Rocky Mountain Adventures

Name

Rocky Mountain Adventures

Legal name

Lodgepole Capital Ventures LLC

Website

https://shoprma.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Outdoor Adventure and Whitewater Rafting Services

NAICS

Tour Operators (56152), Tour Operators (561520)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Whitewater Rafting, Kayaking & Canoeing Outfitters (THAAADAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Whitewater & Paddle Sports Centers (Rafting, Kayak, SUP, Canoe) (THAAAKAF), Water & Marine Guiding Services (Kayak, Canoe, Raft, SUP, Sailing) (THAAALAB)

Keywords

• Whitewater rafting
• Paddle sports instruction
• Outdoor equipment rentals
• Kayak and rafting instruction
• Swiftwater rescue training

Headquarters

HQ city

Fort Collins

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Whitewater Rafting Trips: Guided whitewater rafting trips on Cache La Poudre River (Colorado's only Wild and Scenic River), Upper Colorado River, Clear Creek, and North Platte River. Offers half-day, full-day, and two-day trips. Partner company Mad Adventures provides gear and guides for Upper Colorado and Clear Creek trips.
2. Instructional Classes: Kayaking, rafting, and swiftwater rescue instruction for all skill levels. Private instruction and group sessions available. ACA-certified instructors. Includes commercial raft guide training and advanced techniques courses.
3. Equipment Rentals: Year-round outdoor gear rentals including kayaks, rafts, SUPs, inflatable kayaks, PFDs, winter sports equipment (cross-country skis, boots, poles, snowshoes, splitboards). Multi-day rental options available. 'Try Before You Buy' program for kayaks.
4. Retail Store: Full-service river sports shop at rmapaddlegear.com and Fort Collins retail location. Sells paddle sports gear, kayaks, paddles, safety gear, apparel. Partners with Werner, Jackson Kayak, Pyranha, Kokatat, and other paddle sports brands.
5. Repair Services: Repair services for inflatable crafts, kayaks, and technical river apparel. Services include inflatable repair, plastic kayak structural repairs, and dry top/dry suit gasket installation.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Rocky Mountain Adventures operates guided whitewater rafting trips on multiple Colorado rivers including the Cache La Poudre (Colorado's only Wild and Scenic River), Upper Colorado River, Clear Creek, and North Platte River for individuals, families, and groups. The company also delivers ACA-certified paddlesports instruction (kayaking, raft guide training, swiftwater rescue), year-round outdoor equipment rentals, full-service retail of paddle sports gear, repair services for inflatables and drysuits, and a unique Pigeon Express photography service.

Product overview

Rocky Mountain Adventures is an outdoor recreation company offering a unified suite of guided adventure services centered on whitewater activities. The core offering is whitewater rafting on multiple rivers including the Cache La Poudre River (Colorado's only Wild and Scenic River), supplemented by instructional classes for kayaking, rafting, and swiftwater rescue. The company provides equipment rentals for both summer paddling and winter sports, repair services for boats and technical apparel, and a unique photography program called Pigeon Express that uses homing pigeons to deliver trip photos. An online retail store (rmapaddlegear.com) and gift card program round out the service portfolio. Operating since 1993, the company is owned and managed by Kyle Johnson (Business Manager/Co-Owner) and David Terry (Operations Manager/Co-Owner).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Pigeon Express: Photography program using homing pigeons to capture river adventure photos. Uses specially designed Lycra backpacks for pigeons to transport film or digital memory sticks from river trips back to the Fort Collins outpost.

Products and services

• Whitewater Rafting Trips Guided whitewater rafting trips on multiple Colorado rivers including the Cache La Poudre River (Colorado's only Wild and Scenic River), Upper Colorado River, Clear Creek, and North Platte River. Offers half-day, full-day, and two-day trips with Class II-IV rapids for various skill levels including families, beginners, and experienced rafters.
• Paddlesports Instruction ACA-certified kayaking, rafting guide training, and swiftwater rescue courses for all skill levels from beginner to advanced, with private and group class formats. Includes commercial raft guide training and advanced techniques courses.
• Outdoor Equipment Rentals Year-round rentals of kayaks, rafts, SUPs, inflatable kayaks, PFDs, and winter sports equipment (cross-country skis, boots, poles, snowshoes, splitboards), with multi-day options and a 'Try Before You Buy' kayak program.
• Paddle Sports Repairs Repair services for inflatable crafts (rafts, paddle boards), plastic kayak outfitting and structural repairs, and gasket installation for dry tops and dry suits.
• Pigeon Express Photography Unique photography service using homing pigeons with custom Lycra backpacks to deliver photos from remote river locations back to the Fort Collins outpost in about 20 minutes over 20-40 miles, capturing action shots during rafting trips.
• Paddle Sports Retail Store Full-service river sports shop selling kayaks, paddles, safety gear, apparel, and paddle sports equipment from brands including Werner, Jackson Kayak, Pyranha, and Kokatat, available online and at the Fort Collins retail location.

