# The beginning of the rest of my life!!



## ENDOMADNESS (Jun 21, 2005)

First you have to decide on your interests (job wise).

If i was too do it all over again i would study Landscape Architecture. Its rewarding, plenty of jobs in the mtns (due to high end homes/landscape budgets), and pays well.

You can work for an architectural outfit (desk job) or start your own design/build company (desk and outside). But that is just me.

You could also study building construction. be a Project Mangler up in the mountains. 

Another option that would require schooling is Food/Beverage/Hospitality. Run a Hotel, restaurant.

The get rich (relative) option is to go into software sales or banking. MOve to Silicone Valley, Charlotte or Northern Virginia....not so much outdoors.

Since you are from Eagle....if you were my son...i'd send your ass to the East or West Coast...see something differernt. Get away from CU, CSU and Montana (JMO).

I went to Virginia Tech, plenty of kayaking and WW nearby. Asheville North Carolina also has much WW. I don't know the Oregon / Wash St. schools.


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## psu96 (May 9, 2006)

Ft Lewis College(Durango) has an excellent outdoor ed. program... Landscaping is also a sweet option.


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## Bpsig (Mar 7, 2012)

Bozeman MT is a fantastic mountain town with a great university and ample kayaking options nearby (not to mention hiking fishing, hunting, skiing, etc). As for majors, I was a business major and while I enjoyed it I would recommend getting a more technical/specialized degree. Montana State has a fantastic computer science program and there are a number of tech companies in town that hire almost exclusively MSU graduates and pay very well compared to the local average.


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## windriver (Mar 26, 2009)

Jobs in mountain towns: Landscape Architects, Construction, Property Management, Hospitality, Accountants & Financial Services, Medical (If the town has a hospital).

After choosing your major, research the best schools for that particular program. Give preference to schools that have low costs in order to avoid debt as much as possible. Use your summers to do internships in different mountain towns that interest you; this will give you a chance to kayak and build your professional network at the same time.

Good Luck!


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## ENDOMADNESS (Jun 21, 2005)

Almost forgot- anesthesiologist was the other profession i would recommend for the go-getter-type. Lots of liability, but a fairly routine job for big $$$.


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## kayakfreakus (Mar 3, 2006)

Hate to recommend it but IT - its everywhere and if you are good half the jobs are remote these days. An engineering degree is usually money well spent in about any field. If I had it to do over again I would also consider nursing or teaching/research but the latter is not a field easy to make money.

Since you live here agree with other opinions about seeing more - head to PNW or east coast. Year round paddling and college is another thing I would change.


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## ENDOMADNESS (Jun 21, 2005)

Ah to do it all over again...i would skip the paddling, goto an SEC school....and party.


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## windriver (Mar 26, 2009)

One last opinion-

Don't get tempted to be a recreation management or outdoor education major. The classes are possibly the most fun classes you could ever take, but the job market is very competitive and generally low paying. I only say this because you stated your interest in supporting a family. This is a generalized opinion, but I've seen friends go this route only to go back to school for a more marketable degree later on.


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## mdignan (Dec 26, 2010)

Apalachian State in Boone, NC. You have the Watauga as your before and after class run as well as a lot of great boaters in the area. The list of quality runs within 2 hours of Boone is too long to list.


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## glenn (May 13, 2009)

I work information systems and have a comfy gig with good pay for my locality and full benefits. I easily make 1/2 as much or less than I would in any number of other locations in the country. I get the impression most other professional options in a mountain town are the same.

I'd consider computer science, engineering and health services the most stable career fields at the moment. All three require serious study and life long dedication to learning and career growth.

Accounting is a field that gets looked over regularly as it's a pretty boring proposal. However every business ever needs them and if you have a CPA and a little skill at self marketing you can make good money doing personal taxes.


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## glenn (May 13, 2009)

Don't discount taking some time off getting some wage earning jobs and enjoying a couple years while you clarify what kind of future you want to make.


