Best Jobs for Climbers

Software's doing great for me. I work one day a week from wherever I am (with my truck) and climb the other six. Someday this bubble will burst (right?) but for now I'm enjoying being overcompensated and living cheaply

• glassblower/artist* My job for the last 15 years allows me to work when I want/ need money. And I get to SMOKE WEED EVERYDAY haha! I support my kids and boyfriend on making bongs and other glass items.

I love my job! The only job that seems sweeter is to work on the mountain as a guide or photographer .. But I dislike computers and being responsible for others

WinstonVoigt wrote:SRB: I'm in TN at the moment, in my last semester of a 16 month accelerated BSN

I'm in my second semester of a similar program. What I can tell you for sure is that being a nursing student is not conducive for being a climber.

Here are some things that have helped me:

1) Move to a place with great access. In SLC, Im less than 30 mins from any trail head to climb, hike, ski, etc. I get over 100 outings a year.

2) Sacrifice. If you really want to climb a 9-5 shouldn't stop you. I have learned to rescue my time in the mornings. Side note: when I was a guide and had 8 days on / 6 days off I found myself less inclined to go outside. I just got burnt out working in the industry.

3) I have goals outside of climbing. If my goal was to climb 2 days on 1 day off for the rest of my life I would have to make different choices. Having a family to me is important and hasn't taken away from what I want out of climbing.

4) This is a big one. Being financially responsible is really important to me. Im a big believe in being debt free, building a six month emergency fund, working to pay off the house quick. I haven't bought a house (although we certainly get into one) but my wife and I have a plan to pay one off in 8 years. We each bring home a very modest salary working in municipal recreation. Trust me we don't bring a ton home BUT we live FAR below our means and live a dirt bag lifestyle. We stayed away from car payments, credit cards, our apartment doesn't have much in it. Im only 28, wasn't given some trust fund and we worked really hard to get to where we at. As I start looking ahead in my 30s I can see a lot of options opening up that I would never take if I was neck deep in debt. I can take chances on careers or start my own business.

5) Lots of good suggestions for work but I would say do what makes you happiest, that brings value to the market, and helps people (doesn't have to be life or death, can be selling a product that brings joy to someone).

Bill Czajkowski wrote:Doctor, lawyer, other high paying job with much discretion in work hours.

Most doctors or lawyers don't have alot of work discretion. All of the doctors I know, when they're working, they're working alot. Long hours, on call, etc. Lawyers, unless you have a pretty cush govt. job, also have pretty rough schedules. Lots of billing hours, lots of deadlines, lots of time demands. Even if you own your own shop, like I do, there is very little flexibility with your time. I may be able to get out early on a random afternoon for a mt. bike ride, or occasionally take a Monday or Friday off, but it's really few and far between, and I'll have to make up that time later. It's not like a nurse or a firefighter who works a 4/40. They're, when you're off, you're off.

Working from home... via consulting in whatever field...... The magic word is "remote"... You can live in the most out of the way place, which would be an impossible place to make a living otherwise... but there's tons of climbing..... All you need is an internet connection.

aka Estes Park, North Conway, Yosemite, etc etc

High altitude farts: no joke, student life sucks. Being in middle TN I thought the close climbing prospects were pretty grim, but I've gotten out a decent amount at the RRG and near Chattanooga and now the weather is spot-on! When you hit your 4th semester it slows down a little. I front-loaded my schedule and have knocked out my senior practicum and Adult II clinicals already, so I've got 4 day weekends and perfect weather heading into graduation as well as job prospects in Utah and Colorado. Good luck, hang in there.

Bill Czajkowski wrote: Doctor, lawyer, other high paying job with much discretion in work hours.

Exclude biglaw lawyers from this list, as I can personally attest that this will kill your climbing life.

Winston, my wife and I are in the same accelerated program so it sort of keeps us sane.

We managed a pretty big trip into the Winds and Tensleep over a break and we'll be doing non-climbing stuff in Guatemala over the holidays. So things could be worse. We have solid offers of employment in the area, we just need to finish school first.

I climb once a month or so, I'm a much worse climber now. Honestly I'm pretty psyched to play frisbee on a day that doesn't have 2 tests. It's cool though, where I'm attending is pretty much surrounded by rock and has none of the crowds of the front range. I'm looking forward to spending a year or two in the area bolting routes after I graduate.

The way I look at it is this is a 16 month relapse in strength and fun that will set us up to live life how we'd like to. Staging a comeback won't be difficult.

How about pro climber?

Teaching college part-time. No money to speak of, but working eight months out of the year, and 2 days per week when working, and home by noon on the days I do work. Add to it living close to plenty of good climbing rock (the Organ Mountains), with no family or other obligations, and in a college town (Las Cruces)which provides partners and potential partners in some numbers.

I was a guide for many years. I loved guiding for any activity other than climbing. I despised the low pay and unpredictable schedules.

Now, I'm a rope access technician. I do all sorts of "climbing" work whether it's rigging for rock shows, teaching fall protection, inspecting bridges, dams, building maintenance, building stages, it goes all over. The pay is about $30 an hour after establishing yourself. I don't climb much during the heavy work season but love the slow season and how much adventure I can get in.

The best part is that after climbing steel all summer you head into the fall super strong!

Funny. No manufacturing engineers. I guess I should have thought some things out better when I was young. At least I live close to the type of climbing I enjoy.

Roofing.
Heights and labor in all types of weather.

Just make a killer deal with your boss to work 21 days, climb at night during said 21 days. Then take 7 days off to do rad things on rocks.

Fireman. 20 days off a month and flexible schedule.

Tony Luchetta wrote:Roofing. Heights and labor in all types of weather. Just make a killer deal with your boss to work 21 days, climb at night during said 21 days. Then take 7 days off to do rad things on rocks.

Was that sarcasm? That sounds awful. The only thing I can think that would be worse would be stuck working on a wind turbine in Kansas for three months or an oil rig in the middle of the ocean.

I know one rope access guy who has a job that allows climbing and life. He's the trainer at a major RA company.

The rest of the industry gets you off the ground but you never climb. I did it for 6 months. I'd never do it again.

Maybe it should be added that doing a job you love and find fulfilling is worthwhile too. Then perhaps doing that job in a location that allows you to do the other thing you love as much as possible is the next important thing.

I teach high school and I love it. I work my ass off, I go to their games and their plays and some weeks don't climb at all. But last week I climbed outside three times and then took a weekend trip. If I pinch pennies and stretch nickels I can travel in the summers.

At smaller schools, it's assumed that because I am a young male I must be qualified to coach any and every sport but mentors have taught me to fight for "sabbath." Which is probably true for most things. I don't climb as "hard" as I did in grad school but I'm having so much more fun. That's my two cents.

A family might complicate things...

ER/Urgent Care physician.

You can afford the climbs you've wanted to do, and you have the time to train.

Long road, but the flexibility is great.

School bus driver.

In response to TBlom, I completely agree with serving/bartending. You can work 3-4 days a week and pay off bills. Plus, you get the middle of the week off easily and get to climb when there are less crowds at the popular crags! Not to mention, carrying heavy plates makes your hands stronger.