Colorado Wilderness Rides and Guides

What Colorado Wilderness Rides and Guides does

Colorado Wilderness Rides and Guides, operated by the legal entity Boulder Wilderness Shuttle LLC, is a Boulder, Colorado-based adventure tourism and outdoor education company providing fully customizable private guided experiences across Colorado and Utah. The company serves three primary customer segments: individual adventure seekers and families, corporate organizations seeking team building and leadership development, and special interest groups. Its product portfolio spans guided adventures (backcountry skiing, hiking, peak ascents, rock climbing, mountaineering, rafting, fly fishing, mountain biking, and sightseeing) and a structured education and training program (AIARE avalanche education, climbing development, mountaineering development, raft and fly fishing guide training, and backcountry ski development). The company also retails Brooks-Range mountaineering equipment through a Shopify-powered online store and runs a dedicated corporate sub-brand, Colorado Wilderness Corporate & Teams (formerly CBST Adventures), which has been in operation since 1994.

Name

Colorado Wilderness Rides and Guides

Legal name

Colorado Wilderness Rides and Guides

Website

https://coloradowildernessridesandguides.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Colorado Wilderness Rides and Guides is a Boulder, Colorado-based adventure tourism company offering private guided outdoor experiences, professional education and training programs, and corporate team building across Colorado and Utah, serving individuals, families, and organizations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Outdoor Adventure Guiding and Experiential Education

NAICS

Tour Operators (56152)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Technical Outdoor Guiding Services (Hiking, Trekking, Mountaineering) (THAAALAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Hiking, Trekking & Mountain Guiding (THAJABAA), Winter & Mountain Guides (Ski, Snowshoe, Avalanche, Ice Climbing) (THAAALAF), Guided Backcountry & Off-Piste Services (Ski Touring, Splitboarding, Heli/Cat Skiing) (THAAAJAD), Rock Climbing, Mountaineering & Via Ferrata Guides (THAAADAC), Climbing & Via Ferrata Guiding / Instruction (THAAALAH)

Keywords

• Guided outdoor adventures
• Avalanche education training
• Corporate team building
• Wilderness mountaineering guides
• White water rafting trips

Headquarters

HQ city

Boulder

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Guided Adventure Services: Revenue from providing custom and private outdoor adventure experiences including backcountry skiing, hiking, rock climbing, mountaineering, rafting, fly fishing, and sightseeing tours. Trips are booked as one-time experiences with 50% non-refundable deposit required at booking.
2. Equipment and Gear Sales: Sale of mountaineering and outdoor equipment products through the online store including Brooks-Range tools, snow scrapers, ski straps, thermometers, and climbing accessories.
3. Corporate Team Building Programs: Revenue from organizational programs focused on leadership development, team building, and community impact events for businesses and groups.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Colorado Wilderness Rides and Guides provides private, fully customizable guided outdoor adventures and professional outdoor education across Colorado and Utah, including backcountry skiing, hiking, peak ascents, rock climbing, mountaineering, white water rafting, fly fishing, mountain biking, and sightseeing tours. It also delivers AIARE-certified avalanche education, climbing, mountaineering, and guide training courses, and operates a dedicated corporate team building and leadership development division. A small online retail line sells Brooks-Range mountaineering tools.

Product overview

Colorado Wilderness Rides and Guides operates as a comprehensive outdoor adventure service provider offering a unified portfolio of guided experiences, professional education programs, and retail products. The core offerings include Guided Adventures (backcountry skiing, hiking, climbing, rafting, fly fishing, mountain biking, and sightseeing tours) and Education & Training programs (AIARE avalanche education, rock climbing development, mountaineering, and guide training). A specialized sub-brand, Colorado Wilderness Corporate & Teams, delivers team building and leadership development programs. The company also retails Brooks-Range mountaineering equipment. All services are fully customizable and private, with extensive permitting across Colorado and Utah public lands including Rocky Mountain National Park concessionaire rights.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Guided Adventures Expert-guided private outdoor adventure experiences including backcountry skiing, snowshoeing, hiking, backpacking, peak ascents, fly fishing, rock climbing, mountaineering, white water rafting, mountain biking, e-biking, and sightseeing tours across Colorado's wilderness areas, served to individuals, families, and small private groups.
• Colorado Wilderness Corporate & Teams Corporate team building, leadership development, and community impact programs delivered through customized experiential adventure events, marketed separately at coloradocorporateteambuilding.com and targeted at businesses and nonprofit organizations.
• Education & Training Programs Professional outdoor skills training including AIARE-certified avalanche education (Level 1, Level 2, rescue), outdoor survival skills, climbing on-ramp and advanced climbing skills, rock climbing development series, mountaineering development, fly fishing guide training, raft guide training, and backcountry ski development courses.
• Avalanche Education (AIARE) Courses
• Rock Climbing Development Programs Comprehensive rock climbing instruction including Learn to Lead Sport, Learn to Lead Trad, and multi-day Rock Climbing Development Series covering equipment, anchors, belaying, multi-pitch climbing, and movement techniques, targeted at climbers progressing from beginner to advanced skills.
• Hiking and Peak Ascent Guided Trips Guided hiking experiences ranging from half-day excursions to full-day and multi-day adventures, including iconic Colorado peaks like Longs Peak (14,259 ft), Grays & Torreys, and technical ascents in Rocky Mountain National Park and the Boulder area.
• White Water Rafting Trips Rafting adventures on the Upper Colorado River and Clear Creek featuring half-day, full-day, and multi-day trips with Class II–IV rapids, suitable for beginners through advanced paddlers, led by Colorado Certified Raft Guides.
• Colorado Sightseeing and Photo Tours Guided sightseeing excursions including Rocky Mountain National Park tours, Boulder brewery tours, photography tours, Mt. Evans expeditions, and custom Colorado landscape tours aimed at visitors and photography enthusiasts.
• Custom Adventure Packages Fully customized private outdoor adventures that combine multiple activities such as backpacking, rock climbing, fly fishing, white water rafting, and mountain biking into tailored multi-day experiences, designed around client goals, group composition, and skill level.
• Brooks-Range Mountaineering Retail Products Online retail of Brooks-Range mountaineering products including snow/ice scrapers, map tools, ski straps, digital thermometers, ski binding tools, folding magnifiers, and folding snow saws for avalanche and snow studies, sold directly through the CWRAG online store.