Quantifiable outcome

• 864 Google reviews with EXCELLENT rating
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, strategic and minor.

• Mad AdventurescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMad Adventures is the partner company for Upper Colorado River and Clear Creek whitewater rafting trips. They provide all required rafting gear, guides in each raft, and shuttle services from their offices in Kremmling (Upper Colorado) and Idaho Springs (Clear Creek). RMA coordinates booking while Mad Adventures delivers the on-water experience.
• The Mishawaka AmphitheaterstrategicGTM or Marketing PartnerExclusive partnership for entertainment and dining experiences near the river. Enhances customer experience by offering access to The Mishawaka venue, a renowned music amphitheater along the Poudre River corridor.
• Visit Fort CollinscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial tourism partner providing referrals and marketing support. Featured on Visit Fort Collins website for water activities and paddling recommendations. Local community support organization.
• American WhitewaterstrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerLeading advocacy organization for whitewater recreation. RMA participated in multi-year advocacy coalition led by American Whitewater for boat passage improvements at Poudre River Diversion Dam. American Whitewater funded site surveys and concept designs for combined boat and fish passage.
• American Canoe Association (ACA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerACA provides instructor certification standards for RMA's instructional programs. All RMA instructors require ACA certification in their teaching discipline. ACA sets industry standards for paddlesports instruction.
• Save the PoudreminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit advocacy group whose settlement with Northern Water led to creation of the $100 million Poudre River Improvement Fund, which supports river conservation and access projects that benefit RMA operations.
• Diversify WhitewaterminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNonprofit organization focused on diversity in whitewater sports. David Terry serves as board member for Diversify Whitewater. RMA supports events in Northern Colorado through this partnership.
• Colorado River Outfitters Association (CROA)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerIndustry association for river outfitters in Colorado. RMA is a participating board member and recommends CROA Safety Video to all guests prior to trips.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Mountain Whitewater: Colorado-based whitewater rafting outfitter operating Class II-IV trips near Denver/Idaho Springs on Clear Creek and the Arkansas River; directly comparable service offering and target customer to RMA.
• Echo Canyon River Adventures: Royal Gorge/Arkansas River rafting outfitter offering guided trips and instruction across similar difficulty classes; direct competitor for Colorado whitewater guests.
• Wilderness Aware Rafting: Buena Vista, Colorado family-owned outfitter running Arkansas River rafting trips with multi-day and instructional offerings; comparable size, family-friendly positioning, and service breadth to RMA.
• KODI Rafting: Colorado family rafting outfitter providing Class II-IV trips and instructional programs; comparable mid-size operator with similar customer demographics and trip offerings.
• Arkansas River Tours: Colorado rafting outfitter focused on the Arkansas River near Buena Vista; offers comparable guided trips, instruction, and rentals serving similar Front Range and destination tourists.
• Nova Guides: Colorado rafting and outdoor adventure outfitter running trips on the Arkansas and Colorado rivers; closely comparable product offering, customer base, and multi-stream business model.
• Brown Dog Adventures: Colorado whitewater rafting outfitter running trips on the Arkansas and Colorado rivers; comparable small-operator profile and family/adventure positioning.
• Mad Adventures: Partner outfitter providing on-water operations for RMA's Upper Colorado and Clear Creek trips; both are Colorado whitewater rafting outfitters running Class II-IV trips with overlapping customer base and similar product mix.
• Sage Outdoor Adventures: Vail Valley and Buena Vista-based outfitter offering rafting, fly-fishing, and outdoor adventures; comparable multi-activity Colorado outfitter model with similar premium positioning.

Broad incumbents

• REI Co-op: National outdoor recreation retailer and adventure-trip provider; competes with RMA's retail and instructional offerings at scale, and represents the broader incumbent ecosystem in which small outfitters operate.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/shoprma
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCoSSfrIAfBKAu2mhormUcsw
• Facebookfacebook.com/RockyMtnAdventures
• Instagraminstagram.com/rockymtnadventures
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rocky-mountain-adventures-inc.

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Rocky Mountain Adventures