, particularly influenced by one's environment and social experiences" (Erikson, 1968). I personally enjoyed the diversity, having lived in multicultural places around the world. However, many were not mature enough to handle it. Still, I believe this dynamic is common in seasonal work and one of its biggest draws for me.
 |
| My view every morning |
Now, you might be wondering why I posted this on a "Family Dysfunction" blog. Good question. I wanted to shed light on the dynamics of this place, which, in a way, functions like a big dysfunctional family. Seasonal work and family dysfunction go together like bread and butter. Many people enter seasonal work to escape truly awful family situations. I also thought this resource might help those looking for information about life and work at Kalaloch Lodge.
No comments:
Post a Comment