I'm currently winding my way through college and it seems like a good time to start thinking about what I'd like to be when I grow up. Seeing as I love hiking, canoeing, trees, and pretending I know what I'm talking about, I thought I might enjoy working as a professional wilderness guide of some sort.
Unfortunately, finding information on just how someone would DO that has proven needlessly difficult. I love the outdoors, I've taken extensive classes in wilderness survival (at the behest of the US Air Force), and I thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail in 2007. What I'd like to do is apply my knowledge and interest in the outdoors to some sort of gainful employment.
Can anybody help me out? What kinds of jobs are out there? Most of what I've seen are summer jobs teaching 'how to not flip the canoe' courses to at-risk (i.e. knife-wielding) teens, which doesn't seem very appealing. Places like REI offer expeditions to go high-altitude whitewater bungee kayaking in Canada, and somebody's got to lead these trips, right? Are there certification courses of some sort I could take to help me along?
Any help would be greatly appreciated, thanks!
