Rafting Guide

SKAGWAY CHILKAT GUIDES RAFTING GUIDE JOB DESCRIPTION

TIMEFRAME: April - October

QUALIFICATIONS: Wilderness First Responder, CPR Certifications, Swift Water Rescue (We can assist in obtaining all certifications)

The Skagway Adventure Guide’s main responsibility is to carry out the company’s mission of providing clients with a safe, enjoyable, and educational wilderness experience.  The Adventure Guide will lead clients up the Chilkoot Trail and down the Taiya River safely and enthusiastically with an ultimate goal of satisfied passengers at the end of each trip. Guides will also lead our Scenic Drive excursions along the beautiful White Pass & Yukon.

Description of Guided Programs: Chilkoot Trail Hike & Float & Scenic Drive Excursions 

Chilkoot Trail Hike & Float: Hike the historic Chilkoot Trail, the centerpiece of the Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park. This world famous trail was the main route to the riches of the Klondike during the gold rush. Enjoy the exercise, fresh air, beautiful scenery, pristine forests, and history of a bygone era as the trail takes you up and over the 350' tall Saintly Hill. Where the trail reaches the banks of the Taiya River you will board an 18-foot inflatable raft for a scenic float (no whitewater) back down the tidal estuary, where the forest gives way to fields of beach greens and wild iris, and the granite walls of the fjord rise steeply to the snow-capped peaks and hanging glaciers. Enjoy a riverside snack and countless picture-perfect moments before making the return journey back to your ship. 

There are also two variations on the Hike & Float Tour. Guests are able to book a float-only version, which is the tour as mentioned above without the hiking portion. Guests can also book a Hike, Float, & Summit Drive, which is the above description with a drive to the White Pass Summit added at the end. For the summit drive, passports are required for all guides and guests. 

Additionally, Hike & Float guides will train into the “gear guide” position. This position is the behind the scenes person who ensures all rafts and gear are set and clean for guests when their hike ends at the riverbank. The gear position requires driving a box truck with a raft trailer attached and operating an electric or hand crank crane to load/unload rafts from the trailer. The gear person is also the liaison between the guide on the trail/river and the office via radio for all incidents. 

Summit Drive: Guests are met at the pier by the driver/guide. This is a narrated driving tour along the Klondike Highway to/from Carcross in the Yukon. Various roadside overlooks allow for multiple photo opportunities. Guides for this tour are expected to possess knowledge on a variety of topics in order to narrate and entertain guests for about 5 hours. We provide a bag lunch on this tour for all guests. Passports are required for guests and guides on this tour. 

REQUIREMENTS

• Prior guiding, leadership, and tourism experience helpful. 
• Must be able to lift up to 80 pounds repeatedly throughout each day. 
• Must be able to carry loads over uneven ground. 
• Must possess strong work ethic. 

• Must be punctual. 
• Must be organized. 
• Must have great, positive attitude. 
• Must be comfortable speaking to large groups of people. 
• Must be willing to become or be currently certified as a Wilderness First Responder, in CPR, and in Swift Water Rescue. WFR or above is required for guiding positions. 
  

For CDL Driving

• Must obtain a valid Class B CDL and contribute to bus driving duties for these and other tours. Have and maintain a Class B CDL with Passenger and Airbrakes endorsement.
• Pass FMCSA required pre-employment drug tests & screening.
  
• Have and maintain a valid Medical Examiner’s Card.
• Completion of AMG Haines Driver training program (minimum of 8 hours).

JOB DUTIES

• Responsible for safety and satisfaction of each of his/her passengers throughout entire duration of tours. 
• Responsible for following a strict daily schedule. 
• Responsible for cleanliness and excellent maintenance of gear, trail, put-ins, and take-outs. 

• Responsible for communicating all incidents to Skagway Manager as soon as possible. 
• Responsible for communicating all gear and vehicle issues to manager. 
• Responsible for entering all hours on a daily basis into our online time clock system. 
• Must be a good communicator with the willingness to teach and entertain his/her clients. 
• Must possess the desire to continually improve his/her knowledge and skills. 

• Must at all times be clean, well groomed, courteous, honest, and reliable. 
• Must possess a positive attitude that is friendly, considerate, strong, and energetic. 
• Must be willing to work as a strong team member, assisting in the maintenance of group morale. 
• The Skagway Adventure Guide reports to the Skagway Hike & Float Manager and Skagway Operations Manager. 

WORKLOAD

The tourism season follows a cycle that controls workloads. Cruise ships start arriving in the second week of May and the season ends late October.  The shoulder periods of the season are an excellent time to tour the area and do some outdoor exploration. Early to Mid-June through Late August is the height of the cruise line season.  In this period guides may be required to work up to 40+ hours/week. During the height of the season long periods of time off will likely not be able to be provided.  This is the heart of the season and flexibility and dedication are required from the staff to meet the demand of our cruise ship operations and our other long trip programs.

LIVING AND RENT STRUCTURE 

Employee housing is located in downtown Skagway, the grocery store and other local attractions are within walking distance from housing. Accommodations consist of shared rooms typically 2-4 beds to a room, although the largest room is a 6-occupant bunkroom. Each house features shared bathrooms, a kitchen area, and living room. Employees residing in housing are expected to respect others and maintain a clean and respectable living area. Rent procedures are clearly outlined in the Employee Manual. The two downtown houses share a large yard and mountain views, providing a fantastic base for our team. Our mid-town house is the senior-staff housing option and affords a quieter space and more privacy than the downtown housing. Space in the mid-town house is typically reserved for employees who have been with the company multiple seasons. Each house has a specific house manager who will be responsible for the weekly chore schedule and chore completion check-off’s. House managers will call attention to any issues within the housing unit and employees are encouraged to let their house manager know if they experience any issues.  

Additional Notes 

• Rent deductions are made twice a month with 50% of the month’s rent deducted from the 1st and 2nd paycheck.
• Rent is prorated for the first month, rent for the last pay period will be deducted in full even if you vacate housing early.
• Employees must vacate housing within 48 hours of their final shift unless other arrangements have been approved by management.
• Pets – No Cats, No Dogs. First season employees may not bring pets. All other pets must be approved by management. Approval may be rescinded if your pet is not friendly towards people or creates issues within living spaces. 
• Failure to abide by rules outlined in the employee manual and housing agreement may result in immediate expulsion from employee housing.

ADDITIONAL JOB RESPONSIBILITIES 

Employees may be called on to participate in other Skagway or Haines programs at any time.  This may include but is not limited to: hiking tours, gear truck driving, CDL bus driving for other tours, vehicle maintenance, general driving duties, gear maintenance, and overall operational support.

The ability to be flexible with schedules and adapt to changes, sometimes with short notice, is a requirement and expectation of your employment.