Quantifiable outcome

• Successful 2010 Veteran Expeditions Team summit of Longs Peak with disabled and able-bodied veterans
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core, supporting and minor.

• Rocky Mountain National Park (National Park Service)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016Official Rocky Mountain National Park Concessionaire for Technical Climbing, Mountaineering, Ski Mountaineering, and avalanche education. Permitted to guide technical climbing, mountaineering, ski touring, and technical education courses in the park.
• National Park ServicecoreOthersOfficial permittee and equal opportunity service provider. Holds concessionaire status for technical climbing, mountaineering, ski mountaineering, and avalanche education in Rocky Mountain National Park.
• Colorado Parks & WildlifecoreOthersPermitted to operate guided activities in Colorado state parks and wildlife areas.
• ShopifysupportingTechnology or IntegrationE-commerce platform powering the online store at coloradowildernessridesandguides.com for equipment sales and bookings.
• Google AnalyticssupportingTechnology or IntegrationWeb analytics service used to understand customer behavior and optimize marketing campaigns.
• Boulder HotelsminorOthersLocal partner accommodations in Boulder for multi-day adventure packages where clients stay in hotels and take daily trips.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Mountain Trip: Mountain guide service operating in Colorado and on international peaks, offering guided mountaineering, ski touring, and climbing trips. Comparable on permit-dependent guiding and certified-guide staffing.
• Alpine Ascents International: Mountaineering and climbing guide service offering guided ascents and skills training. Comparable in certified-guide model, multi-day expedition structure, and emphasis on technical terrain.
• Acadia Mountain Guides: Northeast US guide service providing rock climbing, mountaineering, and ice climbing instruction. Comparable as a credentialed, multi-discipline guiding operator offering both trips and certified courses.
• Aspen Alpine Guides: Operates guided backcountry skiing, mountaineering, climbing, and avalanche education in the Aspen area. Direct comparable on activity mix, certifications (AMGA/AIARE), and Colorado permit-backed model.
• Jackson Hole Mountain Guides: Wyoming-based guide service offering rock climbing, mountaineering, backcountry skiing, and avalanche courses. Closely comparable in activity portfolio, certifications, and trip-customization model.

Broad incumbents

• Backroads: Large active-travel company offering guided biking, hiking, and multi-sport trips. Comparable in multi-activity, custom private trip offering and premium positioning, though broader in geography and product.
• REI Adventures: National branded adventure travel operator offering guided trips across multiple US regions and globally. Comparable in guided adventure trip format, but operates at much larger scale and broader geography.

Others

• Brooks-Range Mountaineering: Mountaineering equipment brand whose products Colorado Wilderness retails online. Adjacent supplier/partner relationship: comparable as a vendor ecosystem participant rather than a competitor.

Regional players

• Estes Park Mountain Shop: Estes Park-based guide and retail operation offering guided RMNP trips, climbing, hiking, and equipment sales. Comparable on Rocky Mountain National Park guiding access and bundled equipment retail.
• Colorado Rafting Company: Regional whitewater rafting outfitter on Colorado rivers with similar trip formats and certified guides. Comparable on the rafting portion of Colorado Wilderness's product mix, though narrower in scope.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@ColoradoGuides
• Facebookfacebook.com/ColoradoWildernessRidesAndGuides
• Instagraminstagram.com/coloradowildernessguides
• TikToktiktok.com/@coloradowildernessguides
• Xx.com/with_replies
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/colorado-wilderness-rides-and-guides

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Colorado Wilderness Rides and Guides