Summer of 2016 was my first summer working up in Alaska. I went up alone and had little idea what to expect (in terms of people and recreational activities, the job description is clearly laid out and straightforward). I have to say my expectations were blown out of the water! The people are some of the friendliest people i have ever had the pleasure of working with/ living with. In fact our group in 2016 quickly came to feel like a family with everyone including one another and being very respectful. The job itself is a great way to way to meet people from all over the world and learn a little bit more about the world in a whole.
Being an employee in the Canyon you as entitled to many comped tours in the area; rafting, atv rides, jeep excursions, flight/helicopter tours, meaning instead of paying the full price of the tour you simply pay a generous tip to the guides on said tour (an amazing opportunity on its own!)
The area is very remote although being a tourist hub there are plenty of places to find people, so whether you want to be completely submerged in the rugged Alaskan wilderness there are options for you!
The housing is without a doubt the cheapest and nicest option in the area. At only 4$ a day for your housing, showerhouses, kitchen, electricity and wifi it comes out a little shy of 130$ a month which is next to nothing! There is a main house with a kitchen, living area, bathrooms and a couple of bedrooms. This is typically where people would congregate and hangout after work or whilst planning some day off adventure. To put it shortly, there is always something going on or people hanging out if you're looking for something to do.
If you're an outdoorsy type who enjoys hiking, camping, exploring in general, then this is without a doubt the job for you. With Denali National Park within walking distance of where you work there is some of the most breathtaking scenery and wildlife i have personally ever been blessed enough to witness. Besides time in the park you are living in an area surrounded by dense extremely green forests, rivers, lakes and of course no shortage of rocky mountain peaks.
10/10 would highly recommend to anyone seeking change or some adventure in their lives!
I spent the last two summers up in Alaska working for Denali Gift Companies, and I can say without a doubt that my time spent up there generated some of the most meaningful and exciting memories of my life thus far. I will not even pretend that I can fully explain how wonderful this place is in a single review; I shall only list some of my favorite parts of the summertime in south central, AK.
Most importantly, it is unlikely that you will ever be able to observe nature and its many changes the way you will be able to here. When you arrive you watch the daylight lengthen until it reaches its apex on the summer solstice, a day that shares the joy of other major holidays, and then you see the light fade very quickly, giving way to the Northern lights in early September. Also, the wildflowers and berries are abundant throughout most of the season, and I highly suggest bringing a book that helps identify local flora and fauna.
The area is packed with lakes, rivers, mountains, and beautiful tundra, so basically any outdoor activity you would hope to find can be found here. Employees get great deals on pretty much everything: flights over Denali, rafting trips, zip-lining, etc. There is never a good reason to be bored here, one only has to lace up there boots and start walking in any direction to find something breathtaking.
At the root of all my adventures in Denali, is Denali gift Companies. Owner Kevin Helwig makes this journey possible for around 15-20 people every summer. You will have steady work throughout the summer – usually everyone is on the clock for 35 hours a week. The scheduling is very flexible, so if you need time off for a planned activity, never be afraid to approach the manager, Garret, because he can usually figure something out. It is important to remember, however, that the job is what brought you up to Alaska. Be prepared to stay focused during your workday and stay energetic because when visitors roll-in to the gift shop, a lot of maintenance is required to keep the store clean. If you show up for work and do your all to stay busy, the summer will be easy; if you mess around and do nothing all day at work, don’t expect to have a job for very long.
The employee housing is by far the best you find in Denali. It is also the cheapest. At $4 dollars a day, you are looking at about $125 in rent each month; that’s pretty tough to beat. The cabins are situated in the middle of Healy, AK, and are really cool. They have electricity and a space heater, which heats the little buildings like a champ, so don’t worry about being cold. Employees share the bathrooms, of which there are three. Hot water is no problem, and the drinking water, sourced from a nearby well, is likely to be the best you’ve ever had. The main house has a full kitchen with two stoves and oven. There is wifi throughout the property, and the rec-room has a big screen television to stream Netflix or watch one of the hundreds of dvds at camp. Kevin provides most household needs for you: dishes of all sorts, laundry detergent and dryer sheets for the on-site machines, paper goods. The only things you really need to buy on the bi-weekly Fairbanks trips are food and personal care goods. This can really help you maximize your savings. The biggest temptations to spend all your money are the amazing Rose’s Café and 49th Street Brewery, both of which are walking distance from the cabins. I would advise you to give into these temptations generously, but best keep an eye on your funds as well.
If you are thinking of travelling up to Denali for the summer, consider a Position with Denali Gift Companies. The connection you will make with other employees and the people of the area are valuable beyond measure. Many of the people I met here will be lifetime friends, and many of the experiences I had will be impossible to forget. I wish the best of luck to everyone on all of their future adventures!
I spent the last two summers up in Alaska working for Denali Gift Companies, and I can say without a doubt that my time spent up there generated some of the most meaningful and exciting memories of my life thus far. I will not even pretend that I can fully explain how wonderful this place is in a single review; I shall only list some of my favorite parts of the summertime in south central, AK.
Most importantly, it is unlikely that you will ever be able to observe nature and its many changes the way you will be able to here. When you arrive you watch the daylight lengthen until it reaches its apex on the summer solstice, a day that shares the joy of other major holidays, and then you see the light fade very quickly, giving way to the Northern lights in early September. Also, the wildflowers and berries are abundant throughout most of the season, and I highly suggest bringing a book that helps identify local flora and fauna.
The area is packed with lakes, rivers, mountains, and beautiful tundra, so basically any outdoor activity you would hope to find can be found here. Employees get great deals on pretty much everything: flights over Denali, rafting trips, zip-lining, etc. There is never a good reason to be bored here, one only has to lace up there boots and start walking in any direction to find something breathtaking.
