Outdoor Instructor

At Adventure Treks, you are an integral part of our community and will make lasting impressions on your students and lifelong friends with your fellow instructors. In our 29 years of providing unforgettable adventures and empowering youth, Adventure Treks has earned a reputation as one of the most professional organizations in the outdoor adventure field, and that is due to our dedicated instructors. A commitment of providing fun, growth-oriented, and community-minded experiences for students allowed Adventure Treks to safely and successfully operate their 2020 and 2021 summer season, create a new gap semester program, provide fulfilling jobs, and avoid large staff layoffs. Our 60% instructor retention rate is in part due to our competitive salary, benefits, and opportunities to work our summer, fall, and Spring Leadership Adventure Semesters.

Job Overview

Our summer field instructors lead trips 10- to 30-day wilderness-based programs in California, Oregon, Washington, Colorado, British Columbia, Idaho, Wyoming, Alaska, and North Carolina for students ages 12–20. Being an instructor at Adventure Treks isn’t really about the trip location or activities- it is about empowering your students, creating a supportive and respectful community, bringing fun and joy to every day, and experiencing the highs and lows of an adventure together. Through activities like backpacking, mountaineering, rock climbing, whitewater rafting, kayaking, canoeing, sea kayaking, mountain biking, and ice climbing Adventure Treks’ instructors help our students grow in self-confidence, resilience, social achievement, teamwork, leadership, environmental awareness, and new outdoor skills. Adventure Treks instructors are a positive role model, and responsible for the safety, success, and satisfaction of their students and trip. Instructors are expected to be excellent role models as they teach a variety of outdoor skills and foster a close community. Course size is generally 20–24 students with 5–6 instructors. On each adventure, the instructor team works closely together to coordinate all aspects of the trip, including instruction in all outdoor activities, risk management, managing group dynamics, planning menus, purchasing food, laundry, transportation, coordinating with outfitters, maintaining equipment, and handling medical issues. Instructors receive support while in the field from the regional directors.

Special Benefits

Instructor Compensation

We’re pleased to offer a competitive salary with the starting salary for first-year instructors being: Summer season: $3,100; fall programs: $3,000; gap programs $4,500

• Adventure Treks offers travel reimbursements up to $500 to help instructors travel to and from Staff Orientation
• Accommodations, meals (and coffee!) on your trip, outfitted activities, equipment, transportation to and from the trip’s locations are provided by Adventure Treks.
• Pro Deal accounts with access to discounts on a wide range of outdoor brands.
• Reimbursement for Wilderness First Responder Certification for returning instructors.
• Focus on year-round personal and professional growth which include career resource webinars and reimbursements towards professional development
• An opportunity to work both Adventure Treks summer and fall programs and gap semesters, with a focus on career growth and professional development through the progression of instructor, trip leader, regional director, and gap semester faculty

Additional Information About Adventure Treks:

Personal and professional skills learned at Adventure Treks are applicable to many experiences for years to come:

• Leadership and Responsibility: responsible for 24 teenagers and all aspects of running a safe and fun trip
• Communication: with your students, co-instructor, trip leader, regional director, parents, and Adventure Treks office
• Resilience and adaptability: positively overcome adversity and creatively solve problems
• Decision making: confidence in safe, quick, and intentional decisions
• Strong work ethic: the hardest job with the biggest rewards and fulfillment
• Relationship building: a role model to students, creating strong connections with students, instructor team, and building a strong community
• Feedback: continual opportunities to provide and receive feedback to students, co-instructors, and trip leaders

Minimum Requirements

All applicants must be 21, have a valid WFR & CPR certification, clean driving record, several years of experience working with youth and leading outdoor programs, and the ability to maintain positive energy levels with little/no time off and very limited personal time. They must be excited to work with teenagers, build community, and facilitate a fun and safe experience.