PEAK Internship Program

Purpose, Excellence, Authenticity, Koinonia

Are you an 18-24 year old who is contemplating your next steps? What if this could be done while building meaningful relationships and serving in an adventure-filled, Christ-centered community among the epic peaks of the Colorado Rockies? If this sounds great, then Spring Canyon’s PEAK Internship Program is for you!

PEAK Interns assist in accomplishing the Spring Canyon mission while honing life skills and participating in academic discussions designed to promote ownership of beliefs, decisions, and actions. Additionally, interns have the opportunity to immerse themselves in the daily operations of Spring Canyon, whether that be in guest services, food services, maintenance, housekeeping, outdoor leadership, or other areas.

All Spring Canyon Directors will invest in and disciple the interns. Additionally, the Director of Interns will guide interns through the academic program. The curriculum includes reading, writing and discussion in theology, philosophy, world view, classic literature and leadership. PEAK interns will also participate in various field trips related to the goals of the program.

Mentorship

  • Weekly individual meetings with the Director of Interns Couple
    • Focus on the intern and what he/she hopes to accomplish during the year
    • Determine what next steps may be
    • Identify struggles and ways to grow past them
  • Additional mentorship from the other Directors and work supervisors
  • Personality assessments and individual Strengthsfinder counseling
  • Weekly Staff Devotions (with leadership opportunity)
  • Twice weekly Intern Devotions

Work & Leadership

  • Training in five areas:
    • Front Office
    • Maintenance
    • Kitchen
    • Housekeeping
    • Outdoor
  • Interns work several hours a week in some or all of these areas
  • As the year progresses, Interns begin to lead teams on their own
    • When leading a team, the intern receives leadership and performance feedback
    • Director of Interns Couple help Interns to improve in leadership and teamwork
  • Other work activities and leadership opportunities include:
    • Teaching children’s classes during Signature Programs
    • Snow shoveling
    • Marketing

Academics

  • Interns participate in academics twice a week
  • Academics are discussion based sessions
  • Homework is assigned during the week in a variety of texts
  • Example texts from the academic year include:
    • Idylls of the King by Alfred Tennyson
    • Life Together by Dietrich Bonhoeffer
    • The Universe Next Door by James Sire
    • That Hideous Strength by C.S. Lewis
    • Notes from Underground by Fyodor Dostoyevsky
  • Interns write papers, deliver speeches, and participate in other academic activities throughout the year

“I benefited more from my year in the PEAK Intern program than from four years of academics in college. I learned from mentors who serve others faithfully and generously. I ate meals with astronauts, pastors, doctors, missionaries, and generals. I practiced leading teams in housekeeping, guest services, and dining services. I participated in liturgical devotions with my fellow interns. I engaged in academics with an incredible teacher and discovered beauty and profundity in literature. Above all, I began to see God in every aspect of my life: in work, community, school, and leisure time.”

– Cecilia Lee, PEAK Intern 2020-21

Typical Week for PEAK Interns

Spring Canyon is a dynamic and busy conference center. The wide variety of retreat groups and ministry opportunities necessitate flexibility. Particularly at the beginning of the internship, the intern schedule changes drastically week to week. We try to provide a consistent schedule as much as possible, but many weeks will be atypical due to ministry needs. This example schedule is based on a standard week with a weekend retreat group.

Wednesday

Intern Devotions followed by a full day of Academics. Dinner at the home of the Director of Interns.

Thursday

Staff Bible Study in the morning, followed by Academic Study Time, Housekeeping, or Maintenance. Academics in the Afternoon. Dinner with a full time staff family.

Friday – Saturday

Prepare for and serve incoming retreat. Work duties may include Kitchen, Maintenance, Housekeeping, Laundry, Front Office, Snow Shoveling, and Dining Room Support. Mentoring with the Director of Interns Couple.

Sunday – Monday

Finish meal service for retreat. Duties include Housekeeping, Maintenance, and Kitchen. Clean Spring Canyon and reset for the next week.

Tuesday

Day off for all interns. Academic Study Time from 2000-2130.

PEAK at a Glance

25/26 Cost to Attend

$7,000 Internship
$3,500 for college grads 21 & older
(Approx. $4,000 is received back through Intern & Summer Staff stipends)

Deadline for Applications

Applications open Dec 16, 2024 – Feb 28, 2025

Notification of Acceptance

Acceptances offered on a rolling basis beginning Jan 15 and ending when the program is full

Length of Internship

11.5 months (end of August – beginning of August)

Monthly Stipend

$125/month

For further information or if you have any questions please contact Andy Truitt, Director of Interns and Outdoor Leadership at Spring Canyon, or Heidi Truitt. You can reach Andy at [email protected] and Heidi at [email protected].

