Meet Logan Tyler | Owner of Basecamp Ouray LLC/USA Ice Climbing Team Member

We had the good fortune of connecting with Logan Tyler and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Logan, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
As a professional climber and entrepreneur, risk is inherent in almost every decision I make. Through our guiding business we are very aware of the risk that are associated with the activities we guide our guest on. We always try and stay focused on three main questions when guiding and when making decisions within our company. First, and above all else we ask ourselves, Are we bringing the maximum amount of value to our guest? Do the values of our company align with the values of our guest? Are we connecting with our guest on a authentic and positive level? By distilling our mission into three main questions we can bring clarity to our purpose, through the clarity comes the confidence to take on the risk. As the old adage goes “without risk there is no reward” Basecamp’s entire philosophy is grounded in embracing the unknown, following value over profit and accepting failure, As I believe that success is nothing more then a string of failures. When it comes to risk we acknowledge the consequence but we do not let the fear control us, we do with every decision we make and every trip we guide.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Basecamp Ouray has set itself apart from the other guiding business in several ways but most importantly we place our local community over all else. As the guiding business is far more profitable then the bouldering gym we started out as, we take great pride in providing a space for locals and tourist alike to enjoy and connect through the sport of climbing. We host several kids climbing camps, support local nonprofits, and engage with community events as much as possible. As a lifelong local and climber of Ouray I understand that a business like mine would not and could not grow without the community behind it. When I started Basecamp Ouray the vision was to provide a fun, safe and healthy atmosphere for climbers to enjoy, I converted a small 1500 sq ft candy store into a european inspired Bouldering Hall. The business was not profitable but I was able to break even and felt that was enough, then covid hit. We were closed down for nearly 160 days and I had to do whatever I could to keep the dream alive, I worked several side jobs and put every dime I had into the shop to keep it a float. Luckily as covid began to put a halt on the world’s economic engine, I was able to help build ouray’s first Via ferrata Course that was spearheaded by Nate Disser of San Juan Mountain Guides. This was an incredible opportunity to quickly pivot our model to incorporate Guiding into our service offerings. Virtually overnight myself and a best friend Jason Doyle, built out a functioning website and booking platform, got the insurance in order and accepted our first booking. This was the light at the end of a very dark tunnel, when we began guiding in the spring of 2020 we had only 55 cents in the bank account, this was a defining moment for basecamp and myself as a entrepreneur. We valued each client entirely and worked as hard as we could to create a great reputation for our guided trips, as a result we ended the first season of guiding in the black. What was learned from the experience was that if we focus our efforts on providing value to our customers that the money would follow. SInce that wild summer we have now expanded our guiding service to offer rock climbing, via ferrata and ice climbing, We have also teamed up with the Folks at Gold Mountain Ranch (a 1500+ acre ranch above the city of ouray) to build a world class via ferrata known as the Gold Mountain Expedition. Myself and Dear friend Xander Bianchi Owner of Gravity Line LLC a premiere Via Ferrata builder worked tirelessly with a small group of friends and skilled builders and climbers to produce a via ferrata Like nothing else in north america. We are extremely proud of what we accomplished in less then 6 months and are very excited to introduce this amazing asset to the community in the spring of 2022. The greatest lesson i’ve learned throughout this journey is that to find success you must define that success, embrace the unknown and be willing to have a whole lot of grit to carry you through the hard times. Although Basecamp Ouray has evolved from our roots of the local climbing gym or mission has always stayed the same and always will, “Basecamp Ouray is about connecting people to the epic outdoors, to other adventurers, and to themselves. Climbing is just the catalyst”.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
First and foremost I would take them on the Gold Mountain expedition, as it offers everything ouray has to offer in one trip, the views, the climbing ,the historical and geological education and a unique and amazing way to see the valley of ouray. secondly we would finish the day off with a dinner at eh Brickhouse or bon ton which are two of the best restaurants in ouray, and finally cap it off with a soak at the incredibly relaxing vapor caves of the wiesbaden motel.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I would like to make a shout out to the community of Ouray, CO for embracing my company, supporting my vision and taking the time to give me valuable insight as I journey through the peaks and valleys of running a business. I would also like to thank my business Coach Scott Rowley of Peak Prosper, For whom I wouldn’t be able to be the entrepreneur and leader I am today without, his wisdom and mentorship has been pivotal to the growth and success of Basecamp Ouray. Lastly I must thank my wife Becca for her continued support of all my crazy ideas, her dedication to our family and her honorable work as a nurse during these incredible challenging times of covid, your my rock and my lighthouse in the turbulent seas of business and life.

Website: www.basecampouray.com

Instagram: basecamp_ouray

Facebook: Basecamp Ouray

Yelp: Basecamp Ouray

Youtube: Basecamp Ouray

Other: Come in and see what we are all about next time you’re in ouray, at 480 main street ouray, co 81427

Image Credits
Jacob Rabb, Xander Bianchi, Jason Doyle