At the root of all my adventures in Denali, is Denali gift Companies. Owner Kevin Helwig makes this journey possible for around 15-20 people every summer. You will have steady work throughout the summer – usually everyone is on the clock for 35 hours a week. The scheduling is very flexible, so if you need time off for a planned activity, never be afraid to approach the manager, Garret, because he can usually figure something out. It is important to remember, however, that the job is what brought you up to Alaska. Be prepared to stay focused during your workday and stay energetic because when visitors roll-in to the gift shop, a lot of maintenance is required to keep the store clean. If you show up for work and do your all to stay busy, the summer will be easy; if you mess around and do nothing all day at work, don’t expect to have a job for very long.
The employee housing is by far the best you find in Denali. It is also the cheapest. At $4 dollars a day, you are looking at about $125 in rent each month; that’s pretty tough to beat. The cabins are situated in the middle of Healy, AK, and are really cool. They have electricity and a space heater, which heats the little buildings like a champ, so don’t worry about being cold. Employees share the bathrooms, of which there are three. Hot water is no problem, and the drinking water, sourced from a nearby well, is likely to be the best you’ve ever had. The main house has a full kitchen with two stoves and oven. There is wifi throughout the property, and the rec-room has a big screen television to stream Netflix or watch one of the hundreds of dvds at camp. Kevin provides most household needs for you: dishes of all sorts, laundry detergent and dryer sheets for the on-site machines, paper goods. The only things you really need to buy on the bi-weekly Fairbanks trips are food and personal care goods. This can really help you maximize your savings. The biggest temptations to spend all your money are the amazing Rose’s Café and 49th Street Brewery, both of which are walking distance from the cabins. I would advise you to give into these temptations generously, but best keep an eye on your funds as well.
If you are thinking of travelling up to Denali for the summer, consider a Position with Denali Gift Companies. The connection you will make with other employees and the people of the area are valuable beyond measure. Many of the people I met here will be lifetime friends, and many of the experiences I had will be impossible to forget. I wish the best of luck to everyone on all of their future adventures!
I spent this past summer working for this company in Denali. It was not at all what I expected, however; that is not to say that I did not enjoy it. It ended up being the best summer I've ever had. Given that there were little to no qualifications required for this job, it seems as though anyone from anywhere can apply. Given these circumstances, I understand the owner’s cautious attitudes towards employees. I’ve read through some of the reviews and comments towards these individuals and to me it seems as though the authors of these posts fail to understand that respect is a two-way street. All kinds of people can come and work for this company (which is part of the beauty of it); however I have heard that they have had problems with employee theft and wrongdoings in the past. Therefore, it is understandable that they have security cameras, rules, restrictions, etc. In my experience, I overcame this cautious attitude that they have towards employees by being respectful and being a diligent worker. The situation will be what you make of it; if you put forth effort, make it to the shuttle on time, respect your fellow employees, respect your managers, respect the owners, then you should have no problem and will be able to focus on enjoying the beautiful Denali area and all that it has to offer.
These logistics aside, it was a wonderful experience. The employee housing was minimalistic, yes, but I have no complaints. I enjoyed my simple cabin and the simple walls (that I was allowed to paint, shout out to the 2016 Shanty crew who helped). The kitchen was often busy and was a fun place to socialize, eat, and drink. Sometimes meal preparation was difficult to manage due to the fact that the kitchen is shared, however it is an easy obstacle to overcome with some patience and communication skills. Overall I was satisfied with the housing, especially in light of the small price I had to pay to stay there.
My coworkers ended up being an odd handful of people coming from all walks of life. It was such a privilege getting to know these people and their various backgrounds, whether or not I could relate to them. I made many cherished friendships that are now scattered across the world, all of whom I would love to meet again someday and some of whom I am meeting up with again in just a few weeks. To be honest, leaving was much more difficult than I would have imagined and I was intermittently sobbing on the train ride back to Anchorage (shout out to my fellow passengers for being awkward about it). Needless to say, I felt as though I had just found family and too soon I had to leave them behind.
Overall, I recommend this gig for anyone with a sense of adventure, an appreciation for nature, a desire to meet new people, and a willingness to breach your comfort zone. For me, it was an exuberant experience (although sometimes boisterous) and soon I hope to return in response to the allure of the tundra.
After reading all these poorly written negative reviews about working for DGC I wanted to share my positive experience and give some feedback to the things I read in these awful reviews.
First off, Kevin Helwig is a nice man. He was nothing but polite and kind to me every day. I have dreadlocks, sleeve tattoos and piercing and he consistently offered my over-time, extra work, and asked for my opinion on how to change things in the stores often. As long as you are a good worker who doesn't show up to work completely wasted, or get wasted AT WORK, or smelling of alcohol from the night before, he is nothing but kind and honestly leaves you alone. I was trusted to work on my own every day most of the summer and never heard one complaint, because I did my job. And is a reason why I've been invited back whenever I want. Same goes for his wife Linda, if she sees you on a phone, stealing fudge, and generally NOT working, she'll get on you, like any competent boss would.
Second I would like to say that Garret Baker, the general manager of DGC is amazing. He is by far one of the best managers I've ever worked for and would work for him again in a heart beat if he asked for anything. He is a no-drama, laid back, and reliable manager that wants his employees to enjoy their job AND enjoy their summer in Denali and take advantage of all the things it has to offer. Just don't be a fool.
