Smile! She Captures Life’s Happy Moments at Glenwood Caverns

Making memories that last a lifetime—for Tiffany Adams, the photo department manager at Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park, that phrase is much more than a saying. It’s her calling, her life’s work. What started out solely as a job to make some money, has become a career that includes managing the Caverns’ souvenir photography business and providing consulting services to other resorts and attractions.

You never know where a job might lead

When Tiffany started out in the souvenir photography business more than 14 years ago, she had no idea that accepting the photographer job at Monarch Ski Resort would change her life. “I had no photography experience and was really just looking for a job and thought, why not give it a shot,” she said. “I was pretty point and shoot at the time and not good at talking to and photographing people. I didn’t know why my backgrounds were terrible either. It would take a few years for me to become a better photographer.”

Acquiring skills and building a resume

A Glenwood Caverns souvenir photo flyerAs her skills improved and so did her career prospects. Now Tiffany shares her knowledge and skills with her staff and helps other attractions build successful photography programs. “Over the years I have learned so much about the art and business of photography. It feels good to be able to pass those skills on to others,” Tiffany explained. “It took a lot of practice, but I became very good at interacting with guests and getting them to smile in photos. For the first time in my life, I was making a real difference in people’s lives. This sense of satisfaction re-enforced my belief that I had found my calling.” Tiffany’s resume includes managing souvenir photography at some of Colorado’s biggest resorts including Keystone, Copper Mountain and Snowmass. She also helped launch the photography program at Squaw Valley Ski Resort in California. Not limited to winter season photo shoots, during the summer season Tiffany shot river rafting and managed the photography business for the Durango Railroad and the Grand Canyon Railroad. It was a summer gig that initially led her to Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park where she was quickly promoted to manager, but left at the end of the season to work in Durango. Tiffany spent about three years away from Glenwood Caverns. Her Caverns boss, general manager Nancy Heard, a natural at spotting and cultivating talent, kept in touch with Tiffany as the years ticked by. According to Tiffany, “The whole time I lived in Durango, Nancy checked in with me to see how things were going and if I was ready to come back to Glenwood.” When she was ready to relocate, Tiffany met with Heard and Caverns owner Steve Beckley. “They had me convinced. To this day, I have never looked back and Steve and Nancy have kept every last promise that they made to me.”

Opportunities keep coming

As a manager at Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park, Tiffany participated in the 53rd National Caves Association convention held this year in Glenwood Springs. The event brings together members representing over 80 show caves in the U.S., Bermuda and Barbados to exchange and share ideas on topics related to owning and operating a cave attraction. It was here she met John Graves, owner of Luray Caverns in Luray, Virginia. After getting the go-ahead from Beckley and Heard, Graves and his brother Rod invited Tiffany to visit their attraction to consult with retail, maintenance and IT managers about adding souvenir photography to their operation. After arriving home in Glenwood, Tiffany got back to work. “Then one day, Nancy asked me to call Colossal Cave Mountain Park in southern Arizona about their budding photography program. Their general manager had also been at the NCA convention!” Tiffany will be heading there soon to share her expertise in souvenir photography. “Wow! What a privilege.”

We’re hiring

Making people smile comes naturally to Tiffany. It’s one of the reasons she’s a great fit for Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park where our mission is: To Make People Smile! But every employee at Glenwood Caverns has that same potential to enhance guest experience and find value and meaning in helping others. Starting out at a seasonal job could have life changing consequences. You never know, so why not give it a shot, like Tiffany did.  Glenwood Caverns is currently hiring for the upcoming spring and summer seasons.

Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park: Who Does That?

Ever wonder who works the various jobs at Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park or what it’s like to be employed at America’s only mountaintop theme park?

As Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park prepares for a hiring spree for the upcoming summer season, three employees share their insights and experiences. To learn more about summer employment, check out the video above. Our mission is to make people smile; if it’s yours as well, we invite you to apply for an opportunity to join our team.

RYAN MOREAU

What’s your job at Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park (GCAP)?

Tram base supervisor. I pretty much take care of operations at the base and that includes running the tram, manning the register and supervising the day-to-day operations at the tram base.

How long have you been at GCAP?

About nine months.

What keeps you at GCAP?

I love it! I’ve worked lots of retail jobs; the people at those other jobs were never happy—neither my fellow employees nor the customers. My naturally happy personality didn’t fit in there. Nancy, who is the general manager at the Park, noticed me at my old job and scouted me out.  She liked my work ethic and said she was going to hire me one day. She did! Thank you Nancy!

What’s the best part of your job?

I get to sell smiles for a living and it’s fantastic! GCAP is a very unique workplace. I have never experienced anything like it. I am part of an awesome company that feels more like a family than a job. GCAP is a company that’s going nowhere but up, and I want to be on board with them for the ride so to speak.

Do you have a memorable customer story?

I love the guests. There are a lot of neat people who visit the caverns. There are so many great stories, but one of my favorites is of a guest who was afraid of heights. She was very nervous about riding the tram. She wanted to see our amazing caves so bad though that she was able to tackle her fear of heights, get on top of that 7,100 foot mountain, and have fun. It was awesome!

