Being a member of our support staff is a very important position and the choices they make affect the campers’ entire camp experience. The goal of support staff is to give each camper a safe, fun, and memorable summer where they learn about themselves and learn to “act spontaneously in the right."

 

We are looking for staff members who are excited to work with youth, have experience working with children or in a particular program area, who are willing to work hard and impact children's lives.

More than 200 people from all over the United States and abroad comprise our staff. We attract people who want to make a difference in the lives of youth and who share a common goal with the Cheley family: to make the summer a fun, empowering, and enriching experience for all our campers.

 

From September to May, we work diligently to create a strong summer team. We interview people from around the country and hire international staff through staff placement agencies. Cheley provides a special environment in which to meet remarkable people. Staff members work together closely and form great and lasting friendships.

 

Our application process includes an online application, interview, three references, and a background check. Once hired, each staff member is required to complete online abuse prevention training as well as program-specific certifications, like Wilderness First Aid and CPR.

 

This job isn’t for everybody. We have high expectations for our team. Focusing on the development of others requires personal sacrifices. Sacrifices like living in rustic, historic buildings; limited personal time, and a structured schedule. The demands are high, the rewards are life-changing. There is nothing more satisfying than developing future leaders.

Support staff live together in designated cabins on camp property and are typically at least 18 years old. They play an integral part in role modeling. All support staff need to have the ability to communicate and work effectively with peers, have the visual and auditory ability to identify and respond to environmental and other hazards at camp, and have the physical strength and endurance necessary to complete assigned tasks. A positive attitude and a sense of humor are essential.

All staff members have one day off and one night off each week with daily shuttles provided to town each morning and afternoon. We are about 10 minutes from downtown Estes Park which has laundry facilities, shops and restaurants, grocery stores, a movie theater, and a bowling alley. We are about an hour from Boulder (home to the University of Colorado) and Fort Collins (home to Colorado State University) and 1.5 hours from Denver.

Responsible for the barns: keeping them clean; feeding, grooming, and assisting in shoeing horses; assisting campers in bridling, saddling, and mounting. CPR required.

Must have a valid driver license. Responsible for running the camp stores – opening and closing inventory, re-stocking, selling, keeping track of store charges, and imprinting of t-shirts – and picking up/distributing mail.

Must have a valid driver license. Responsible for daily care and activities of three to four children ranging in age from nine months to eight years. CPR/FA required.

Responsible for leading the Colts program, instructing campers several days a week, working with some horses in a training capacity, helping the barn crew and wranglers; and will be cross-trained in case they need to fill in at times. CPR required.

Responsible for our laundry facility: washing, drying, and folding all camper laundry each week; distributing and sorting commercial laundry; managing sleeping bags.

Responsible for sweeping lodges, porches, and doing other general camp maintenance such as fixing screens, roofs, toilets, furniture, cutting/splitting firewood. CPR required.

Must have a valid driver license. Responsible for answering the phone, sorting mail, handling staff requests, meeting parents, and assisting in the day-to-day operations of the camp office as directed.

Responsible for leading the Lil' Ranchers program, instructing campers several days a week, facilitating half-day ranch exploration programs with campers in younger units, and assisting the ranch manager with ranch facilities-related repairs, maintenance, and improvements. CPR required.

Must have a valid driver license. Responsible for daily transportation needs, including transporting campers/luggage to outcamping sites and bussing campers to paddle-boarding/rafting. CPR required.

Must be 21 and have a valid driver license. Responsible for all the details of getting campers and their baggage to camp and home again.

Responsible for preparing three meals a day for 80-250 people. Cooks follow the lead of the Head Cook and are responsible for meal preparation and presentation

Responsible for managing the kitchen; supervising and assisting the Cooks with food prep, service, and clean up; and overseeing food safety and sanitation procedures.

Responsible for overseeing kitchen support needs, including setting dining room tables, stocking supplies, washing dishes, and collecting trash and recycling around camp.

Responsible for managing menus and bulk lunches submitted by staff for out-of-camp trips.

Must have a valid driver license. Responsible for receiving and distributing all of the food supplies from a central storeroom to various kitchens and camps.

Responsible for producing the 80-plus page yearbook that is sent to each camper/staff after the summer, as well as miscellaneous design projects, including the spirit button and name tag.

Responsible for photographing daily camp activities for the slide show, website/promotional pieces, yearbook, and daily online newsletter for parents, resulting in hundreds of photos per day.

Responsible for the Cheley Connection: uploading over 80 photos a day to a password-protected site, taking/collecting photos, publishing online articles, and managing/printing incoming emails to campers.

Responsible for capturing video content to be used in creating promotional videos as well as end-of-summer videos for campers/staff.

Must be licensed as a doctor. Responsible for daily consultations in person or by phone with our four health centers and working cooperatively with our medical team of nurses and nurse aides.

Must be RN/NP. Responsible for health care in their respective units, including speaking to campers and staff about preventative health care, storing, distributing, and recording all camper medications, treating illnesses, and triage for the camp’s doctor.

Responsible for assisting our nurses. Typically nurse aides are in nursing school or are pursuing a career in the medical field. CPR/FA required.

Responsible for planning and teaching half and full-day ceramics classes, creating castings for glazing, firing all camper projects, keeping an inventory of camper work, and helping campers to complete their projects.

Responsible for the climbing wall, working with campers of all ages, and teaching them the fundamentals of climbing. Experience, belay certification, and CPR/FA required.

