DEER VALLEY RANCH
Colorado's Christian Family Guest Ranch
FAQs
1. What is involved in your hiring process?
We typically begin accepting applications for the next summer in late October. We will not begin making our hiring decisions until after Thanksgiving. We probably do most of our hiring in the months of December, January and
February and usually complete our hiring by March 1st. We understand you may be applying for other jobs and need to know an answer from us as soon as possible. We will try to give you a prompt answer but sometimes we get several applications a day and it takes us a while to go over them all and call on references, etc. Thank you in advance for your patience. Sometimes spots for certain positions fill up and we may put you on a waiting list. Hired staff do back out and when they do, we immediately go to individuals on our waiting list. We do appreciate staff not signing a contract with us until they know they can commit to working for Deer Valley for the summer.
2. How do I get to the ranch?
If you are not driving or being driven to the ranch, you have a few options
- Because we do not offer regular shuttle services from the airports to the ranch, we designate certain days to pick up staff. Approximately one day a week in May, we will send a van to one airport or the other. If you arrive on a different day than designated, you are responsible for getting yourself to the ranch.
- If you fly into the Denver airport, DIA, you can take a shuttle from Denver to Copper Mountain , north of the ranch, where we can pick you up. For more information, go to www.ridecme.com.
- Chealseys Charters is a locally owned shuttle service that provides door to door service from anywhere in Colorado Springs or Denver directly to Deer Valley Ranch. Their web site is www.chealseyscharters.com . Check out their “Ride-Along” option.
- The fourth option is to carpool with another staff person. As we hire more staff, we will compile a transportation list of staff, where they’re coming from, how they’re coming and when.
Thank you for understanding that we do not pick up staff (or guests) at the airport. We would be glad to provide you with additional information on any of the above options.
3. Will I need to bring my car?
You don’t really need a car once you’re here; however, there are always some staff that do have a car. A car comes in handy if you want to travel off the ranch on your day off. We do have designated parking areas.
4. What clothes do I need to bring?
Our guests expect to see Western and we expect you to look Western. Blue jeans are pretty much a staple (dark, NOT faded or stonewashed). Once hired, we will send you a complete, detailed clothing list.
5. Are there laundry facilities?
The ranch does have laundry facilities you are welcome to use. However, staff use is limited to specific hours, as ranch laundry has the priority.
6. How will I be paid?
The starting salary for summer 2008 first year staff is $150.00 per week plus room and board plus $12.00/day guaranteed tips June 1 - August 31. You will be paid the first of each month.
7. What time off will I get?
You will get one day off a week. It most likely will not be the same day off every week. If there is a required activity that evening e.g., square dance or western party, we expect your attendance even if it’s your day off. Except for the wranglers, you will not get Saturdays off, as that is our big turnover day i.e., one week’s guests leave in the morning and the next week’s guests arrive in the afternoon.
8. What will my average workday be like?
It depends on your job. Waitresses and kitchen staffs' days will revolve around the meals, so they will get the afternoons off. Wranglers will be up early in the mornings (VERY early on Wrangler’s Breakfast mornings), but will be off by dinnertime. Cleaners will also work mornings and afternoons and have evenings off. The EXCEPTION for all staff is some evenings where we require staff attendance: square dance, hymn sing and Western Party.
9. What will my housing be like?
You will be living in a bunkhouse with several other staff. We have one guys’ bunkhouse and two gals’ bunkhouses. All bunkhouses have a common bathroom area. We expect you to keep your area neat and to
be considerate of others’ need for quiet and rest.
10. What is available in the area such as medical facilities, pharmacies, libraries, etc.?
Chaffee County, where Deer Valley Ranch is located, though not “the city”, has most everything you’ll need as far as businesses. Check out these two web sites to learn more about our area:
11. What fun stuff is there to do on my day off?
LOTS! Here are some of the fun adventures our past staff have embarked upon: Independence Pass, Aspen and the Maroon Bells; Denver for a Rockies Game, the zoo or the Museum of Natural History; the train ride from Leadville to Climax; the Great Sand Dunes; the Black Canyon of the Gunnison; visiting the old mining towns of Leadville or Fairplay and the Alpine Slide in Breckenridge. Those are all OFF the ranch. Staff always are encouraged to join in with the guests on ranch activities such as whitewater rafting, mountain climbs, snow sliding, fly-fishing and horseback riding. OR you can just spend the day resting and reading by our Hot Springs pool. Check out the same two web sites for more fun things to do in the area:
12. What if I don’t like it there?
If you find the work is too hard for you to handle or if you develop an attitude that does not fit with our
expectations, we will: 1) discuss it with you, 2) give you several days to deal with it and 3) ask you to go home if you cannot get things straightened out to our satisfaction. This is extremely rare, but necessary to maintain a top quality staff.
13. What if my parents want to visit?
If your parents plan to initially bring you to the ranch or pick you up at the end of the summer, we certainly want to meet them. We would like to have them be the ranch’s guest for a night if we have space. During the middle of the summer (early June to mid-August) we cannot offer a complimentary stay, but could extend our bed and breakfast rate, pending availability. Longer stays than one night must be charged at full rate, as summer is the time that we make our living for the full year. We would be glad to recommend other lodging in the area to your parents should they want to visit.
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Photos by Sherry Peters, John Woolmington and numerous DVR Staff
