Company Profile
Snow Mountain Ranch
Company Overview
Snow Mountain Ranch, YMCA of the Rockies is a YMCA family camp and conference center with over 5,000 acres of Rocky Mountain fun and adventure for our members and staff! The YMCA of the Rockies puts Christian principles into practice through programs, staff and facilities in an environment that builds healthy spirit, mind and body for all. We accomplish this by:
- Serving conferences of a religious, educational or recreational nature.
- Providing unifying experiences for families
- Offering traditional summer camping experiences for boys and girls
- Serving our staff with leadership opportunities and productive work experiences.
- Carrying out our Core Values of Caring, Honesty, Respect, Responsibility adn Faith in all we do.
Company History
In July 1907, YMCA leaders attending a conference at Grand Lake, Colorado met to discuss establishing a permanent YMCA summer facility in the Rocky Mountains. At this meeting, the Western Conference of the YMCA was established and eventually incorporated.
Part of the group traveled to the Estes Park area to visit possible sites for their 1908 conference and selected Wind River Lodge. The 1908 meeting was so successful that the Western Conference purchased the property in April 1909 and began to plan future development of the site. Constructed in 1910 was the Administration Building, followed soon thereafter by the Dining Hall and Assembly Hall.
The original dream for the Western Conference of the YMCA was the training of YMCA directors for the growing national movement. In 1912 the organization changed its name to Estes Park Conference YMCA and the original facility grew in popularity as a training center. This growth was assisted by generous gifts from philanthropists such as John D. Rockefeller, W.C. Coleman and A.A. Hyde.
By 1914 Estes Park Conference YMCA was becoming known as an ideal place for a family vacation, usually tied to one of the summer conferences or training events. Other groups outside the YMCA movement began to utilize the facility for conferences. Early in the 1920s, there was a well-established hiking program, livery and basic family programming at the facility. Women formed an auxiliary in 1925 and started the first youth day camp.
The Great Depression forced building closures and curtailed operations, but finances rebounded after World War II with the Baby Boom and expanded family programs such as art lessons and fly-fishing. Moving toward year-round operations, the organization realized that its self-limiting policy of accepting only YMCAs, schools and church groups was detrimental to its future.
With the original facility nearing capacity during busy summer months, the Board of Directors voted to purchase a second site in Grand County in 1967. The new facility, named Snow Mountain Ranch, firmly established our organization in the growing winter sports market. As the operator of two facilities, the organization changed its corporate name in 1968 to YMCA of the Rockies and renamed the original facility Estes Park Center. With the acquisition of Camp Chief Ouray from the Denver Metropolitan YMCA in 1980 and its relocation to our property at Snow Mountain Ranch, the organization expanded to three facilities on two sites.
Today’s YMCA of the Rockies is a vibrant organization, optimistically approaching our 100th anniversary and continuing toward our goal to build strong kids, strong families and strong communities.
Benefits
1. Colorado Adventure everywhere you look!
2. The weekly wage for all our seasonal positions ranges between $180/wk and $230/wk (plus room and board!).
3. Most any seasonal position can be turned into an internship or a volunteer position (volunteers receive room and board in return for 24 hours/wk of volunteer service)
4. Voluntary insurance plans available
5. YMCA retirement plan available
6. Snow Mountain Ranch Seasonal Employee Benefits Quick Look Guide
• Dormitory style housing and cafeteria meals provided as a part of the Seasonal compensation package
• Free wireless internet and use of staff computers
• Use of cooking facilities, staff game room/lounge and RAC (Religious Activities Center)
• Free use of all recreational facilities including the pool, KIVA gymnasium, hiking/biking trails (over 100km on 5000 acres!), on-site canoeing/fishing and more!
• YMCA of the Rockies membership and use of facilities at the Estes Park Center, YMCA of the Rockies located in Estes Park, Colorado
• Complimentary accommodations for friends and family earned at 1 night/month worked this summer (some restrictions apply)
• Discounts on mountain bike rentals and at the Buckboard Grille, Snow Mountain Adventure and Gift Shop, and the Adventure/Fly Fishing Shop
• Discounts on horseback rides from Sombrero Stables
• Seasonal employees currently enrolled in college/university are eligible to apply for a $1000.00 scholarship through the Ruesch Scholarship fund
• Voluntary insurance plans available
• Weekly staff activities to local and statewide attractions
• Weekly Christian programming provided through the Chaplain’s department
• Free use of the Grand Pass Program
o Free admission to Winter Park resort and activities which include: the longest alpine slide in Colorado!, mini-golf, trampolines and free lift tickets to access some of the best mountain bike terrain in Colorado
o Discounts at local stores and restaurants
o Free rounds of golf at four local golf courses
• For more information about the surrounding Winter Park Area, Fraser Valley and Grand County, go to:
o http://www.winterpark-info.com/
o http://www.granbychamber.com/
o http://www.grandlakechamber.com/
o http://www.skiwinterpark.com/index.htm
o http://www.nps.gov/romo/ (Rocky Mountain National Park Information)
o http://www.fs.fed.us/r2/arnf/ (Arapahoe National Forest Information)
o www.ymcarockies.org