Working in Yosemite

Has anyone spent a summer working in the valley? I haven't applied yet and was curious if anyone had any advice for me before I do apply. What can I expect? What kind of housing will be offered? Will I still have time to climb? what are the best jobs to try to get? Thanks.

-Jesse

Note: The following are my own personal opinions and do not necessarily represent the views of Aramark or the National Park Service.

What can I expect?
You can expect to work 40 hours a week for whatever the CA minimum wage is right now. Your managers and coworkers could be cool people that you'll become good friends with, or some of them might be not-so-cool. It just depends on the department and it changes year to year because there is so much employee turnover. Temperatures in the Valley tend to be in the 90's for most of the summer and it hardly ever rains.

What kind of housing will be offered?
You will probably be placed in a tent cabin with two strangers. There is also a possibility you will be placed in "temporary bunk housing" which means sleeping in the Community Center with a dozen other people or something similar. Bathrooms, kitchens, and laundry are all communal and the kitchens in particular tend to be extremely crowded at certain times. But if you're working for the concessionaire you'll be able to live in Yosemite Valley (rather than El Portal or something). And it's pretty easy to get into better housing after a month or two, especially if you make friends and get requested as a roommate.

Will I still have time to climb?
Yes. Depending on how understaffed your department is you might be required to work overtime or 6 days occasionally, but for the most part you will have two days off to climb every week and if you are working early mornings or evenings you might also be able to climb before or after work.

what are the best jobs to try to get?
Personally I would go for something where you don't have to deal with customers: roomskeeper, sanitation janitor, dishwasher, or something like that. The alternatives are things like cashier, front desk staff, or food service where you're helping a never ending line of people all day long, which is imo far more exhausting. But everyone's preferences are different. If you plan on sticking around for more than the summer you can move into a better position pretty easily after 3 months.

Bryan did a great job outlining what living in the Valley while working for the concessionaire entails,
I worked for DNC in 2013, have came and gone alongside multiple friends living there every year since and I will be returning with NPS this summer,
I can tell you everything Bryan stated above is accurate and it is one of the greatest decisions you will make with your life; I worked as a barista at Curry Village (Half Dome Village) Coffee Corner and I made slightly better money than my peers only because of tips. Managers weren't the best in my day but hey, sacrificing pay for location is worth is in my opinion.
Hope to see you in the Valley this summer!

Awesome. Thanks to both of you for your advice! Hope to see you there.