Moving to Wamsutter, Wy (Rock Springs, Rawlins: homes, employment, transfer)

[dr2332]

My husband and I are looking to transfer up to Wamsutter WY shortly. I have been researching and there does not appear to be much employment there. Does anyone have information regarding employment OR the possibility of opening a small coffee shop?

[Clay Lady]

What type of work will have you transfering to Wamsutter? There isn't much in that town. There is a man camp for the rigs, a cafe, a bar and a post office. Some one from Wamsutter posts on here so maybe they can give you more of a pep talk about Wamsutter.

[sunsprit]

Located in the heart of some of the most desolate and isolated land in Wyoming, there's simply not much to ... or in ... Wamsutter.

It's essentially just a mining camp, with I-80 access, but not very close to either Rock Springs or Rawlins. Last time I drove through, there was a truckstop just off the interstate with a franchise hamburger restaurant attached to some reasonably clean bathrooms.

Apart from the extractive industry there, there's not much to do or see. Windy, isolated, cold in winter, hot in summer ... it's simply a "place" to make a living and park a trailer, there's very few homes there. You'll need to head back to Rawlins for shopping (about 40 miles).

[imbobbbb]

Have either of you been there?Its really not a place too many people want to live in,never has been.Most workers with families choose to commute from rock springs or rawlins,(which arent exactly viewed by many as 'garden spots' either].Of course you all 'could be' one of the exceptions,im sure some people like it there but i would highly recommend going there before commiting to moving there.There arent many towns in wyoming that i wouldnt live in,but i would need a 'real good' incentive to live in wamsutter.goodluck either way

[dr2332]

My husband is a truck driver in the oil fields he was there for about six months left so we could spend more time together but he actually misses it. I would like to accompany him when he goes back but am not sure what I can do there. I usually work in title and escrow and haven't been able to find anything there.....

[Clay Lady]

Your husband should confirm he does have a job first since the oil field is slowing way down and will continue to stack rigs for an unknown amount of time. Usually it is last hire is the first to go. They don't have Rig Managers working the floor yet but the day may come if oil doesn't go back up soon.

Rawlins or Rock Springs is more likely to offer you work in your field. Rock Springs is doing more building than Rawlins. Rawlins is closer. There would be some days in the winter that travel would be an issue but most of the year it is a fast straight road between Rawlins and Wamsutter.

Last summer I was offered a job driving an escort vehicle for a company in Wamsutter. It would have been irregular employment - call when they needed me. A job like that may still available.

[sunsprit]

Originally Posted by dr2332

My husband is a truck driver in the oil fields he was there for about six months left so we could spend more time together but he actually misses it. I would like to accompany him when he goes back but am not sure what I can do there. I usually work in title and escrow and haven't been able to find anything there.....

Is it possible you're stilll thinking that there's a "real town" at Wamsutter, with a "downtown" commercial and retail center of activity, realtors, shopping centers, banks, restaurants, supermarkets, and other aspects of a viable town?

Far from it, it's a bedroom community of a couple hundred people, living in the middle of nowhere so that they can be close to the oil patch jobs nearby and have ready access to a major interstate for traveling to all their other needs.

There's virtually nothing in the way of retail or commercial activity there. The town is too small to support business, and ... by Wyoming standards ... 40 miles to Rawlins isn't a big deal for shopping and business/financial needs. But the stretch of highway between the two is one of the most brutal for adverse weather conditions in the state.

If you get online, you can get an aerial view of the town. There's only a few street blocks there, with about 150 housing units.

There's not enough local economy to support much more than the town essential services of water and sewer, and K-8 education. It's a survival existence town, based solely upon the ups and downs of the oil patch business. Right now, with oil prices down, you'll see less activity than when oil was way high.