Snowbird Wilderness Outfitters Inc.

Name

Snowbird Wilderness Outfitters Inc.

Legal name

Snowbird Wilderness Outfitters Inc.

Website

https://swoutfitters.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Christian camp and retreat services

NAICS

Recreational and Vacation Camps (except Campgrounds) (721214)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Adventure Therapy & Therapeutic Wilderness Programs (THAAAOAG), Mountain & Wilderness Lodges (THAAAHAE)

Keywords

• Christian wilderness camps
• Youth retreat programs
• Discipleship training
• Outdoor adventure ministry
• Christian conferences

Headquarters

HQ city

Andrews Afb

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, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Camp and Retreat Programs: Primary revenue from registration fees for summer camps, missions camps, student retreats (spring, fall, winter), adult conferences (marriage, men's, women's), college retreats, and Christian school retreats. Fees are charged per person with deposits and materials fees included.
2. Retail Merchandise: Gear store sales including apparel (t-shirts, hoodies, crewnecks), accessories (sunglasses, stickers), and resources (books, Bible studies). Products sold through own e-commerce storefront.
3. Donations and Support: Opportunities for supporters to give financially to the ministry through the Support/Give page. Individual staff members also have donation pages for support.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Snowbird Wilderness Outfitters is a non-profit Christian ministry that operates wilderness-based summer camps, retreats, conferences, and outdoor adventure programs for church youth groups, students, and families in the Appalachian mountains. It also runs a year-long Institute discipleship training program and maintains an online store for outdoor gear and ministry resources.

Product overview

Snowbird Wilderness Outfitters is a Gospel-driven ministry offering a portfolio of camp, retreat, and educational programs centered on biblical discipleship and high-adventure recreation. The core offerings include Summer Camp (SWO26 - a 10-week intensive summer program), Snowbird Missions and Outreach (SMO - a service-focused missions camp), the Snowbird Institute (a one-year discipleship and college-credit program), and the LMNT High School Team (a leadership development program). Year-round programs include Student Retreats (Spring, Fall, Winter, and Christian School formats) and Adult Conferences (Marriage, Men's Be Strong, Women's Respond, and College Retreats). Supporting offerings include the Gear Store (merchandise), the No Sanity Required Podcast, and Snowbird Teaching Sessions archive. The ministry operates from western North Carolina adjacent to Nantahala National Forest, serving over 200 churches annually.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Snowbird Institute: A one-year discipleship and educational program designed to help students grow spiritually, academically, and practically through Bible classes, community life, SWO events, and hands-on skills development
• LMNT (Leadership | Mentorship | Next-Gen | Training)
• Snowbird Missions and Outreach (SMO)
• Respond Women's Retreat
• Be Strong Men's Conference
• Marriage Conference
• No Sanity Required

Products and services

• Summer Camps Wilderness adventure summer camps located in the Appalachian mountains of North Carolina, designed for church youth groups, students, and individual campers. Programs combine outdoor adventure with faith-based teaching and discipleship.
• Retreats Multi-day wilderness retreats hosted at the Andrews, NC base for church groups, ministries, and Christian organizations seeking a faith-integrated outdoor experience.
• Conferences Christian conferences and teaching events held at the Snowbird wilderness location, gathering pastors, ministry leaders, students, and laypeople for teaching and worship.
• Snowbird Institute Year-long residential discipleship and ministry training program for young adults, combining biblical instruction, ministry practice, and wilderness community living. Designed for students pursuing deeper ministry formation.
• Online Gear Store E-commerce store selling outdoor gear, apparel, and ministry resources associated with the Snowbird camp and wilderness experience.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 250,000 students trained since 1997
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Judson College (SEBTS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerExclusive transfer credit partnership allowing Snowbird Institute students to earn up to 48 hours of transfer credit toward Judson College, the undergraduate school at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. Institute students study under Snowbird teachers and can transfer credits to SEBTS.
• Leavell College (New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCredit transfer agreement for Snowbird Institute students to transfer credits to Leavell College.
• Boyce College (The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCredit transfer agreement for Snowbird Institute students to transfer credits to Boyce College.
• Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary (SEBTS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSEBTS professors teach intensive courses at Snowbird Institute. Full-time Institute students can earn up to 48 hours of transfer credit toward Judson College at SEBTS.
• Red Oak ChurchcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal church in Andrews where most Snowbird staff attend. Lead pastor Brody Holloway serves as teaching pastor. The church planted by the Holloway family.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Pine Cove: Christian residential camp network in Texas operating multiple locations with summer camps, family camps, and year-round retreats focused on youth discipleship. Closest comparable by ministry model, church partnership GTM, and youth-discipleship product mix.
• Kanakuk Kamps: Long-running Christian family camp in Branson, MO with summer term camps and year-round retreats serving church groups and families. Comparable by faith-based mission, summer session model, and church partnership funnel.
• WinShape Retreat: Berry College-affiliated Christian retreat and camp program offering summer camps, marriage retreats, and youth programs. Comparable by faith-based mission, retreat product mix, and church/family audience.
• Student Life: Student ministry camp and conference organization hosting week-long student camps and youth pastor conferences for church groups. Comparable by church-youth funnel, weekly camp format, and pastor-targeted programming.
• Glorieta Camps: Christian summer camp and retreat center in New Mexico operated by Baptist Church Services, serving church youth groups and families with adventure recreation. Comparable by SBC-affiliated ministry and church-driven retreat model.
• Camp Kanuga: Episcopal summer camp and retreat center in the western North Carolina mountains offering youth camps, family camps, and year-round retreat hosting. Comparable by NC mountain location, retreat hosting, and outdoor adventure programming.
• Forest Home: Christian camp and conference center in Southern California with summer camps, family camps, and church retreats combining adventure recreation with discipleship. Comparable by ministry model and church-group GTM.
• CentriKid Camps: LifeWay-sponsored student camp program with multiple summer locations and church-group registration. Comparable by Baptist student ministry focus, church-driven GTM, and weeklong format.
• Lake Owen Camp: Long-established Christian summer camp in northern Wisconsin with high-adventure recreation and church-group registration. Comparable by camp format, adventure recreation, and church partnership GTM; specifically relevant because SWO's COO Matt Jones spent nearly three decades there.

Broad incumbents

• Ridgecrest Conference Center: LifeWay-owned mountain retreat and conference center in Ridgecrest, NC (Blue Ridge Mountains) hosting church retreats, student events, and adult conferences. Comparable by NC mountains location, church-group hosting, and year-round programming breadth.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeopen.spotify.com/show/5hLShuVSf8vnxH3W13eCQI
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/snowbird-outfitters-inc.

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 Snowbird Wilderness Outfitters Inc.