Hiking and Backpacking Guide (Washington/Oregon)

Overview

Wildland Trekking is seeking guides to facilitate day hike, multi day backpack, base camp, lodge based trips for summer 2025 in the Pacific Northwest. Operating Areas include: Olympic National Park, North Cascades National Park, Mount Rainier National Park, Goat Rocks Wilderness, and Mount Hood National Forest.

The guides’ primary responsibility is to enhance the lives of guests by doing everything in their power to lead and facilitate a safe, fun, positive, unforgettable outdoor adventure experience while fostering a respect and appreciation for the special places we travel in. Multi-day trips with Wildland Trekking range from 3-7 days with mileages that range from 5-12 miles per day.

Responsibilities include (but are not limited to): guest email correspondence before the trip, gear and food preparation, pre-trip orientation meeting, assisting guests in learning basic skills (backpack adjusting and putting up tents, etc), natural and human history interpretation, risk management, first aid, cooking and clean-up, gear repair in the field, meaningful post trip wrap up with guests, post trip gear de-issue and trip debrief. Some trips require guides to drive groups to and from the trailhead, possibly including pulling a trailer.

Tagged as: Backcountry Skills, Instruction and Guiding, Teaching/Education

Qualifications:

Must have WFR (or willingness to obtain) and significant personal and professional multi-day guiding experience in the backcountry. Guides prepare 3 meals a day for guests in the field, teaching outdoor living skills, manage all aspects of the trip, and are responsible for interpretive information, risk management, and guest satisfaction. Please see our website to a full list of qualifications.

Required Skills:

-Efficient and effective organizational skills, strong work ethic, excellent written and verbal communication and able to hike heavy loads 5-12 miles per day over varying terrain. Guides walk all day in beautiful locations carrying a heavy backpack, cook in the backcountry, manage risk in varied environments and weather, provide excellent customer service, interpretive information, and manage social dynamics in mixed groups.
-Area and interpretive knowledge is a HUGE plus.

Preferred Skills:

- Professional experience in guiding and/or outdoor education (i.e. NOLS, Outward Bound, degree in Outdoor Education or related field, Wilderness Therapy, other Adventure Travel companies, etc).
-Area and interpretive knowledge is a HUGE plus
-Leave No Trace Level 1 certification.
-Expertise in at least one of our program locations.
-Speak and write English fluently. Fluent in French and/or German, Spanish, Mandarin, Japanese a plus.
-Two years of commercial driving experience