How to hire a mountain guide

How to hire a mountain guide, step by step

Here's a step-by-step mountain guide hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a mountain guide job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new mountain guide
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The mountain guide hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A mountain guide's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, mountain guides from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list shows salaries for various types of mountain guides.

   Type of Mountain Guide	Description	Hourly rate
   Mountain Guide		$5-89
   Escort	Escort is a service provided to accompany an individual, group of people, or vehicle to provide guidance and protection or mark of honor. Military Escort services accompany deceased military personnel to show respect-a healthcare escort sometimes accompanies patients to their destination for ongoing care safely... Show more	$10-17
   Guide	A guide is an expert on a location's history and gives guided tours to tourists at historic sites, nature and scenic attractions, and other travel destinations. Manuals are usually residents in the area hired by visitors' bureaus and travel companies... Show more	$8-32

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • CPR
   • Responder
   • Safety Procedures

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage payroll - specifically manage overtime.
   • Instruct clients on techniques, equipment, leadership, and decision-making in mountain environments.
   • Advance leadership abilities, and constantly double-check tasks for correctness and safety
   • Facilitate a therapeutic outdoor adventure experience for teenagers struggling with a variety of behavioral, mental health and substance abuse challenges.
   • Manage commercial whitewater rafting outfit.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your mountain guide job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A mountain guide can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, mountain guides' average salary in montana is 60% less than in connecticut.
   • Seniority. Entry-level mountain guides 94% less than senior-level mountain guides.
   • Certifications. A mountain guide with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a mountain guide's salary.

   Average mountain guide salary

   $47,584yearly

   $22.88 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level mountain guide salary

   $12,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 16, 2025

4. Writing a mountain guide job description

   A good mountain guide job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of a mountain guide job description:

   Mountain guide job description example

   **Create Your Experience of a Lifetime!**
   
   Come work and play in the mountains! Whether it's your first time seeing snow or you were born on the slopes, joining our team means discovering (or re-discovering!) a passion for the outdoors while building lifelong connections with teammates and guests from around the world.
   
   With 40+ resorts across 3 continents, you can join our team for a season or stay to build a career. From day one, you'll receive some of the highest compensation rates in the industry, free Epic pass(es) along with free ski and snowboard lessons, 40% retail discounts, the chance to grow through Epic Service - our leading training and development experience, and wellness benefits to fuel your success.
   
   **Job Benefits**
   
   + Ski/Mountain Perks! Free passes for employees, employee discounted lift tickets for friends and family AND free ski lessons
   
   + MORE employee discounts on lodging, food, gear, mountain shuttles AND during the summer on bike haul, golf and other activities
   
   + 401(k) Retirement Plan
   
   + Employee Assistance Program
   
   + Excellent training and professional development
   
   + Referral Program
   
   Seasonal Full Time roles are eligible for the above, plus:
   
   + Health Insurance; Medical Insurance, Dental Insurance, and Vision Insurance plans (for eligible seasonal employees after working 500 hours)
   
   + Free ski passes for dependents
   
   + Critical Illness and Accident plans
   
   **Job Summary**
   
   As a Mountain Activities Attendant, your role is to provide Epic guest service as you guide our guests through amazing alpine adventures such as Mountain Coasters, Snow Tubing, Lift Operations, Surface Lift Operations, and Ticket Scanning just to name a few! You will interact with guests and fellow employees from all over the world and engage in a variety of different guest service outlets and activities.
   
   **Job Specifications**
   
   + Outlet: Snow Tubing
   
   + Wage: $20 / hour
   
   + Shift & Schedule Availability: Days, Nights, Weekdays, weekends, holidays.
   
   + Skill Level: Entry Level
   
   **Job Responsibilities**
   
   + Deliver instructions to our guests for safe loading and unloading of lifts, conveyors and activities
   
   + Interact and guide guests with varying experience levels and backgrounds through the adventures we provide
   
   + Maintain a safe work environment
   
   + Other duties as assigned
   
   **Job Requirements**
   
   + Able to work extended hours outdoors in an alpine environment
   
   + You will be repeatedly standing, twisting, turning, pulling, pushing, bending, squatting, lifting (up to 50 lbs.) throughout each day
   
   + Ability to clearly and comfortably converse with a variety of guests
   
   + Age requirements vary depending on the resort
   
   A Mountain Activities Attendant team member is a flexible employee who often works across multiple departments and in various roles to support the one resort mentality which could include one of the following:
   
   + Mountain Activities
   
   + Retail Rental operations
   
   + Food and Beverage Support
   
   + Ticket sales or scanning
   
   + Lift Operations
   
   + Base Area Operations
   
   The budgeted range starts at $20. Actual pay will be adjusted based on experience.
   
   _Vail Resorts is an equal opportunity employer. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, protected veteran status or any other status protected by applicable law._
   

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right mountain guide for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with mountain guides they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit mountain guides who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your mountain guide job on Zippia to find and recruit mountain guide candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit mountain guides, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new mountain guide

   Once you've found the mountain guide candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new mountain guide. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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