Rainbow Trail Lutheran Camp

What Rainbow Trail Lutheran Camp does

Rainbow Trail Lutheran Camp (RTLC) is a non-profit Lutheran residential camp and retreat center located in the Sangre de Cristo mountains near Hillside, Colorado, and affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). The organization serves Lutheran youth, families, and adults primarily across Colorado and surrounding states through a portfolio of seasonal summer camps (Intro to Camp, Juniors, Junior High, Confirmation, Senior High, Family Camp, Day Camp), year-round retreats (including Senior High, Men's Fly Fishing, Backcountry Fly Fishing, Women's, Confirmation, Fiber Arts, Ski, and Adventfest retreats), wilderness expeditions through its Compass Points program, and international/domestic service mission trips through Bridging Borders (Appalachia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, and Anapra, Mexico). The organization also hosts special events such as the Grace Race 5K and seasonal gatherings.

The business operates on a multi-stream revenue model combining program fees (summer camps, retreats, expeditions, and mission trips), special event registration (e.g., Grace Race 5K), and donations processed through Classy.org and Colorado Gives Day. Program registration is managed through the third-party CampBrain platform (rtlc.campbrainregistration.com), and the camp uses Thrivent Choice as a designated giving channel. The technology stack is intentionally lean: CampBrain for registration, Classy.org for donations, Spotify for curated camp playlists, and YouTube for podcast content. The organization is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors and led by Executive Director Dave "Packer" Gunnlaugsson, who was appointed in September 2025 after 13 prior years with RTLC.

Go-to-market is community-led and event-driven. Acquisition occurs primarily through Lutheran church networks and ministry partner congregations, seasonal campaign timing tied to church and confirmation calendars, and online registration through CampBrain. Marketing channels include the Lutheran church network, the website, Facebook and Instagram, Spotify playlists, and YouTube. The organization pursues an ongoing land exchange initiative and a Bristlecone Remodel capital project, and partners with Chaco for outdoor gear and the ELCA World Hunger Appeal as a beneficiary of the annual Grace Race 5K fundraiser.

Name

Rainbow Trail Lutheran Camp

Legal name

Rainbow Trail Lutheran Camp

Website

https://rainbowtrail.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Rainbow Trail Lutheran Camp (RTLC) is a non-profit, ELCA-affiliated residential camp and retreat center in Colorado's Sangre de Cristo mountains, serving Lutheran youth, families, and adults through summer camps, retreats, wilderness expeditions, and domestic and international service mission trips.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Summer Camps & Retreat Centers

NAICS

Recreational and Vacation Camps (except Campgrounds) (721214)

SIC

Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000)

akta.pro primary industry

Multi-Activity Enrichment Camps (Academic + Arts + Sports) (EDAMALAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Adventure Base Camps (Trek/Climb/Expedition Camps) (THAGAOAG)

Keywords

• Summer camp programs
• Youth ministry retreats
• Outdoor adventure camps
• Christian camp services
• Lutheran retreat center

Headquarters

HQ city

Canon City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Summer Camp Programs: Residential overnight camps for various age groups (Juniors, Junior High, Senior High) and specialty camps (Confirmation, Family Camp, Day Camp)
2. Retreat Programs: Year-round retreat facilities for various groups including women's retreats, men's fly fishing, confirmation retreats, ski retreats, and specialty retreats (Fiber Arts)
3. Compass Points Expeditions: Outdoor adventure programming including Into the Wild wilderness trips, charter trips, backpacking excursions for various age groups
4. Bridging Borders Service Trips: International and domestic service mission trips to Appalachia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, and Anapra, Mexico
5. Donations and Fundraising: Tax-deductible contributions through Trailblazers, Pathfinders programs, Colorado Gives Day, specific campaigns (Bristlecone Remodel, Land Exchange), and general donations

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Rainbow Trail Lutheran Camp is a Lutheran-affiliated residential summer camp and year-round retreat center based in the Wet Mountains of Colorado. It runs multi-week summer camp sessions for children and youth, hosts retreats and conferences for church groups and families, and organizes mission/service trip experiences for older youth and adults.

Product overview

Rainbow Trail Lutheran Camp operates as a faith-based residential camp and retreat center located in the Sangre de Cristo mountains of Colorado. The organization offers a portfolio of seasonal summer camp programs for various age groups (Intro to Camp, Juniors, Junior High, Confirmation, Senior High, Family Camp, Day Camp), year-round outdoor adventure experiences through Compass Points (wilderness trips, backpacking, fly fishing), domestic and international mission service opportunities via Bridging Borders, and customizable retreat programming for individuals, families, and groups. The camp utilizes CampBrain for registration management and offers various special events including the annual Grace Race 5K.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Summer Camp Programs

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

Integration4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• ChacominorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership for outdoor gear and footwear, likely providing equipment support or sponsorship for camp programs.
• ELCA World Hunger AppealcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerThe Grace Race 5K fundraiser benefits the ELCA World Hunger Appeal, raising $10,000 annually through the event to support global hunger relief efforts.
• CampBraincoreTechnology or IntegrationOnline registration platform used for camp registration, availability checking, and program management.
• Ministry Partners (Lutheran Congregations)coreOthersNetwork of Lutheran congregations affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America that refer campers and participate in camp programs.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Camp Twin Lakes: Faith-rooted camp and retreat center offering residential summer camps, retreats, and outdoor adventure programming; overlaps closely in mission, programming structure, and family/retreat segments.
• Cheley Colorado Camps: Established Colorado residential summer camp offering multi-activity youth programming in a mountain setting; directly comparable on activity mix, mountain location, and family camper segment.
• Lutheran Lakeside Camp: Lutheran summer camp and retreat center providing youth programs, family camps, and year-round retreats; directly comparable programming mix and Lutheran congregational feeder model.
• Sky Ranch Lutheran Camp: A Lutheran-affiliated residential camp offering summer youth camps, retreats, and outdoor adventure programming; directly comparable in mission, programming structure (summer camps + retreats), and ELCA/denominational referral model.
• Camp Luther (Wisconsin): Long-established Lutheran summer camp offering residential youth programs, family camps, and retreats; comparable in faith-formation/ outdoor recreation integration and confirmation program support.

Broad incumbents

• YMCA of the Rockies: Large multi-site camp and conference center in Colorado offering summer camps, family lodging, and retreats; competes for the same regional families and group retreat business but on a much larger, secular scale.
• Young Life Camps: Large faith-based youth organization operating residential summer camps, wilderness trips, and service experiences; comparable faith-anchored youth outdoor programming, with broader geographic reach and larger brand.

Emerging players

• Camp Courageous of Iowa: Nonprofit residential camp offering year-round programming and retreats; overlaps in retreat hosting and residential camp model though focused on a different participant population.
• Wilderness Adventures (Bitterroot): Wilderness adventure outfitter offering backpacking and expedition trips for youth; directly comparable to RTLC's Compass Points Into the Wild and Young Adult Backpacking programming.

Others

• Appalachia Service Project: Faith-rooted service organization running youth mission trips to Appalachia; directly comparable to RTLC's Bridging Borders Appalachia program and represents a destination partner/administrative peer.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/RTLC1957
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rainbow-trail-lutheran-camp

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 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 Rainbow Trail Lutheran Camp