A Summer on the RiverMy name is Maddie Gaines and this summer was my second year guiding for Noah's Ark Whitewater Rafting in Buena Vista, Colorado. The summer of 2016, I completed my internship for Texas A&M University's RPTS department by guiding for this organization.
Noah's Ark is a Christian-based rafting company who aims to provide excellence for every person who walks through our front door. The mission statement is "to provide a professional experience for staff, trainees, and guests; to teach all truths from a biblical basis in all program areas: mountaineering, rock climbing, river, and the adventure park". Through Noah's, I gained technical skills in guiding on the river, in the mountains, and on rock climbs. |
The Low-Down
The job description for a guide is “leads whitewater rafting, backpacking, and rock climbing trips for customers, with a part-time role on the Browns Canyon Adventure Park”.
Qualifications include “demonstrates strong leadership abilities, models great character, judgment, and integrity, exhibits teachability, desires to learn new job skills quickly, humbly, and enthusiastically, passionate about outdoor recreation and desires to make a difference in the outdoor industry, interesting in serving and conversing with youth and families, loves working hard, and notices and seeks opportunities for personal contribution”.
Noah's Ark trains all of it's staff on-site. This means that previous experience guiding is not required--all skills will be taught to everyone who comes to guide here.
Noah's offered many benefits and opportunities. One of those is access to Pro-Deals, which are online gear websites that offer gear to outdoor professionals at a ridiculously discounted rate. Another is certification classes--the first summer, all guides are certified as Advanced Wilderness First Aid. The second summer, those guides take a bridge course to upgrade to a Wilderness First Responder. These classes are offered at a highly discounted rate through Noah's. Staff is paid, as well as offered a meal plan and housing for low rates. The networking benefits are also very valuable here--guiding for Noah's gives a person a great experience and very valuable skills. The training done through Noah's is of peak quality and is recognized as a quality training program.
Working at Noah's provides its staff with hard skills that are difficult to acquire elsewhere, as well as a demanding work environment that builds character and provides lifelong friendships.
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Contact Us
Noah's Ark Whitewater Rafting Co.
PO Box 850
23910 US HWY 285
Buena Vista, Colorado
Phone: 719-395-2158
Email: [email protected]
PO Box 850
23910 US HWY 285
Buena Vista, Colorado
Phone: 719-395-2158
Email: [email protected]