Overview
Position type: Seasonal
Season: June 7–August 30, 2024
Location: Silver Falls State Park, Oregon homebase with backcountry guiding in 6 Oregon Wilderness Areas
Compensation: $155/day; 3 days PTO
Perks: Meals provided while working, Staff housing in the Salem area for subsidized rate (optional), business mileage, sponsored wilderness medical certifications & access to industry pro-deals
Program: Opal Creek Expeditions
Work schedule: pre and post trip training/prep early June and late August; backpacking trips are Sunday-Saturday (including overnights) during the summer, with one week on and one week off (4 trips minimum)
The Expeditions Guide Opportunity
In the beautiful Oregon summer, you lead educational, fun, and safe backpacking trips via our Opal Creek Expeditions program. Small groups of youth ages 10-17 traverse miles of backcountry trail, summit ridgelines and peaks, and visit subalpine lakes and streams, all with you and one other guide as their leaders.
During your many weeks leading trips in various wildernesses, you’ll strengthen your backcountry skills such as navigating, tying knots, cooking, and living by Leave No Trace practices. As you teach the ins and outs of backpacking you’ll see each child’s confidence grow—in their skills and in themselves.
Connection between youth is more important than ever, and your role is integral to facilitating that connection. You will draw on your previous experiences with youth to create a fun, positive outdoor space where kids can just be kids.
Qualifications, Skills, and Experience
A successful candidate will possess these minimum qualifications. We are less interested in the titles you’ve held and more interested in what you’ve actually done and who you are.
1+ seasons backcountry guiding experience
1+ seasons working with youth
Backpacking experience, personal/professional
Group leadership and management skills
Navigation and backcountry cooking skills
Previous experience with equity, inclusion, and cultural relevance, and integrating into youth programming
Previous backcountry medical experience
Able to lead groups on hikes up to 10 miles with heavy packs
Able to pass a criminal background check
Valid driver’s license
About Opal Creek Ancient Forest Center
Our mission is to provide transformative wilderness experiences that grow a community of environmental advocates. All of our work is based around one simple idea: people will protect what they care about, and they will care about what they know. Through our outdoor school and backpacking expedition programs, we bring youth and adults face-to-face with the outdoor places that make Oregon great—pristine mountain streams, uncut vistas, and old-growth forests.
