Sundance Trail Guest Ranch
Sundance Trail Guest Ranch
Currently recruiting for the season from May 1st, 2024 to September 30th, 2024.
Sundance Trail is a small guest ranch (24 guests) near Red Feather Lakes, adjacent to Roosevelt National Forest at 8,000 feet. Guests come to ride horses, experience nature, and many outdoor activities. We help them relax, and unplug. Staff and guests make memories that will last a lifetime.
Red Feather Lakes, Colorado. 37 miles northwest of Fort Collins.
- Location
- Colorado
- Season
- Summer and Fall
- Staff size
- 14
- Housing
- Whether included in the compensation package or provided at a cost, housing is provided for staff.
- Housing details
- Housing provided at no charge, damaged deposit is required. A few private bedrooms available other rooms are for 2-4 people. All have Wifi access, small refrigerator and staff bathrooms.
- Family housing available
- No
- Single occupancy housing available
- Yes
- Pet friendly
- Yes
- Meals
- Provided
- Cell phone service
- Yes, most carriers
- Internet access
- Good
About Sundance Trail Guest Ranch
Being a small operation allows us to give each guest our personal attention, to make their vacation meet or exceed their expectations, whether it’s the riding, the food, the lodging, the service, or any other activities here on the ranch. Our guests feel right at home here – but spoiled at the same time. That is why a dude ranch vacation is often the best family vacation they will ever experience. That is our goal to make this happen for every person/family that comes to our ranch.
Currently we have Lodge Staff positions: Lead Cook, Assistant Cook, all-around Lodge Staff. We also have Barn Staff positions: Wranglers and Children's Wrangler
Since we hold this high expectation for the quality of service that our guests receive, we have high expectations for our employees. We are looking for employees that are warm, outgoing, and have strong communication and interpersonal skills. You must not be afraid of long hours and hard work. All positions require you to be organized, willing to take initiative, and pay close attention to detail. You must get along well with others, and work well as part of a team. You must have a "can-do" attitude. We hire happy people!
It may sound hokey, but we truly believe that our mission is not about maximizing profit. Our mission is to maximize joy: our guests, yours, and our own.
The Employee Experience
"Working at Sundance Trail Guest Ranch is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Set amongst the Roosevelt National Forest and 140 acres of private land, there is no reason to get bored. Ranch work is hard at times, but rewarding as well. At the end of the day when you're ready to pull your boots off and you're tuckered out, there's satisfaction when you've made a difference in our guests' vacation experiences." ~ Chris
Past employees do enjoy coming back to visit with us and re-ride the trails they fell in love with. This past summer we even met quite a few children of former staff. They had fun sharing memories with their children.
Ideal Candidate
Someone who loves the outdoors, adventure, horses, and meeting new people. We are looking for folks to serve our guests - to provide them with a high level of personalized service. This service will leave them with memories of the best vacation/experience of their lifetime.
Staff who can make eye contact and engage in conversation with guests from many different walks of life. Cooks who will gladly make buttered noodles for that picky eater with a smile, or create a special cake that someone stated they wanted for tomorrow's dessert. All staff will have happy attitudes while engaging with guests and providing service with a smile. All staff are encouraged to come join in on a meal or go for a horseback ride. Our guests enjoy eating and relaxing with our staff, becoming a part of the ranch family with them each week.
Room and Board
Staff rooms were improved in 2020. Some private rooms are available, others are for 2-4 people. No charge for housing, just a deposit to protect the maintenance of the housing.
Some of the lodging that is provided is bunkhouse style. Small refrigerators are provided for personal food/beverage items. The ranch provides linens and towels. Laundry facilities are available at no charge. Sundance Trail has WI-FI connection. Recently upgraded and most areas of the ranch has coverage. It is definitely adequate for email and web surfing. Cell phone service is spotty, but most staff can find a location that works or have the WiFi connection boost their phone.
Food is plentiful and delicious, and we encourage all staff to eat with our guests. You get to eat the same wonderful foods we are serving our guests. This is a time of fellowship and of course story-telling. Engaging with guests during meals usually increases the amount of tips you receive.
