We are on the last day of our season at Death Valley. It has been a great place to spend the winter and we have really enjoyed working at Scotty’s Castle. We hate to leave the other rangers who have become an important part of our life in just a short time. But the season is at an end, and we have already said goodbye to most of the seasonal rangers.
The seasonal rangers are going all over. It was interesting to talk to them as they applied for positions in many different parks. All of them, of course, hope to get full-time positions, but none of them have accomplished that yet, as of today. Interviews are still continuing but everyone is heading off to their summer seasonal jobs.
So far this is where our seasonal rangers are headed:
Alex and Masaki are heading to Glacier Bay.
Kate is going back to Yosemite, where she has spent the last few summers. Kate is waiting to hear about a full-time job at George Washington Carver National Monument in Missouri.
Gary is returning to the east coast and Fredericksburg National Military Park where he has worked for many summer seasons.
Matt is going to Kings Canyon and Sequoia. He is excited about this because it is closer to his hometown of Oakland CA.
Steve is heading back to Great Basin, where he has worked every summer since he retired as a California State Park Ranger.
Scott and Lori are heading up to Mount Ranier. They have worked their before but took a summer off from Mount Ranier last year by going to Grand Tetons. Scott is waiting to hear about a full-time job here at Death Valley.
Gary is returning to the east coast and Fredericksburg National Military Park where he has worked for many summer seasons.
Sean is another ranger heading north to Alaska. He is going to be at a park that is even more remote than Death Valley: Katmai. You can only get there by airplane or boat. He has to have his groceries flown in!
Lucy is going to her first seasonal ranger position at Grand Tetons.
Jeanette is the only seasonal ranger who is “moving up.” She got a term position at Lava Beds National Monument. A term position is between a seasonal and a full-time position. She can keep it for up to four years and stay in one place during that time.
Isabelle, Taylor, and Tom and I will not have summer seasonal positions. Isabelle takes the summer off to travel. Taylor has a significant other here in Death Valley and he chooses to stay with her instead of going to a different park. Of course Tom and I will resume our retired life of leisure with extended trips in an easterly direction.
Laurie and Adam, our Christian Ministry in the National Parks leaders, are both going to Glacier National Park.
We have enjoyed our time here at Death Valley and Scotty’s Castle, but it is time to be moving on. The season is over so we are heading on down the road, just like the other rangers.