Responsible for the knowledge of arts and crafts, managing and training crafts counselors, and inventory/ordering of craft supplies.

Responsible for working with campers of all ages, taking them through various elements on our high ropes course. ACCT Level 1 and/or 2 and CPR/FA required.

Responsible for assisting the Out of Camp Program Director: training and checking in with staff, scheduling, going on program, covering for the Outcamping Coordinator, and more. WFA/CPR required.

Responsible for working with campers of all ages, taking them through various elements on our low ropes course ("challenge course"). Experience and CPR/FA required.

Must have a valid driver license. Responsible for organizing and packing the necessary equipment for overnights, as well as overseeing the cleaning and maintenance of equipment upon its return.

Responsible for all aspects of Rockstock: meal planning and preparation, program planning (group games, leadership skills, orienteering, nature crafts, slingshots, hiking, bracelet making, fire safety, fire building, knots, making shelters, Leave No Trace ethics, etc.), equipment requisites, the overall safety of the site and property maintenance needs, and providing a creative learning environment for the campers. The Rockstock Coordinator lives outdoors five days of the week. Experience with Cheley preferred. Experience in RMNP and WFA/CPR required.

Responsible for planning and teaching full-day woodshop classes, creating sample woodcraft designs to display for campers, keeping an inventory of campers’ projects, and helping them complete their projects.

A Note on Certifications: Acquiring the required certifications prior to the start of summer camp is the responsibility of the staff member. If hired, you will receive a list of ACA-approved certification providers.

Housing and meals are provided, and staff members are expected to live at camp. The paycheck schedule varies, typically with paydays being after staff training, after each term, and then weekly for pre-camp and post-camp.

 

We also provide a travel allowance and bonuses for relevant certifications, including WEMT/EMT, WFR, Teaching, CDL, ACCT, CWI, High Ropes Levels 1 & 2. While working, staff members have access to “pro-deal” discounts and discounts throughout Estes Park.

Cheley Colorado Camps is a family-owned, co-ed, residential summer camp that was started in 1921 by Frank H. Cheley. We are youth development professionals focused on having a positive lasting impact. Comprised of outdoor adventures, horseback riding, athletics, target sports, fine & performing arts, and aquatics, "We build the lasting character and resiliency of young people, creating unique life experiences in a challenging and nurturing natural environment."

A summer at Cheley Colorado Camps means spending time hiking, backpacking, horseback riding, rafting, paddleboarding, mountain biking, and playing in the beautiful Rocky Mountains. Wake up each morning to the fresh mountain air, views of peaks that soar to 14,000 feet, and the laughter of fellow campers and staff. Since 1921, Cheley Colorado Camps has welcomed more than 50,000 young people from every state and more than a dozen countries, including many second, third, and now fourth generation Cheley campers. Offering two traditional 4-week terms, a 5-night program for younger campers interested in a taste of camp, a family camp, and more, Cheley hosts over 1,200 campers each summer with ~220 seasonal staff and a small team of year-round staff.

People choose Cheley because they know they can expect an experience of exceptional richness, quality, and consistency in a community that celebrates the individual interests and needs of each participant. Camp lies 75 miles northwest of Denver on the 750-acre Land O'Peaks Ranch south of Estes Park, surrounded by the snow-capped peaks and forests of Rocky Mountain National Park, Indian Peaks Wilderness Area, and the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests. Cheley operates its backcountry program on permits from the National Park Service and the Forest Service. In addition to the Land O'Peaks Ranch, Cheley owns five more locations totaling approximately 700 acres. Two of these locations are the site of two additional camper units – the Trail's End Ranches, where campers sleep in covered wagons – while the other three locations serve as overnight camping spots. No matter how many years you come to camp, it's tough to see it all.

In Rocky Mountain National Park alone, more than 600 miles of trails wind through sunlit meadows of wildflowers, cool forests, brilliant snowfields, and vast boulder fields to high country lakes, ponds, glaciers, and rivers, and alpine peaks. Cheley's facilities include five horseback riding rings, a climbing wall, a gymnasium, a fleet of 40 mountain bikes, a low and high ropes course, a grassy amphitheater with a lighted stage, a soccer field beside an aspen grove, a fishing pond, and facilities for working with leather, paints, ceramics, and wood. Camp buildings, much like the Cheley Experience, are rich in tradition and steeped in memory. Handsome lodges and snug log cabins dating to the 1920s merge gracefully with the rocky landscape, offering stunning views at every turn. The facilities and grounds are constantly improved and scrupulously maintained for the safety, comfort, and enjoyment of campers and staff. 

Cheley Colorado Camps has survived wars, economic depressions, natural disasters, and pandemics, truly withstanding the test of time. Following our Centennial in 2021, we know our challenge as leaders in youth development is to protect and preserve the rugged, rustic character of their experience while providing opportunities for growth, personal responsibility, and self-reliance. This is what makes Cheley a top-rated summer camp and we intend on improving every year.

Cheley Colorado Camps is accredited by the American Camp Association, the Western Association of Independent Camps, the Camp Owners and Directors Association, and is a Leave No Trace partner.

We live by our core values and beliefs, which embrace harmony, honesty, integrity, unselfish love, and concern for human dignity. The Cheley Experience thrives on creating an environment where everyone is comfortable bringing their authentic selves to camp. All are welcome and encouraged to apply!