Adventure Treks

UPDATES: Hiring for Summer 2025

Hiring:

To Apply: Adventure Treks is now accepting applications for summer 2025! Email your resume and a brief introduction to Kyle D’Ambrosio, our staffing director, at employment@adventuretreks.com. We encourage candidates to submit their resumes and applications promptly.

Our summer Field Instructors lead 10- to 30-day wilderness-based programs in California, Oregon, Washington, Colorado, British Columbia, Idaho, Wyoming, Alaska, North Carolina, Scotland, Norway, and Peru for students ages 12–17. 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, 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. Instructors are expected to be positive role models and are responsible for the safety, success, and satisfaction of their students and trips as they teach a variety of outdoor skills and foster a close community.

Course size is generally 20–24 students with 4–6 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. While in the field, Instructors receive support from our year-round director team.

Qualifications

All applicants must be 21, have a valid WFR & CPR certification, a 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, overcome challenges, and facilitate a fun and safe experience. 

Dates of Employment 

Summer: June 9 - August 15, 2025 (includes staff orientation)

Instructor Compensation

We’re pleased to offer a competitive salary with the starting salary for first-year summer instructors being: Summer season: $4,000-$4,200

• 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 recertification for returning instructors.

• Focus on year-round personal and professional growth which includes career resource webinars and reimbursements toward professional development

An opportunity to work both Adventure Treks summer and fall programs, with a focus on career growth through the progression of instructor, trip leader, and regional director, and gap semester faculty.

Adventure Treks is committed to building a diverse community that is inclusive of people from all backgrounds to reflect the world we live in. Adventure Treks does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, genetics information, socioeconomic status, medical condition, or any other consideration made unlawful by federal, state, or local laws.

Additional Information About Adventure Treks:

Benefits: Personal and professional skills learned at Adventure Treks are applicable to many different careers and life experiences for years to come.

Leadership and Responsibility: Instructors are responsible for the safety and overall experience of 20-24 teenagers, while conducting themselves as a positive role model throughout the program.

Communication: Instructors communicate with their students, co-instructors, trip leader, regional director, parents, and the Adventure Treks office.

Resilience and Adaptability: Creative problem solving and overcoming adversity with a positive attitude are skills Instructors use regularly.

Decision Making: Instructors confidently make safe, timely, and intentional decisions.

Strong Work Ethic: Most instructors say this is one of the hardest, yet most rewarding and fulfilling jobs they’ve ever had.

Relationship Building: Instructors create strong connections with their students and their instructor team, building a tight-knit community with everyone on the program.
Feedback: Adventure Treks programs offer continual opportunities to provide and receive feedback to students, co-instructors, and trip leaders.