Colorado Outward Bound School
Colorado Outward Bound School is a nonprofit outdoor experiential education organization, founded in 1962, delivering multi-day wilderness expeditions in Colorado and Utah to youth ages 12-25, schools, educators, professionals, and veterans.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1962
- HeadquartersDenver, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Colorado Outward Bound School does
Colorado Outward Bound School (COBS) is a nonprofit experiential education organization founded in 1962 and operating as part of the international Outward Bound network. The organization delivers multi-day outdoor expeditions across two regional programs: a Rocky Mountain Program based in Leadville, Colorado, and a Southwest Program based in Moab, Utah. Activities include backpacking, mountaineering, rock climbing, whitewater rafting, and canyoneering, delivered as open enrollment courses for individuals and as customized programs for partner institutions.
The core product is a curriculum-driven outdoor learning experience that combines technical wilderness skills with leadership and personal development outcomes. COBS primarily serves youth ages 12-25 through open enrollment expeditions, but also operates specialized modules for youth-serving organizations, higher education partners, educators, business professionals, and military veterans. Add-on offerings include facility rentals at the Leadville Camping and Ropes Course, scholarships, and academic credit options. Reported participant outcomes include 97% of youth-serving partners indicating they built trust with students and 92% of students reporting excitement about continued self-learning.
Revenue is generated primarily through course and expedition enrollment fees, supplemented by philanthropic activity including donations, planned giving, corporate support, and community events. The organization is governed as part of the Outward Bound nonprofit umbrella, with no equity, venture, or public ownership structure. Marketing is conducted through a multi-channel digital presence across Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, TikTok, and email newsletters, paired with website-driven direct enrollment and a partnership sales motion for institutional buyers.
Colorado Outward Bound School firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Colorado Outward Bound School
- Legal name
- Colorado Outward Bound School
- Website
- https://cobs.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1962
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Colorado Outward Bound School is a nonprofit outdoor experiential education organization, founded in 1962, delivering multi-day wilderness expeditions in Colorado and Utah to youth ages 12-25, schools, educators, professionals, and veterans.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Colorado Outward Bound School industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Outdoor Experiential Education
- NAICS
- Educational Services (61), Sports and Recreation Instruction (611620), Educational Support Services (611710)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Outdoor & Wilderness Education Schools (Field-Based Learning) (THAAAOAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Outdoor Recreation & Adventure Programs (Trips, Climbing, Rentals) (EDALAIAG), School Group & Curriculum-Led Trips (THAKAGAB), Instructor-Led Skills Academies (Climbing, Paddling, Mountaineering Schools) (THAAAOAI), Climbing & Via Ferrata Guiding / Instruction (THAAALAH)
Keywords
Where Colorado Outward Bound School is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Denver
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Colorado Outward Bound School business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Course/Expedition Enrollment Fees: Revenue generated from participants enrolling in outdoor expeditions and courses including backpacking, mountaineering, rock climbing, whitewater rafting, and canyoneering programs. Programs serve youth ages 12-25, young adults, and professional groups.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels7 records
Colorado Outward Bound School product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Colorado Outward Bound School delivers multi-day outdoor expedition courses that combine backpacking, mountaineering, rock climbing, whitewater rafting, and canyoneering with a structured leadership development curriculum. Programs are operated from Leadville, Colorado and Moab, Utah, serving youth ages 12-25 through open enrollment, plus customized programs for schools, universities, educators, corporate teams, and veterans. The organization also operates a Leadville Camping & Ropes Course used for group programming.
Product overview
Colorado Outward Bound School offers a portfolio of outdoor experiential learning programs centered on multi-day expeditions and adventure activities including backpacking, mountaineering, rock climbing, whitewater rafting, and canyoneering. The core product consists of open enrollment courses for individuals (youth ages 12-25) featuring named expeditions such as Colorado Rockies Alpine Backpack, Southwest Pathfinder Canyon Backpack and Raft, and Rockies to Canyons Pathfinder. The portfolio extends through specialized modules targeting distinct segments: programs for youth-serving partners (team-building with ropes courses), higher education partners, educators (professional development), professionals (corporate training), veterans, plus facility rentals and scholarship/credit options. Programs are delivered across two primary geographic regions: the Rocky Mountain Program in Leadville, Colorado and the Southwest Program in Moab, Utah.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Colorado Rockies – Alpine Backpack
Quantifiable outcome
- 97% of youth-serving program partners reported building trust with students
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Colorado Outward Bound School
Customer profileSegments6 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Colorado Outward Bound School technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Colorado Outward Bound School partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Schools and Educational InstitutionscorePartnership programs for K-12 schools and higher education institutions providing customized outdoor learning expeditions for students and faculty.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Colorado Outward Bound School competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- NOLS (National Outdoor Leadership School): NOLS is the most direct competitor to COBS, offering wilderness-based experiential education courses in backpacking, mountaineering, and outdoor leadership for youth and adults across the western U.S. Both operate as nonprofit outdoor education schools with multi-week expeditions.