Shanty town (the employee housing for DGC) is not only the most affordable housing IN THE ENTIRE town and area of Denali. It's nice, especially once you see what other people live in, pay for housing and meals etcs., around the town. Almost everybody got their own cabin by the end of the summer. The space heaters keep the rooms quite warm to where I barely used mine. The only downfall of the housing in my opinion is if you get stuck living and working with messy sloppy people.
That is the only reason animals and mice come into the main house kitchen is because people do not clean up after themselves and do not know how to be a responsible, clean and organized adult. The plus side of Shanty is that it is a smaller community so you do get to genuinely get to know everybody you're living with on a different level than other seasonal jobs.
Jeff the caretaker of the property is one of my really good friends and is a great guy who works hard to make all the employees happy throughout the summer.
As far as people say that the Gift Shops are a scam, they have obviously never worked in retail or they've been too stupid when doing their own shopping to realize that we're all being ripped off and tricked daily when it comes to living in a capitalistic society.
My guess is to say that all of these negative opinions about working for DGC have come from disgruntled workers who were fired for probably drinking on the job, not showing up to work because they drank too much at the 49er the previous night, and so on.
These previous comments are wrong. They must have come from a lazy employee who probably expected everything to be as clean as an apple store. This is a 30 year old property in Alaska. You have to work to make things clean. There is no maid or parents to take care of you.
The owner and manager pay well for hard work. When they see someone slacking off of course they're going to keep an eye on that employee. If any of these 1 star comments came from someone who understands business they would know that lazy workers are a massive drain on payroll.
I admit the old 50% sale was misleading, that's why it has changed to a 30% straight forward sale. Also it seems that the ones who like the company are the ones who stayed to the end and received the bonus.
I have enjoyed my seasons working here and don't really think this deserves to be on a scam website.
I am positively laughing at these other reviews, because I know exactly who posted them. Begrudging former employee's who were both lazy and socially inept. Let me be real with you, some kids come up to Alaska, their first time leaving mommy and daddies house, never having held down a real job before, and below is the result. I worked for and lived at the Denali Gift Company housing for 3 summers, and they were some of the best of my life. Firstly, yes, this is a BUSINESS, so yes, you are expected to work when scheduled - That gets translates by the CHILDREN who come up into *Waaaaa I can't sit on my phone or talk all day while everyone else works, discrimination* I'm sure we've all worked with a few like this. No the owner does not discriminate against you based on looks, he ain't much of a looker himself, he's an old man with a grumpy exterior but a heart of gold (we all know one) who offers one of the best experiences to young people that I have come across, if you don't treat the opportunity he gives you like a summer vacation or his businesses like a spa where you can relax all day and collect a check, he will go out of his way to do right by you and give you any opportunities he can. Unfortunately Kevin and Linda have to deal with a lot of screwups that get really vindictive when they get fired for something well deserved (one of the kids below stole food and items from the store to get fired, and would eat the candy we sell on the clock on camera without paying for it for example) so they have learned to kind of be reserved and careful. There are three Gift Shops, run by Garret the GM, and Martin and Em, the managers, that are extremely well set up for a retail environment in this isolated of a place, the first (Canyon) is very large, a few thousand sq feet of every T-Shirt, hoodie, trinket, etc that you could imagine that relates to Alaska, the next two are much smaller, a few hundred sq feet, all located on business strip at the park entrance nicknamed *Glitter Gulch*, situated at the base of Mt.Healy and a beautiful canyon and river, it's one of the most majestic places you'll ever travel in your life. The early season is really busy as the full season's merchandise comes in by truck delivery and the whole team helps to set it up in the warehouse, then everything calms down into the day to day retail environment where you're just cleaning up and putting out items etc. You get to meet and interact with people from all over the country and earth which is pretty cool, and the majority of the employee's who get hired will end up being your friends for life (there are normally only one or two bad apples in the bunch each year out of 20-25 people). The housing area, especially since Jeff the new camp manager and maintenance man took over, is AWESOME, we call it "Shanty Town" because of the cabins all situated together in a rustic little town set up, you'll get your own cabin to share with a roommate, they are situated in the forest of the Alaskan wilderness about 10 min from where you work. Firstly there is a trash truck, a large orange open roof trailer with ten foot high walls and doors and a garage overhanging it that acts as the dumpster for the town which Jeff dumps whenever it is half full, so any nonsense about trash blowing around town is pure fantasy, its better than many of the trash pickups I've had at many of my apartment buildings. Next the main house where everyone cooks and socializes is well kept and a cleaning rotation of everyone in camp happens regularly and is watched by Jeff, so it is never dirty or trashed more than a day before Jeff takes care of it. As to the "mouse droppings" we didn't have any issues the first two years I was there, and then the third year, this same kid who steals and eats candy, leaves unwrapped food out in the house no matter how many times he was asked, and dirty dishes out, so we did get two mice, Jeff set up traps and had them gone within the week, we live in the forest in Alaska so idk what this kid expected. The town will give you some of the best memories of your life as you drink and hangout and adventure in the park and surrounding areas with some of the best friends you will ever meet. The Park itself is indescribable, vast untouched beauty and mountains and lakes and rivers filled with Caribou and Moose and Bears with endless hiking and beauty for you to see and experience, it touched my soul in ways I will carry with me till I die. Then there are numerous local festivals like "Augtober Fest" that take place throughout the season that are an absolute blast. The local brewery for late night adventures with friends is where they hold all the festivals, and Rose's Cafe is the BEST BREAKFAST YOU WILL EVER EAT, especially after a night out. All in all, between the people, and the area you get to explore for a season, this will be one of the best experiences of your life!
