Carrie Gerlach has been sharing her love of adventure and the Black Hills for nearly two decades.
Just a few years after starting Black Hills Adventure Tours, Carrie Gerlach’s life took a dramatic turn.
As a single mom with two kids, she didn’t know how she could continue her company while fulfilling the basic needs of her young family.
“Three years into it, I got a divorce and that changed the landscape of my life dramatically. It affected my credit, and then I had two kids that I was responsible for.”
With her one tour vehicle that was falling apart and unable to get a loan, Carrie knew she had to do something else. “The tours were making money, but not enough to support my family. And the vehicle I had was not the best. At one point, I had to duct tape the door clips.”
She remembers sitting in her banker’s office trying to get a loan for a new vehicle. “I had this feeling of such desperation because I wanted to grow the company, but things in my life had changed and when you don’t have control over things it is hard.”
From sitting in that banker’s office to standing on the stage in Pierre accepting the George S. Mickelson Award from Governor Kristi Noem this year, Carrie still can’t believe how far she has come.
“It was a dream come true,” Carrie said of winning the award, which honors businesses, communities, or organizations that exceed visitors’ customer service expectations. “I watched Sean Casey and Johnny B and their marketing genius strategies and just their work ethic. I think that was the coolest thing about winning the award I did – all the people in the room, these people I looked up to, that I have learned from as I have grown up in the industry. It has all come full circle. To get an award like this that was voted on by your peers…I still can’t believe it.”
Early Adventures
Carrie grew up in an adventurous and travel-loving family. Her dad, Denny, worked in healthcare for the Canadian government, a job that took his family all over the place. Denny and his wife Julie enjoyed exposing their kids to all life had to offer: good food, great music, and outdoor exploring. Carrie’s first concert was at the age of 6, seeing the Bee Gees at the Pacific Coliseum in Vancouver. “My parents took us to the final performance of Simon & Garfunkel, and Cindy Lauper, all the icons. They were really adventurous and introduced us to all that.”
Along with their love of music, Denny and Julie shared their passion for the outdoors, specifically the Black Hills. “We spent a lot of time in the Black Hills, camping and hiking. I remember Devil’s Bathtub when no one else would be around.”
That love brought the family back to South Dakota when Carrie was 10 years old. “They both loved it here and it was similar to where we were living in British Columbia.”
Four days after graduating from Stevens, Carrie began her first solo adventure when she moved to California to be a nanny. She returned to South Dakota, earning a degree in tourism and business from Black Hills State University. “I knew I wanted to work in tourism in some capacity, but I didn’t know what.”
She interned in Tahoe and saw a variety of companies providing visitors with adventure experiences. “I loved it there and made some lifelong friends.”
The Black Hills Adventure Begins
But the Hills called her back, and after years in hotel sales, Carrie decided to take a chance on running her own tour company and, in 2005, started Black Hills Adventure Tours.
The challenges after her divorce, however, forced her to pivot.
Unable to survive on her tours alone, Carrie got a second job in healthcare to provide a steady income for her family. “I really liked healthcare. I found that running a tour company is not that different than working in healthcare. Your goal in healthcare is to make people feel better and to care for them and that’s exactly what you are doing as a tour guide. You want them to feel good and have the best experience.”
Carrie enjoyed her new career and decided to pursue a nursing degree. “I had considered just selling the company and being a full-time nurse. I thought travel nursing would be a fun opportunity to see the world.”
At the same time, her tour company started to take off. As her tours increased, she cut back on her time at the hospital until finally making the decision to focus all her energy on her business.
“As soon as I did that the business just exploded.”
Things have not stopped since.
Despite a thriving business that keeps her schedule tight, Carrie finds time to give back to her community by serving on various boards and committees.
She credits her success to her superstar staff, including her parents and daughter Annabelle, and her husband Andy, who serves on the sidelines as her rock, grounding force, and constant cheerleader.
“I have had some amazing employees over the years,” Carrie said. “I’ve been really blessed to have truly committed, supportive people who have worked with me. They picked me up when I needed it. I couldn’t have done anything without them.”
Aside from an amazing, spirited staff, Carrie’s success comes from her focus on giving people memorable experiences. She has made lifelong connections with people worldwide that remind her every day of why she loves her job.
Carrie’s future plans are to keep on making each day an adventure.
“Where I am right now, I am in my sweet spot.”
This story was originally published in the March 2024 Issue of Elevate Magazine.
