Have you always wondered what the top five reasons to work at the Gros Ventre River Ranch are? You are in luck! Bailey Beltramo–our 2015 Woodsmen–shared his top five reasons with us, and now we are excited to share them with you!
- Location, Location, Location….
Dude ranches aren’t attracting guests from all corners of the country with dismal views and poor scenery. Be it Wyoming, Colorado or even up in the Dakotas, you are guaranteed a taste of the true beauty nature offers. As a guest you are given this chance for a week. As ranch hand, you get it all summer long. I have been to all corners of the country: seen the kaleidoscope of New England’s fall colors, driven through the soaring mountains of Big Sky Country, and watched the first rays of sun creep over the North American horizon from Cadillac Mountain in Maine. But I have seen nothing more stunning than a view of the Teton Mountains. You do not need a clear sky day to be captivated by the range’s breathtaking views; they look just as stunning surrounded in a halo of clouds as they do backlit by a fading sunset. GVRR sits at the foot of the Tetons and offers impressive sights over all acres of ranch property. When you get to start the day off by waking up to a 13,000 foot peak looming out your window, it’s bound to be a good day. Which means every day spent working at Gros Ventre, is a good day.
Photo by Bailey Beltramo
- Wyoming is the working man’s matchmaker.
The culture of a place is heavily influenced by its physical location. For example, New York City is teaming with various ethnicities and businesses making it a natural beacon for a younger population of artsy, musical, and entrepreneurial individuals. GVRR is rugged in its terrain, long in its work days, and rewarding in its services, making it ideal for incredibly independent, hardworking, and down to earth people. In my time here as a guest I was struck by the genuine character of the staff I talked with. Now, as a staff member myself, that fact has been reinforced. It’s not so much that the people pick the place to work, but the characteristics of the work naturally pick the right people. Come join the family to find out for yourself.
- College Job Fairs got nothin’ on Gros Ventre.
Whether you work as a member of wait staff, lead guest rides as a wrangler, instruct people on the techniques of fly fishing, or cut down trees in the forest all day, you will interact with the guests that come to the ranch. The idea of being a little cowboy for a week and indulging in glorious mountain views appeals to an amazingly wide array of people. With an average of thirty guests visiting per week, the ranch houses approximately 120 guests per month. Multiply that number by a full four month season and you get roughly 480 individuals who pass through the ranch gates per summer. Apart from a grocery mart cashier who interacts with a large number of people for maybe five minutes at a time, I cannot think of another job that will put you in contact with as many people as ranch work.
- Got Perks?
Summer jobs can offer a lot of cool perks. Maybe working at a Nike outlet you get 40% off apparel and can get a fresh new pair of kicks. Or maybe working at a movie theatre could get you premier access to all the new releases. But does your summer job let you go loping across ridge tops at the base of thirteen thousand foot mountains with miles and miles of flower spotted meadows rolling before you? Or do you get free access to white water rafting? Or are you in driving distance of three different national parks/refuges? Nope, didn’t think so. On your days off, staff are more than welcome to sign up as a member of group rides, or enjoy the incredible area you work in. Yellowstone is just over the Tetons, Teton National park is a half hour drive, and the ranch abuts the Elk Refuge property. You can’t get much better perks than those.
Photo by Neal Henderson
- Ranch Work is like a box of chocolates… You never know what you’re gonna get.
Whether it’s learning a new skill you wouldn’t have otherwise been able to learn, meeting someone you never would have guessed you would meet, or going somewhere you never knew existed, a job at GVRR means each day is entirely unpredictable. The ranch brings together individuals from all walks of life for one common goal. To work together to create a beautiful and memorable experience for all who come and visit. Being a part of such a unique family in such a unique place is something special, and certainly a job worth applying for.