DAN CHANEY

What’s your job at Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park (GCAP)?

I’m a cave tour guide. I do all the tours — walking and crawling.

How long have you been at GCAP?

I just wrapped up two years.

What keeps you at GCAP?

This job suits me to a T! I’ve been an earth sciences nerd for ages. I’m an amateur geologist, fossil hunter and prospector, so to say I’m at home in a cave is an understatement! Glenwood Caverns has a great product and outstanding management; it’s a testament to who Steve and Jeanne Beckley (the owners) are as people that working here it feels like a family.

What’s the best part of your job?

I love that I get to share what I know with the public. I’m one of those people who can remember details for 30 years—I’m a top-notch Trivial Pursuit player—I’ve been called the Bill Nye of Caves!

Do you have a memorable customer story?

You mean have I had a personal moment with a customer? Yes! Every day! One that stands out is when I had a geophysicist on one of my tours. This is a scholarly guy who really knows his stuff. Well, after the tour he let me know that he learned a few things he hadn’t known before. I took that as quite a compliment. Another time involved a grandfather and his grandson. After learning something new about cave science, I remember the boy saying with such enthusiasm, “Wow grandpa! That’s so neat!” It’s rewarding to engage with all kinds of guests, from all backgrounds, from all over the world.

DONNA WALKER aka “MAMA DONNA”

What’s your job at Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park (GCAP)?

I’m a grill cashier at the Lookout Grille.

How long have you been at GCAP?

I’ve been in Colorado for eight years — transplanted from Georgia — and worked at the Caverns for five years.

How did you get your nickname?

(Laughs) A bunch of guys in the kitchen started calling me that and it sort of stuck. I like to take care of people and make them smile.

What keeps you at GCAP?

It’s a great place to work! I love the location on top of a mountain and riding the gondola to work every day.  I love the customers, especially the kids. I’ve been able to see some of the kids of our regular customers grow up over the years and that’s a lot of fun. I also like the fact that GCAP offers military discounts. My son Dusty Walker is a bomb specialist in the US Army, and I’m proud of him and of all our veterans. When veterans visit, I like to go out of my way to thank them for their service.

What’s the best part of your job?

I’m a people person. If I can make someone’s day better I will. If I see a mom is struggling with her kid for example, I’ll make a whip cream face on a plate with chocolate eyes and a smile. That pretty much turns the kid’s day and the mom’s day around right away.

Do you have a memorable customer story?

This one time a gentleman gave me a great compliment. He said I should be on the Dr. Phil show to show other people how customer service is done. I just like to work with the public. It makes me happy to make other people happy.

If you’re on a mission to make people smile, consider joining the Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park team this summer. Visit glenwoodjobs.com for more information.

Skill Building: 5 Perks of Working at Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park

Glenwood Caverns is hiring

Working a summer job at Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park in Glenwood Springs, Colorado, certainly has its perks. Where else can you take a gondola to your shift at America’s only mountaintop theme park? Or look up from your post operating an attraction and see jaw-dropping views of the Colorado Rockies? Employees also get the chance to take a turn on the Park’s thrill rides.

Yes, working at Glenwood Caverns is fun and exciting. But in addition to earning a paycheck, it’s the honing of life-long skills that, in the long run, delivers the biggest return for seasonal employees. While the Park’s mission is to make people smile, we also want our employees to smile, on the job and off; now, and long into the future.

  1. Condfidence. Earning a paycheck boosts self-esteem and provides a sense of accomplishment. In addition to banking some cash, you’ll meet and mingle with people from all walks of life. Being comfortable and at-ease around others doesn’t always come naturally. Like most things, it takes practice. Whether you’re bussing tables for the lunch crowd at the Lookout Grille or selling tickets at the Iron Mountain Tramway base, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to let your personality shine.
  1. Public Speaking. The ability to communicate ideas effectively is vital in business and in nearly every field of study. If you dream of becoming a business tycoon, a sales superstar or even acing that college interview, you can practice the art of oration by leading cave tours through Glenwood Caverns. It’s a challenging job that requires being prepared, giving detailed presentations, delivering a joke line and having poise when things don’t go as planned.
  1. Time management. Working for Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park, you’ll quickly learn that you’ve got to build in some cushion to ride the tram and still get to your shift in the photography department on time. Mastering time management and being efficient on the job is really all about prioritizing, planning and deciding what you will accomplish in day.
  1. Problem solving. Count on your job at Glenwood Caverns as a proving ground for critical thinking and problem solving. Providing excellent guest service begins with actively listening to customers, often with the added opportunity of resolving a specific problem. At Glenwood Caverns and in virtually every workplace, each day on the job offers the chance to make a difference.
  1. Exploring interests. While you might start out working as a cashier in the gift shop or as an attractions operator, your job at Glenwood Caverns could pique an interest that you might not have previously considered. Your experience in retail could lead to a career in design or business; operating the tram or an attraction might encourage you to explore mechanics or engineering. You never know where your Glenwood Caverns Adventure will lead!

The bottom line is working at Glenwood Caverns is an opportunity to grow, learn and be part of an amazing team.