Winter Wilderness Guide

Wilderness Guiding - Outdoor Education - Winter Camping

Company: Voyageur Quest
Location: Algonquin Park Access Point #1 (East of South River, ON)
Pay: $190–$250 per day (based on experience/certifications) + guest tips
Job Type: Full-season, part-season, or part-time winter contracts
Term: December 2026–late March 2027
Perks: Shared staff accommodation available

About Voyageur Quest
Voyageur Quest specializes in year-round Algonquin Park Adventures. Our winter operations are based around Algonquin Park Access Point #1 at our Algonquin Log Cabin, Cottages, and Voyageur Outfitter in the northwest corner of Algonquin Park.

About the Role
Depending on your experience, skills, and the needs of the program, you may work as a lead guide, support guide, outdoor educator, or instructor. Our guides work with families, adults, students, schools, and teams across some or all of the following types of programs:

Winter programs may include:

- Lodge-based winter adventures at the Log Cabin and Cottages
- School and outdoor education programs
- Duke of Edinburgh Adventurous Journeys
- Winter camping and winter skills programs
- Guided snowshoeing and backcountry skiing
- Nature and wildlife interpretation

Responsibilities may include:

- Guiding off-grid lodge-based winter adventures
- Leading adults, families, and students on winter wilderness excursions
- Teaching snowshoeing and backcountry skiing and, depending on the program, instructing participants in navigation, fire building, shelter systems, and winter travel
- Assessing weather, snow, ice, and travel conditions and making sound safety decisions
- Ensuring the safety and well-being of participants throughout programs and activities
- Facilitating school and outdoor education programs through hands-on and experiential learning
- Guiding winter camping trips and Duke of Edinburgh Adventurous Journeys
- Communicating clearly and confidently with participants of different ages, abilities, and levels of outdoor experience
- Creating engaging experiences that build confidence, environmental awareness, and appreciation for the natural world
- Interpreting Algonquin’s wildlife, ecology, flora, night sky, and local culture
- Hosting and facilitating programs from our off-grid Log Cabin, Cottages, Outfitter base, and winter camps
- Using wood-heated wall tents and, occasionally, quinzhee snow shelters for specialized winter camping programs
- Helping with meals, kitchen duties, lodge welcomes, tidying, equipment, and other operational needs
- Caring for wilderness equipment, facilities, and program infrastructure

Skills, Experience & Qualifications
We welcome applicants with backgrounds in wilderness guiding, winter camping, outdoor education,



teaching, nature interpretation, outdoor skills, hospitality, or guest services. You don’t need to excel in every area. We are looking for people with a solid winter foundation who bring particular strengths in several of these areas.

What matters most is your enthusiasm for winter, love of the outdoors, genuine interest in people and hospitality, and desire to create exceptional experiences for our guests.

We provide training and support to strengthen core skills, build confidence, and expand individual areas of expertise.

- Ability to snowshoe and teach snowshoeing to participants
- Ability to backcountry ski and teach backcountry skiing to participants
- Wilderness Advanced First Aid (WAFA, 40 hours) or equivalent
- Ice safety knowledge/certification
- Experience guiding groups in outdoor or backcountry environments, with sound judgment, facilitation, and leadership skills
- Winter camping experience is an asset, as is the ability to teach cold-weather skills such as shelter building, wood stove use, navigation, and winter fire building
- Knowledge of nature and wildlife interpretation, with a passion for natural history and the ability to turn environmental knowledge into engaging stories and experiences
- Personal guide gear, including snowshoes, backcountry skis, boots, poles, a wilderness first aid kit, and appropriate winter clothing. We can help with recommendations.
- Genuine enthusiasm for hosting, teamwork, guest interaction, and helping around the lodge or camp
- Hospitality experience, including guest hosting, meal service, kitchen work, lodge operations, tourism, or similar work, is an asset
- Clear and satisfactory criminal record check
- A driver’s licence and a car are assets for getting to and from work on days off

Winter Season & Availability
Our winter operating season runs from early December through approx the 3rd week of March. Training normally takes place in early December, depending on weather and winter conditions. We encourage applicants who may work later in the season to participate in December training whenever their schedule allows.

Contract opportunities include:

Full Winter Season
Early December through approximately the third week of March

Early Winter / Holiday Season
Early December through approximately January 10 — our busiest winter period

Part Season




A defined portion of the winter based on program needs and your availability

Part-Time
A regular or flexible part-time schedule

Occasional Guiding
Selected programs, contracts, or dates as opportunities arise

How to Apply
If you have a passion for winter, a strong work ethic, and a love for creating memorable outdoor experiences, we’d love to hear from you.

Please apply with your resume and a brief cover letter, along with your availability for the winter season.

Application Questions
Please include answers to the following:

- What Wilderness First Aid certification do you currently hold?
- Tell us about your winter outdoor experience, including snowshoeing, backcountry skiing, winter camping, or other relevant winter experience.
- Tell us about your experience leading, teaching, or facilitating groups in an outdoor, educational, wilderness, or similar environment.
- Tell us about your experience with hospitality or hosting people. What do you think makes someone a great host, and how would you bring that into your role as a guide?
- What do you enjoy about being outdoors in winter, and what appeals to you about sharing that enthusiasm with guests or students?
- What period are you available to work between early December 2026 and approximately the third week of March 2027? Please indicate whether you are interested in the early winter/holiday period, full season, a defined portion of the season, part-time work, or occasional/relief guiding.
- Are you available to participate in training in early December? If not, please indicate when you would be available to begin.

Pay: $190.00-$250.00 per day

Application question(s):

- What Wilderness First Aid certification do you currently hold?
- Tell us about your winter outdoor experience, including snowshoeing, backcountry skiing, winter camping, or other relevant winter experience.

- Tell us about your experience leading, teaching, or facilitating groups in an outdoor, educational, wilderness, or similar environment.

- Tell us about your experience with hospitality or hosting people. What do you think makes someone a outstanding host, and how would you bring that into your role as a guide?

- What do you enjoy about being outdoors in winter, and what appeals to you about sharing that enthusiasm with guests or students?

- What period are you available to work between early December 2026 and approximately the third week of March 2027? Please indicate whether you are interested in the early winter/holiday period, full season, a defined portion of the season, part-time work, or occasional/relief guiding. Are you able to participate in training in early December 2026?

Work Location: In person

📌 Winter Wilderness Guide - Algonquin Park (Algonquin Provincial Park)
🏢 Voyageur Quest
📍 Algonquin Provincial Park