Employment
Who we are
St. Elias Alpine Guides is the longest-running business in WSENP and has grown from a staff of about 5 to nearly 40 in the several decades we’ve been around. In that time, we’ve developed an amazing company culture, comfortable infrastructure, and maintained access to the most inspiring outdoor office you could ever dream of!
We attract dedicated and talented people from a variety of backgrounds and have a high retention rate because of our dedication to their growth and development. Founded and led by climbers and guides, we value and nurture the tradition of mentorship, recognizing that we all start at the bottom of the mountain to climb to the top. We have developed an intensive training program with many additional learning opportunities for our staff to develop both their soft and hard skills, growing as guides and as people. We believe that our industry and the wilderness itself have a lot of lessons to teach, and as life-long learners, we hope to keep learning from the mountains as long as we can!
Adventure in Wilderness
Wilderness and adventure are everything to us. True wilderness is the raw truth of nature, the virgin landscape, the untouched and unencumbered, pristine, and pure. The levels of remoteness and wilderness are palpable here in WSENP and they are what set the adventures of Alaska apart. Without conveniences like trails and weather stations, adventures out here are completely self-supported and when dealing with a very dynamic environment they are chock-full of the unexpected too. Taking on the unknown is the essence of adventure, the highlight of the best trips, and what fuels us to explore unfamiliar and changing terrain. Our goal is to inspire the same type of connection to the wilderness in our guests and our community through authentic adventure.
Adventure is a State of Mind
As guides, we empower adventurers to fulfill their trips of a lifetime. In Alaska, the adventure often starts in the Anchorage airport with something not going according to plan and continues at a steady level for the duration of your stay in the state. Not everyone at SEAG is a guide, but everyone is an adventurer and guided by these 11 core values:
Professionalism
Proficiency
Accountability
Good judgment
Adaptability
Grit
Individuality
Humility
Approachability
Confidence
Stoke
DETAILS
Location & Living
We are located in the heart of the largest National Park in the United States, Wrangell – St. Elias National Park. The McCarthy/Kennecott community grows to ~200 people in the summer and the entire area is off-the-grid. We are an 4hr drive from the nearest grocery store and an 8hr drive from Anchorage or Fairbanks. Chances are that once you arrive for the summer you will not leave the area until the end of your contract.
Guides, Interns, Office Team Members, and a few other employees live together at our rustic compound, centered around the historic Motherlode Powerhouse, in McCarthy, AK. All employees take part in a variety of duties and chores unique to living and operating in an off-the-grid, Alaskan bush community in return for housing and other services. Every employee gets a canvas tent and use of communal grounds, garden patches, outhouses, kitchens, sauna, library, workout equipment, bouldering gym, and lounge with power and wifi. The company provides logistical support to employees such as food delivery and transportation at the start and end of the season.
Season
For our 2025 season, St. Elias Alpine Guides will be leading trips starting May 23rd and ending September 7th.
Training will start in the second half of May and all new employees are required to attend. At the end of the season, there is a week or so of Closing Chores that all employees participate in to winterize the compound before departing. There may be some flexibility for different start or end dates which will need to be discussed ahead of time.
Expectations
As in many outdoor programs, the work is generally mentally and physically demanding with long hours spent working in challenging environments. In addition, off-the-grid life requires us to deal with the dynamic Alaskan environment in creative and spontaneous ways. Our special community requires everyone’s effort to be positive and contributing members throughout the summer season. Those looking for a glamorous mountain guiding job should look elsewhere.
Our company is dedicated to growing professional guides and well-rounded experts and there are many opportunities available to our staff to expand their skill sets and explore the Alaskan backcountry. We live active lifestyles and are serious about adventure – we believe in getting things done, both professionally and personally. That said, as with any experience, you get out of it what you put into it, and the rewards can be spectacular. Perks, promotions, and rewards in the company are largely based on merit.
POSITIONS AVAILABLE
Logistics Team Member + Glacier Hiking Guide + Historical Tour Guide
This position is recommended for those interested in very transferable administrative and customer service skills, while learning about what happens behind the scenes of our operation. All our office staff also guide so they get the best of both worlds. Most return for multiple seasons, gaining more responsibility with daily logistics and continuing to progress as guides, however after their first season they have the choice of how much to guide in the future, occasionally turning full-time guide or full-time office in years to come.
Glacier Hiking Guide + Historical Tour Guide
This position is great for anyone looking for an entry-level guiding job and to get their foot in the door of the guiding and broader outdoor industry. After their first year with the company, most glacier + historical tour guides get trained in backpack guiding and/or choose to pursue ice climbing or raft guiding to add to their repertoire.
This position is perfect for anyone with a passion for climbing and ropework and is a great stepping stone to more technical guiding. Prior climbing experience is required. Most, but not all, ice climbing guides pursue our Mountaineering Track and, if their personal skillset is up for it, join our mountaineering guides in their 2nd season for training. Opportunities to become a mountaineering guide will be granted in future seasons based on skillset.
Our Raft Guide position is great for accomplished boaters looking for a unique Alaskan experience. This role stands out from typical raft guiding positions in that our raft guides also lead glacier hikes, historical town tours, and get a diverse range of outdoor experiences beyond traditional rafting duties. Most raft guides come back for at least 2 seasons, but opportunities to guide our multi-day rafting, backpacking, and flatwater packrafting trips can keep many of our guides coming back for more!
Our internship program is an ideal learning opportunity for anyone looking to gain a variety of knowledge and experience in the guiding and outdoor industries. Most interns return the following year as glacier hiking or ice climbing guides or join our office team and often have the most illustrious and longest careers with our company.
*All employees are trained in and work as Glacier Hiking Guides and Historical Tour Guides in addition to their specialty.
We also manage the McCarthy Guesthouse and are hiring an employee for a housekeeping position. This employee lives with the SEAG employees on the SEAG campus and enjoys many of the same perks as the rest of the SEAG employees. This is a great gig for anyone with less outdoor experience but wanting to experience a wild Alaskan summer while working autonomously.
APPLICATION PROCESS
We start hiring in mid-December for the following summer season and take applications until all positions are filled.
The hiring process includes email correspondence, reference checks, and a video interview usually lasting an hour – the entire process can take up to 2-3 weeks.
Before applying, please take the time to check out the trips that we offer and learn a little more about us and our beautiful home in Wrangell – St. Elias National Park.
To apply, please email the following application materials to [email protected]:
- A cover letter stating why you are interested in working for us, which position(s) you are interested in, and your dates of availability for the summer
- A current and detailed work history resume
- A current and detailed resume or summary of outdoor experience and/or qualifications
Upon receiving your complete application materials, we will send you an email providing more information about the position and the next steps in the application process.
