Echo Jobs

Trainee Application Process   Experienced Guide Application Process

Office Staff Applicants: Please email your resume to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Thanks for your interest in guiding with Echo Canyon and Four Corners Rafting. Feel free to submit your online application at this time. We are still in the process of accepting and reviewing applications, but we will have a full class soon. Please submit all of your application info soon; read below for all requirements. Thank you.

Experienced guides: On a case by case basis we do consider hiring experienced guides . Please check out our experienced guide page before submitting your application. You will also need to submit your river log to be considered. Thank you!

To all prospective Guides,

Thank you for your interest in working with Echo Canyon River Expeditions and Four Corners Rafting. Since 1976 we have been treating guests to the beauty and adventure of Colorado’s rivers. We have offices just outside of Cañon City and also in Buena Vista, Colorado. In addition to offering a variety of trips on every section of the Arkansas River from the Numbers to the Royal Gorge, we also hold permits on other rivers in the state. We are committed to safety, conservation and providing a fun working environment that will provide you with skills you can utilize long after your employment with us. We place an emphasis on guiding skills as well as general knowledge of the Arkansas River including local history, geology, plants and animals.

Trainees

Our goal is to find outstanding individuals and train them to become outstanding guides. Trainees are selected by online applications, resumes, references and phone or personal interviews. The state of Colorado requires river guides must be at least 18 years of age and be certified in Basic First Aid and CPR.

Applicants are required to complete the following on-line application to be considered for training and employment. We begin reviewing applications in January and continue the process for the next three to four months. Please email your resume the same day you complete the on-line application. Although not a requirement for consideration of invite to training/ hiring, we would like to see a photo of you, taken within the last year, participating in a hobby, sport or outdoor activity you love. This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it is the best email to use when submitting application materials.

After interviews and reference checks, you may be offered a spot in our training program. If you receive an invitation we will need your non-refundable $300 training deposit within 14 days to secure your spot. The initial 10 days of training will include a multi-day trip of at least 3 days in length, as well as swiftwater rescue training and and plenty of on-river time. On or around day 10, we will cut those trainees with negative attitudes, poor work ethic, or who are struggling severely with the physical demands of guide training. Following the cut of trainees, an additional $200 will be due to continue the remainder of training. All prospective guides need to remember that an invitation to join the training program does not necessarily guarantee employment. The hiring of trainees from the training class will be based on training performance and growth, ability to perform essential job skills, work ethic, and ability to work in a team setting. Due to the time and monetary investment we are both putting into training we will require you to work at our Echo/Four Corners office for at least two seasons if you are hired. Please do not apply if you only plan to guide for one season.

Your training at Echo and Four Corners will be comprehensive to say the least. A minimum of 50 hours of on-river training is required by law to guide in the state of Colorado, but it has been our experience that trainees usually do not attain the professional skills required in that short amount of river time. You can thus expect to accrue more than 100 river hours before we are comfortable certifying you on the river. This extensive training lasts about four weeks, and includes camping on Echo and Four Corners property during training, all transportation from camp to and from the river, the best rafts and boating equipment money can buy, as well as your trainers, who are dedicated long-term Echo Canyon and Four Corners staff members. Our training staff will dedicate themselves to long days and miles of river time to provide you with a unique learning environment. On-river training will be supplemented with classroom clinics covering topics such as river features, guest relations, equipment maintenance, liability and accident prevention, emergency protocols, conservation, swift water rescue procedures and much more. Written and practical tests are yet another tool we utilize to inform us of overall progress.

Your training will include the following:

• You will be provided with a life jacket and helmet for the duration of training. We have a limited number of wetsuits and splash jackets available for trainees to use on a cooler days. You will be responsible for any additional clothing/ gear necessary to keep you comfortable on the river, as well as camping gear if you choose to camp at our training sites. Those applicants accepted into the program will have several pro-purchase programs available to them for river gear and apparel.
• We provide all necessary boating equipment including rafts, paddles, oars, frames as well as all transportation to and from the current training locations.
• A generous amount of river time, 35 hours or more a week of actual time on the river, including both oar and paddle boat training.
• You will also have some of the most experienced guides on the river available to you as a resource not just through training but throughout the season. Senior staff members are always happy to take the time to answer any questions that you may have. In fact you may find it difficult to stop them from talking about rafting!
• When you have completed your training you will have an abundance of documented on-water time before your certification run.
• Upon completing your certification run a conference will take place between you and your trainers. At this time we will discuss the strength of your guiding skills, growth and overall performance, as well as possibly offering a full time position to you either at our Echo Canyon or Four Corners office.

Our training is a physically and mentally demanding program which will require an unfaltering commitment. You should plan on investing much of your time and most of your energy into this program. Please be aware that your level of physical fitness may affect your success in training, so the more prepared you are the better off you will be.

Please note that while you are training with us you are not considered an employee and are not eligible for workers compensation. Therefore, we strongly suggest you have your own health insurance so you are covered for the duration of training. Since you will not be paid to train with us, all funds necessary for living expenses should also be secured in advance of training. In addition to the $500 training fee and $20 deposit for your training manual and course materials, you should also be prepared to purchase some personal rafting gear. The cost of these materials can range from $300 to $400, depending on what you choose to buy. More information regarding costs and detailed equipment lists will be made available to you should you be invited to training.

The 2010 training program begins at 8:00 a.m. on May 17th, at our Echo Canyon office. We expect you to arrive with Basic First Aid and Adult and Child CPR certifications. This year we are hosting a 4 day Wilderness Advanced First Aid (WAFA class) and CPR class on May 10th. This class is geared towards raft guides specifically and is mainly composed of returning Echo and Four Corners guides, as well as some trainees. Cost for this class is $250, and space is limited. Senior staff members are expected to have their EMT, WFR, WAFA or equivalent medical certifications.

Guides are paid by the trip and you will be paid $29 per half-day trip and $58 per full-day trip in your first season. First year guides can make $2000 or more in wages and anywhere from $500 to $800 in gratuities in their first season. Senior guides can make $9,000 or more per season in wages alone, not to mention gratuities.

Due to the conservative nature of our clientele, as well as the fact that we are a family oriented business, we require that you observe the following rules: Drugs and underage drinking will not be tolerated. Alcohol is not to be consumed on company time or prior to your performing duties for the company. There is no smoking or chewing allowed on company property or while working a Echo Canyon or Four Corners trip. Body piercing needs to be confined to the ears on both men and women and long hair should be kept in a ponytail while at work. All new guides are required to pass a drug screen prior to employment. Staff is able to live on the company’s designated property for a flat $125 a season. Pets are not allowed on company property or at either staff camping area. If it is impossible for you to leave Fido at home for the summer, you need to look into campgrounds or other lodging in the area where pets are allowed.

Our Echo Canyon office is located 8 miles west of Cañon City near the Royal Gorge. Our Four Corners office is located about 7 miles south of Buena Vista in the small town of Nathrop. We obviously have world class whitewater in our back yard as well as superior climbing opportunities, mountain biking, camping, hiking and so many other recreational opportunities. The fact that our staff has these opportunities available to them keeps them coming back year after year.

We are happy to have a diverse group of people who work with us and love what they do. We realize that our guides are the liaison between the guest and our company and we insist that each staff member be of the highest caliber both on and off the water. Many of our staff members are college bound individuals who will work for us during the summer before pursuing other goals. However, many other members of the staff have been guides for fifteen years or more. We feel they choose to stay with us due to the unique work environment and quality of life. If you should gain employment with us we are confident that you will appreciate your experience and will continue to return for many seasons to come. We look forward to hearing from you!

Trainee Application Process   Experienced Guide Application Process