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## Pizzle (Jun 26, 2007)

I second the idea go East or West, that way you can avoid being too Vanilla, like what might happen if you stayed in state. Look at the schools in Portland OR, check out WA, if you have real good grades Dartmouth or Middlebury are bad ass, I am partial to drafty East Coast institutions. . Also checkout schools in VA, NC, or even DC. And if your grades aren't that good, there is always Chico State. Lots of Scary whitewater near Chico.


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## fella (Jul 29, 2008)

*Go to a trade school*

Go learn to weld. Or pull wires. Or build houses. Then get an apprenticeship. Get excellent at your craft. Have a long-term, relatively high-wage, mobile profession.

These days, there are relatively few tradesmen that are exceptional at what they do. There is always demand for these people.

You can make your own schedule. Live wherever you want.

Costs a shit-ton less to get there, than a 4++ year college degree.


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## mikepart (Jul 7, 2009)

Do something interesting. Study aquatic entomology. Take classes in stream biomonitoring, water quality, and statistics. You could make a good living in the mountains working with stream water quality regulations. Plenty of consulting firms out there.


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## rivers2run (Jun 7, 2012)

You might consider Oregon State in Corvallis year round kayaking with many rivers and streams to chose from. It has a top notch Forestry program their ability to place students into jobs is excellent. They also have an excellent Forest Engineering/ Civil Engineering program.


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## wyosam (May 31, 2006)

mikepart said:


> Do something interesting. Study aquatic entomology. Take classes in stream biomonitoring, water quality, and statistics. You could make a good living in the mountains working with stream water quality regulations. Plenty of consulting firms out there.


Yeah, but those jobs are getting more and more competitive! In terms of overall numbers of applicants, it may not be that bad, but they all go into it because they want to live where they recreate. You'll find a job, but it might be in Winnemucca until you've built a pretty solid resume- although networking can certainly help.


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## Stiff N' Wett (Feb 18, 2010)

I went to Western State Colorado University and studied geology. Can't beat Gunnison ther is so much stuff to do there. It was truly an amazing time and place in my life!


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## riverinstigator (Jun 13, 2013)

I did all kinds of things, and then I fell into ultrasound. It pays enough for me to support my family and my rafting addiction. 
Seattle University has a Bachelors program, and Bellevue College also has a program.
Another option is Nuclear Medicine tech. Only Bellevue College has the program. It pays well, fun, and there are traveling programs, you work for 6 weeks to 3 months around the country. Great way to see things, and get paid.
Washington has lots of creeking, and fun day rafting. You're only 17, wow, I wish I would have been that thoughty when I was your age.


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## Paul the Kayaker (Nov 7, 2004)

Pretty sure this is the wrong forum to be asking job advice from... 

All of us wish we had more time on the river or in the mountains and less time behind a desk or working at all really... The problem with really being in love with the outdoors is that nothing else compares and real job satisfaction is really difficult to come by...

My advice, if you want a life of play, design your own career, find your passion and become better at it than anyone else then sell yourself and your services. Working for someone else is never going to give you the freedom you want if all you want to do is play, like I do... 

Which is why I started Class 5 Carvings Custom Wood Signs, Benches & Gifts - What can we carve for you?... Doesn't pay nearly what I was making as an online marketing guru, but I have the flexibility to do anything I want... 

Oh also no kids, that helps too, keeps the bills low and the ability to chase snow or water or sun or my couch pretty stress free.


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## Dusto5 (Oct 20, 2013)

My vote is for physical therapist. You can get a gig in any town in any state, work inside or outside as you see fit. Make some killer money and possibly pioneer a program based on kayaking.


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## Caleb125 (Oct 25, 2012)

Thanks for all the help guys! What kind of kayaking is near OU and Seattle University? I know there is a lot of kayaking in the PNW but is it near either place?


