Above & Beyond Alaska Wilderness Adventures

Above and Beyond Alaska (ABAK) is seeking exceptional Canoe and Hiking Guides to join our seasonal team in Juneau, Alaska. ABAK has been facilitating outdoor adventure experiences on the ocean and ice for 21 years and employs 40 seasonal team members from April-September.

Our guides embody Above and Beyond Alaska’s dedication to safety, customer service, and environmental conservation. New ABAK guides must be able to participate in a pre-season training program in mid/late April to learn or develop technical skills, natural history knowledge, and superior customer service strategies.    

The vast majority of ABAK glacier tours operate on the Mendenhall Glacier, accessing this magnificent feature by foot and large canoes. Guides will be trained in specific tours and technical skills that correspond with their ability level and motivation to grow. Additionally, guides will develop a formidable knowledge of the unique rainforest and glacial ecosystems and geographical features. 

Canoe and Hiking Guides will also be expected to assist in support operations at our warehouse throughout the season. These duties include prep equipment/gear and food for trips, engage guests, help maintain operational zones, assist the operations team with daily logistics, transport guests, and fuel and clean vans.

General Duties Include, but are not limited to…

• Guide 6–8-hour hiking or canoeing for up to 8 clients while maintaining safety protocol, superior customer service, and providing natural history narrative. 
• Facilitate tours in accordance with ABAK safety protocol while providing superior customer service and providing natural and cultural history narrative
• Prepare equipment and food for assigned trips, process used gear post-trip, make repairs as needed, and maintain a clean workspace. 
• Actively contribute to a collaborative team environment in the field and company headquarters. 
• Provide transportation to clients in company vans to and from downtown Juneau.
• Loading kayaks/canoes and lifting heavy gear in all operational zones.
• Pack, clean, repair, and maintain ABAK outdoor apparel, equipment, facilities and vessels.

General Requirements:

• High School Diploma – Associate’s or bachelor’s degree in preferred
• US Citizen OR Be Eligible to Work in the US
• Exceptional customer service skills 
• Wilderness First Responder Certification or higher (valid through September 30, 2024)
• Driver’s License and Clean Driving Record for past 5 years (valid through September 30, 2024)
• Must know how to swim

Preferred Qualifications

• Canoeing – Basic Skills, Safety, and Self Rescue Techniques
• White water rafting, packrafting, or kayak experience
• Knowledge of Southeast Alaska ecosystems, wildlife, and glacial environments
• Experience working in the service industry 

Training: Canoe and Hiking Guides must participate in one of the two mandatory paid trainings. Training includes canoe skills and rescue technique, naturalist training, critical incident response, trail navigation, and zone familiarization.

Start Date: April 15, 2024 – September 30, 2024 

Compensation:
$18/hour + tips 

Bonus: Guides who fulfill the terms of their employment agreement are eligible for an end-of-season bonus that is based on 3% of gross wages.

Perks: 

• Competitive Pay 
• Optional 401K plan 
• End of Season Bonus
• Pro-Deal Purchasing Privileges
• Free Trips for you, your friends and family on a space-available basis
• Paid Training (Preseason, and Ongoing throughout the Season)
• Free or Discounted Trips with participating tour operators (whale watching, helicopter flights, etc.)
• Free Use of Kayaks, Paddleboards, and an array of outdoor gear
• Discounted flights with our partner, Alaska Seaplanes and standby flights with Alaska Airlines and Delta 
• Free fitness membership during the summer months 
• Subsidized housing at a local campground

Above and Beyond Alaska (ABAK) is seeking exceptional Norris Glacier Guides to join our seasonal team in Juneau, Alaska. ABAK has been facilitating outdoor adventure experiences on the ocean and ice for 21 years and employs 40 seasonal team members from April-September.

Our guides embody Above and Beyond Alaska’s dedication to safety, customer service, and environmental conservation. New ABAK guides must be able to participate in a pre-season training program in mid/late April to learn or develop technical skills, natural history knowledge, and superior customer service strategies. 

