BLACK HAWK — There have been quite a few changes at Base Camp at Golden Gate Canyon lately, and not all of them have gone smoothly.

The new management team has been fairly open about that. In a recent message to the community, they said they ran into problems with equipment, infrastructure, and vendors after taking over. Some of those issues have affected services people were used to having, including the gas pumps.

During an August 13 interview at Base Camp, Nikki Root said getting the fuel system working again is high on the list.

“We're working on getting fuel fixed,” Root said.

The store is also slowly filling back up. Root said financial problems had made it difficult to keep everything stocked the way they wanted, but that is starting to change.

The Base Camp store is being restocked under new management, with snacks, drinks, and other convenience items returning to the shelves.

Photo by Mindy Leary

“We're on the road to recovery and getting everything sorted out,” she said.

Root works at Base Camp with her husband, Dan White. Both have lived in the area before and wanted to come back.

Root was born in Colorado, although her family moved around when she was younger. 

Her work history is a little varied, too. She has worked at a butcher shop, at Waffle House, and in other food and hospitality jobs.

She said she and White were ready to get away from the regular corporate routine.

“We didn't really like the corporate thing,” Root said. Right now, much of the work is pretty basic. Restock the store. Fix what is broken. Get things running normally again.

Once that happens, Root said she would like to bring in some new products, especially locally made items.

She mentioned local coffee and artisan goods as possibilities. The store already keeps business cards and information from people in the community, and Root said local makers can contact Base Camp if they have something they think might be a good fit.

The laundromat is another service people may not realize is open to the public.

Some of the machines still need repairs, but there are washers and dryers working now.

“It’s for the community,” Root said. That is useful in Gilpin County, where there are no places to do laundry. Nederland no longer has a laundromat since it burned down in the Lakeview fire of 2025.

Base Camp at Golden Gate Canyon, 661 Highway 46, serves campers and local residents with a store, public laundromat, propane filling, and other services.

Photo by Mindy Leary

Base Camp is still operating as a campground. It has tent sites, RV sites, and cabins.

There are three glamping cabins with linens, towels, toiletries, and other basics already provided. The standard cabins are simpler, and guests need to bring their own linens and towels.

The property also fills propane tanks and has an RV dump station. The gas pumps are currently out of service, but Root said getting them repaired and gasoline available again is one of their priorities.

The new owner said she is already noticing more people from the community coming back into the store as more products show up on the shelves.

She also wants people to ask if there is something they would like Base Camp to carry.

“If you have any requests, please let us know,” Root said. “We'll try to bring it in as soon as we can.”

For now, she is asking for a little patience. “We're working to make it what it was and make it better,” she said.

The management team has said much the same thing publicly. There is still work to do, but they plan to keep repairing the property, improving services, and getting Base Camp back to a more reliable day-to-day operation.

Base Camp is also looking for people who can help with cleaning, grounds work, plumbing, electrical work, and other skilled trades.

Base Camp at Golden Gate Canyon is located at 661 Highway 46, Black Hawk. Store hours are 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

People with product requests or local goods they would like Base Camp to consider carrying can email team@basecampco.com or call 303-582-9979.