Do not work for these gift shops! The work environment is awful. Kevin Helwig, the owner, will watch you on the security cameras and call to yell at you any time to do anything he considers unacceptable. Those unacceptable behaviors include but not limited to stopping to take a breather, smile or chat with a coworker for minute, not staying busy with tshirt folding even if there's a line of customers, etc. You also will not get 40 hrs a week. He might schedule you for 40 hours but gets mad if you do not take a 30 minute unpaid lunch each day. Also if he considers you to be unattractive you will probably get fired or moved to work somewhere where he can't see you and he will make fun of your appearance. Doesn't matter if your male or female. It's digesting. The housing is horrendous. It's the cheapest in the area for a reason. Mouse droppings are everywhere in the shared kitchen, the bathrooms are gross and that's even during the preseason before any employees have a chance to muck it up and there's always a problem with trash. The only good thing working there are the friendships you make but you can do that working for someone else in that area. Do yourself a favor and avoid this place.
I worked for DGC this past summer and find this review to be competently untrue. I worked for Kevin Helwig and he was nothing but kind and quite during the entire summer. This is probably coming from one of the employees who found it okay to drink on site at work, steal fudge and other goods from the store, and got caught standing around when there were no customers and many shirts to fold. This is the easiest job in the world and the only people who have a hard time maintaining it are those who drink too much, are genuinely lazy, or complete morons.
This person probably got fired for those reasons and is why they are leaving this review. It 'disgesting'
As for the housing, it is the cheapest, nicest housing, in all of seasonal worker accommodations in Healy. Not only do you have the ability to cook your own food (which is hard to find in any seasonal working community) but most people have their own cabins by the end of the summer. The only reason the kitchen and eating areas get dirty and remain that way is because of the lazy, usually heavy drinking, slobs leave behind.
First I want to state that I'm submitting this anonymously because the owners, Kevin and Linda, can be vindictive. I've seen them attack and go after employees simply based off of what they've seen on their security cameras (usually the employee is just sitting or sending a text). When I say attack, I mean they do so behind the scenes by first defaming character followed by firing. I'm also just sending this report now because I happened upon their website while searching for another summer job. I have worked multiple summer jobs in multiple states and this, by far, was the worst experience I've had. Now I did make a lot of great friends, Alaska is a beautiful place, and I am grateful I went but I wish I had worked for another company. To address a few things mentioned in kevins rebuttal and the previous report: The employee housing is nasty! We were told the previous years employees cleaned at the end of the season but it doesn't look like it. Trash is everywhere. Not only that but no one would even touch the bathroom til it had been soaked in bleach. And the worst part is the mice droppings. They are everywhere! And that problem doesn't go away. The mice infiltrate the kitchen all summer long. When there's 20-30 people cooking in one tiny kitchen I understand there will be a problem with dishes and trash but the mice are just nasty. The individual cabins aren't much better. Two or more people are housed in each and it gets cramped. Especially after we are expected to keep all our food, clothes, dishes, hiking gear, etc, inside the cabin. The cabins are heated but with a space heater, some only have lights through lamps, and some have to keep their fridges outside because either there's no room inside or the fridge would not fit through the door. On the same property a giant orange dump trailer is kept for us to toss our trash in which is fine until the wind blows or the Ravens find it. Then trash gets EVERYWHERE! I've been stopped by neighbors who, some not so nicely, asked us to clean up the trash that has blown down the road. Apparently that has been a problem for years. The last thing I want to say about the housing is that it's loud! The night shift gets home around 11, and usually wakes the morning shift employees. They aren't trying to by any means but with how the cabins are set up its inevitable. Same with the morning shift, they usually wake the night shift just by getting up and getting ready for work. Now onto the work situation. You are told you WILL get 40 hrs but not every week. I've overheard Kevin stressing out over payroll multiple times so most of the time you won't get 40 hrs. You might be scheduled for it but he'll either make you take a lunch break (unpaid) or he'll send you home early. Also he'll change the schedule at a drop of a dime. I've gone to bed thinking I had the next day off only to get a phone call the next morning asking where I was because the schedule was changed the night before! Or I'll be working where I thought I was scheduled to work (one of his 3 stores) only to get reprimanded by Kevin or his wife Linda (who is never never nice) again because of a last minute schedule change. I will say however that I've always gotten paid on time, Kevin is correct in his rebuttal with that but only that! Also I know for a fact because I've seen it, that when Kevin isn't in the store he is in his house staring at his computer watching, obsessing over the security cameras. If he sees someone sit down for a second, stand idly for a minute, be in the bathroom too long, etc, he will call the store and rudely demand why that employee isn't working. He expects to pay us minimally yet we must work like slaves. I'm not exaggerating. And it's all on his or Linda's terms. Once when it was cold the employees carrying in 50 plus pound boxes of merchandise had to open the back door each time to come in because Kevin was standing at the computer close by and he was cold. Also watch out if you are overweight or slightly unattractive. He will want you working more behind the scenes and/or he will look for a reason to fire you. This goes for men as well. ive heard him make comments about overweight employees and their ability to move quickly enough or fit into the shuttle van (which is disgusting too.., we had to pile the days trash in the back everyday and a lot of the time it leaked and smelled!) Lastly, the 50% off sale is a scam. This didn't affect the employees so much other than dealing with mad customers but since it was mentioned i will expound upon it. Yes there are signs posted everywhere but what he doesn't tell you is he has some employees change the prices on the products before the sale. For example, if a book is priced all season at 5.99, he'll change that price to 10.99 days before the sale. There are many other violations but I just don't have the time to elaborate. I think I've made my point. Don't work for this company! You can make more money and be better respected somewhere else in the area.
Denali Gift Companies, Inc. Reviews
Great Place to Work, Even Greater Adventure!