Employee Perks
Compensation consists of hourly pay and tips as well as the value of lodging and meals. Actual amounts will depend upon the position. Tips will vary based how well you delight the guests each week. You will be paid every two weeks, by automatic deposit.
Working at a guest ranch is hard work, but it’s also a great deal of fun. You will have the opportunity to meet people from many walks of life. You will make friendships that will last many years, many a lifetime.
You also have the opportunity to ride horses, rock-climb, and generally enjoy all the activities that the guests are paying for. You get to work and live in wide open spaces that are beautiful.
Getting Here and Getting Around
We encourage staff to bring a vehicle. It is not necessary but gives you the freedom to get off the ranch on your days off. There is some gorgeous country to see and explore while you are here. Ranch vehicles are for ranch purposes only.
If you fly, we will gladly arrange to pick you up at Denver International Airport.
For Fun
Staff may join in on any ranch activity, it may be an assigned duty, or on their days off, or after chores are completed. These activities may include: Horseback riding, hiking, biking, rock-climbing, disc golf, fishing, riflery, archery to name a few. Maybe you want to try white-water rafting, climbing a fourteener or visit Rocky Mountain National Park while you are here . And don't forget the rodeo! There are many opportunities.
Current Job Openings
- Experience working with children (2+ years)
- High level of safety consciousness and attention to detail
- Inexhaustible reserves of patience and energy!
- Set tables
- Assist kitchen staff with meal prep prior to each meal
- Bussing tables during meals
- Ensuring guests are satisfied during meals (Are drink pitchers full? Do serving platters need refilling?)
- Washing Dishes and storing them after each meal
- Cleaning dining room after each meal
- Assisting Head/Assistant Cook with any kitchen duties necessary throughout day
- Ensuring health code standards are kept up on a daily basis
- Closing kitchen down each evening
- Cleaning guest suites thoroughly each Wednesday and Saturday according to Ranch owner’s standards
- Maintaining cleanliness of common areas (Dining room, bathrooms, recreation area, living room area) *this sometimes will mean cleaning the same room more than once a day – having fun can be messy!
- Managing a never-ending, overwhelming amount of laundry! Basically constantly cycling laundry throughout the day.
- Ensuring housekeeping storage and laundry areas remain clean and organized
- Watering and maintaining flowers in planter boxes
- Sweeping decks and porches each day
- Picking up all trash and clutter as you find it
- Ensuring every small guest need is met (humidifiers, extra blankets, fans, etc.)
- Feed horses 2x/day (shared with other wranglers - not everyday)
- Eat meals with guests and entertain throughout day
- Catch, groom, and saddle horses for rides after breakfast each day
- Lead rides at discretion of Head Wrangler
- Tell ranch stories (provided) and entertain guests on rides
- Ensure high standard of safety during rides
- Current CPR certification
- Ensure high standard of horse care
- Assist other areas of the ranch are in good order (kitchen, housekeeping) throughout day
- Attend evening guest activities
- Assist with Saturday afternoon housekeeping
- Proficient horseback rider
- Basic Knowledge of equine first aid
- CPR certified
- Outgoing and friendly personality
- Self-starter
- Customer service minded
- Ability to take direction
- Ability to work as a team
- Honesty and open communication skills
- Flexibility to accomplish a wide variety of tasks within a day
- Create and Execute Weekly Menu Plan
- Write a basic weekly menu template
- Allocate meal responsibilities (Will you cook all three meals? Will Assistant Cook take charge of breakfast?)
- Ensure that all meals are prepared in a timely fashion and to guests' liking
- Ensure baked goods are prepared each day (Or allocate to Assistant Cook)
- Oversee Kitchen Staff
- Ensure that Assistant Cook and Dishwasher are following health code standards, preparing quality food in a timely manner, and cleaning the kitchen daily to ranch standard
- Draft Food order for House Manager’s approval
- Ensure that ALL guest dietary needs/desires are met.
