Opinions Welcome

[swampdonkey1000]

I am currently considering opening a guided tour hike/supported hiking business that would work the Colorado Trail. Please leave any comments and opinions about this as I would very much appreciate them.

[snowhoe]

Dude go for it. One reason is that if I see you on the trail I know you will have pretty good food so I will be camping beside you so I can "yogi" off you. You will probably be more of a pack mule than a hiker. You might have to be required by the state to get a guiding lic. I know for a flyfishing guide you have to. Check it out before you sink a lot of money into it. Last thing I know that your insurance will be very expensive. Good luck.

[SawnieRobertson]

Please give us an outline of your plans. Will you be using llamas? Goats? Number of hikers in your group? Elevation changes each day? Sounds interesting.--Kinnickinic

[tom_alan]

Sounds interesting. Need any help? I'm just south of you in Pueblo.

Tom

[Mags]

This may be a good place to start if you need some basic info:
http://www.coloradotrail.org/treks.html

Perhaps you can pick their brain?

[Rain Man]

I believe concessionaires on federal land have to obtain a license to operate a business. You might look into that.

RainMan

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[BookBurner]

I think it can certainly work. I've often thought about the same idea but was put off by the liklihood of having to do a lot of very slow hiking with novices before the business grew large enough for other guides to be employed. What are your thoughts on this matter?

Anyway, I'd be happy to help flush out any of the licensing requirements if you like.

Good luck.

[swampdonkey1000]

thanks everyone for the feedback most of wich has been helpful or positive. i was worried that some may find the idea of capitalizing off the hobby to be somewhat negative for various personal reasons. ill try to give everyone a short answere and will check this thread a few times a week to see if others have poster a comment. this project is still a year or so away from GO DAY, as i am currently deployed overseas until next year.

snowhoe: thanks for the upbeat post, ill be glad to share whatever we can spare as long as paying customers arent around. lol

sawnierobertson: im actually still in the process of outlining it myself, as for the llamas and goats, probabbly gonna go with the RAM as in the Dodge kind. ill have my wife drive ahead with most of there gear and ill stay with em on the trail while she sets up a camp up ahead and cooks dinner. as well as some other things.

tom alan: like a said before its gonna be awhile before i can acctually get this up and running but thanks for the offer of help.

mags: thanks for the link ive already been there and snooped through its pages, as well as your own site and breezed through your guide I look forward to reading it in depth when i can get the chance. is there any chance you kept and published a jornal on your hike?

rain man: your correct on the license issue, its something that i am currently looking into.

bookburner: lucky for me im not a fast hiker and i dont hike competitivly so that isnt so much of an issue, as for having a sweeper with me ill probably get a friend of mine to do it. and hire kids looking for a summer job to help the wife set up the camps.

anyways thanks again all, if you want to conntact me i can be emailed at swampdonkey1000@yahoo.com as well.

[Mags]

t. is there any chance you kept and published a jornal on your hike?

rain man: your correct on the license issue, its something that i am currently

I have all my CT info here:
http://www.pmags.com/joomla/index.ph...il/ct2004.html

Photos:
http://www.pmags.com/joomla/index.ph...g2_itemId=5773

Purple Prose:
http://www.pmags.com/joomla/index.ph...gs/ct2004.html

Enjoy!

[yappy]

I think it is an excellent idea. there is plenty of access for week long trips and longer . I think folks would really enjoy it. I know that the permits can be tuff to come by. Often there may only be a few doled out and rarely does an opening come up. But, Colorado might do things differently. I have enjoyed my thru hikes on it quite a bit. Good luck.

[Sly]

It's kind of hard to understand just what you'll be doing. Resupply, guided hikes, cooking, shuttles, etc. ?

[yappy]

Hi sly, whatcha doing around these parts ?..

[freefall]

As far as I'm concerned, have at it. As long as you get the proper permits, etc... there is no reason to not do it. I know the CO Trail Foundation already has some guided hikes so you may want to check w/ them about their operation.

I went to a local maintaining club's recruitment meeting and I got the feeling of being recruited into the mafia. You had to work your way up and had to wait for someone else to retire, basically, to get the position. Damn your ideas and fresh approach.