Summer of 2016 was my first summer working up in Alaska. I went up alone and had little idea what to expect (in terms of people and recreational activities, the job description is clearly laid out and straightforward). I have to say my expectations were blown out of the water! The people are some of the friendliest people i have ever had the pleasure of working with/ living with. In fact our group in 2016 quickly came to feel like a family with everyone including one another and being very respectful. The job itself is a great way to way to meet people from all over the world and learn a little bit more about the world in a whole.
Being an employee in the Canyon you as entitled to many comped tours in the area; rafting, atv rides, jeep excursions, flight/helicopter tours, meaning instead of paying the full price of the tour you simply pay a generous tip to the guides on said tour (an amazing opportunity on its own!)
The area is very remote although being a tourist hub there are plenty of places to find people, so whether you want to be completely submerged in the rugged Alaskan wilderness there are options for you!
The housing is without a doubt the cheapest and nicest option in the area. At only 4$ a day for your housing, showerhouses, kitchen, electricity and wifi it comes out a little shy of 130$ a month which is next to nothing! There is a main house with a kitchen, living area, bathrooms and a couple of bedrooms. This is typically where people would congregate and hangout after work or whilst planning some day off adventure. To put it shortly, there is always something going on or people hanging out if you're looking for something to do.
If you're an outdoorsy type who enjoys hiking, camping, exploring in general, then this is without a doubt the job for you. With Denali National Park within walking distance of where you work there is some of the most breathtaking scenery and wildlife i have personally ever been blessed enough to witness. Besides time in the park you are living in an area surrounded by dense extremely green forests, rivers, lakes and of course no shortage of rocky mountain peaks.
10/10 would highly recommend to anyone seeking change or some adventure in their lives!
A great place to spend the Summer!
I spent the last two summers up in Alaska working for Denali Gift Companies, and I can say without a doubt that my time spent up there generated some of the most meaningful and exciting memories of my life thus far. I will not even pretend that I can fully explain how wonderful this place is in a single review; I shall only list some of my favorite parts of the summertime in south central, AK.
Most importantly, it is unlikely that you will ever be able to observe nature and its many changes the way you will be able to here. When you arrive you watch the daylight lengthen until it reaches its apex on the summer solstice, a day that shares the joy of other major holidays, and then you see the light fade very quickly, giving way to the Northern lights in early September. Also, the wildflowers and berries are abundant throughout most of the season, and I highly suggest bringing a book that helps identify local flora and fauna.
The area is packed with lakes, rivers, mountains, and beautiful tundra, so basically any outdoor activity you would hope to find can be found here. Employees get great deals on pretty much everything: flights over Denali, rafting trips, zip-lining, etc. There is never a good reason to be bored here, one only has to lace up there boots and start walking in any direction to find something breathtaking.
At the root of all my adventures in Denali, is Denali gift Companies. Owner Kevin Helwig makes this journey possible for around 15-20 people every summer. You will have steady work throughout the summer – usually everyone is on the clock for 35 hours a week. The scheduling is very flexible, so if you need time off for a planned activity, never be afraid to approach the manager, Garret, because he can usually figure something out. It is important to remember, however, that the job is what brought you up to Alaska. Be prepared to stay focused during your workday and stay energetic because when visitors roll-in to the gift shop, a lot of maintenance is required to keep the store clean. If you show up for work and do your all to stay busy, the summer will be easy; if you mess around and do nothing all day at work, don’t expect to have a job for very long.
The employee housing is by far the best you find in Denali. It is also the cheapest. At $4 dollars a day, you are looking at about $125 in rent each month; that’s pretty tough to beat. The cabins are situated in the middle of Healy, AK, and are really cool. They have electricity and a space heater, which heats the little buildings like a champ, so don’t worry about being cold. Employees share the bathrooms, of which there are three. Hot water is no problem, and the drinking water, sourced from a nearby well, is likely to be the best you’ve ever had. The main house has a full kitchen with two stoves and oven. There is wifi throughout the property, and the rec-room has a big screen television to stream Netflix or watch one of the hundreds of dvds at camp. Kevin provides most household needs for you: dishes of all sorts, laundry detergent and dryer sheets for the on-site machines, paper goods. The only things you really need to buy on the bi-weekly Fairbanks trips are food and personal care goods. This can really help you maximize your savings. The biggest temptations to spend all your money are the amazing Rose’s Café and 49th Street Brewery, both of which are walking distance from the cabins. I would advise you to give into these temptations generously, but best keep an eye on your funds as well.
If you are thinking of travelling up to Denali for the summer, consider a Position with Denali Gift Companies. The connection you will make with other employees and the people of the area are valuable beyond measure. Many of the people I met here will be lifetime friends, and many of the experiences I had will be impossible to forget. I wish the best of luck to everyone on all of their future adventures!
A Great Place to Spend the Summer!
I spent the last two summers up in Alaska working for Denali Gift Companies, and I can say without a doubt that my time spent up there generated some of the most meaningful and exciting memories of my life thus far. I will not even pretend that I can fully explain how wonderful this place is in a single review; I shall only list some of my favorite parts of the summertime in south central, AK.
Most importantly, it is unlikely that you will ever be able to observe nature and its many changes the way you will be able to here. When you arrive you watch the daylight lengthen until it reaches its apex on the summer solstice, a day that shares the joy of other major holidays, and then you see the light fade very quickly, giving way to the Northern lights in early September. Also, the wildflowers and berries are abundant throughout most of the season, and I highly suggest bringing a book that helps identify local flora and fauna.
The area is packed with lakes, rivers, mountains, and beautiful tundra, so basically any outdoor activity you would hope to find can be found here. Employees get great deals on pretty much everything: flights over Denali, rafting trips, zip-lining, etc. There is never a good reason to be bored here, one only has to lace up there boots and start walking in any direction to find something breathtaking.