- This is NOT a Michelin Star restaurant. We are flexible to what our guests need and want – even if that means serving chicken nuggets or ketchup with steak. Our “product” is a delighted guest, not a fine dining plate presentation
- Ensure Cleanliness & Safety in Kitchen
- Follow Health Code Standards exactly
- Maintain a high standard of cleanliness in the kitchen at all times
- Make sure that food items and leftovers are stored properly
- Cooking Experience (5 years +) preferably for large crowds
- Management Experience (1 year or equivalent experience)
- Ability to work as a team
- Ability to work calmly under pressure
- Self-starter
- Hospitality mindset
- Exceptionally high standard of cleanliness
- Organizational capabilities
- Flexibility – ability to change your personal plans/desires to suit all kinds of guest requests
- Ability to take direction from General Manager (Ellen) and House Manager (and not contradict their directions to your staff)
- Honesty and open communication skills
- Execute Weekly Meal Plan at Discretion of Head Cook
- Head Cook will discern which meals you will be solely in charge of, or you will assist him/her with all three meals each day.
- Ensure baked goods are sent out for guests each day
- Ensure all guest dietary needs/desires are met.
- This is NOT a Michelin Star restaurant. We are flexible to what our guests need and want – even if that means serving chicken nuggets or ketchup with steak. Our “product” is a delighted guest, not a fine dining plate presentation
- Follow Health Code mandates
- Ensure constant cleanliness in the kitchen
- Ensure food is properly/safely stored
- Ensure other members of kitchen staff and outside staff visiting the kitchen are in compliance
- Generally Assist the Head Cook
- Alert to food items needed to be purchased
- Follow direction to ensure timely preparation and serving of each meal
- Cooking Experience (1+ years) preferably for large crowds
- Ability to take direction
- Honesty and open communication
- Exceptionally high standard of cleanliness
- Organizational Capabilities
- Ability to work as a team
- Self-starter
- Hospitality experience/customer service mindset
- Flexibility – ability to change your personal plans/desires to suit all kinds of guest requests
- Ability to work calmly under pressure
Children's Wrangler
All duties and abilities of the Wrangler position in addition to:
Lodge Staff
Lodge Staff consists of both Housekeeping and Dishwashing. This person does a bunch of different things each day. You start with some Breakfast service, then wash some dishes, do some housekeeping. Possibly then go for a hike or out to the rifle range, back to help with supper service and dishwashing or maybe leading the evening hike or other activity.
DUTIES:
Housing is included along with healthy meals. You may also partake of all ranch activities at no charge. Our compensation package consists of base hourly wage of $14.42 and an equal share of the the weekly tip pool. Typically staff work a 40 hour work week, usually (5 days per week with 2 days off). Any hours over 40 will be pre-arranged and will be time and a half of the hourly rate.
Wrangler
REPORTS TO: Barn Manager/Head Wrangler*
*meaning you will report to head wrangler on an hour-to-hour basis with the barn manager being your ultimate supervisor
DUTIES:
ABILITIES:
Housing is included along with healthy meals. You may also partake of all ranch activities at no charge. Our compensation package consists of base hourly wage and an equal share of the the weekly tip pool. Typically staff work a 40 hour work week, usually (5 days per week with 2 days off). Any hours over 40 will be pre-arranged and will be time and a half of the hourly rate
Head Cook
ABILITIES:
Housing is included along with healthy meals. You may also partake of all ranch activities at no charge. Our compensation package consists of a base hourly wage of $15.00, negotiable, and an equal share of the weekly tip pool. Typically staff works a 40-hour work week, usually (5 days per week with 2 days off). Any hours over 40 will be pre-arranged and will be time and a half of the hourly rate
Assistant Cook
REPORTS TO: Hospitality Manager/Head Cook*
*meaning you will report to the Head Cook on an hour-to-hour basis while working, but your ultimate supervisor is the Hospitality Manager.
DUTIES:
ABILITIES:
How to Apply
On the employment pages of our website, you will find detailed job descriptions, expectations, and our application. Link found at bottom of every webpage, called Ranch Jobs - Employment. You will find lots more about the culture of Sundance Trail on our Secret Staff Pages. You can find the link to the Secret Staff Pages at the very bottom of each page of our website in very tiny print "Staff Login." The password is 9702241222 which is our phone number and is printed right there on the page!
If you believe this is the place for you, please complete and submit our online application.
Contact Info
- Sundance Trail Guest Ranch
- office@sundancetrail.com
- (970) 224-1222
- sundancetrail.com
