Guide

• Season: June 6--August 26, 2022
• Location: Sandy, Oregon (30 miles from Portland) with travel to Oregon Wilderness Areas
• Compensation: $100/day, with two weeks on, one week off/Basic housing provided in Sandy, Oregon (optional)/Food provided while leading Opal Creek Expeditions
• Program: Opal Creek Expeditions

The 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 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 outdoor guiding experience, or equivalent experience
• 1+ seasons working with youth in a camp setting, or equivalent experience
• Backpacking experience, personal or professional
• Demonstrated commitment to equity and inclusion 
• Group leadership skills
• Navigation and backcountry cooking skills
• WFR, WFA or equivalent certification (by time of employment)
• COVID-19 vaccine (by time of employment)
• Able to lead groups on hikes up to 10 miles with heavy packs 
• Able to pass a criminal background check
• Valid driver’s license and able to drive a 15 passenger van

About Opal Creek Ancient Forest Center

Opal Creek Ancient Forest Center was formed in 1988 to advocate for the protection of the Opal Creek area. In 1996, legislation passed that established the Opal Creek Wilderness Area and instituted our unique role and responsibility as stewards, educators, and in-holders within the protected wilderness area. Our base of operations has been in the historic mining town of Jawbone Flats, situated in the stunning temperate rainforest of the Opal Creek Wilderness and surrounded by 5,000-foot peaks. This land was traditionally inhabited by the Molalla and Kalapuya Tribes, who are now part of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde.

In September 2020, a wildfire swept down the Opal Creek watershed, burned much of the old growth forest in the Wilderness Area, and destroyed almost all of the historic buildings of Jawbone Flats. Our post-fire strategy for Jawbone Flats is focused tightly on recovery and cleanup. We are designing a new site plan that is in harmony with the land and will support the amazing education programs we continue to offer.

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.

How to apply:

This position has been filled.