YMCA of the Rockies

Learn More and Apply Here

Are you an upcoming high school graduate seeking real-world work experience and the opportunity to explore the mountains of Colorado? Maybe you're a college student seeking opportunities for personal & professional growth while taking a break from academia. If you’re between the ages of 18 - 23 and interested in adventure, development, and community, make the Rockies your backyard and apply for the Elevate Gap Program at YMCA of the Rockies!

The Elevate Gap Program is designed for young adults who want an immersive experience with the outdoors, while gaining valuable work experience and life skills. This program offers the opportunity to live and work in the heart of the Rocky Mountains while also engaging in leadership and professional development workshops at YMCA of the Rockies. Participants work alongside seasoned YMCA staff members and gain valuable skills that prepare them for their future careers.

• Program Dates: August 11 - December 5, 2025
• Program Fee: $500 (Payment terms available)
• Program Location: YMCA of the Rockies - Estes Park Center (Estes Park, CO)

Apply Here: General Application - YMCA of the Rockies

OUR MISSION AND CULTURE:

We firmly believe in our mission of putting Christian principles into practice through programs, staff and facilities in an environment that builds healthy spirit, mind and body for all. We are committed to being welcoming to all people and to making a difference in the lives of our members, guests and staff. We count on our staff to provide extraordinary mission-based experiences for our guests and for each other and we expect constant demonstration of our core values of caring, honesty, respect, responsibility, and faith.

Work Opportunities

YMCA of the Rockies offers a variety of seasonal and year-round job opportunities. After reviewing our departments and positions, please include what type of roles interest you and our hiring team will contact you regarding our current and future openings. We look forward to speaking with you more about working and living at YMCA of the Rockies!
 

Food & Beverage

The Food & Beverage Departments serve our staff and guests 3 meals a day in buffet style dining rooms. Staff assist in tasks from preparing food, cooking, and serving to cleaning and stocking pantries.

Estes Park Center has a café for quick bites and beverages that is open throughout the day, as well as an additional simple sit down restaurant during the summer months. Snow Mountain Ranch has a grill restaurant for quick drop-in meals. Both centers also provide catering and service to groups and weddings.

Housekeeping

The Housekeeping Departments ensure our guests’ stay is clean and tidy. Staff clean cabins, lodge rooms, and yurts (Snow Mountain Ranch), meeting top standards to keep guests coming back year after year.  Staff also clean all public lodging areas, assist with laundry duties, stock supply closets, as well as serve guests in Linen Exchange and monitor cleanliness of Guest Laundry.

 Staff in all other positions assist in Housekeeping and Food Service duties as needed.

Buildings & Grounds Maintenance

The Building Maintenance Department is responsible for the upkeep of all YMCA of the Rockies buildings Staff repair minor problems on grounds in public areas and private cabin and lodge accommodations, including changing light bulbs, installing screens, and unclogging toilets. They climb ladders, scaffolding and work on roofs; shovel snow from walks, porches, stairs and roofs (primarily October to April); operate a variety of hand and power tools; assist year-round employees, learning from them on projects; pick up trash on assigned route and dispose of properly.

The Grounds Maintenance Department cares for the upkeep, beautification and improvement of the YMCA grounds. They operate and maintain underground sprinkler systems, plant and care for flowers, trees, shrubs and grass, and assist in daily trash pick up and removal.

Activities & Recreation

The Family Program Teams lead the charge on FUN! They guide guests in a variety of activities and sports; they teach archery, outdoor nature activities, and science experiments; they staff the mini-golf clubhouses, the roller rinks, and the Program desks. The teams share information about our Programs, our Association, Rocky Mountain National Park, and surrounding areas.

Craft Shop Instructors excel at creativity. They teach a variety of crafts to guests and staff, including ceramics, leather crafts, glass fusion, wood burning, tie-dye, jewelry, and more.

Adventure Activity Facilitators are an experienced and trained group of staff who facilitate a low ropes course, instruct on a zip line (Snow Mountain Ranch) and high ropes (Snow Mountain Ranch), repair and guide mountain bikes, and teach rock climbing.

Hikemasters (summer) are some of the most knowledgeable and experienced hikers of the area. They have travelled miles of trails learning the terrain, the flora, the fauna, and the history of the Rocky Mountains to provide our guests with an unforgettable hiking experience.

Museum Guides keep the history of YMCA of the Rockies alive through tours of our museum and historic spots. Knowledgeable in the foundation of YMCA of the Rockies, they are a resource to guests and staff wanting to connect to our past.

Lifeguards - what vacation is complete without a pool! Lifeguards are our safeguards. They keep guests and staff safe by monitoring the pool and swimmers at all times, keeping the area safe from slips, trips, and falls, and keeping locker rooms clean and tidy.
Head lifeguard positions also available.