The Norris Glacier Guide splits their time between working a week-long shift out of our remote site on Norris Lake and spending time in-town for days off and potentially guiding in other zones. They must be highly proficient in technical skills, knowledgeable about the glacial environment, and capable of working as part of a team at a remote site.

In the month of May a Norris Guide will participate in training, potential guide in the Mendenhall zone, and may also assist in the Norris season preparation and site setup. Once the operating season is fully underway, their focus will be working extended shifts at the Norris site with periods of time in-town for days off and optional guiding in other zones. While at Norris, they will work with the Site Leader to ensure a safe, organized, and professional operation. A typical day will be spent alternating between the guide and field support role. Depending on experience, they may also fill the base coordinator role. They will be responsible for providing high quality experiences for our clients, maintaining a safe landing zone for floatplanes, and completing site maintenance tasks. They will communicate with the Site Leader regarding any site developments, suggestions or concerns.

This position is an integral part of our Norris operations team that is committed to creating a supportive and positive environment that empowers individuals, values self-direction and hard work, supports sustainable tourism, believes in mutual expectations, and promotes innovation and development. 

Essential Duties and Responsibilities - include, but are not limited to:

• Work as part of a Norris operations team on a 7-8 day shift
  • Norris Guide -  facilitate guided experiences in accordance with ABAK safety protocol while providing superior customer service and providing natural and cultural history narrative 
  • Norris Field Support - evaluating lake conditions, clearing icebergs from the lake, supporting guided trips, cleaning packrafts and other equipment, and completing site maintenance tasks
  • Base Coordinator - communicate with ABAK dispatch and Alaska Seaplanes pilots, monitor weather conditions, manage guided trip challenges, maintain the flight/trip schedules
  • Work with the Site Leader to meet the high Norris operations standards - safety, trip quality, communication, cleanliness, documentation, etc.
• Support ABAKs operations in-town 0-5 days per week
  • Provide high-quality experiences as a guide for our clients in the Mendenhall operating zones
    • Complete pre and post trip tasks - prep gear, process used gear post-trip, make repairs as needed, maintain a clean workspace, fill out trip report, and assist support staff
    • Provide transportation to clients in company vans to and from downtown Juneau
    • Brief and outfit clients for assigned trips
    • Lead a safe, fun and educational wilderness experience for our clients
• Actively contribute to a collaborative team environment in the field and ABAK Base 

Qualifications must Have:

• High School Diploma
• Wilderness First Responder Certification or higher
• 1+ years guiding experience or working at a remote site in a wilderness setting
• Experience in one or more of: glacier travel knowledge and technical skills, extended camping trips in a wilderness setting, packrafting, use of a boat powered by a tiller steer outboard
• Ability to work collaboratively as part of a team
• Ability to work in a dynamic, fast-paced environment
• Ability to stay calm and collected while responding to emergency situations
• Ability to lift 50 pounds and stay on feet for 8+ hours a day
• A valid driver’s license and clean driving record for the past 5 years

Preferred:

• Experience working in high volume tourism
• Knowledge of Southeast Alaska’s weather, ecosystems, wildlife and glacial environments
• Personal or work experience camping outdoors for extended periods of time (7+ days)
• Working knowledge of ABAK operating areas
• Glacier travel technical skills
  • Ability to identify and manage bare glacier hazards
  • Experience route finding on bare glacier
  • Ability to perform a crevasse rescue using both simple and compound pulley systems
• Experience: 
  • Driving, maintaining, and/or repairing a tiller steer outboard boat
  • Experience paddling and maintaining packrafts
  • Experience working with floatplanes
  • Experience working at or managing a remote site

Start Date: Mid to late May - Beginning of September

Compensation:
Day rate of $198 - $220 per day - eligible for mid-season raise based on performance

Bonus: Guides who fulfill the terms of their employment agreement are eligible for an end-of-season performance based bonus.

