Basecamp Innovations

Where: Invermere, BC

Year Established: 1999

Owner: Kirk Mauthner

We invent and design gear and equipment for the vertical world involving rope, ranging from climbing and backcountry skiing, technical rope rescue and rope access, ultra-light gear for mountain guiding and special forces, escape systems for firefighters and even fighter jet pilots.

Give us a brief description of your manufacturing processes and philosophy.

In house, we take an idea from the concept phase right through to pre-production, including 3D CAD modelling, prototyping on our CNC equipment, and even drop and slow pull testing with data acquisition instrumentation.

How many employees and/or contractors do you work with?

We are a small entity and add resources/contractors on a project by project basis.

What brought you to the Kootenays and how long have you been here?

My wonderful parents made a wise choice to move to the Kootenays in the mid-sixties and raise their family here. I got lucky.

Tell us about the history and relative work experience of your founder(s).

I started my career as a registered professional forester on the eastern slopes of the Rockies, which then morphed into a role as a product supply manager at Procter & Gamble’s Canadian headquarters in Toronto – but the mountains were calling, which brought me back to the Kootenays where I work as an internationally certified mountain Guide (ACMG/IFMGA), teach and consult in technical rope rescue throughout North America and overseas, and invent/design gear for the vertical realm of rope.

Describe the mission, vision, goals, and aspirations of your company.

): Being active, current and sharp in the disciplines of mountain guiding and technical rope rescue allows the unique opportunity to firsthand see and experience what works, what doesn’t, and therefore what tremendous opportunities exist to improve things. We thrive off making ‘step change’ improvements that help move the benchmark forward.