Day Camp Counselors (Estes Park Center - summer) provide character building and life-enriching experiences for today's youth through traditional camp activities. Serving children ages 5-17, counselors lead games, hikes, exploration and much more.
Director, Inclusion, Specialty, and Nurse positions also available.

The Environmental Education (Estes Park Center - spring & fall) team teaches Experiential Science-Based Programs to 5th-12th grade students from around the US. Teachers get the opportunity to build relationships with their group of students over their 3-day program, in which instructors teach four three-hour science classes, two recreational activities, and two evening programs. Come make a difference and teach our youth about how to care for our environment.
Lead instructor positions also available.

The Outdoor Education Team (Snow Mountain Ranch - spring & fall) connects school children to the wonders of the outdoors. Teaching water ecology, forest ecology, pioneer life, orienteering, team building, climbing wall, challenge courses, day hikes and more, instructors are the link to our future generations appreciating and protecting our outdoors.

 Nordic Staff (Snow Mountain Ranch - winter months) LOVE the snow! They rent and sell ski equipment, issue trail passes, ensure a clean and safe Nordic center facility, assist with race days, and answer questions about our award winning 100 kilometers of groomed ski trails. Nordic Groomers keep our ski trails open and in pristine condition. They operate chain saws, snowmobiles and other Nordic grooming equipment.

Front Desk/Guest Registration

The Front Desk/Guest Registration Departments often provide the first face-to-face impression of YMCA of the Rockies to our guests and ensure they are given accurate and in-depth information about their accommodations and activities.

Human Resources

Our Human Resources Department ensures YMCA of the Rockies’ policies and systems function as intended and they take care of the needs of the staff throughout the employee’s life cycle with the YMCA. The Hiring Team screens applicants, conducts interviews, assists in hiring seasonal staff by  initiating reference checks, background checks, and onboarding materials.  The Resident Life Teams ensure a welcoming, supportive, and staff-centric environment by providing clean and safe housing for staff; planning and leading staff activities; being a helpful and reliable resource to all staff.

Conferences & Groups

The Conference Department ensures our groups and family reunions have all they need for a successful meeting or retreat. Office staff assist group leaders with coordination of conferences, special events, weddings, family reunions and banquets. Event Staff provide all the physical pieces needed for the group by setting up event spaces and audio visual equipment, delivering refreshments and other requested equipment and supplies. Event staff also maintain public restrooms and lobbies. The Wedding Assistant helps couples with pre-wedding planning, managing weddings according to contracts, and post-wedding evaluation.

More Opportunities

Family Reservations Agent: Our Family Reservations Agents are the window into YMCA of the Rockies. They provide general information about both properties and activities, and they make individual and family reservations, monitoring online, email, mail, and phone calls. They also interact with all other departments regarding cabin and lodge room problems and special needs or requests of guests. 

Chapel Ministry (summer): The Chapel Ministry team lead the YMCA in providing the spiritual atmosphere that enhances our guests’ and staffs’ experience. They provide worship services, hymn sings, prayer walks, Bible Studies and other Christian Education programs, as well as just being a listening ear to anyone in need. 

Campground Host (Snow Mountain Ranch - summer only): Campground Hosts ensure the safety and well-being of our guests in Hopi Campground. They greet and assist guests in getting settled in their site. They perform light maintenance work around the campground such as litter pickup, sweeping and stocking of restrooms, cleaning fire rings, and washing tables.

Gap Programs

Elevate Gap Program (Estes Park Center - August-December or February-June): The Gap Program is designed for young adults ages 18-24. This is an outdoor adventure program that teaches skills in the Rocky Mountains and beyond. With your cohort, you spend one day a week hiking, backpacking, and climbing – including 2 multi-day overnight trips to explore nearby states; four days a week working in housekeeping and food service; and one day a week with your Gap Program team and facilitator exploring the outdoors.

In the Discover Gap Program (Snow Mountain Ranch - August-February or March-September or July-December) young adults (ages 18 - 23) participate in a variety of experiences designed to develop their identity and plan for the future while gaining essential life skills. By rotating through the Food Service and Housekeeping departments, participants will gain job experience in fields that help them develop hard skills and build resumes. One day a week the Discover Gap Program participants bond together while attending trainings and other educational opportunities including personal development, financial literacy, career development, identity and values exploration, and so much more. 

GENERAL YMCA REQUIREMENTS:

• Uphold and reflect the YMCA core values of caring, honesty, respect, responsibility, and faith in all functions

• Uphold the YMCA of the Rockies Mission, policies, and programs.
• Possess and demonstrates excellent customer service skills; for example, friendly, personable, helpful, patient, and professional.
• Support the YMCA of the Rockies safety program. Promote safe work environment for guests, members, and staff.
• Must meet acceptable criminal background check standards.