Perks: 

• Competitive Pay 
• Optional 401K plan 
• End of Season Bonus
• Pro-Deal Purchasing Privileges
• Free Trips for you, your friends and family on a space-available basis
• Paid Training (Preseason, and Ongoing throughout the Season)
• Free or Discounted Trips with participating tour operators (whale watching, helicopter flights, etc.)
• Free Use of Kayaks, Paddleboards, and an array of outdoor gear
• Discounted flights with our partner, Alaska Seaplanes and standby flights with Alaska Airlines and Delta 
• Free fitness membership during the summer months 
• Subsidized housing at a local campground

Above and Beyond Alaska (ABAK) is seeking an exceptional individual to join our seasonal support team in Juneau, Alaska. ABAK has been facilitating outdoor adventure experiences on the ocean and ice for over 21 years and employs 40 seasonal team members from April-September.

The Support Specialist position works directly with the Operations Team to maintain ABAK facilities, gear, and vehicles for all our daily operations. ABAK specializes in small group adventure tours, often outfitting up to 10-18 groups per day with top-of-the-line outdoor gear, outerwear and footwear, and hearty snacks. The Support Specialist works in tandem with the operations and guide team to prep equipment/gear and food for trips, engage guests, help maintain operational zones, assist operations team with daily logistics, transport guests, provide Norris Glacier outfitting and orientation, fuel and clean vans, fix and clean canoes, kayaks, and equipment at the kayak rental shop. 

This is a dynamic support role that will rotate through the Warehouse headquarters and Kayak Rental Shop. Additionally, this position will outfit our packraft tour on the Norris Glacier. This includes client transport, outfitting, and trip orientation. Specialists will assist Kayak Rental Specialists with set up of kayaks at the shop, assisting with outfitting of kayak rentals, transportation, set up, cleaning of rental gear. 

All training is “on-the-job” and begins on the first day of work. This position is an entry-level position geared towards exceptional individuals looking to diversify their skill set, explore the outdoor adventure tourism industry, and collaborate with an amazing team. This is the perfect position for someone who wants to learn what it takes to be a professional guide, as it provides an opportunity to learn everything it takes to outfit and prepare client groups for being in the wilderness. Many of our top guides have started in this position and now guide full time. All applicants, regardless of experience, must share our passion for promoting environmental conservation through education.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Maintain inventory of client food and warehouse supplies. 
• Prepare hearty snacks in accordance with client dietary needs and food safety regulations and filling water bottles.
• Pack, Clean, and Repair outdoor gear and apparel
• Loading kayaks/canoes and lifting heavy gear. 
• Transport equipment, clients, and kayaks to various locations around Juneau.
• Assist guides in outfitting clients
• Maintain a clean front-of-house staging, retail, and restroom area, and a clean and organized back-of-house warehouse workspace.
• Norris Glacier Tour Support: transport of guests to ABAK office and float pond, outfit clients and provide pre-trip orientation
• Kayak Rental Shop: assist with kayak and stand-up paddleboard rentals in a busy harbor just south of our main headquarters. Learn how to fix kayaks and paddle gear. Assist kayak specialists with staging and cleaning kayaks.

General Requirements

• High School Diploma – Associate’s or bachelor’s degree in preferred
• US Citizen OR Be Eligible to Work in the US
• Superb Written and Verbal Communication skills
• Exceptional customer services skills 
• 21 years of age with a Valid Driver’s License and Clean Driving Record for past 5 years
• Adult/Child First Aid and CPR Certification 

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working in retail, tour, or service industry 
• Proficient with computers

Start Date: May 1, 2024 – September 30, 2024 (flexible) 

Compensation: $18/hour 

Bonus: All employees who fulfill the terms of their employment agreement are eligible for an end-of-season bonus that is based on 3% of gross wages.

Perks: 

• Competitive Pay 
• Optional 401K plan 
• End of Season Bonus
• Pro-Deal Purchasing Privileges
• Free Trips for you, your friends and family on a space-available basis
• Paid Training (Preseason, and Ongoing throughout the Season)
• Free or Discounted Trips with participating tour operators (whale watching, helicopter flights, etc.)
• Free Use of Kayaks, Paddleboards, and an array of outdoor gear
• Discounted flights with our partner, Alaska Seaplanes and standby flights with Alaska Airlines and Delta 
• Free fitness membership during the summer months 
• Subsidized housing at a local campground