Announcements

Group Instructor Positions

Amy — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 20:01:19 +0000

An outstanding opportunity for dynamic instructors to lead wilderness expeditions and to inspire environmental stewardship, group responsibility, fun, and confidence in young adults. Each instructor has a specific job within the staff team, such as the naturalist, cultural historian, backcountry specialist, cook, or guitar player.

OVERVIEW

The Cottonwood Gulch Foundation is looking for dynamic individuals to lead, instruct, and support its summer wilderness courses in the Southwest. Expeditions explore the mountains, canyons, and high deserts of New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, and Colorado on camping, backpacking, and canoe trips. Each group also stays at our 540-acre nature preserve and permanent base camp in the Zuni Mountains of New Mexico. Program centers on adventure, personal growth, fun, and hands-on learning in disciplines such as ecology, archaeology, and traditional Native American art.

OUR MISSION

Since 1926, The Cottonwood Gulch Foundation has sponsored educational wilderness expeditions and outdoor programs in the American Southwest that promote personal growth, scientific, historic, and cultural discovery as well as a knowledgeable environmental ethic among all those who participate. The Cottonwood Gulch Foundation is an educational non-profit 501(c)(3) organization in the state of New Mexico.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Staff members are full-time instructors, mentors, and guides for expedition members, ages 10-19, on their two- to five-week expeditions. Group instructors lead hikes and camping trips and also take on specific duties according to their role in the group (to be determined with Director). Each staff team, with a designated senior group leader, has considerable leeway to tailor the activities, itineraries, and projects in the field to the needs, interests, and talents of their group. Risk assessment, planning backpacks, mentoring all students, and leading custom hands-on projects are shared jobs for the entire staff. Staff are expected to help care for the emotional and physical health and safety of all individual group members as well as uphold the Foundation’s mission and ‘share-and-share-alike’ philosophy to communal living.

QUALIFICATIONS

Successful applicants will have experience working with students, either in or outside of the classroom, and a strong record of backcountry decision-making. Applicants should show significant passion for an area of instruction within the general outlines of the expedition and be ready to lead projects in that area. All jobs require a driver’s license and record in good standing. Priority given to those ages 21-and-over, those certified as WFR or WEMT, and to creative and energetic educators with a profound curiosity for their surroundings.

BENEFITS

All staff receive a stipend for the summer (typically $2,000-3,000), transportation to and from New Mexico, full room and board, laundry facilities, health care coverage, a regular rotation of time off, an exceptionally fun working environment, and stars to sleep under every night. Become part of this long-standing community of educators, where 70% of our instructors return each summer.

HOW TO APPLY

Download an application at www.cottonwoodgulch.org/jobs or email a cover letter and resume to the Executive Director at mike@cottonwoodgulch.org. All positions open until filled with priority given to early applicants.

Group Leader Positions

Amy — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 20:00:39 +0000

The Group Leader is the senior instructor for each expedition. As such, they lead a staff team of 3-4 instructors; they provide accountability for the safety, program, and experience of each Trekker; and they are ultimately in charge of decisions made for the group when it is in the field. Group Leaders are inspiring educators who make life long impacts on all their students in each of our expeditions.

THE OPPORTUNITY

The Cottonwood Gulch Foundation is looking for experienced outdoor educators to lead its summer wilderness courses in the Southwest. Expeditions explore the mountains, canyons, and high deserts of New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, and Colorado on camping, backpacking, and canoe trips. Each group also stays at our 540-acre nature preserve and permanent base camp in the Zuni Mountains of New Mexico. Program centers on adventure, personal growth, fun, and hands-on learning in disciplines such as ecology, archaeology, and traditional Native American art.

OUR MISSION

Since 1926, The Cottonwood Gulch Foundation has sponsored educational wilderness expeditions and outdoor programs in the American Southwest that promote personal growth, scientific, historic, and cultural discovery as well as a knowledgeable environmental ethic among all those who participate. Cottonwood Gulch is an educational non-profit 501(c)(3) organization in the state of New Mexico.

RESPONSIBILITIES

This is an extraordinary opportunity for seasoned educators to craft the course and experience they have always wanted. Group Leaders take responsibility for all elements of course when it is in the field, from group morale to personal safety and risk management to reaching educational objectives. Group Leaders and their staff teams have considerable leeway to tailor the activities, itineraries, and projects in the field to the needs, interests, and talents of their groups. Risk assessment, planning backpacks, mentoring all students, and leading custom hands-on projects are shared jobs for the entire staff. Group Leaders are solely in charge of communications with parents and the Director, evaluating students, leading the staff team, and accounting for all finances. Balancing fun, learning, and group responsibility is a priority.

QUALIFICATIONS

Successful applicants will have solid experience working with students, either in or outside of the classroom, and a strong record of making decisions for groups while in the field. Applicants should show significant passion for an area of instruction within the general outlines of the expedition and have experience leading projects in that area. All jobs require a driver’s license and record in good standing and advanced certification in wilderness medicine. Priority given to creative and energetic career educators and those with a profound curiosity for their surroundings.

BENEFITS

Salary dependent on experience (typically between $2,000-3,000). Full room and board, transportation to and from New Mexico, health care coverage, laundry facilities, a rotation of time off, an exceptionally fun working environment, and stars to sleep under every night. Become part of this long-standing community of educators, where 70% of our instructors return each summer.

HOW TO APPLY

Download an application at www.cottonwoodgulch.org/jobs or email a cover letter and resume to the Executive Director at mike@cottonwoodgulch.org. All positions open until filled with priority given to early applicants.

2008 Employment Opportunities

Amy — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 19:55:55 +0000

We’re hard at work preparing for our 2008 Expeditions, and putting together our staff team is a big part of that. You can find general information about our employment opportunities in this section of our website, but I’ll be posting specific job descriptions for the positions available here on the Gulch blog.

Expeditions are filling quickly!

Amy — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 18:37:09 +0000

Several of our 2008 expeditions are more than half-full. Reserve your spot today!

But wait, where did all the posts go?

Seth — Tue, 16 Oct 2007 00:49:51 +0000

Well, bad things happened somewhere in our setup. I’ve reconstructed the blog, and Amy is going to be posting lots of new things as the fall progresses. All of the old entries are saved, but I need to find an idle moment to extract them from their SQL file purgatory.

2008 Expeditions Online!

Amy — Tue, 16 Oct 2007 00:15:13 +0000

The 2008 expedition descriptions are now online. Feel free to contact Amy to sign-up or with any questions!

The Outfit Expedition (co-ed, 10-13)

Wild Country Trek (co-ed, 13-15)

Prairie Trek Expedition (boys, 13-15)

Turquoise Trail Expedition (girls, 13-15)

Trek Institute (co-ed, 14-18)

Mountain Desert Trek (co-ed, 15-18)

The Adult & Family Trek (all ages)

New Winter Mailing Address

Mike — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 12:23:39 +0000

We have a new winter mailing address! Please update your addressbooks:

Cottonwood Gulch Foundation
P.O. Box 25106
Albuquerque, NM 87125