At the root of all my adventures in Denali, is Denali gift Companies. Owner Kevin Helwig makes this journey possible for around 15-20 people every summer. You will have steady work throughout the summer – usually everyone is on the clock for 35 hours a week. The scheduling is very flexible, so if you need time off for a planned activity, never be afraid to approach the manager, Garret, because he can usually figure something out. It is important to remember, however, that the job is what brought you up to Alaska. Be prepared to stay focused during your workday and stay energetic because when visitors roll-in to the gift shop, a lot of maintenance is required to keep the store clean. If you show up for work and do your all to stay busy, the summer will be easy; if you mess around and do nothing all day at work, don’t expect to have a job for very long.
The employee housing is by far the best you find in Denali. It is also the cheapest. At $4 dollars a day, you are looking at about $125 in rent each month; that’s pretty tough to beat. The cabins are situated in the middle of Healy, AK, and are really cool. They have electricity and a space heater, which heats the little buildings like a champ, so don’t worry about being cold. Employees share the bathrooms, of which there are three. Hot water is no problem, and the drinking water, sourced from a nearby well, is likely to be the best you’ve ever had. The main house has a full kitchen with two stoves and oven. There is wifi throughout the property, and the rec-room has a big screen television to stream Netflix or watch one of the hundreds of dvds at camp. Kevin provides most household needs for you: dishes of all sorts, laundry detergent and dryer sheets for the on-site machines, paper goods. The only things you really need to buy on the bi-weekly Fairbanks trips are food and personal care goods. This can really help you maximize your savings. The biggest temptations to spend all your money are the amazing Rose’s Café and 49th Street Brewery, both of which are walking distance from the cabins. I would advise you to give into these temptations generously, but best keep an eye on your funds as well.
If you are thinking of travelling up to Denali for the summer, consider a Position with Denali Gift Companies. The connection you will make with other employees and the people of the area are valuable beyond measure. Many of the people I met here will be lifetime friends, and many of the experiences I had will be impossible to forget. I wish the best of luck to everyone on all of their future adventures!
It will be what you make of it
I spent this past summer working for this company in Denali. It was not at all what I expected, however; that is not to say that I did not enjoy it. It ended up being the best summer I've ever had. Given that there were little to no qualifications required for this job, it seems as though anyone from anywhere can apply. Given these circumstances, I understand the owner’s cautious attitudes towards employees. I’ve read through some of the reviews and comments towards these individuals and to me it seems as though the authors of these posts fail to understand that respect is a two-way street. All kinds of people can come and work for this company (which is part of the beauty of it); however I have heard that they have had problems with employee theft and wrongdoings in the past. Therefore, it is understandable that they have security cameras, rules, restrictions, etc. In my experience, I overcame this cautious attitude that they have towards employees by being respectful and being a diligent worker. The situation will be what you make of it; if you put forth effort, make it to the shuttle on time, respect your fellow employees, respect your managers, respect the owners, then you should have no problem and will be able to focus on enjoying the beautiful Denali area and all that it has to offer.
These logistics aside, it was a wonderful experience. The employee housing was minimalistic, yes, but I have no complaints. I enjoyed my simple cabin and the simple walls (that I was allowed to paint, shout out to the 2016 Shanty crew who helped). The kitchen was often busy and was a fun place to socialize, eat, and drink. Sometimes meal preparation was difficult to manage due to the fact that the kitchen is shared, however it is an easy obstacle to overcome with some patience and communication skills. Overall I was satisfied with the housing, especially in light of the small price I had to pay to stay there.
My coworkers ended up being an odd handful of people coming from all walks of life. It was such a privilege getting to know these people and their various backgrounds, whether or not I could relate to them. I made many cherished friendships that are now scattered across the world, all of whom I would love to meet again someday and some of whom I am meeting up with again in just a few weeks. To be honest, leaving was much more difficult than I would have imagined and I was intermittently sobbing on the train ride back to Anchorage (shout out to my fellow passengers for being awkward about it). Needless to say, I felt as though I had just found family and too soon I had to leave them behind.
Overall, I recommend this gig for anyone with a sense of adventure, an appreciation for nature, a desire to meet new people, and a willingness to breach your comfort zone. For me, it was an exuberant experience (although sometimes boisterous) and soon I hope to return in response to the allure of the tundra.
Great People, Easy Work, Amazing Location
After reading all these poorly written negative reviews about working for DGC I wanted to share my positive experience and give some feedback to the things I read in these awful reviews.
First off, Kevin Helwig is a nice man. He was nothing but polite and kind to me every day. I have dreadlocks, sleeve tattoos and piercing and he consistently offered my over-time, extra work, and asked for my opinion on how to change things in the stores often. As long as you are a good worker who doesn't show up to work completely wasted, or get wasted AT WORK, or smelling of alcohol from the night before, he is nothing but kind and honestly leaves you alone. I was trusted to work on my own every day most of the summer and never heard one complaint, because I did my job. And is a reason why I've been invited back whenever I want. Same goes for his wife Linda, if she sees you on a phone, stealing fudge, and generally NOT working, she'll get on you, like any competent boss would.
Second I would like to say that Garret Baker, the general manager of DGC is amazing. He is by far one of the best managers I've ever worked for and would work for him again in a heart beat if he asked for anything. He is a no-drama, laid back, and reliable manager that wants his employees to enjoy their job AND enjoy their summer in Denali and take advantage of all the things it has to offer. Just don't be a fool.
