People of Yellowstone: Living the Dream of Working in a National Park
For those who have dreamed of living and working in a place that’s still wild with mountains, lush forests and animals living in their natural habitat – here are some tantalizing ideas. Yellowstone National Park is a national treasure recognized throughout the world. It is also our oldest park, dating back to the efforts of Ulysses S. Grant in 1872. Most people think of forest rangers when they contemplate who actually works in the park today, but, in fact, there are more than one hundred different jobs both paid and voluntary – including many types of rangers.
In our new book, People of Yellowstone, photographer Steve Horan and I captured the stories of eighty-seven people – in words and full-page photographs – who work, live and play in the Yellowstone region. As I conducted interviews of the people Steve had photographed, I heard accounts of how challenging it is to set up a camp kitchen with a wood stove next to a stream for running water in the middle of wild back country, as well as the technical difficulties of measuring continuous seismic activity, and trying to prevent people from falling into boiling hot pools. When five feet of snow accumulates on the roof of the Old Faithful Inn, it’s time to call in one of the “winter keepers” who harvest the snow in blocks like giant styrofoam cubes.
These are just a sample of the fascinating activities that involve people in the park throughout its 3,468 square miles. You’ll meet Suzanne Lewis, the first woman to become superintendent of Yellowstone National Park, and Jett Hitt who composes symphonies when he’s back from leading trail rides in the […]