Colorado Trails Ranch

The prep cook / kitchen assistant assist the chef with daily meal production. The kitchen assistants share the responsibility of prepping food, doing dishes and keeping the kitchen clean. There are rotating dish washing shifts as well. 

On top of dishes and cleaning you will be responsible for cold food prep. This involves our daily salad bar and nightly salad specials. Knife skills come in handy here. Following standardized recipes is essential. You don't have to have much previous knowledge if you can follow a standardized recipe and instructions from the chef. There will also be an opportunity for you to do some baking. We make a daily bread from scratch for our evening meal and you may fill in for the baker and make an occasional dessert. If you are interested in grilling meats, there may be some opportunity for that as well. 

We try to keep the kitchen a lively, fun and positive work environment. You must be able to stand and work for long hours. Being able to work with your teammates in a positive manner is critical. Persons with drug and alcohol problems or a tendency for inappropriate behavior of any kind will not be tolerated. If you have some food and beverage experience that would be helpful but we will train a person with common sense and a "can do" attitude. 

Bonus: All positions are eligible for a $1.00 an hour bonus for each regular hour and $1.50 an hour for each over time hour worked upon satisfactorily completing your employment contract. This means is you start at $14.42 an hour you will end up making $15.42. 

Operations staff work as waitstaff, housekeeping and trading post. Staff members who are hired as operations will perform all three duties over the course of a week on a rotating basis. We have found that our team enjoy the chance to learn the different skills associated with each department and the chance to work with different co-workers. We count on staff in all of these areas to be detail oriented and to insure overall superior service and hospitality to our ranch guests.

Housekeeping responsibilities include the cleaning of guest cabins and common areas of the ranch – changing towels, making & changing beds, cleaning bathrooms, taking out trash, vacuuming, washing windows, dusting, and various other cleaning related activities. Housekeepers also help with dinner dishes.

Wait staff duties include, but are not limited to, serving food to guests and staff in our dining room or at outdoor meals and functions, cleaning of dining room and deck, stocking server’s refrigerator, cleaning server’s areas of the kitchen, and packing for cookouts.

Trading Post duties include but are not necessarily limited to, overseeing the cleanliness, stocking and organization of both the Trading Post and Soda Fountain areas, preparing and serving espresso drinks, ice cream, milkshakes and sodas in the Soda Fountain, insuring the Trading Post is covered for the hours it is open and maintaining superior customer service and a friendly, “western hospitality” attitude towards guests.

Bonus: All positions are eligible for a $1.00 an hour bonus for each regular hour and $1.50 an hour for each over time hour worked upon satisfactorily completing your employment contract. This means is you start at $14.42 an hour you will end up making $15.42 There is also a tip pool that is shared each pay period. 

Wranglers’ responsibilities include grooming, saddling, bridling, cleaning stalls and barn area, leading guest rides, providing instruction to guests in accordance with our riding program, feeding, basic health care of animals. Must be safety conscious, have excellent communications and interpersonal skills as well as a willingness to perform other duties as assigned from moving hay to building fence and maintenance around the ranch. Wranglers must have extensive horse experience and knowledge in order to lead trail rides and care for our herd of 80 horses. Our horse program is one of the best in the dude ranch industry. Applicants for this position must be willing to accept and support our horse program. We will teach you our program and how we want you to instruct our guests. We know that our methods of handling horses are not the only way, but our horses are used to them. This is an extremely physical job requiring long hours. We are looking for individuals with knowledge, enthusiasm, lots of energy, and the desire to work hard and be part of our team. Wranglers are expected to drive guests to various events and evening activities and must be at least 21 years old with a clean driving record; current CPR certification and first aid card is required, and classes will be offered at Colorado Trails. We request a short video demonstrating riding abilities from all wrangler applicants. We ask to see you catching, grooming, bridling and saddling, mounting, riding at a walk, jog, lope and stopping, dismounting and untacking a horse.

Bonus: All positions are eligible for a $1.00 an hour bonus for each regular hour and $1.50 an hour for each over time hour worked upon satisfactorily completing your employment contract. This means is you start at $14.42 an hour you will end up making $15.42.

Currently our counselors are also wranglers. This helps keep some continuity in the kids week as well as break up the wrangler duties. 

We offer comprehensive children’s/teen’s program for ages 5 through 17. The program is divided into three age groups, 5-8, 9-12, and 13-17. Counselors must have a high level of energy, lots of enthusiasm and creativity, and a great deal of responsibility. This is a very demanding job and we expect you to keep your group entertained. Horse background is necessary, and a level of comfort around horses is necessary, as you will be leading your group on trail rides. You must also be able to lead your group through other activities to include, hiking, archery, riflery, swimming, power tubing, rafting, arts and crafts, and other children's activities. This is a very physical position and requires long hours and lots of dedication plus a natural enjoyment of working with children & teens. Counselors must be mature and assume a leadership/role model position. Counselors will be expected to drive the kids to various activities and must be at least 21 years old with a clean driving record; current CPR certification and first aid card is required, and classes with be offered at Colorado Trails. We request a short video demonstrating riding abilities from all counselor applicants. We ask to see you catching, grooming, bridling and saddling, mounting, riding at a walk, jog, lope and stopping, dismounting and untacking a horse.

Bonus: All positions are eligible for a $1.00 an hour bonus for each regular hour and $1.50 an hour for each over time hour worked upon satisfactorily completing your employment contract. This means if you start at $14.42 an hour you will end up making $15.42. During peak season there is a shared tip pool. In the later a la carte season you can receive tips from trail guiding. 

Maintenance crew members must have experience in several skill areas to include carpentry, plumbing, electrical, vehicle maintenance, and general ranch operations. The ability to be flexible and act immediately as circumstances arise is important. Other maintenance duties include pool and grounds maintenance, cutting firewood, building fences, building cookout fires, helping with guest activities such as shooting sports and/or guided hikes, and many more duties as assigned. Maintenance people will be expected to drive guests to various events and evening activities and must be at least 21 years old with a clean driving record; current CPR certification and first aid card is required, and classes will be offered at Colorado Trails Ranch.

Bonus: All positions are eligible for a $1.00 an hour bonus for each regular hour and $1.50 an hour for each over time hour worked upon satisfactorily completing your employment contract. This means is you start at $13.75 an hour you will end up making $14.75.

The Kitchen Dishwasher & Cleaning lead is primarily responsible for the washing and sanitizing of all kitchen utensils, properly drying and storing of utensils and equipment and restocking of dishes. Other duties may include but are not limited to: creating and adhering to a regular cleaning and sanitizing schedule, kitchen organization. The Dishwasher may have other duties as assigned by the Executive Chef.

Bonus: All positions are eligible for a $1.00 an hour bonus for each regular hour and $1.50 an hour for each over time hour worked upon satisfactorily completing your employment contract. This means is you start at $12.75 an hour you will end up making $13.75.