Gary Bartels. courtesy photo
EXPLORE BC continued from 45 some visitors on good eateries in the area before he struck up a conversation with a guest who was staying with his family in one of the camp’ s cabins.
Bartels’ prior career has come in handy for many parts of the camp. For example, he designed, built, and installed much of the zipline system himself. He even designed and installed a proprietary breaking system. He estimates that rebuilding the same zipline course elsewhere would cost more than $ 1 million.
He’ s proud of what he has built, but also careful to make sure it remains in working order. He has the system inspected by a third party every December. The inspector’ s report goes to Bartels’ insurance company.
Bartels recently turned 70 and keeps threatening to cut back on his hours, but still visits the camp just about every day.
46 Our Brown County May / June 2021
“ I enjoy coming to work,” he said.
His presence also is needed, though, in part because of a pandemic-induced labor shortage. The park shut down for about three months last year, and Bartels said that prompted some guides to leave. He said he’ s trying to expand his 18-member staff. He said prospective employees must be fit, friendly, and not afraid of heights. Bartels said he can teach anything but personality.
The work is seasonal, and many employees work parttime. Some have day jobs and just work at the camp on the weekend, to do something fun, he said.
Bartels has added lots of activities over the last 22 years, including mountain biking, paintball, and arrow tag— a blend of dodgeball, paintball and laser tag, in which helmeted participants shoot rubber-tipped arrows that don’ t leave any bruises.
Bartels said that he thinks he’ s done with the camp expansions. He said that when he eventually steps down from his leadership role, his sons will be involved in management, but they have their own careers— one is a dentist, the other a pilot and flight instructor— so they’ ll probably hire someone to run the place.
Meanwhile, you can expect to see Bartels striding through the camp to provide guests with directions, tell them stories about the camp’ s beginnings, or offer advice on which of the zipline tours might be most suitable.
Even after more than two decades, Bartels said he still gains immense gratification from seeing people enjoy the camp’ s activities.
To schedule a tour call 812-988-7750 or visit < explorebrowncounty. com >. •
courtesy photo