Volunteering in Alaska

[R. Walter]

Interested to hear if any of you have ever volunteered in the Alaska State Parks system. I would like to know of your experiences and any comments you might have to offer. Thanks.

[2gypsies]

We've volunteered often in parks but not in Alaska. Alaska is pretty special and think about how often you will ever get there to explore it. I would recommend that you choose a good location and that you have enough days off so you can easily take your RV and travel to the rest of Alaska to see it for at least a 3-day time period weekly. Just going up on this very long trip and sitting in one place would not be ideal, in my opinion. They need to give you ample time off and not require you to be there 7 days a week. If you've been to Alaska previously and have already done your touring then that is different.... or if you definitely plan on returning to explore.

[R. Walter]

We've volunteered often in parks but not in Alaska. Alaska is pretty special and think about how often you will ever get there to explore it. I would recommend that you choose a good location and that you have enough days off so you can easily take your RV and travel to the rest of Alaska to see it for at least a 3-day time period weekly. Just going up on this very long trip and sitting in one place would not be ideal, in my opinion. They need to give you ample time off and not require you to be there 7 days a week. If you've been to Alaska previously and have already done your touring then that is different.... or if you definitely plan on returning to explore.

I just retired and next summer I plan to do the drive to/from Alaska from my home base in New Mexico. My wife and I volunteered this past summer for 3+ months with the Army COE in New England and had a good time. So, I'm looking for something similar, but for a max of 8 weeks or so. [Apparently, if you reside in Alaska for 8 weeks or more, you're supposed to get an Alaska D.L. and so on.]

 

I've been to Alaska on a number of prior occasions, but have always flown up for a week or two. These have been mostly vacations, so I've managed to see a bit of Alaska, anyway. I'd like to spend about 90 days in Alaska next summer, so I'm okay with about 2 months volunteering. Thanks for your comments about time off. I'm okay with working about 24 - 28 hours a week. Seems that can be in the range of what's being asked for in terms of hours.

[2gypsies]

Keep in mind that if you're volunteering it's not considered residing in Alaska. So you could do it longer with no problem.

[jjwicklund]

The good host jobs go fast http://dnr.alaska.gov/parks/vip/hostlist.htm.

[Mike and Claudia]

We volunteered at Funny River State Recreation in 2005 during the month of July and had a fantastic time! Funny River is a VERY small area about 15 miles outside of Saldotna. It is right on the Keni River and is a very small site. On the books it is listed as 12 sites, but we had as many as 15 -- 20 units in it. You walk out on a platform over the river, then walk down steps into the river itself. The fishing is great, most of the people that come there have been coming for a number of years and most of them know each other. It is not nearly as competitive as many of the areas and they people get along well.

 

We checked camping permits insuring that the people paid their fees, checked/cleaned the one pit toilet each day. There is a 15 amp plug that the host cam use to plug into. It was ample, as the weather was very mild so that AC/Heaters weren't needed. We drove in to Saldotna once every 5--7 days to dump and fill up with water behind a filling station. There was a well on the site, but it just had a hand pump, so it didn't work well to try and fill up our RV (a MH) We had a great time and caught a LOT of fish! I would go back if it didn't cost SO MUCH for fuel to get there!

[lostinfl]

If it is important, check carefully if you are getting a FHU site. Many Alaska State Parks do not offer FHU with sewer and you have to travel to a dump site. The more North you go the less chance of getting FHU. Found more likely South of Anchorage, but check and get written confirmation.