I own a seasonal restaurant and well I am a bit concerned about the tourism this summer. I also have a great crew that can handle it on their own. SO I decided to get a job. Partly to fund some future endeavors and get some new experiences And partly to safeguard against a really poor tourist season. It took some patience but I finally got hired on today as a head chef on the north slope oil fields. I don’t even know what camp I will be in. I think it is a new remote camp.
I leave Monday for 4 weeks.
4 weeks on 2 weeks off. I chose that to start then I will opt for 2 on 2 off. 88 hrs hours a week with overtime and bennies.
Congratulations fifty-six! I can relate to your concerns with regard to the upcoming tourist season, I have my own reservations concerning the halibut and salmon fisheries. Have a great time on the Slope, stay warm and make some big bucks!
Cool. I spent every summer over a 5 year stretch up there. Usually we’d contract to have a tent complex set up at Happy Valley, really just a gravel pad off the haul road about 70 or so miles south of Prudhoe. 4 sleeping tents, a mess tent, a shitter and 2 or 3 Bell Long Rangers. Other times we’d stay at Anaktuvuk Pass, Umiat, Kuparuk or the like. Hey, go check out the general store in Deadhorse. It’s a hoot.
Have fun… I really, really miss being up there. The late day light in summer is simply breathtaking, same with sitting on a frost heave above a family of arctic fox watching the kits play, laying out among a herd of musk ox, etc. Aw man… I’m gonna tear up just thinkin’ about all that.
Yea, even if the economy picks up I think tourism will really be hit this summer all over the place.
From whati understand it will be about 50 people. I will have a staff of 5.
Thanks.
As answered it is the northern region of Alaska were the vast amount of Alaska’s oil reserves are extracted.
Only a lot of money. I was hoping for insanely large I got hired on with a notoriously low paying outfit. I am resourceful and expect that insaine amount amount soon enough. For a chef it is quite good. Full medical, dental and vision regular time off. I will be opting for 4 weeks on 2 weeks of for a couple months to get caught up on some bills then I will move to a more normal 2 on 2 off.
You will have to check with the many companies that work in the fields.
YEs I am super excited. After a few long trips out to the Aleutians, The Pribs and Mathew I am excited to see soem more of Alaska. It is a wonderful land.
My main goal is to get a few years experience and then get a 5 month stint in Antarctica. I finally learned the company I need to rub elbows with and they are a native Alaskan company I will be putign efforts to get on with them so I can be internally hired on for the Antarctic stint… And write a book.
The company I work for did a project on the North Slope. I wasn’t there at the time, though, but I’ve heard a lot about it. What everyone who was there tells me is that conditions are a bit rough and you work your backside off, but you get paid REALLY well. The way it was described to me, you basically eat, sleep, and work, and don’t have time for anything else. I don’t know what it’s like for a chef, though.
It can get cold enough there that if you walk outside and throw your coffee up into the air, it freezes pretty much instantly: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tfMBXVsjJYY
I think it would be a fun experience to do once. I’m not sure I’d want to do it twice. Let us know how you feel about it when your season is over.
This is true and for that very reason the meal takes on added importance. It’s one of the few ways companies up there have to keep employees content and willing to stay up there for such long stretches. No one would if the food was bad so they feed you really, really well. All you can eat steaks, king crab legs, etc. and of course it’s all free. A good cook is without question necessary and very much appreciated up there.
I almost had a mutiny among my crew when one year a new cook tried to serve us fish soup and a bunch of other silly fare. We had a talk with him, saw the situation was not going to improve and immediately brought in a replacement from Fairbanks. No kidding, good cooks are gold.
The downside to Slope work is that “summer” is really a sort of moderate winter, only with more daylight. Also, booze is not allowed, although it gets smuggled in. Drunkeness is a terminable offense up there, as they won’t tolerate troublemakers.
People interested in jobs should check with Conoco-Philips, BP, and Native corporation websites, such as ASRC (Arctic Slope Regional Corporation).
I share your observations, though my experience was offshore, Gulf of Texaco.
One of the first things I learned, don’t trust a skinny cook. Food has to fill the gaps of no women, alcohol and most forms of recreation. Sometimes, intelligent conversation.
Most of the crew being fed were Coonasses and Okies, but if anyone wanted anything, the cook made it, and well. Something that really impressed me, they somehow knew birthdays and always made a cake.
My hubby just got a job welding on north slope. Now, here’s some things they don’t tell you. First, the baggage fees on airlines 200 bucks and they don’t take cash. another 100 for fees on alaskian or ERA air going up to deadhorse with luggage. They paid for flight and hotel and you buy your own food. so, far the company and job is great. friendly people. two men to a room. I work days. they do have a night shift. doing 6/2 wks off. let you know how the first 6 weeks go. MB
My uncle did a stint way up in Alaska a long, long time ago. Before he left, they told him he was going to love it since there was a woman behind every tree.