Spend Weekends Hosting at Beautiful Baker Lodge!

purpose of Hosting

Hosts open The Mountaineers lodge at Mount Baker, prepare food menus, supervise and assist meal preparation, operate the lodge, and ensure a welcoming, pleasant, mountain stay where individuals, families, friends and groups of all ages can explore, learn about, experience and enjoy summer and winter outdoor backcountry activities in a friendly, communal and supportive environment. The lodge operates in a cooperative fashion with each guest helping the hosts with meal preparation and other lodge operating tasks.

In addition to hosts, we are interested in individuals that can help us repair, maintain and upgrade the facility. Annually we have two or more summer/fall work parties to accomplish these tasks and some, but not all, require trade experience. We would be grateful for any help you can give us in these areas as well.

Activities and Responsibilities

• Open the lodge for guests by following a step-by-step written list of procedures. These include how to operate the generator, turn on the water supply, and light the gas water heaters, range and room heater pilots.  (We will train you!)
• Prepare menus and purchase food that isn’t available at the lodge. Determine how many guests are needed to help prepare and serve meals, supervise the preparation, and clean up afterwards. We don’t have a standard set of menus that you are required to use because many hosts enjoy the freedom to be creative with their meals.  However, our hosts are willing to share their recipes and can provide good advice on what our guests like.
• Check to see that guests have volunteered to help you with lodge cleanup and that all tasks undertaken by guests are completed to your satisfaction.
• Close the lodge at the end of each weekend by following a step-by-step written list of procedures.
• Report and update the committee on any maintenance needs or issues. 

What a Hosting Weekend Looks Like

• It typically it takes two hosts to operate the lodge for a weekend and we are familiar with pairing individuals together or working with couples. One person is usually in charge of the food and the second person is in runs the mechanical aspects of the lodge and assisting the guests, however the hosts can delegate these obligations as they see fit so long as everything gets done. When we have a large number of guests, however, it is helpful to have more hosts.    
• A typical weekend involves a (beautiful and pleasant) mountain stay, beginning on a Friday evening and then closing the facility at noon on Sunday. Many couples/families make their own “service weekend” vacation out of the experience. On three-day holiday weekends we are usually open until Monday at noon and, twice a year, we are open for an entire week.
• As a host you are in charge of operating the building and meeting the needs of our guests the best you can. You are on call the entire time the lodge is open. However, this doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to be in the lodge the entire time. If you are well organized there is time to get out with your family, friends, or others and enjoy the recreational opportunities available in the area.

GetTING Started

• As a potential host you would come to the lodge on a weekend to “learn the ropes” with experienced hosts and become familiar with the operation. Next you would co-host with other experienced hosts and finally, once you are comfortable with the operation, you could host on your own or continue to host with others.  We maintain a list of Baker Committee members at the lodge with their phone numbers so hosts can contact them if they have questions or any problems while you are there. No previous experience is needed, just an interest and enthusiasm to join with others in creating a memorable and enjoyable experience.
• At the beginning of the winter and summer season we circulate a calendar to the committee members that lists the dates we will be open and the names of groups that will be at the lodge. The committee members pick the weekend(s) they would like to host. It’s up to the individual to determine when they want to host and there is no number of times you are required to host – we welcome whatever help you can provide.

Benefits 

• Free stays at the Lodge while hosting.
• Experiencing a sense of community with other lovers of the outdoors.
• Resume-building experience for hosting, catering, or guest-services positions
• Sense of reward and fulfillment in providing a wonderful experience for guests.  As one of our host couples says, their reward is seeing a smile on the guests' faces as they leave the lodge on Sunday.
• Sharing a modest stipend to help pay, in part, for the transportation cost of getting to the lodge.

How to Get Involved

If you are interested in volunteering at Baker Lodge, please complete the committee's questionnaire.  Feel free to call if you have any questions. All members are encouraged to apply!

Questions? Contact Bill Woodcock of the Baker Lodge Committee at wawoodcock@gmail.com or 206-457-5452.