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## mbrookins (Jan 27, 2012)

If you are talking about University of Oregon there is great kayaking nearby. the real question in Oregon is what type of kayaking do you want? Park and Play we are a little lacking we are not Colorado where there are play parks everywhere. However if you want to do river running or creeking then you will be in the correct spot. I have no clue about Seattle but from what I hear there is great paddling in that area as well


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## buckmanriver (Apr 2, 2008)

*2ed for Western State Colorado University*

They are affordable and have and incredibly active white water club!
During my time there we did november cat canyon trips during fall break and salt river and cat canyon trips during spring break. We also got a two few grand canyon trips in as well.

Good luck with the search.


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## spider (Jun 20, 2011)

Durango is a pretty cool town. And they have a bus system. Lots of good stuff close. Decent music scene last time I was there. Know a couple kids that went there and know a few grown kids that moved there. Skiing close, in town terrain park. Drop in from your dorm room. River runs through it.


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## 2kanzam (Aug 1, 2012)

If you consider going east as some have mentioned, think about considering WVU in Morgantown WV. Great school, insanely affordable and a fun town that often makes the "Top Party School" Lists. 

We have water year round, crazy amount of boating in the state but in Morgantown off the top of my head you have; Big Sandy, Little Sandy, Cheat River (and Cheatfest), The Yough, Deckers Creek, Three Forks Creek, Tygart Valley river and untold numbers of Class V steep creek runs...all within about 30 mins. 

To surmize you have water ranging from bigwater to creek runs and low intensity to Class V. North Branch of Potomac, Middle Fork River, Blackwater River (and tons of others) isn't too much farther. A few hour drive and you can be on the Famous New or Gauley Rivers and all the awesome tribs to them as well (Gauleyfest too). There's just too much boating to cover in one lifetime, let alone one post like this.

I often look back and wish I was more into boating than I was women and drinking while at college at WVU.


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## Rocky_ (Oct 11, 2013)

There's a kayak club at CU Boulder. You can get pool time every week and make good friends. Most everyone in it seems to be some kind of science major, physics, engineering, etc..


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## dangerdave (Feb 22, 2009)

*Bounce around a little*

Caleb: 

In the boating sunset of my WW career, I would direct you to finish the degree no matter what and then not start a working/committed career until you have done some things that pique your interest. Travel, play, take short-term jobs with high fun-factors because once the career gets going, things settle. 

It is extremely hard to predict the future job market.


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## dgoods (Jul 15, 2013)

I'd look strongly at Colorado Mountain College in Steamboat Springs, CO. Once you get your in-district tuition, it's dirt cheap. Take a couple years boating and skiing powder while you figure out what you want to do job/career wise. The Yampa has good play boating and there is the Elk, Fish Creek and Cross Mountain nearby. The ski area is lacking steeps, but there's good tree skiing and plenty of pow pow. Plus, the Zirkles off great backpacking in the summer- mountain biking all around too. 

*Going to a trade school to learn a trade is a good idea too- that's a job that should be around in the future while many others continue to get outsourced to other countries or eliminated completely...


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## g.soutiere (Jul 7, 2009)

If you are interested in medicine you should look at getting your R.N.plenty of jobs out there good pay lots of demand and good backcountry knowledge. In 4-6 years you can get your CCR and look being aflight nurse. you can find a job anywhere and be the man on all your trips in the back country. Just my 2¢. That's what is what I would do If I could do it over again. PS. I am a paramedic but not using it because the pay sucks.


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## taylor.jones522 (Jun 18, 2013)

I'd have to agree with what Glenn and some others said. There's no reason you need to go to college immediately and waste yours and/or your parent's money getting a degree you may find you dislike because you're not sure what you want to do. Take a little while and be a raft guide or ski bum and paddle and talk to people and figure out what you want to do. And if you do decide to go to school, North Carolina is a good choice for kayaking. Boone or Asheville or Brevard would allow you to paddle on some of the best whitewater year-round with some good boaters. You've got the Green, Watauga, a million more runs to choose from.


