Journal

Crater Lake National Park

Oregon

The five of us that make up team CoolWorks have all had our lives changed by taking a chance on the road less traveled. Since 1995, legions of adventurers have used our site to find their new path. And as a part of that journey, they often discover new courage, new passion, new love, new family, a new home – a fork in the road to a future that they never expected as the result of a seasonal job.

We’ve created these journals with the belief that storytelling cheers, emboldens and encourages us to tell and create our own stories. We built this venue in the hopes that learning about other people’s experiences might help some dreamers work up the courage to take the plunge themselves. Has a seasonal job changed your life? We would love to hear about it!

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Donna

I had never spent much time in mountainous states. I came from Iowa, and I felt I had been dropped from the sky into an unbelievable scene. I still can’t believe my first sight of Glacier National Park; I couldn’t stop smiling!

Dan

I never imagined I would be working as a year-round employee in a place as magical as where I am today. I continue to live my life though my passion for introducing, educating, and entertaining people in one of the most wonderful, simple, important places in the World.

Gabi

The beauty of my surroundings and the opportunities awaiting me outdoors were the real paycheck. My room looked out on the Sawtooth Mountains and I woke up to a National Geographic view every morning for three months.

Cody

In a rare moment of clarity, the solution seemed so simple; I hopped on my computer and googled “fun jobs.” That is literally all it took.

Caitlin

I probably got turned down for 99 of those jobs, but the funny thing is I got the 100th job and it turned out to be exactly what I always dreamed about. Pick your favorite spot on the map, build a reality filled with moments of surprise, awe, and…

Charlie

We have fallen in love with wild nature. Taking a chance on a seasonal job introduced us to sides of ourselves that were tucked away. Taking a chance on a seasonal job introduced us to sides of ourselves that were tucked away. I have never felt so connected…

Mel

When contemplating whether or not to begin on a path of seasonal work, it became clear to me that I wanted to travel and work with like-minded people that speak my language – the language of wanderlust. In 2010, a life-changing opportunity occurred that I couldn’t ignore.

Nate

I found CoolWorks thanks to an old friend who casually mentioned it to me. She had heard of it, and thought it might be interesting to check out. Little did I know that it was the beginning of a new life for me, one that even now, 10 years…

Jason

I felt a desire to get out and not only see things, but to go and do things.
To get things done in the name of Conservation, and I found my passion in life. Sometimes you have to take the chance on something. And you never know…