Carrers in the outdoors

Well, a backcountry ranger. At least in the Sierras they have backcountry ranger stations. They are more of law enforcement these days (pack guns and cuffs). Maybe repping for a outdoor gear company. These reps. call on the likes of REI and sell new gear to outdoor stores. Interning at Mountain Hardwear or Sierra Designs, Marmot, Western Mountaineering.
If you like rocks maybe Geology? Dunno.

if i’m not mistaken, Ray Jardine started out as a wilderness & climbing instructor. so, something like Outward Bound, or other similar “schools” might be something to look into. go through one or more of their programs as a student. distinguish yourself by doing well in the training and let your interests be known to the instructors and management of the schools, perhaps a job will result. you might even, after completing the course, see if you can volunteer as an assistant instructor for the portion of one of your summer vacations. this might lead to a paying job with them or another “school” later on.

also, have a friend whose son has been working for the US Forestry Service (i believe i have the department name right) for a number of years. he’s a “forest ranger”. i think he’s in Tennesee. a few years ago, his father told me that he spends a lot of time alone. not sure how often he’s with a partner. he does carry a handgun. so, you might check out the US Gov’t’s website & look into the Forestry service. in more rural states, some colleges and universities offer degrees in Forestry or Forestry and Park Management. this might be a desirable course to pursue in order to land one of these gov’t jobs. my friend’s son went to a university & earned a bachelor’s degree in a Forestry related program before going to work for the US Gov’t as a ranger.

running out of ideas here, so i’ll end this post. best wishes for future success and happiness.

Hey Ryan,

Check out Colorado State Univeristy

http://visit.colostate.edu/index.asp?url=list_pos&by=interest_group&interest_group=Agricultural+and+Natural+Resources

I have heard that Emergency Trauma Medical doctors can often find themselves in demand on mountaineering teams.

Ryan,

As others have mentioned Outdoor Careers would include working as a Ranger, Forestry Service, Geologist, Backpacking Equipment Rep.

Other fields would include being a Guide; a Field Biologist; Ecologist; Environmental Consultant; Outdoor; Nature, Landscape and Wildlife Photographer; Archaeologist and/or Anthropologist; work for one of the environmental organizations such as the Nature Conservancy or the Sierra Club, or even becoming an Environmental Attorney (could be part of the group to uphold environmental law and determine environmental policy).

Rich

Environmental law is a good idea. law has always interested me, I had never thought of that, and it may be something for me to look into

thanks Rich

I am a student at Penn State University in the Recreatioin and Parks Management Department. Through this I am majoring in Environmental Interpretation and Outdoor Recreatioin, both very good ways to make sure you’ll be spending many years in the outdoors.

Possible jobs iin doing this major are:
Environmental Educator
Camp Director
Adventure Guide
Team Building Facilitator
Any job at an Environmental Center
And yes Park Ranger or jobs with the government in any of their recreation agencies.

This can also be a spring board to Grad School ect in Leisure Recreation. I always thought being a professor would be a great job, along with the vacation perks to hit the trail.

Just my two cents.

I almost forgot to mention…Besides a great major and town here at Penn State you have great FLY FISHING!

I believe Ray Jardine’s origianl career was as an aerospace enigineer. Then he quit that to become a climbing bum, which lead him to invent the spring loaded camming device (“friends”). A huge contribution to climbing as well as a big pay check for Ray. He then had the financial freedom to begin pursuing all of his interests hiking, kayaking, skydiving etc.

Mr./Mrs./Miss/Ms Anon:

you’re absolutely right acc. to his BB book – engineer was his initial professional career.

my meaning (which still may not be correct) was how he got started working in the outdoors – though my chronology may certainly be incorrect. he often mentions teaching at “outdoor schools” (quotations mine) in his book, BB.

bottom line, as far as young Ryan is concerned (which was the intent of my prev. somewhat inaccurate post), he can, in part, find an example in the great, inspirational Ray Jardine (hope i’m getting this right this time) and possibly, in the future, obtain employment as an “outdoors/wilderness school” instructor.

thanks for the correction and clarification. i appreciate you taking the time to help dot every “i” and cross every “t”. there was, as far as i’m concerned, no need for you to post anonymously. i never mind being told i’m wrong – whether or not i eventually see things the other person’s way. if i’m wrong once, please correct me and then i’ll learn and not be wrong a second time. in this particular case, i believe you are correct and i was mistaken. thanks again.

“Whoever corrects a mocker invites insult; whoever rebukes a wicked man incurs abuse.

Do not rebuke a mocker or he will hate you; rebuke a wise man and he will love you.

Instruct a wise man and he will be wiser still; teach a righteous man and he will add to his learning.”

Don’t forget about more technical fields that may help you out. I’m thinking along the lines of textile engineering, industrial design, fashion design/ sewing, computer modeling… Those could help out if you were more interested in the gear/manufacture side of the outdoor industry rather than the people/nature/education side. Keep exploring, you’ll figure it out.
-Mark

lots of folks who love being outdoors end up in environmental law, but very few of them get to spend any time outside professionally. and although i’m less sure about it, i would imagine that most of the folks doing manufacturing things like textiles are similarly indoors.

the sad truth is that careers related to the outdoors more often than not involve sitting at a desk. scientific research requiring field work, restoration work, and careers related to outdoor rec. would be my recommendations.

Even more than that, most environmental lawyers end up being hired by chemical or oil companies to figure out how the company can skirt the law; very few work for conservation groups and that’s usually pro bono.

Personally, I’m a neat stuff geek and started a company with a buddy so that we can make the things that interest us. While our textile research is mainly for electronics, it helps out my outdoor fun and vice versa- my time spent drooling over technical fabrics comes in handy every so often. It also means that I can use our massively expensive sewing machine that we got for doing our jobs for making gear :)

The owner of Hilleberg spends a lot of his time testing his new tent designs. I read an article about him in a backpacking magazine. Fascinating. He loves the outdoors, and that was the reason he ended up designing and constructing his own tents. It seems that BPL’s Ryan Jordan has a similar lifestyle ;) For that kind of life you’ll need design expertise and a large amount of life/outdoors/business savvy, so it could be something to aim for in the future.

If you like travelling to foreign countries, I recommend the book ‘Vagabonding’ by Rolf Potts. In this he explains his lifestyle of working 6 months of each year, saving hard and travelling (very light, and very cheap) for the other 6. I haven’t followed his advice his personally yet, but I plan to; the book is quite inspirational.

Steve