WHY WORK IN ALASKA?

Thousands of people each year, from all areas of the world, choose to travel to Alaska to spend a few cherished vacation days. This shows just how exciting this state is. For some of our employees, a summer in Alaska is the first step towards a career working and living in this unique land. For others it is a step on the road to careers and different places. The actual work you will be doing if hired by Summit Lake Lodge will be similar to that of any summer tourist center; restaurant, bar, gift shop, or ice cream parlor anywhere in the country. The excitement of living in Alaska for a summer, and of meeting the variety of travelers that visit, is something that one cannot match anywhere in the world.

Summit Lake Lodge, located on the Seward highway, is eighty miles south of Anchorage on the Kenai Peninsula. We are in the heart of the Chugach National Forest on the only highway that accesses the towns on the peninsula. The Kenai Peninsula is world-renowned for its world-class fishing, hunting, easily accessed glaciers, and abundance of hiking trails. We have an ideal location so we are extremely busy during the peak season. Summit Lake Lodge is a log structure constructed in 1950. It consists of a full service restaurant with a capacity of eighty-five, a small bar, a small motel, and a gift shop/ ice-cream parlor. It is on the north shore of Upper Summit Lake and the nearest communities are 17 miles south. These communities do not have a mall, not even a stop sign. You might consider them a wide spot in the road. Summit Lake Lodge does have cell phone service.   Summit Lake Lodge has no telephone hard lines, only cell phone service, in which only ACS ( an Anchorage company) and service from Verizon will work at the Summit Lake Lodge

What We will Expect of You

Summit Lake Lodge is committed to giving first class service with that "little something extra" in all of its facilities. In order to accomplish this, we look for employees who are willing to make that same commitment to excellence in their own standards and work habits. We are looking not only for employees with previous experience in the restaurant industry, but also those who may have little job related experience. Above all, we are looking for people who are willing to work hard, enjoy working with and for people, and who take pride in a job well done. A summer job at Summit Lake Lodge offers many rewards.  We are looking for the type of employee whose satisfaction comes from the knowledge that he/she has made a special contribution towards the success of a guest’s "once in a lifetime" vacation trip. The privileges of living and working in the spectacular scenery of this great land and the opportunity to form lifetime friendships are bonuses that will create memories to last a lifetime.

BASIC EMPLOYMENT REQUIREMENTS:

AVAILABILITY DATES: Our busiest season begins in May and extends to October. Summer positions start as early as April. Your employment chances improve if you can arrive early and work through September or later. Be realistic and specific when you decide your dates of availability. These will become part of your employment agreement.

AGE: All out of state employees must be 18 or over upon reporting for work. All service personnel must be 21 or over to serve alcohol. Federal immigration regulations require all employees to provide positive identification and proof of legal residency.

APPEARANCE STANDARDS: Summit Lake Lodge considers personal appearance to be of great importance. Our employees represent Summit Lake Lodge and their appearance forms a significant part of the impression created for our guests. Employees have direct contact with the customers. For these reasons, all employees must be willing to accept the following as basic conditions of employment: Hairstyles must be neat and well groomed at all times and appropriate according to Summit Lake Lodge policy. Male employees hair must be neatly trimmed and not extend below the bottom of the collar in length. Mustaches are the only acceptable facial hair. Beards or go tees are not allowed. Mustaches should be kept closely cropped and neat in appearance. Any jewelry worn by employees on the job must be conservative, in good taste, appropriate to working attire, and not in conflict with any job related safety standards. It is Summit Lake Lodge policy that no kitchen staff wears exposed watches or jewelry.

STANDARDS OF CONDUCT: Summit Lake Lodge expects their employees to maintain a high standard of performance on any assigned job responsibilities. We consider each position to be of vital importance in helping to provide the services that Summit Lake Lodge customers have come to expect. At times, employees will perform duties in areas that were not initially assigned to them. Teamwork in all areas ensures our expected level of excellence is achieved. No job is insignificant or unimportant. Our employees help to make the difference between an ordinary vacation for our guests and a truly memorable one. We live and work in a remote location. We need people that are flexible and can adjust to what ever situation may arise. We like to think it adds to the Alaskan adventure. We expect our employees conduct to reflect a high standard consistent with living and working at Summit Lake Lodge whether on or off duty.