Shanty town (the employee housing for DGC) is not only the most affordable housing IN THE ENTIRE town and area of Denali. It's nice, especially once you see what other people live in, pay for housing and meals etcs., around the town. Almost everybody got their own cabin by the end of the summer. The space heaters keep the rooms quite warm to where I barely used mine. The only downfall of the housing in my opinion is if you get stuck living and working with messy sloppy people.
That is the only reason animals and mice come into the main house kitchen is because people do not clean up after themselves and do not know how to be a responsible, clean and organized adult. The plus side of Shanty is that it is a smaller community so you do get to genuinely get to know everybody you're living with on a different level than other seasonal jobs.
Jeff the caretaker of the property is one of my really good friends and is a great guy who works hard to make all the employees happy throughout the summer.
As far as people say that the Gift Shops are a scam, they have obviously never worked in retail or they've been too stupid when doing their own shopping to realize that we're all being ripped off and tricked daily when it comes to living in a capitalistic society.
My guess is to say that all of these negative opinions about working for DGC have come from disgruntled workers who were fired for probably drinking on the job, not showing up to work because they drank too much at the 49er the previous night, and so on.
I would gladly go back to Shanty and DGC.
Business
These previous comments are wrong. They must have come from a lazy employee who probably expected everything to be as clean as an apple store. This is a 30 year old property in Alaska. You have to work to make things clean. There is no maid or parents to take care of you.
The owner and manager pay well for hard work. When they see someone slacking off of course they're going to keep an eye on that employee. If any of these 1 star comments came from someone who understands business they would know that lazy workers are a massive drain on payroll.
I admit the old 50% sale was misleading, that's why it has changed to a 30% straight forward sale. Also it seems that the ones who like the company are the ones who stayed to the end and received the bonus.
I have enjoyed my seasons working here and don't really think this deserves to be on a scam website.
A Great Alaskan Company.
I am positively laughing at these other reviews, because I know exactly who posted them. Begrudging former employee's who were both lazy and socially inept. Let me be real with you, some kids come up to Alaska, their first time leaving mommy and daddies house, never having held down a real job before, and below is the result. I worked for and lived at the Denali Gift Company housing for 3 summers, and they were some of the best of my life. Firstly, yes, this is a BUSINESS, so yes, you are expected to work when scheduled - That gets translates by the CHILDREN who come up into *Waaaaa I can't sit on my phone or talk all day while everyone else works, discrimination* I'm sure we've all worked with a few like this. No the owner does not discriminate against you based on looks, he ain't much of a looker himself, he's an old man with a grumpy exterior but a heart of gold (we all know one) who offers one of the best experiences to young people that I have come across, if you don't treat the opportunity he gives you like a summer vacation or his businesses like a spa where you can relax all day and collect a check, he will go out of his way to do right by you and give you any opportunities he can. Unfortunately Kevin and Linda have to deal with a lot of screwups that get really vindictive when they get fired for something well deserved (one of the kids below stole food and items from the store to get fired, and would eat the candy we sell on the clock on camera without paying for it for example) so they have learned to kind of be reserved and careful. There are three Gift Shops, run by Garret the GM, and Martin and Em, the managers, that are extremely well set up for a retail environment in this isolated of a place, the first (Canyon) is very large, a few thousand sq feet of every T-Shirt, hoodie, trinket, etc that you could imagine that relates to Alaska, the next two are much smaller, a few hundred sq feet, all located on business strip at the park entrance nicknamed *Glitter Gulch*, situated at the base of Mt.Healy and a beautiful canyon and river, it's one of the most majestic places you'll ever travel in your life. The early season is really busy as the full season's merchandise comes in by truck delivery and the whole team helps to set it up in the warehouse, then everything calms down into the day to day retail environment where you're just cleaning up and putting out items etc. You get to meet and interact with people from all over the country and earth which is pretty cool, and the majority of the employee's who get hired will end up being your friends for life (there are normally only one or two bad apples in the bunch each year out of 20-25 people). The housing area, especially since Jeff the new camp manager and maintenance man took over, is AWESOME, we call it "Shanty Town" because of the cabins all situated together in a rustic little town set up, you'll get your own cabin to share with a roommate, they are situated in the forest of the Alaskan wilderness about 10 min from where you work. Firstly there is a trash truck, a large orange open roof trailer with ten foot high walls and doors and a garage overhanging it that acts as the dumpster for the town which Jeff dumps whenever it is half full, so any nonsense about trash blowing around town is pure fantasy, its better than many of the trash pickups I've had at many of my apartment buildings. Next the main house where everyone cooks and socializes is well kept and a cleaning rotation of everyone in camp happens regularly and is watched by Jeff, so it is never dirty or trashed more than a day before Jeff takes care of it. As to the "mouse droppings" we didn't have any issues the first two years I was there, and then the third year, this same kid who steals and eats candy, leaves unwrapped food out in the house no matter how many times he was asked, and dirty dishes out, so we did get two mice, Jeff set up traps and had them gone within the week, we live in the forest in Alaska so idk what this kid expected. The town will give you some of the best memories of your life as you drink and hangout and adventure in the park and surrounding areas with some of the best friends you will ever meet. The Park itself is indescribable, vast untouched beauty and mountains and lakes and rivers filled with Caribou and Moose and Bears with endless hiking and beauty for you to see and experience, it touched my soul in ways I will carry with me till I die. Then there are numerous local festivals like "Augtober Fest" that take place throughout the season that are an absolute blast. The local brewery for late night adventures with friends is where they hold all the festivals, and Rose's Cafe is the BEST BREAKFAST YOU WILL EVER EAT, especially after a night out. All in all, between the people, and the area you get to explore for a season, this will be one of the best experiences of your life!
