Today we’d like to introduce you to Nathan Allen.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Since I was born, almost three decades ago, my parents were business owners in a relatively new industry. My dad built and operated a ropes course in Provo, Utah called CLAS Ropes Course. There were a lot of days when they first started the family business that was difficult. It seemed that the business would not make it off the ground but after staying true to their idea the business eventually became very successful. I grew up going to ropes course conferences and working groups at my Dad’s course.
With college approaching I was pretty set on studying entrepreneurship but as I spoke with a lot of entrepreneurs I was convinced that studying marketing was the best approach to entrepreneurship. A couple of years into my college experience the opportunity came up to buy an adventure company at the Big Rock Candy Mountain in south central Utah.
My father was approached by the seller based on his experience with ropes courses and his direct involvement with inspections on the ropes course located at the Big Rock Candy Mountain. I was asked to make a decision within two weeks because there was another prospect that was interested in purchasing. After looking into the financials and the opportunity to build a better business I was still unconvinced. After a site visit and a lot of prayers, I decided that it was an opportunity that I needed to pursue.
After signing the contract and buyer’s agreement I went to work to rebrand the company and Big Rock Adventure was born. We are in our 6th year of operating and the people that have come with me on the journey to build this business have been a heaven-sent. Our success has been the product of their incredible talent and hard work.
A couple of key players have been my cousin Joshua who has been a part of the business since the first summer of operation as well as our office manager Rachel who is a wizard at managing operations. My wife Lisa and my Dad have also been such a pivotal support system to make Big Rock Adventure a leader among outfitters in Utah.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Big Rock Adventure has been a diamond in the rough. There have been so many unique challenges that have made our business pivot and change. I was familiar with ropes courses but rafting was something relatively new to me as I came into the outdoor adventure business. I grew up on the water but rafting commercially was new.
This brought up some challenges with understanding and complying with regulations and extra liability to speak of. Some of the biggest challenges we have faced as a company have been things outside of our control. The very nature of our industry is heavily reliant on snowpack and runoff conditions. We had an extreme drought year in 2022 which cut our season down from over 100 days of river rafting on the Sevier River to 30 days of river rafting.
A raft trip becomes pretty difficult when the rocks in the river are no longer covered with water! Weather patterns have also presented challenges such as snow in mid-June, uncharacteristic monsoonal moisture in the early season, and hot spells with no water to play in. Canceling tours because of a lack of water is a real challenge. For one, it just drops morale among staff members and customers get really disappointed.
Additionally, it becomes really hard to find repeat customers if cancellations happen in consecutive years. Another challenge we continue to face is the fact that there is no cell service in the canyon we operate in. This presents a myriad of problems when communicating with customers.
We’ve been impressed with Big Rock Adventure, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Big Rock Adventure is located at the Big Rock Candy Mountain Resort. Just five miles north of Marysvale, UT., Big Rock Adventure provides the best of west adventure. Our guides will help you experience several different adventures including whitewater rafting, ropes courses, ziplines, rappelling tours, and easy-going river float trips.
As a family-owned and operated company, the safety and experience of other families come first at Big Rock Adventure. We work hard to provide a five-star experience that helps our guests feel safe and have fun. Big Rock Adventure employs the canyon’s most experienced guides, providing the safest and most enjoyable trips offered on the Sevier River.
To stay at the top of our game we have invested in swift water rescue training for our guides in addition to basic guide training so that we are ready for any scenario. We offer the longest river rafting experience on the Sevier River with the highest quality of gear, all at an affordable price.
There is never a dull moment at Big Rock Adventure with so many adventures to choose from. We are set up to host any type of group. We have become a popular choice among large church and school groups as we customize our ropes course experience to fit any theme or curriculum to provide a tailored adventure.
What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
Marysvale is an incredible spot at the base of the Tushar mountain range. It is the third-highest mountain range in Utah. Marysvale is home to the Piute ATV trail and has hundreds of miles of accessible UTV and ATV trails.
Piute Reservoir is a short drive away and provides a great place to go paddle boarding and swimming. The only thing to not like about Marysvale is it is way too small to have much going on other than recreation. If the small-town vibe is your thing then this is the place.
Pricing:
- $50 – Whitewater
- $18 – Lazy River Floats
- $40 – Canopy Zip Tours
- $40 – Adventure Mountain & Zipline
- $40 – Adventure Park
Contact Info:
- Website: bigrockadventure.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bigrockadventure/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BigRockAdventure/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/19056006/admin/feed/posts/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@bigrockadventure9069
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/big-rock-adventure-sevier
- Other: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g57057-d17569848-Reviews-Big_Rock_Adventure-Marysvale_Utah.html
