» Employment Opportunities

EMPLOYMENT INFORMATION:

Welcome to Spruce Lake Wilderness Adventures employment postings. We offer summer seasonal employment from May through mid October for wranglers and cooks.

Here we strive to provide our clients with a vacation of a lifetime; therefore we seek clean-cut, courteous employees with the same goals as our own. Honesty, a good work ethic, positive attitude, enthusiasm, helpfulness, leadership abilities, friendliness and common sense are the kind of character traits you will need to apply for a job here. You will also need a strong background in riding horses if you are applying for a wrangler position. We highly recommend our Wilderness Guide Training School to all applicants. Applicants for ranch cook or cook's helper need good cooking skills, meal planning, shopping and kitchen organizational skills. You should also possess good riding skills and a love for the back country. All our employee's need a current First Aid Certificate and CPR card.

Since we are running a ranch, resourcefulness is a must in order to keep all our guests happy, horses healthy, your colleagues pleasant, fences up, trucks running, water flowing and corrals maintained etc.

Although we are a tourism business most of the work is ranch/wilderness based which ALWAYS brings hard work and some long hours. All applicants must be physically fit and able to lift hay bales, saddles and pack boxes. This is a fun, exciting and pleasant place to work and we appreciate everything our staff have to offer in keeping things running smoothly. We hire people from all walks of life and experience levels and we are more than happy to provide the training required to fill the position to good candidates. All employees must be willing to relocate full time to the ranch for the duration of their employment, room and board is provided. We love our lifestyle and those who wish to work along side of us should also enjoy this amazing pioneering adventure.

If you are interested in becoming part of our dynamic team please forward us your resume, letters of recommendation, references, a cover letter stating why you would like one of these positions and why you would be a good part of our team, the dates you are available to work, including how many seasons you would like to return for. As we provide each employee with extensive training for the industry and our business a commitment to future seasons is nice. Most of our positions are filled by our long term staff (some who have now worked for us for over 20 years!), but with the growth of our business new positions are becoming available each year. If you are not able to secure a position this year please contact us again for future years.

Prior to employment with SLWA each individual will participate in a two day interview. Once you are hired you will be required to sign our Rules of Conduct and Conflict Resolution documents. It is understood that we expect the utmost of professionalism from all of the staff at all times. You are representing our business by being on the front line at all times. We expect that you present the following while working with us.

  • Positive and Professional Attitude
  • Adaptability (adjust quickly to the mode of operation)
  • Enjoy working with people
  • Have a love for animals
  • Feel comfortable in the wilderness
  • Show open, effective and appropriate communication
  • Ethics (Honesty and Integrity)
  • That you show Initiative, you are a self starter and can work well without direct supervision
  • Maturity (respond positively to constructive feedback, controlled emotions and can handle stress well)
  • Personal Grooming (neat, clean and appropriate attire at all times)
  • Productivity (Hard Working and Efficient)
  • Reliability (trustworthy, dependable, responsible)
  • Safety Minded (careful and cautious yet deliberate)

Room and Board is available to all employees. We do not have alcohol consumption on our premises, and do not allow dogs or other pets. Smoking is permitted away from clients and other staff and buts are requested to be disposed of in an environmentally friendly way. We strive to maintain a positive work environment and respect all our employees. We hope that you are interested in joining our team!

JOB DESCRIPTION FOR COOK/RANCH HELP POSITION 2006

JOB OUTLINE:

This position covers a wide variety of areas at both the main ranch and in the mountain camps. Working at a family run business requires diversity at all times.

Primary Duties:

  • Cooking Pre Planned semi prepared meals for guests, staff and WWOOFers
  • Setting up and Cleaning up for meal service
  • Providing Coffee Breaks for Guide School
  • Maintaining a Clean and Orderly Serving Area at all times
  • Keeping the main ranch house orderly and clean for guests
  • Overseeing that the staff facilities are being cleaned
  • Acting as a cook on Mountain Tours and as an Assistant Cook for larger Groups
  • Pack Supplies in Panniers for Pack Horse Tours as well as unpacking on their return
  • Helping to ration Grocery Orders for the Tours and Main Ranch Consumption
  • Receiving Grocery Orders off the freight truck
  • Act as an Assistant Wrangler on Mountain Tours when not cooking
  • Act as a Wrangler at the Main Ranch for Trail Rides
  • Meet and Greet Guests
  • Gift Shop Sales and Inventory

Secondary Duties:

  • Feeding of Horses
  • Helping to move them on and off of range
  • Guest Orientation for tours and trail rides on Safety Issues
  • Helping to fit guests to saddles and horses on pre trip orientation
  • Small Animal Care
  • Gardening
  • Helping to Transport Guests or Horses to Trail Heads (Vehicle assistance only if properly licensed and on approved drivers abstract min. 10 years safe driving experience)
  • Help with Any other Ranch Aspects (Fencing, Landscaping)

Other Possible Duties:

  • Answering Telephones
  • Collecting Fees for Trail Rides or Mountain Tours

Job Requirement:

  • Food Safe Certificate or Food Handlers Certificate
  • 5 years related experience in food and beverage
  • Basic Horse Experience
  • Enjoy hosting people, good serving skills
  • Basic First Aid (minimum requirement of Level 1)
  • 100 hours of Training or Two Weeks will be provided by us
  • Wages are based on experience level

JOB DESCRIPTION FOR WRANGLER POSITION 2006

JOB OUTLINE:

This position covers a wide variety of areas at both the main ranch and in the mountain camps. Working at a family run business requires diversity at all times. This position requires a responsible, motivated individual who can be trusted with the safety of our guests, staff they are supervising and our horses. A minimum of five years of horse experience and back country experience is mandatory. Good reasoning skills, superb personal relation skills, mellow temperament, first class work ethic, safety oriented and good back country/wilderness knowledge is a must to apply for this position. Wranglers are required to pack firearms so proper licensing is also mandatory.