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## lhowemt (Apr 5, 2007)

If you are going to take time off and play, I recommend you do it before you go to college. It can be tougher to get a job in a competitive market if you have a gap in your relevant employment between college and your efforts at getting a job in the field. So go play, then hit it. Another bonus is that you are now young and likely have a fully functioning body. This will only degrade with time! Go live on Ramen and mac and cheese, have a blast and once you are sick of living like a dirtbag go back to school. You will probably want your last year of playtime to be in the state where you plan to go to school, so you can get residency. I think that makes an easier transition, if you have some roots in the area it can be a bit more of an "in" for jobs and internships. 

Travel around, see where you want to live, then go to school there and start a career. 

Trades are hugely undervalued, college degrees are getting to be such a ripoff and you can make a lot of money being an electrician....

I also urge you to not sacrifice your recreational activities for school, go somewhere you can play. Example - I got an engineering degree at MSU Bozeman. I skiied a ton my first three years (including a winter off) then did buckle down for my last two years. I didnt get to ski as much, but those first two years made up for it, plus I had a great network of non-school friends so the moment I wanted to go play I could find someone who was ready.


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## Anchorless (Aug 3, 2010)

I disagree on the landscape architecture degree suggestion. 

While that's an awesome profession, it many areas I've seen Larchs were hit extremely hard by the recession and are not likely to recover as quick. Most Larchs here in Boise don't do landscape architecture at all, but some type of planning or landscape design if they're lucky. A lot of the development companies farm out the landscape work to engineers. It is an extremely competitive field, at least here in Idaho. But that's likely the case for anywhere. 

As for other professions... you gotta figure out what you love. The people in Boise who seem to paddle the most have jobs in health care or IT.


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## MT4Runner (Apr 6, 2012)

ENDOMADNESS said:


> Ah to do it all over again...i would skip the paddling, goto an SEC school....and party.


Better listen to him, Flounder, he's in pre-med.




:lol:
It would be a colossal waste of money and a ton of fun!



lhowemt said:


> Trades are hugely undervalued, college degrees are getting to be such a ripoff and you can make a lot of money being an electrician....
> 
> I also urge you to not sacrifice your recreational activities for school, go somewhere you can play. Example - I got an engineering degree at MSU Bozeman. I skiied a ton my first three years (including a winter off) then did buckle down for my last two years. I didnt get to ski as much, but those first two years made up for it, plus I had a great network of non-school friends so the moment I wanted to go play I could find someone who was ready.


Except for boating. The Gallatin and Yellowstone are typically running about the week spring semester is over. :lol:


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## mcfarrel (Apr 1, 2006)

The University of Wyoming is REALLY CHEAP even for out of state people... Its close to some good boating/skiing (mostly in Colorado) and the best part is its REALLY CHEAP. I've heard that you can go to any university in Colorado in state and still pay more than out of state at UWyo. 

I graduated a couple years ago with an engineering degree and have a good job.

The best pieces of advice I can give you is to choose somewhere you can afford and get a degree in something you will find a job when graduated. (Student loans will come back to haunt you if you don't) Oh and did I mention UWyo is REALLY CHEAP.


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## LSB (Mar 23, 2004)

FWIW,,,Paul and LHowe have it right
The way I did it was to have my retirement before my career. I majored in photography in the deep south at a small school that you never heard of but it was a party school with a ratio of 3:1 women to men. Then moved to Colorado where I skied and kayaked for a living for 10 years (retirement). Then at 35 I grew up and got a real job, a wife and a mortgage (career). I'm really glad I did it that way because there is no way I am physically able to do the things I was doing then. By that I mean hucking cliffs and waterfalls the morning after closing the bars.


