When it comes to surviving the apocalypse, there could be worse things than the West Virginia branch of Fortitude Ranch, one of the company’s five survivalist resorts in the United States and one of a growing number of companies seeking to tap into Americans’ anxieties about the future.
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Overlooking a lush valley next to a forest, the 50-acre property is anchored by a handsome guesthouse. Two large dormitories and a basic bunker are designed to accommodate more than 100 members, each of whom pays between $2,000 and $20,000 (depending on the level of accommodation) to be part of Fortitude Ranch, and $1,000 more per year in dues to call it their “fort home,” where they will go if disaster strikes.
A spacious underground shelter protected by layers of concrete, steel and wood connects the two residential buildings, its walls lined with coffee and tuna cans and pounds of dehydrated food. Inside a locked armory are assault rifles and crossbows. On a table is a .50-caliber rifle, which could be used to knock out the engine block of an approaching vehicle. There is a radiation detector nearby. Watchtowers surround the property. Outside, pens house chickens, sheep and rabbits. Their meat and eggs are meant to supplement the 2,000-calorie-a-day diet members are guaranteed for a year. “We’ll be eating a lot of wire,” said Steve Rene, who manages the West Virginia compound; he is one of three workers who live on the property.
Fortitude Ranch is the brainchild of Drew Miller, a retired Air Force colonel looking to expand the business through franchising. He is one of dozens of entrepreneurs who have taken advantage of the apocalyptic economy, fueled by the growing “prepper” movement.
Its followers take a variety of measures — from stockpiling days’ worth of food and water to erecting concrete bunkers — to prepare for disaster. Climate change, deepening political divisions and anxiety about artificial intelligence have made apocalyptic fantasies less fantastical than they once seemed.
Some companies in the apocalyptic economy include American Reserves, which offers a year’s supply of food ($2,799.99) and an emergency hand-crank radio ($59.99); Fieldcraft Survival, which offers classes ($250) on “traditional and modern survival skills”; and those offering luxury bunkers, such as Vivos xPoint in South Dakota, where membership costs $55,000.
Last year’s National Household Survey on Disaster Preparedness found that 57 percent of Americans had taken three or more steps to prepare for a disaster.
Some wealthy Americans have begun building their own luxury survival resorts. Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, is developing a $100 million resort in Hawaii that, according to an investigation by Wired, includes a 1,500-foot underground bunker that will have “its own power and food supply.”
Miller sees Fortitude Ranch’s membership as more suited to the average American. (“Austere” accommodations offer little more than a bunk bed in a hallway; a “deluxe” membership can accommodate a family of five in a more private space, complete with a private bathroom.) “We want to be an affordable survival option for the middle class,” he said.
Fortitude Ranch has a recreational aspect in non-disaster times. The nearly 800 members can use any of its five resorts in West Virginia, Nevada, Wisconsin, Colorado and Texas for recreational purposes two weeks a year. “Prepare for the worst, enjoy the present,” is Fortitude Ranch’s motto. Miller said his company employed 20 people and was barely profitable.
“I decided to spend the summer here because I like it so much,” said Ray, a member of Fortitude Ranch who declined to give his last name. At the time, he was enjoying the solitude of the remote Nevada resort. He has a 10-year membership designed for recreational vehicle users, which cost him $7,000.
And although he now uses Fortitude Ranch for vacations, Ray is convinced that one day it will be able to provide protection. “If someone comes to give us any trouble, there is a group of people here that we can band together with and defend ourselves,” Ray said.
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