Come to the mountains of Colorado and play a positive role in a child's life this summer!

March 12, 2024 Update:

We are looking for counselors with skills in sailing. We are also hiring backpacking guides, chefs, a weekday nurse, and a Village Director. We have filled all of our international positions for summer 2024. 

- Please Read Before Applying -

Dear Potential Counselors & Staff Members,

We’re honored that you are considering a position at Camp Granite Lake as your summer job. A summer at camp will be one of the most fun, rewarding, and yes, challenging summers of your life. We disconnect from technology, build deep meaningful connections with nature and each other, and slow the pace of life down for a little bit.

Like any job, but especially one where we all work and live together, it’s important that we are as good a fit for you, as you are for us. And with that, here is a little bit about where Camp Granite Lake stands in regards to a number of different things impacting our world.

It’s no secret that a lot has happened in our society over the last few years. As a camp that believes science is real, Black Lives Matter, and that peoples rights should be recognized no matter their sexual orientation or personal identity, it’s important we share a few of our values with potential staff members:

- We strive to build a diverse community: Let’s face it - summer camp is not known for being the most diverse place. While camp won’t just flip a switch and be a model for diversity overnight, we are actively taking steps to make camp more accessible to staff and campers from under-represented backgrounds and offer them support while they are at camp!

- How we treat each other and the words we use really matter:  Words have a lot of power, and in building a community of kindness, what we say, and how we say it really matters. It’s important to us that people be called by their chosen name and pronouns, and sharing personal information (such as pronouns) is optional.

- We take COVID seriously and follow the science:  All of our staff are required to be vaccinated, and we’ll take any necessary steps to keep our community healthy. As a staff member, this may mean having to wear a mask at certain times, potential limitations on time-off travel, pre-camp quarantines, etc.

- We are a camp that welcomes folks from the LGBTQIA+ communities: We have many campers and staff who identify with one or more of these communities.  Campers and staff bunk with the gender with which they identify.

Additionally, we do not tolerate speech that disrespects the humanity of another person.

- We call people IN and not OUT!:

Each of us is at a different place along the path of awareness, education and engagement when it comes to matters of diversity, equity and inclusion. If we want to see the changes in our society that so many are fighting for, it’s important that  people be called in and not out.   

We’ve often found that both campers and staff are hesitant to discuss matters of race or gender because they don’t want to ‘say the wrong thing’ and be called out.  However, there is no way to broaden the umbrella if we don’t give people the chance to ask questions and learn in a non-judgmental way.

At camp, we start with the assumption that everyone is doing the best that they know how to do. We acknowledge that each of us makes mistakes and that it’s OK! The important thing is that each of us be open to learning and accepting new information, and then putting that into action.

Submitting an application to work at Camp Granite Lake is a commitment to believing we can make the world a kinder, gentler, and more inclusive place by being great role models for campers (seriously, if you want a kinder, more equitable and accepting world - where better to start than young people?). It means that you are willing to take on the challenge of working really hard to help yourself and our campers learn, grow, and become better people.

We will be doing this work together, with good intentions and great care for one another, and we hope you will join us.

Sincerely,

Ellie, Barry, Abbie & Tommy

About Camp Granite Lake

Camp Granite Lake offers 20-day sessions for campers finishing 2nd-9th grades, a Counselor In Training program for 10th graders, and 5-night Mini Camps for first-time campers finishing 1st-4th grades, where they make lifelong memories and friends while enjoying the magic of summer camp in the mountains. We offer tons of great activities, including sailing, rock climbing, ceramics, ecology, culinary, theater, backpacking, stand-up paddle boarding, woodworking and more!

We are looking for staff members who are interested in helping us build a supportive community; who are willing to work hard, and create an environment where the decisions we make while at camp and on time-off are made with our responsibility to the campers in mind. 

Our staff members play an integral role in providing a fun, enriching and memorable experience for our campers. We value staff members who are willing to commit themselves to a summer of living in a supportive, tech-free community, who are focused on building positive relationships with campers and peers, and enjoy creating a connection with the natural world around them. We train and empower our staff with skills and memories they can take with them to their lives outside of camp.

Camp Granite Lake staff play the ultimate role in supporting CGL’s philosophy and program. They are committed to creating an inclusive, supportive, and ‘un-plugged’ environment, where campers and staff live and work collaboratively, and create connections with each other, and the natural world around them. They are willing to work hard, really hard, and to create a ‘kid first’ environment, where the decisions we make day to day, in and out of camp, reflect a commitment to our campers' experience.  

Staff education and experience backgrounds are very diverse; everything from staff who went to or have worked at camp, to those who are studying to be teachers in either a community college or university, to people taking a gap year, to people studying in a field completely unrelated to education, to folks who are working. The desire to work and be a great role model for children and the willingness to learn and work really hard, are more important than any previous job experience or education.

We provide room and board to all staff. Counselors live in a cabin with 6-12 campers, and 1-2 fellow staff. Kitchen Staff and Chef's will live in a cabin with other staff. All accommodations are 'rustic' style, however are quite cozy, and are great spaces to live and work with campers while in the Colorado mountains!

• Be a member of an inclusive, supportive camp community!
• Access to camp provided employee assistance program, including mental health support!
• Gain valuable experience - we love writing recommendations for great staff members!
• Explore Colorado; all staff get time off weekly!
• Access to Pro-Deal discounts
• Certification opportunities, such as Lifeguarding or CPR and First Aid
• Camp provided transportation during time off to local places.
• Most importantly: play a positive role in a campers life!​​

Camp Granite Lake is located approximately 35 minutes from Boulder, and 50 minutes from Denver. Many staff drive or carpool to camp, others fly into Denver International Airport (we provide transportation from the airport to camp!). We factor the cost of travel to camp into your summer salary.

Camp is in a remote setting, however, is in proximity to Boulder, Denver, and the rest of the Front Range. We provide transportation to local places during certain evenings, and staff carpool together on evenings and days off. 

We are located in close proximity to the fun mountain town of Nederland, as well as Boulder. Both have wonderful restaurants and shops to explore.  

About 50 minutes away is downtown Denver with everything that a major city has to offer: awesome dining and museums, shopping, and professional sports teams!

Additionally, within an hour of camp is Rocky Mountain National Park and one of the most popular concert venues, Red Rocks Amphitheater!