Reservation Management System Case Study: Wet Mountain RV Park

Marlys and Brad Hartbauers have been using the RoverPass Reservation Request System for years. When they discovered the new Reservation Management System (RMS) from RoverPass, they immediately implemented the system and are now trading time on the phone with customers for time shared with their family.

• Park Name: Wet Mountain RV Park & Cabins
• Location: Westcliffe, CO
• Using RoverPass Since: 2016
• Results: 60% less time spent managing reservations 

Wet Mountain RV Park & Cabins main office.

Take a trip miles off the beaten mountain path, far west from I25 and you may find Westcliffe, Colorado. The humble community with a population of just over 500 is home to the picturesque Wet Mountain RV Park and Cabins. Surrounded by breathtaking mountain views, park owners Marlys and Brad Hartbauer call this tranquil town the hidden gem of their state. For over a decade, the Hartbauers have been taking care of those just passing through, as well as those settling into Westcliffe. 

“Sometimes they call Westcliffe the best-kept secret in Colorado because it is not on your way anywhere,” Marlys Hartbauer said. “It’s a good place to get away, enjoy the beauty, hike, or just sit back and take in the calm quiet. ”

Now eleven years into running Wet Mountain, Marlys and Brad are veteran campground owners, but this wasn’t always the case. When the couple first opened the park, the then school administrator and business owner were going into the RV and campground business without much direction.

“We built [Wet Mountain] from the ground up in the spring of 2008,” Marlys said. “I mean we didn’t know anything about running an RV park, hospitality, or any of that.”

Eventually, they discovered the RoverPass Reservation Request System. Once they got set up with RoverPass to take care of the billing and communication, everything else fell into place.

“It just worked really well for us because we didn’t have any other way [to receive and track payment],” Marlys said. “We were one of the first campgrounds who signed on from the very beginning and it really really helped. It was a decision where we just said ‘well, we’ll experiment with it and see if we like it or not’, and we’ve used it for years. It worked great!”

A hot-air balloon hovering over the horizon, seen from the Wet Mountain park grounds. 

Upgrading to Reservation Management System

For years the Hartbauers were able to use the Reservation Request System to get by, but as the park began to grow in popularity, Marlys says the volume of requests coming to her phone and email became a lot to handle, even getting in the way of personal projects and spending time with her family. Just as it seemed like there was no solution in sight, the latest RoverPass feature, RMS, came to their rescue.

“Before [RMS], I would literally be sitting on the step trying to work on the phone when I should be painting or building,” Marlys said. “It also allows me [more] time – I now spend one week every month out of town taking care of my grandson.” 

Marlys says the RMS has completely changed how she manages her business for the better. Whereas before much of the necessary information was taken manually, this new system has made even the most tedious of tasks a breeze. 

Key Features

Now Marlys claims that the park practically runs itself. Not only can owners and tenants see what sites are available online with the Availability Calendar, the comprehensive system lets customers fill out everything she needs to know themselves, freeing her from having to call and make entries manually. 

“The campers do it themselves, everything is recorded online,” Marlys said. “I get their name, their address, their phone number, their email, how many children they have, and how many pets they have.” 

With the new RMS in place, the Hartbauers can enjoy the hidden gem of Westcliffe along with their tenants and friends. 

“The [RMS] calendar has saved my phone, ear, and mind immensely,” Marlys said. “I have loved not having to answer the phone every five minutes. The park has grown and we’re busy, busy, busy, so it has been key to have the help of RoverPass.” 

Thank you Brad & Marlys!