Program Calendar

PEAK 1: End of August – Early January
PEAK 2: Mid January – Mid May
PEAK Summer: Mid May – Early August
All interns will have one day off per week (usually Tuesday) and approximately five weeks of vacation throughout the school year. Part of that vacation time will be over the Thanksgiving holiday, then all interns will be working at the Winter Retreats over the Christmas and New Years holidays. The exact vacation dates will be given to all incoming interns as soon as the calendar is finalized.

A. The Intern living quarters may change year to year. In general, expect to have one to three roommates (depending on room size). Expect to share a bathroom with one to three people. Occasionally, if we have volunteers or an overflow of guests, others may need to use the same bathrooms for a weekend. Interns usually have a small living area and a refrigerator.

A. Spring Canyon has several personal-use laundry machines in our laundry room. Hours vary depending on the time of year and the commercial laundry schedule. Laundry + detergent are free for Interns.

A. Please contact us with specific requests. We have been able to delegate space for ski, snowboard, bike, and camping storage. However, extra storage is generally unavailable for daily things such as clothes, books, etc. These should fit in your room.

A. Food will be provided for every meal. During retreat weekends, Interns will eat with guests and staff at the meals in the dining room. During the rest of the week, there will be a few staff lunches prepared by the kitchen team. Twice a week, Interns go to dinner with a Director Family. The rest of the week, Interns can pull leftovers from the kitchen or make simple meals on their own with food from the kitchen (grilled cheese, quesadillas, sandwiches, etc.).

A. There is a daily bus from Denver that we recommend as a reliable and inexpensive transportation option to Buena Vista where our Spring Canyon staff can pick you up.  The only time this has not worked is when a guest dawdled too long at Denver Union Station and missed the bus departure.

Take the light rail from Denver Airport to Union Station, then bus from Union Station to Buena Vista.  We can pick you up in Buena Vista.  This is a reliable, inexpensive system.

– Light rail train from Denver Airport to Union Station is $10.50/adult.  The train departs the airport (and Union Station if traveling the other direction) every 15 min from 4:15 am – 6:30 pm.  It leaves every 30 min from 6:30 pm to midnight.  The ride is about 37 minutes.

– Bus (yes, it’s called the “Bustang“: www.ridebustang.com/crested-butte-denver-schedule) departs Denver Union Station once a day at 1:50 pm and arrives in Buena Vista at 4:40 pm.  It’s the “Outrider Crested Butte to Denver” route.  The cost is $24 – pay the fare with exact cash when boarding the bus, or buy in advance with the mobile app (https://ridebustang.com/fares-tickets/).  We recommend you double-check the website 1-2 days before travel to make sure the bus times have not changed.

– To return to the airport, Bustang departs Buena Vista at 8:15 am and arrives at Union Station at 10:50 am. The costs are the same.

– To ensure ample time to make connections, we recommend scheduling flights which land in Denver before 1200 and depart after 1400.

A. Yes, Interns may bring Privately Owned Vehicles (POV). There is parking available at Intern lodging facilities. However, Interns may not park at the lodge. We are a very pedestrian-friendly property and Interns should expect to walk for work. However, a POV comes in handy for day trips or running to town.

Apply for 2025-26 Internship!
Intern Update Fall 2022
Intern Update Spring 2023
Intern Update Fall 2023

Past Intern Classes

Class 1 (2020-21)

Carson Sherk, Rebecca McMullen, Cecilia Lee, Joshua Grussendorf

Class 2 (2021-22)

Wyatt Wharton, Morgan Botts, Joanna Gilliland, Caely Maldarella, Addison Lintz, Dillon Scherr

Class 3 (2022-23)

Emma Heath, Kendra Santoro, Titus Harper, Calvin Tattershall, Haylie Alexander, Claire Schnowske, Ian Wooten, Nathaniel Rizzuto

Class 4 (2023-24)

Interns: Caelan Ballard, Jedaiah Ward, EJ Byers, Owen Guilliams, Vivian Baker, Andrew McMullen, Tucker Botts, Sam Heath
Fellows: Haylie Alexander, Emma Heath, Ian Wooten, Calvin Tattershall, Titus Harper

Class 5 (2024-25)

Interns: Gavin Baker, Elijah Higey, Jaxon Hopkins, Aubrianna Randlett, Curtis Rhoden, Rylynn Roberts, Gracie Swartz
Fellows: Vivian Baker, Tucker Botts, EJ Byers, Owen Guilliams, Sam Heath