- Student Conservation Association: SCA provides conservation-focused outdoor service and education programs for youth and young adults. Overlaps with COBS on youth outdoor experiential learning, leadership development, and partnership with schools.
- Avid4 Adventure: Avid4 Adventure operates outdoor multi-sport day and overnight camps for youth in Colorado and other western states, covering hiking, climbing, paddling, and mountain biking. Direct competitor for youth outdoor adventure summer programs.
Broad incumbents
- Outward Bound USA (network): Outward Bound USA is the national federation of which COBS is a member school. Operates the broader brand, course catalog, and shared fundraising infrastructure that COBS leverages and competes within.
- Sierra Club Outings: Sierra Club Outings runs volunteer-led outdoor trips and environmental education programs across the U.S. Overlaps with COBS in outdoor experiential learning for adults and groups, though the model is more volunteer-led and conservation-focused.
Emerging players
- National Park Trust: National Park Trust runs youth outdoor education and park stewardship programs, including school group trips. Comparable in segment (youth/school-based outdoor learning) and partnership model with COBS's youth-serving partner track.
- TripLeader: TripLeader is a digital marketplace for booking wilderness and adventure guides for youth and groups. Operates as an adjacent channel for outdoor experiential learning that COBS could partner with or compete against for institutional buyers.
- World Learning (Experiment in International Living): World Learning runs the Experiment in International Living, providing experiential education programs for high school and college students with global and outdoor components. Comparable in the youth experiential learning and leadership development category.
Regional players
- Appalachian Mountain Club: AMC is a regional outdoor education and recreation organization with multi-day wilderness programs on the East Coast. Similar mission and educational programming structure to COBS but geographically distinct.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Colorado Outward Bound School social profiles
Digital presenceColorado Outward Bound School financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Colorado Outward Bound School leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Colorado Outward Bound School funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Colorado Outward Bound School M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Colorado Outward Bound School
What does Colorado Outward Bound School do?
Colorado Outward Bound School delivers multi-day outdoor expedition courses that combine backpacking, mountaineering, rock climbing, whitewater rafting, and canyoneering with a structured leadership development curriculum. Programs are operated from Leadville, Colorado and Moab, Utah, serving youth ages 12-25 through open enrollment, plus customized programs for schools, universities, educators, corporate teams, and veterans. The organization also operates a Leadville Camping & Ropes Course used for group programming.
Is Colorado Outward Bound School a public or private company?
Colorado Outward Bound School is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Colorado Outward Bound School founded?
Colorado Outward Bound School was founded in 1962. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Colorado Outward Bound School based?
Colorado Outward Bound School is headquartered in Denver, United States, in the North America region.
How does Colorado Outward Bound School make money?
One revenue line is on record: course/Expedition Enrollment Fees.
Who are Colorado Outward Bound School's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are NOLS (National Outdoor Leadership School), Student Conservation Association and Avid4 Adventure. Broad incumbents are Outward Bound USA (network) and Sierra Club Outings. Emerging players are National Park Trust, TripLeader and World Learning (Experiment in International Living). Appalachian Mountain Club is listed as a regional player.
Does Colorado Outward Bound School have an API?
No public API is recorded for Colorado Outward Bound School.
What industry is Colorado Outward Bound School in?
Colorado Outward Bound School's product category is Outdoor Experiential Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAAAOAA, Outdoor & Wilderness Education Schools (Field-Based Learning), with a secondary code of EDALAIAG, Outdoor Recreation & Adventure Programs (Trips, Climbing, Rentals). Its NAICS code is 61 and its SIC code is 8200.