Primary Duties:

  • Act as an Assistant Wrangler or Cook on Mountain Tours while learning the area and animals
  • Act as an Assistant Wrangler, Packer or Lead Guide when training is complete
  • Daily Care of Animals and their pastures
  • Assist in Feed and Range Management
  • Assist in maintaining healthy animals with regular worming and good feed practices
  • Conduct Repairs and Maintenance on Back Country Camps and Range Pastures
  • Act as a Wrangler at the Main Ranch for Trail Rides
  • Shoe Horses
  • Use Skid Horses for Fencing Projects or Wagon Rides
  • Assist with other tours departing at the main ranch, provide guest orientation
  • Fit tack to horses and guests pre trip
  • Complete Tack Inspections after tours
  • Vehicle Maintenance
  • Transport guests to trail heads (with proper licensing and minimum of 10 years safe driving record)
  • Transport Horses to trail heads
  • Meet and Greet Guests at the main ranch and direct them to their accommodation
  • Supervise other Staff and WWOOFers
  • Work on Fencing and Construction Projects at the main ranch and mountain Camps
  • Assist with Small Animal Care

Other Possible Duties:

  • Answering Telephones
  • Collecting Fees for Trail Rides or Mountain Tours
  • Driving to Town for supplies

Job Requirement:

  • Minimum of Five Years Horse Experience
  • Guiding and Horse Packing Knowledge
  • Some cooking experience
  • Enjoy people and are aware of appropriate stories to host them with around the campfire
  • Shoeing Experience or Willingness to Learn
  • C.O.R.E Program
  • Possession and Acquisition License
  • Minimum of Level One First Aid
  • 200 Hours or Four Weeks of Training will be provided by us in early spring 2006
  • Wages are based on experience level.

CHILDCARE POSITION

We are seeking a qualified, caring, energetic individual to provide part time/seasonal childcare to our five children. Their ages are 2 years to 10 years old. Individuals applying for this position must be willing to relocate to our ranch for the term of their employment with us. Room and Board will be provided.

Candidates must:

  1. Have 3 verifiable references 2 of which must be your last and present employer. You must also submit character references from your peer.s i.e. teacher, pastor, parent, adult acquaintances.
  2. Individuals should have backgrounds in some of the following education, early childhood education, daycare or preschool experience, nanny or aupere.
  3. Must be CPR/First-Aid certified
  4. Provide copy of Valid Driver's License.
  5. Sign a working contract to a seasonal commitment to our family.
  6. You must like taking care of and parenting other people's children and giving them the warmth, affection, care, love and attention they seek.
  7. You have patience and understanding because you are in effect, a professional parent dealing with temper-tantrums, tears and fights.
  8. You must have an upbeat personality and strong body resistance to run around and play with children everyday.
  9. You must not be the type who gets angry very quickly because children could extremely test your patience.
  10. Knowledge of child development/psychology and how to handle various behaviors at different ages is especially useful.
  11. Getting along with parents requires tact and tolerance and we appreciate your skill at this.
  12. You need to be able to schedule, organize and manage four or five things at the same time. Making time for various types of developmental tasks the children will need to do each day requires organization skills.
  13. Concentration should be undiluted.
  14. Quick learner has initiative, can act/think independently and is usually correct and accurate.
  15. You need to enjoy children's games and stories or at least be able to enjoy the children's enjoyment.
  16. Lastly and most importantly you have to be a child-at-heart. Have a true love for children and their emotional, physical and social well being
  17. You must be able to provide nutritional meals and snacks for the children.
  18. Willing to do light housekeeping which would include, laundry, vacuuming, light dish washing
  19. Run Errands

As the age range of our children is wide there will be a multitude of responsibly for each child's age, such as:

Providing Arts & Crafts, help with homework, clean up after children's activities, participate in their recreational activities, supervise children's chores, help with dressing, assist in reading and story telling, hold and nurture younger children.

Our children enjoy their wilderness setting. We are looking for an individual with the same interests as our own. The children love nature walks on the immense number of trails that surround us, bicycle riding, horseback riding, feeding the chickens, helping in the garden, swimming in the local lakes.

Benefits while working with us:

We would be happy to teach you about our way of life and working with horses. If you wish to learn more about horses and participate in learning to work with them then we would provide time to teach this to you. We would also give you the opportunity to join Pack Tours to the mountains at appropriate times. You would have the benefit of being surrounded in a spectacular wilderness area with excellent recreational possibilities. There will be time for exploring the area and enjoying it to the fullest. You may also be invited to join us on trips out of town, if you wish. You will have your own private accommodation at the ranch which is separate from our family residence.

Employee Pictures