Do not work for these gift shops! The work environment is awful. Kevin Helwig, the owner, will watch you on the security cameras and call to yell at you any time to do anything he considers unacceptable. Those unacceptable behaviors include but not limited to stopping to take a breather, smile or chat with a coworker for minute, not staying busy with tshirt folding even if there's a line of customers, etc. You also will not get 40 hrs a week. He might schedule you for 40 hours but gets mad if you do not take a 30 minute unpaid lunch each day. Also if he considers you to be unattractive you will probably get fired or moved to work somewhere where he can't see you and he will make fun of your appearance. Doesn't matter if your male or female. It's digesting. The housing is horrendous. It's the cheapest in the area for a reason. Mouse droppings are everywhere in the shared kitchen, the bathrooms are gross and that's even during the preseason before any employees have a chance to muck it up and there's always a problem with trash. The only good thing working there are the friendships you make but you can do that working for someone else in that area. Do yourself a favor and avoid this place.
Poor spelling and untrue statement
I worked for DGC this past summer and find this review to be competently untrue. I worked for Kevin Helwig and he was nothing but kind and quite during the entire summer. This is probably coming from one of the employees who found it okay to drink on site at work, steal fudge and other goods from the store, and got caught standing around when there were no customers and many shirts to fold. This is the easiest job in the world and the only people who have a hard time maintaining it are those who drink too much, are genuinely lazy, or complete morons.
This person probably got fired for those reasons and is why they are leaving this review. It 'disgesting'
As for the housing, it is the cheapest, nicest housing, in all of seasonal worker accommodations in Healy. Not only do you have the ability to cook your own food (which is hard to find in any seasonal working community) but most people have their own cabins by the end of the summer. The only reason the kitchen and eating areas get dirty and remain that way is because of the lazy, usually heavy drinking, slobs leave behind.
First I want to state that I'm submitting this anonymously because the owners, Kevin and Linda, can be vindictive. I've seen them attack and go after employees simply based off of what they've seen on their security cameras (usually the employee is just sitting or sending a text). When I say attack, I mean they do so behind the scenes by first defaming character followed by firing. I'm also just sending this report now because I happened upon their website while searching for another summer job. I have worked multiple summer jobs in multiple states and this, by far, was the worst experience I've had. Now I did make a lot of great friends, Alaska is a beautiful place, and I am grateful I went but I wish I had worked for another company. To address a few things mentioned in kevins rebuttal and the previous report: The employee housing is nasty! We were told the previous years employees cleaned at the end of the season but it doesn't look like it. Trash is everywhere. Not only that but no one would even touch the bathroom til it had been soaked in bleach. And the worst part is the mice droppings. They are everywhere! And that problem doesn't go away. The mice infiltrate the kitchen all summer long. When there's 20-30 people cooking in one tiny kitchen I understand there will be a problem with dishes and trash but the mice are just nasty. The individual cabins aren't much better. Two or more people are housed in each and it gets cramped. Especially after we are expected to keep all our food, clothes, dishes, hiking gear, etc, inside the cabin. The cabins are heated but with a space heater, some only have lights through lamps, and some have to keep their fridges outside because either there's no room inside or the fridge would not fit through the door. On the same property a giant orange dump trailer is kept for us to toss our trash in which is fine until the wind blows or the Ravens find it. Then trash gets EVERYWHERE! I've been stopped by neighbors who, some not so nicely, asked us to clean up the trash that has blown down the road. Apparently that has been a problem for years. The last thing I want to say about the housing is that it's loud! The night shift gets home around 11, and usually wakes the morning shift employees. They aren't trying to by any means but with how the cabins are set up its inevitable. Same with the morning shift, they usually wake the night shift just by getting up and getting ready for work. Now onto the work situation. You are told you WILL get 40 hrs but not every week. I've overheard Kevin stressing out over payroll multiple times so most of the time you won't get 40 hrs. You might be scheduled for it but he'll either make you take a lunch break (unpaid) or he'll send you home early. Also he'll change the schedule at a drop of a dime. I've gone to bed thinking I had the next day off only to get a phone call the next morning asking where I was because the schedule was changed the night before! Or I'll be working where I thought I was scheduled to work (one of his 3 stores) only to get reprimanded by Kevin or his wife Linda (who is never never nice) again because of a last minute schedule change. I will say however that I've always gotten paid on time, Kevin is correct in his rebuttal with that but only that! Also I know for a fact because I've seen it, that when Kevin isn't in the store he is in his house staring at his computer watching, obsessing over the security cameras. If he sees someone sit down for a second, stand idly for a minute, be in the bathroom too long, etc, he will call the store and rudely demand why that employee isn't working. He expects to pay us minimally yet we must work like slaves. I'm not exaggerating. And it's all on his or Linda's terms. Once when it was cold the employees carrying in 50 plus pound boxes of merchandise had to open the back door each time to come in because Kevin was standing at the computer close by and he was cold. Also watch out if you are overweight or slightly unattractive. He will want you working more behind the scenes and/or he will look for a reason to fire you. This goes for men as well. ive heard him make comments about overweight employees and their ability to move quickly enough or fit into the shuttle van (which is disgusting too.., we had to pile the days trash in the back everyday and a lot of the time it leaked and smelled!) Lastly, the 50% off sale is a scam. This didn't affect the employees so much other than dealing with mad customers but since it was mentioned i will expound upon it. Yes there are signs posted everywhere but what he doesn't tell you is he has some employees change the prices on the products before the sale. For example, if a book is priced all season at 5.99, he'll change that price to 10.99 days before the sale. There are many other violations but I just don't have the time to elaborate. I think I've made my point. Don't work for this company! You can make more money and be better respected somewhere else in the area.