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Alaska Jobs more

As a stepping stone to the greater world of guiding and backcountry recreating, Chilkat Guides—based in the picturesque town of Haines, Alaska—will teach anyone with the aptitude and interest how to guide themselves and others safely in and out of the wild. Whether activities include trail hikes, float trips, wilderness safaris or river expeditions, summer guides, trip leaders and naturalists get participants excited about the great outdoors. Their annual guide school (beginning mid-April for those without guiding experience) is by invitation only and is free of charge to accepted applicants. All invitees successfully completing the guide school are offered employment as guides from May through the end of September. Compensation starts at $10/hour for straight guiding with added incentives for trip leaders and naturalists (expect overtime which is paid at time and a half). Applicants must have the desire to work long and hard (usually 6-12 hours per day) in sometimes unpleasant conditions, be athletic and have a love for people. In addition to guide positions, office, maintenance, catering and dock staff are needed as well as active seniors to work as commercial bus drivers (with training provided). Applications are available online.

• With over 100 people on staff at Chilkat Guides, each team member is highly qualified and passionate about the Alaska region and what they do. Meet the team »

Spend a summer in one of the most spectacular regions in the world—work and play in Southeast Alaska! Celebrating over twenty years in business, Sockeye Cycle Co. is the only full-service bicycle business in Alaska offering sales, service, rentals and tours. From April through September, twenty seasonal workers are employed, with positions that include tour guides, van drivers, bicycle mechanics and managers. The majority of positions are based in Skagway and involve daily tour operations. Daily tours are three hours long with groups of twelve; other overnight and multi-day tours go out at varying dates and times based on staffing and seniority. Wages start at $10/hour, plus a performance bonus upon completion of your contract. Contracts are for a minimum 3-month commitment. Management positions are salaried, with pay based on experience. At minimum, applicants must be U.S. citizens, 23 years old and have a clean driving record. Job descriptions and an application is available online. Interviews begin each October with most positions filled by April 1st.

• If you are looking to work and play in Alaska this summer, Sockeye Cycle Co. is hiring plenty of seasonal employees, including cycling tour guides, van drivers, bicycle mechanics and a variety of managers.

Montana Jobs more

A bank teller turned boat builder started a family legacy in Glacier National Park. What started in 1938 as a two-boat operation, Glacier Park Boat Company has grown to include five locations throughout the Park. Seasonal boat captains staff historic wooden boats that carry from forty-five to eighty passengers from the first part of June until the end of September. Captains are trained to drive the boats and give professional commentary informing visitors of the historic, cultural and geographic aspects of America's Little Switzerland. Applicants need no prior captain experience, must be 18 years of age, possess current CPR and first aid certificates, and pass physical exam and drug test. A desire to learn how to operate these historic boats and people skills are a must! Pay starts at $9/hour, with increases for experience. Housing is family-style and is included in the compensation package; employees provide their own food. To begin the application process, email your resume to Denise VanArtsdale.

• Captains for Glacier Park Boat Company staff historic wooden boats while informing visitors of the historic, cultural and geographic aspects of America's Little Switzerland.

Washington Jobs more

Connecting adventurers to the least developed and least visited shorelines in the San Juan Islands, Anacortes Kayak Tours offers four unique trips: a 1.5 hour Deception Pass trip, a 5-6 hour Outer Island program, a 3 hour trip directly off Fidalgo Island, and multi-day kayaking adventures. Prior to leading guests on the water, Summer Sea Kayak Guides participate in a formal class with professional coaches along with a fairly intensive in-house training program. You will learn how to use high-end paddling equipment, handle currents, read weather, and find wildlife—all while razzle-dazzling your guests. Guides must commit to at least a mid-June through Labor day timeframe, in addition to pre-season training activities. Office/logistics staff are also hired each year. Wages start at $10/hour and go up to $14/hour. There is a fee for the training course, but much of this is reimbursed upon completion of the season. Hardworking, outdoorsy-type folks with a sunny outlook on life will thrive here.

• With one of the most comprehensive kayak guide training programs in the region, Anacortes Kayak Tours is looking for professional, mature and fun-loving individuals who are looking to work and play in the great outdoors.

Across the USA • North America Jobs more

With programs designed to teach leadership, teamwork, creative problem solving, self-responsibility, confidence building, community living and outdoor skills, Adventure Treks provides unique outdoor experiences for teens, ages 12-18. In the summer months, 16-29 day adventure program destinations include Alaska, Northern California, Oregon, Washington, Montana and the Canadian Rockies; while in the fall, wilderness-based programs are offered for up to a week for school students in the mountains of North Carolina. Doubling as teacher, role model and trip coordinator with five other leaders, Wilderness Instructors manage group dynamics, coordinate trip logistics, maintain outdoor equipment and teach outdoor skills, including backpacking, rock climbing, mountaineering, sailing, whitewater kayaking, cooking and orienteering. Benefits include a competitive salary, partial travel reimbursement for summer adventures, room and board while training and working, pro-deal purchases and the opportunity to work during the summer and fall. Applicants must be at least 21 years of age (college graduate preferred), certified in WFR/CPR, have several years experience working with teens and/or leading wilderness programs, solid outdoor skills in a variety of activities and the ability to work long hours with little or no time off. To begin the application process, email your resume to Dave McGlashan. Applications are due by August 15th for the fall season (and March 31st for summer 2011).

