© SeeChamonix.com
© SeeChamonix.com
© SeeChamonix.com
Refuge du Gouter recruiting for summer 2016 season
High level position for candidate with the right altitude
The search is on for a warden and team to take care of the Refuge du Gouter; a remote high altitude mountain hut on the route to Mont Blanc, 3835 meters above sea level.
The hut has seen its fair share of upheaval in recent times and this, combined with the remote location and the huge amount of alpinists who use it on the ascent to Mont Blanc, makes it a role for someone with a fair amount of determination and commitment.
The guardian will be responsible for a team composed of a deputy warden, a mountain guide (which can be the guardian or his deputy), a technician responsible for the routine maintenance and operation of technical equipment, and a number of general staff to help with the day-to-day running of the refuge.
The requirement to have a high mountain guide on the team is a new element, which has come about in response to recent debates regarding the safety of guests at the hut. It is now necessary to have a minimum quota of qualified mountain guides at the hut based on the number of guests.
The open period for the Refuge du Gouter runs from 1st June to 30th September, but the guardian and their team must be willing to work from mid April until late October in order to prepare for the summer season and to close down the hut in time for winter.
The Refuge du Gouter has become renowned for overcrowding in recent years and many people have taken to illegally bivouacking outside; either because it is full or to avoid paying the hut fees. To counter this, the FFCAM (Fédération des Clubs Alpins de Montagne) have reduced the nightly rate from 75€ to 55€ and the warden will occasionally have to "police" the grounds during busy periods.
The position requires someone who can converse in several different languages, especially English and French. Particularly desirable is anyone with a university degree in refuge guardianship (we didn't even know this was a "thing", but apparently it is). If this sounds like you then applications must be submitted to the FFCAM Haute-Savoie by February 22.
It sounds like quite a challenge but on the upside, the remuneration package is apparently rather attractive and you'll only have to commute twice a year.
You can find out more about the Refuge du Gouter on our Chamonix Mountain Refuges page.