HEALTH: Summit Lake Lodge is in a remote area without any medical facilities. The nearest medical facilities are 45 miles from Summit Lake Lodge. There is a volunteer ambulance service in Cooper landing and Moose Pass 20 miles from the Lodge. Anchorage has the best medical services and is80 miles from the lodge.

POSITIONS AVAILABLE/ HOURS WORKED:

Each season is different. The busiest time for Summit Lake Lodge is June1 through September 15 and we must have a full staff during this period. We pay overtime in accordance with Alaska state law. Employees may be assigned to work any day of the week. Shifts may vary from day to day and split shifts are possible. Salaried supervisors are expected to work as needed to complete their assigned jobs. Paychecks are distributed on a bi-monthly basis.

* These positions require previous experience.

HOUSING AND MEALS: 

 (see the living quarters)
While employee facilities may not be described as luxurious, they are adequate for the amount of time that most employees spend in them. Seasonal employees will be assigned quarters to share with up to three other roommates. We do not have private housing or housing for couples available. If you desire such housing you would be responsible for locating your own housing. We do not allow Pets (not even a goldfish), firearms, alcohol, or drugs in housing areas. Employees are responsible for personal conduct and the cleanliness of these facilities. The company is not responsible or liable for loss of personal belongings. The rent is $6.00 per day. An automatic deduction from your paycheck will occur. There is a $100.00 damage and cleaning deposit required before your arrival. We will retain $15.00 for carpet cleaning and the remaining $85.00 is refundable 30 days after departure providing there is no damage, your room is clean, and you have completed your work agreement. IF YOU FAIL TO COMPLETE YOUR WORK AGREEMENT, WHICH INCLUDES STAYING THROUGH YOUR CONTRACT DATES, YOUR DAMAGE DEPOSIT WILL BE FORFEITED.

Each employee will receive one free meal after one shift worked. The employee housing does have a small shared kitchen in the common area. Each person who uses this facility is responsible to keep this area clean. There is a small grocery store and restaurant in Moose Pass and Cooper Landing.

TRANSPORTATION:

Employees MUST provide their own transportation to and from Anchorage. Please consider the cost of round trip transportation before submitting your application. We will then make arrangements to pick you up and return you to the airport. PLEASE BE SURE TO INCLUDE YOUR PICTURE SO WE CAN FIND YOU AT THE AIRPORT!

Application Procedure:

To apply, please fill out an application completely and send to:

Summit Lake Lodge
C/0 Marty Arnoldy
Mile 45.5 Seward Hwy
Moose Pass, Alaska 99631

Your chances of being selected increase if you are flexible and realistic about your job choices. Please indicate specific dates of availability. Our hiring decisions for the summer crew begin in January. When applicants are selected for employment, they will be sent an employment agreement for their signature. We will need to arrange for an audio interview if we have not interviewed you personally. You will then have 14 days to return the work agreement with a $25.00 job deposit. The job deposit will apply towards your housing charges after employment begins. The job deposit demonstrates your commitment to working at Summit Lake Lodge and is non-refundable. Our receipt of your signed agreement indicates your acceptance of job assignments, pay rate, employment dates, and other stated conditions.

A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT SUMMIT LAKE LODGE...

At Summit Lake Lodge our philosophy involves having the right people, with the right motivation, right from the start. A motivation that involves excellent service, quality food, and cleanliness. It involves suggestive sales and gives that "little something extra" to all of our customers. Our vision is to make Summit Lake Lodge the best lodge in the state. This keeps our standards very high. We work together as a team. You must be a person who truly enjoys working with the public. If someone needs our help and you are not on duty, we help them because we are part of the team and we like to give our customers the best service possible. There will be times when you need extra help from part of the team. If you are willing to help even when you are not working, you will get the same help from others when you need it. You have to be a person that can give a 110% even if you are picking up trash or cleaning toilets. This is a remote area and cabin fever does exist. You must be able to entertain yourself on your off time; this is not a camp. There are many hiking trails, a canoe, a volleyball net, basketball hoop, horseshoes, board games and puzzles. We have some of the most beautiful scenery you will ever see and some of the best fishing in the world!

The weather for most of you will seem unseasonably cool; for us it is heaven. The high temperature has reached 80 degrees but usually hovers around 65. One of the advantages is that our days are long, so this makes 65 seem a lot warmer than it sounds. The summer solstice is June 21, the longest day of the year, with 21 hours of daylight. Some of the sunshine comes in liquid form at times. Spring or warm summer wear is appropriate