• The Power of Six Instructors
Adventure Treks is the only wilderness program to feature 24 students with 6 instructors on most trips. Six instructors ensure that there is always an instructor available to do what's most important: be actively involved with the students and to get to know them as individuals.

Are you ready for an adventure? The Mountain Workshop has been taking kids outside in search of adventure through School Outdoors (day and overnight trips), Awesome Adventures (summer day camp), and Trailmark Expeditions (multi-week wilderness trips all over the country). Field Leaders are responsible for safely co-leading school aged children and teens in spectacular wilderness settings in the Northeast, Colorado, Utah and Wyoming—making even the hardest day in these work places well worth the amazing experience. Responsibilities include teaching, leading or participating in activities that may include canoeing, kayaking, rafting, sailing, rock climbing, rappelling, caving, bike touring, orienteering, backpacking, challenge course, high & low ropes facilitation or leadership and survival skills. Benefits include competitive per diem rates, meals for all overnight trips, pro deal purchases and extensive training (including WFA, CPR and life guard certification). Programs run during the summer and fall (May through November), with staff training beginning at the end of May. Staff are hired based on their judgment, experience, enthusiasm, teaching skills, relevant certifications, ability and desire to learn technical and group management skills, and overall attitude. Applications are accepted continuously through spring and summer, although priority will go to staff that apply early and have committed to a full season!

• The Mountain Workshop staff are dynamic, energetic people committed to creating personal growth opportunities for youth in the outdoors. They come from many different professional backgrounds including school teachers, park rangers, athletic coaches, camp counselors, ski instructors, river guides, outdoor equipment retailers, adventure course facilitators, social workers, military veterans and college students.

With a unique blend of sightseeing and adventure, TrekAmerica offers walking, camping and lodging tours for a younger international crowd on a budget throughout North America. Taking to the road in 15-passenger vans, tour leaders double both as guide and driver for their group. In a day's work, leaders must be prepared to arrange daily logistics, research unfamiliar territories, organize day and evening activities, provide briefings and commentary, and lead a safe and enjoyable holiday for passengers. In addition to a 3-week training period, leaders can normally expect to work from April through mid-September, with tours that last from 1-9 weeks. Base pay starts at $1,250 per month plus tips up to $5 per passenger per day with a limit of 13 passengers, $100/month for insurance, $30/month for cell phone, an end of year bonus and accommodation throughout the season. At minimum, applicants must be at least 23 years of age, be a U.S. citizen and possess a clean driving record. If you think you have the skills to accommodate a diverse group of travelers—who have different needs, wants, physical fitness and English fluency levels, musical tastes, diets and expectations—obtain detailed tour leader information online. For an application send a resume to Jennifer Boyle via email or by calling 800.345.8777.

• Doubling as travel guide and driver, tour leaders for TrekAmerica take small groups on exciting adventures throughout North America.

Whether by canoe, sea kayak, skis, dog sled, horse pack or backpack, Wilderness Inquiry connects people of all ages, backgrounds and abilities with the natural world while inspiring personal growth. Trail staff are responsible for organizing and leading rigorous single-day events and extended wilderness adventures primarily in North America. Typically, 2-3 staff conduct each trip for 10-14 participants. Over the course of a single trip, leaders may fill the roles of pack horse, teacher, rehabilitation specialist, folksinger, chef, personal-relationship counselor, storyteller, disciplinarian, dishwasher, and bush doctor. Seasonal positions are offered from June through September and December through April. A 10-day staff training conducted in early June provides skills in canoeing, camp craft, leadership and risk management. Benefits include a per diem stipend from $45 to $110, along with meals while working and staff housing between trips. In addition to having current certification in advanced first aid, water safety and CPR, individuals with previous experience working outdoors and with people with disabilities are desired. Summer coordinator positions and year-round internships are also available—details and application materials are available at www.wildernessinquiry.org/get_involved.

• With a passion for creating high-quality outdoor adventure travel experiences accessible for everyone (including those who do not typically get out and enjoy the wilderness), Wilderness Inquiry staff members will lead their group to some of the most amazing places on earth.

Unique Resources

Expand your adventure job search by exploring these keywords:

It's time to power up and push your vocation to its full potential. Explore Outside Magazine's life expanding work-and-play adventure plan with a monthly subscription.

Each summer, scores of students road trip along America's highways in search of something they can't find at school. Find out how you too can join a team (as a writer, photographer or coordinator) and hit the road with Roadtrip Nation.

For a roadtrip pump-up, a must read is Roadtrip Nation: A Guide to Discovering Your Path in Life, filled with interviews of successful people who had made their own way in the world. Perfect for the entrepreneurial attitudes of so many twenty-somethings.

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