Backpack Guide / Support Guide
Sonlight Guides create community within each Adventure trip, setting an environment where kids can belong, learn more about who God created them to be and face the challenge of wilderness travel. Guides are the teachers, the risk managers, the guides, and the magic makers.
As a Sonlight Adventures employee, you will emphasize our core values of Community, Faith, and Natural World while guiding backpacking, and escorting some groups on day raft trip.
Live your faith in your work and play as you guide kids in wilderness adventures. Inspire greatness and create the safe space for kids to be who God created them to be. Guides are responsible for ensuring that campers have an adventure experience in a manner consistent with Sonlight’s mission, vision and values.
If you'd like to invest in youth this summer: we would love to meet you! We hire a diverse group of young people who all have a passion to "Be with kids and show them God".
Backpack Guides will take the lead on, and guide all trips in July. Staff training is required. 21 years of age, WFR certification and wilderness experience is required. Read full job description
Support Guides will be in the Counselor or BTS role when not guiding. This is a full summer commitment. Read full job description
Early November: Staff Applications Open
November/ December/ January: Rolling Interviews occur
December 1st: Returning Staff Hiring Decisions Made
January 15th: All New Hiring Decisions Made
January/ March/ April: Hiring for all remaining positions ongoing
May 26th International Staff/ Staff Flying Arrive (DRO Airport Shuttle)
May 28th: All Staff Training Begins, Arrive 4-5:30pm
May 28- June 5: Backpack Guide Staff Training
July 1 - August 2: Backpack Trips
Why Sonlight? Our camp is small, and the benefits profound. The opportunity to get to know campers, and provide a wilderness experience is significant
What does the job involve? The Lead Backpack Guide position involves 5 days of staff training to understand the Sonlight culture, and build community with the leadership team and resident camp staff. Then the month of July is the guide season, with high school trips and 1 Women's backpack trip.
Trail and backpack experience, 21 years of age, and current Wilderness First Responder training are requirements for the Backpack Guide position. The Support Guide position requires 18 years of age, some trail and wilderness knowledge, WFA (or WFR) certification. The Support Guide will be part of the full summer staff, filling a BTS or Counselor role when not on the trail.
Why this job? The Backpack Guide is a unique guide position. A shorter summer commitment, and the opportunity to bring the wonder of the trails and wilderness to high school kids. The mighty San Juans is our permitted area. Connecting our faith and the challenge and rewards of backpacking and wilderness makes this a position set apart.
Who are the backpack staff? Sonlight hires 1 lead guide, and each trip has a support guide. Support guides are Sonlight resident camp staff with backpack experience who are gaining trail miles to move into a lead guide position.
Is this a paid position? Yes. All of our summer staff positions are paid. In addition to your paycheck you also receive room and board during the backpack season, laundry, and worker’s compensation insurance.
When does staff training begin? Staff training begins the week of May 25th, 2026, start dates vary depending on position. The summer season runs through August 1st. A staff commitment is for the entire summer season
What about health insurance? Sonlight offers a small accident / illness insurance policy for summer staff. It does not cover any pre-existing conditions. It is for injury /illness only. It is a small policy, not major health insurance
Sonlight Staff Handbook Everything you need to know about being on staff at Sonlight
Staff Application Start the conversation about whether a staffing position may be right for you
Top reasons to work at camp this summer Provided by the American Camp Association From the American Camp Association:
CONTACT INFO
1536 Sonlight Place
PO Box 536 (USPS)
Pagosa Springs, CO 81147
Be With kids. Show Them God.
Caretaker
Thom’s Sonlight connection began in 1990 when he brought youth from the Phoenix area to ski; that trip continued for the next 18 years every March. He then participated in a handful of adult backpacking trips before extending an offer to volunteer in the off season. After almost a decade of spending chunks of May volunteering he now calls Sonlight home year round serving “wherever is needed”.
Thom holds a BS in Communications from the University of Puget Sound as well as a MDiv from Luther Seminary, which led to his 35 years as a Lutheran Pastor. The initial driving factor of finding the best way to be in service to others was evident in his ministerial work and has translated significantly to his contributions at Sonlight in retirement.
When not fixing things or working on new projects Thom enjoys golfing, cheering on San Francisco sports teams, and playing the guitar. He has three grown children and two grandchildren.
Co-founding Sonlight in 1979 with his wife, Mary, the calling that began simply as a “small, summer only backpacking program” that turned into what so many call home today can be accredited in part to the faithfulness of Winston. His passion to creatively solve problems and find solutions is evident in all parts of camp. An avid backpacker himself, he also enjoys bike touring and has logged over 14,000 on his touring bike. Nowadays, he serves as Board Treasurer and Camps ultimate human resource, providing insight to all things property and Sonlight history.
Winston earned his BS degree in Social Psychology from Colorado State University. He began working for Presbyterian Highlands Camp before deciding to start his own program, with a lot in between it's probably just easiest to say “and the rest is history”!
In his free time Winston enjoys traveling, spending time in the backcountry, and befriending as many furry friends as possible. You’ll find him around camp with a cup of coffee and Truman by his side.
Camp Director
From her middle school years as a Sonlight camper to spending her college summers on Summer Staff to then joining the full-time team as Program Director, Claire can’t imagine any other way to spend her summers! Now, as Camp Director, she continues to bring Sonlight’s vision of creating a community of well-being to life through her gifts of strategic planning, creativity, and intentionality.
Claire holds a BS in Psychology from Regis University, where she spent much of her time involved in University Ministry. She served as a Peer Minister to first-year students and coordinated opportunities for fellow students to discover how they were being called to use their gifts in service to others.
When she’s not immersed in the camp world, Claire enjoys reading, just about any outdoor activity, and spending time with her three-year-old kitten, Frankie.
