Buffalo Mountain Zipline Guides

Now Hiring — Weekday Receiving Guide

We are currently looking for one or more people who can train as receiving guides and are available for weekday tours during the school year. Training can begin now.

The receiving-guide position is the more physically demanding of our two guide roles. Receiving guides must be able to provide backup braking when needed and retrieve participants who stop short of a platform. Candidates for this role will complete a physical skills assessment during the interview.

This is a part-time, booking-based position, not a set-hours job. Applicants with weekday daytime availability during the school year are currently our highest priority.

Working as a Zipline Guide

Our zipline guides are responsible for providing guests with a safe, enjoyable experience from the time they are fitted with their equipment through completion of the course. Each tour is staffed by a two-person guide team consisting of a sending guide and a receiving guide, who work together throughout the day to safely get participants on and off each zipline, provide instructions, manage participant safety, and assist guests as needed.

No previous zipline experience is required. Before beginning formal training, prospective guides participate in an evaluation tour that includes a fitness assessment so both the applicant and Buffalo Mountain Ziplines can determine whether the position is a good fit.

Paid guide training is approximately 64 hours total, including about 24 hours of formal training followed by approximately 40 hours of probationary, on-the-job training. Because of the time and resources involved in training, we generally do not hire applicants who are only available to work for one summer.

Pay & Benefits

Starting pay is $15 per hour plus tips. With tips, guides typically average approximately $25–$30 per hour, depending on tour volume and time of year.

After 30 days worked, guides may bring up to five family members or friends ziplining at 50% off once per rolling 12-month period.

Guide apparel is provided, including short- and long-sleeve shirts and hoodies. Guides also receive paid First Aid/CPR training, and snacks are provided while working.

Potential tuition assistance for college or trade school may be available on a case-by-case basis.

Scheduling & Availability

This is a part-time, booking-based position with no guaranteed number of hours. Work schedules are based on tour bookings, staffing needs, and each guide’s availability.

Each month, guides are asked to provide their availability for the upcoming month. A complete schedule for the following month is provided before the current month ends, allowing guides to plan around school, other jobs, sports, family commitments, and other obligations.

Because we operate based on advance bookings, being scheduled for a particular day does not necessarily mean you will be needed to work that day. Guides are normally notified by approximately 6:00 p.m. the evening before if and when they are needed the following day. If there are no bookings by that time, tour times may be closed unless the scheduled guides agree to remain available for later notice. When the scheduled guides agree to remain available for later notice, we may keep selected tour times open for overnight or same-day bookings and notify the guides as soon as a booking is received, with enough notice for them to arrive and prepare for the tour.

Once guides are called in to work, they are expected to remain available for all tour times for which they are scheduled that day, including tour times that did not have bookings when the workday began but receive bookings later.

We especially value weekday daytime availability during the school year and Saturday availability. Buffalo Mountain Ziplines is closed on Wednesdays year-round and on Tuesdays from November 1 through mid-June, and we have a planned winter shutdown during January and February.

Qualifications & What We Look For

Applicants must be at least 16 years old. We look for guides who are dependable, punctual, safety-minded, and comfortable working outdoors and at height.

Strict attention to detail is essential. Guides perform repetitive safety procedures throughout the day and must remain focused and consistent every time. They must be able to learn and follow Buffalo Mountain Ziplines’ procedures, exercise good judgment, and be assertive enough to give guests clear direction and intervene when someone is not following safety instructions.

Just as important is the ability to connect comfortably and appropriately with people of different ages, backgrounds, and personalities. Guides should be able to carry on a natural conversation, help guests feel at ease, use appropriate humor, and make the experience fun while remaining professional. They must be able to command the attention of a group when necessary and gain guests’ trust through their knowledge, personality, and professionalism.

Guides need the physical ability to move around the course, climb stairs and platforms, stand for extended periods, handle zipline equipment, and pull themselves along a zipline cable if they stop short of a platform. This ability is evaluated during the pre-training evaluation tour. Additional physical requirements apply to guides training for the receiving position.

Guides must be able to work outdoors in varying conditions, including heat, rain, wind, and cool temperatures.

Guides who are at least 21 years old may also be trained in our procedures for operating the 4×4 safari-type vehicle used to transport guests back to the office after completing the course.

Duties & Responsibilities

Guides help prepare guests for their tour by properly fitting harnesses, helmets, and other required equipment, completing equipment checks, and providing or assisting with the pre-tour safety and riding orientation.

On the course, guides work as a two-person team to safely get participants on and off each zipline, give clear instructions, monitor guests and equipment, and assist participants as needed. Guides may also help apprehensive guests work through concerns about heights or ziplining with patience, encouragement, and appropriate humor.

Guides are responsible for daily course and equipment inspections and must consistently follow Buffalo Mountain Ziplines’ operating and safety procedures. Guides also take photos and videos of guests during tours.

Other responsibilities may include cleaning, organizing, preparing equipment and guest areas, maintaining the property, operating the 4×4 safari-type vehicle when qualified, and other tasks that support the day-to-day zipline operation.

Receiving Guide Requirements

The receiving guide position has additional physical requirements because the receiving guide is responsible for providing backup braking when needed and assisting participants as they arrive at the platform.

Receiving guides must be physically capable of providing effective backup braking by pulling down on a prusik rope while maintaining a stable position, including when a heavier participant approaches the platform with little or no braking. They must also be able to go out on the zipline and retrieve a participant who stops short of the platform. The zipline supports the participant’s weight during a retrieval; the guide is pulling the suspended participant along the cable rather than lifting or carrying their full body weight.

Candidates training for the receiving position complete an additional physical skills assessment that includes pulling themselves along the cable and retrieving another guide from approximately midway on a zipline.

Not every guide is required to serve as a receiving guide. Sending and receiving are separate guide roles, with training and responsibilities appropriate to each position.

Additional Requirements

Guides are required to maintain current First Aid and CPR certification. Buffalo Mountain Ziplines provides and pays for the required training.

Because guides work in close contact with guests while fitting equipment and throughout the tour, guides are expected to maintain a clean and professional appearance and good personal hygiene. Strong fragrances must be avoided.

Smoking and vaping are not permitted while working in close contact with guests. Guides are expected to arrive ready to work and maintain a professional demeanor throughout the workday.

All guides must be willing and able to consistently follow Buffalo Mountain Ziplines’ operating procedures, safety requirements, and workplace expectations.

How to Apply

If you’re interested in joining the Buffalo Mountain Ziplines team, please complete the employment application below. We review applications as positions become available.

Please use the application as the first step in the hiring process rather than calling to introduce yourself or discuss your qualifications. If you have a specific question about the position that is not answered on this page, you may call or text us at 540-200-5234, but completing the application is required to be considered for employment.

If we are interested in moving forward with your application, we will contact you by email to arrange an interview and evaluation tour. Please use an email address you check regularly when completing the application, and watch for a response after applying, including in your spam or junk folder.

Applicants are expected to participate independently in the interview and evaluation process. Parents or guardians of applicants under 18 may provide transportation but should plan to leave and return when the interview and evaluation are complete.