Internships

The Adaptive Sports Center offers internships to students studying:

Recreation
Community-Based Therapeutic Recreation
Outdoor Education
Recreation for Special Populations
Program Administration & Management
Psychology, Sociology and Physical Education
Business
Journalism, Marketing and Communications
Development/Fundraising
Nonprofit Management

If you are interested in an internship with our program, please send us a copy of the application along with a cover letter and current resume. We also ask that the you address the following questions either in your cover letter or on an attached sheet:


Please explain why you would like to intern at the Adaptive Sports Center.

Please clarify what you would like the main focus of your internship to be.

Summarize your experience with disabled populations.

Please give us some insight into your outdoor experience, skills and instructing/teaching experience.

ASC offers two different internship programs one in the winter season and one in the summer season. The winter internship begins mid-December and ends in early April, with the summer internship beginning in late May and ending in mid-September. We require a season-long commitment during these times. The Adaptive Sports center offers housing to the interns along with a season ski pass in the winter and a modest stipend in the summer.

The ASC is located in the small mountain town of Mt. Crested Butte; at the end of the road, so to speak. The ski area boasts some of the steepest maintained terrain in the country and is known for its extreme in-bounds skiing, but the resort also offers superb intermediate and beginner terrain.

The town of Crested Butte is the hub of the upper valley and contains most of the shops, restaurants, pubs, and services. Mt. Crested Butte is three miles from town and contains the resort, large hotels and condos, as well as restaurants and shops. Gunnison is the center of the county and contains all major services, large grocery stores, the hospital, the airport, etc. Residents of the area typically live in the town of Crested Butte, the town of Mt. Crested Butte, the residential area of CB South (located 7 miles south of Crested Butte), or Gunnison (26 miles south of Crested Butte). Many residents of the valley use the free Crested Butte/Mt. Crested Butte shuttle system all winter and seldom have to dig their cars out of the snow.

The ASC (elevation 9300 feet) is located on Mt. Crested Butte and is surrounded by the Slate and East River Valleys, Gunnison National Forest and four wilderness areas. The area is a mecca for outdoor activities and presents the ideal environment for the mountain lifestyle. Wintertime temperature highs average in the 20’s-30’s with lows averaging in 0’s. Temperatures of -20 to - 30 degrees are not uncommon.

"I couldn't have imagined a more beautiful place to do my internship. As a Recreation Administration major at Eastern Illinois University, prior to joining the ASC team I had limited experience in the realm of outdoor recreation. I had worked with the special needs population, but had never combined individuals with disabilities and outdoor adventure activities. Waking up at 9,000 feet everyday was not only a dream come true, but I was receiving college credits at the same time!

The ASC family is like none other that you will find. Each member of the team is an integral part of what makes the ASC tick everyday and the interns are no exception. Each staff member is readily available to help one accomplish their goals not only professionally, but personally as well. Regardless of who you are or where you're from, there is a member of the ASC staff that you can relate to. It doesn't matter if you're from the corn fields of Illinois (like myself), you can find right where you fit in with the mountains of Colorado and the ASC.

There is no doubt in my mind that the clients you come in contact with while working with the ASC will change your life. As a guide, you are there to share in once in a lifetime experiences that many would deem impossible. If I had to use one word to describe life as an ASC intern it would be: rewarding. The experiences, the people, and the adventures associated with the ASC will all change your life. The staff of the ASC is committed to enriching participants lives and that is evident on every rafting, camping, biking, climbing, and hiking adventure.

Overall, the summer that I spent in Crested Butte as an intern was one of the best of my young life. I often think of the crisp, clean air I was given the privilege of breathing everyday. I also think of the participants that, on the last days of their trips, weren't recapping the weeks events, but rather planning how much higher they would climb next year on the ropes course. When you're planning a trip back to somewhere you haven't even left yet, someone must be doing something right."

Lydia, 2008 Summer Intern

"My experience as an intern at the Adaptive Sports Center was inspirational, offered great professional development and was personally challenging. I was introduced to an awesome community of friends."

Ben, Winter Intern, 2009 - 2010
2009 Prescott College graduate

“Because I have been a client of Adaptive, I was able to relate to the participants. Also, a lot of the little kids were interested in my disability. It was interesting to them that I was able to go rock climbing and paddling with them. It’s good because I think it creates awareness at a young age.”

Molly, Summer 2008 Intern

Caitlin rides one of the Adaptive Sports Center's One Off handcycles.

Shari and Adam (center, back) help facilitate team building activities with the Roger Pepper Camp for teenage burn survivors.

Ben assists with unloading an ASC client from the chairlift at Crested Butte Mountain Resort.

4/16 32nd Annual North American Burn Society Meeting (Jan. 18-22, 2014)

3/18 First annual Legs & Bacon uphill event on April 5.

3/15 Comedian Chris Fonseca at Center for the Arts on March 22

3/10 Find your ASC photos here.

1/4 Register for the Big Mountain Monoski Camp (March 9 -11). 

12/28 Full-day lessons are $150 from Jan. 1 - Jan. 18. Original price: $190

12/7 Spread cheer through the ASC Holiday Giving program.

11/30 The ASC is now hiring Winter Junior Guides.

11/9 The ASC launched its 2012 Annual Appeal and Roger Pepper Appeal fundraising campaigns.

11/9 Watch the Roger Pepper Appeal Video.

11/8 View our 2013 winter preview.

11/6 Check out our 2013 Camps & Clinics.

11/2 Watch the 2012-2013 ASC highlight video.

11/1 The ASC is now on Vimeo.

10/28 The 2013 Seven Hours of the Banana endurance event will be on Sunday, March 3, 2013.