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## elkhaven (Sep 11, 2013)

LSB said:


> FWIW,,,Paul and LHowe have it right
> The way I did it was to have my retirement before my career. I majored in photography in the deep south at a small school that you never heard of but it was a party school with a ratio of 3:1 women to men. Then moved to Colorado where I skied and kayaked for a living for 10 years (retirement). Then at 35 I grew up and got a real job, a wife and a mortgage (career). I'm really glad I did it that way because there is no way I am physically able to do the things I was doing then. By that I mean hucking cliffs and waterfalls the morning after closing the bars.


 
This was also my inadvertant route... There is something to be said for it for sure! I will second (or third, fourth or fifth) the concept of watch out for student loans, don't get caught up in them. Go to a school you can afford and when you go, work hard and get it done and keep your debt to a minimum!!. 

Dean Wermer had it right: Fat, drunk and stupid is no way to go through life! - But it's fun for a while :razz:


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## catwoman (Jun 22, 2009)

I went to school at Fort Lewis College, where I rafted, mtn biked, skied and climbed with my professors. I worked as a raft guide in the summer and a ski instructor in the winter while in school. Good student jobs as they need you most when class is out. Study a science or engineering, then *get paid to go to grad school* to perfect your craft. I went to University of Wyoming. GREAT climbing there, rivers and skiing are bit of travel, but not too bad. As I rapidly approach 40, I have a career with above average pay, 36 days off a year (not counting weekends), and the time and financial flexibility to go down the Grand Canyon next month. But, to each their own.


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## flyfishing (Feb 18, 2014)

*There is more in life...*



Caleb125 said:


> I'm currently a high school student who's gotten hooked on kayaking. I love the outdoors, mountains, and the rivers. I'm looking at colleges right now and deciding what I'm gonna do for the rest of my life.
> 
> What I'm asking I guess is where are some options for college that are not too metro and have a variety of kayaking spots nearby.
> 
> ...


There is more in life than money. If you love kayaking and outdoor recreation in general, I say get a job in the corporate/ manufacturing end of kayaking. Go to school get a marketing/ business or engineering degree, then work in the industry you love. There are many small to medium sized companies out there in the white water industry. Contact them and ask what qualifications they look for in their "professional and management" level jobs. This could steer you in the right direction when going to school. 
It is better, to have a job doing what you love apposed to having a job so you can do what you love. You will be happier in life if you enjoy going to work. 
Good luck!


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## yourrealdad (May 25, 2004)

Wow no one mentioned teaching or nursing? Hands down the best jobs if you want quality time to play. Go the nursing route if you actually want to have any money. That being said I have almost all the toys I need (still working on a raft). I work 4 days a week, get over 30 days snowboarding, unlimited days in the summer to do whatever. Have a house, a wife, and no kids that I know of. Plus serving my community. Screw Charlie Sheen, I'm winning. 

You should play for a year or two. Go wherever sounds fun and not listen to anyone on the buzz. Especially P the K.

Oh ands you can get a job wherever including outside the u.s.


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## Caleb125 (Oct 25, 2012)

What are your thoughts on physical therapy?


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## LSB (Mar 23, 2004)

yourrealdad said:


> Wow no one mentioned teaching or nursing? Hands down the best jobs if you want quality time to play.


Teaching is a good gig but you have to be driven to do it. 
It's mentally exhausting, pay is medium low, benefits are so/so, the kids are unappreciative and the bureaucracy is a PITA. 
I made the same my last year at Purg as I did at my first year at DHS. ($24K in 1996)
Best to get endorsed in a high need subject area like Math, Science or Special Ed. Avoid PE, Social Studies and Art. Those jobs are rare and competitive when they do open up.


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## catwoman (Jun 22, 2009)

Caleb,
Physical therapy pays pretty well, but it isn't very flexible. My physical therapist was saying the other day how hard it is to take off long periods of time because clients book at least a couple months out. Plus, the clients really need you to be there physically - you can't email/call it in.


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