Five years. One mountain. A lot of chainsaw fuel.
How a guy with an office job and a crazy idea is turning 400 steep acres into his own backcountry playground, one line at a time.
Why build your own mountain?
A lot of people don't understand why I'd put all this time and money into building my own backcountry mountain playground. Here's the short version.
I spent over 15 years in an office job on a computer. I didn't want that to be my life's work. I've ridden amazing places around the world, and I've found I love my own place more than any of them.
For me this is a work of art. There's a lot of creativity in it. I like digging in the dirt and working with my hands, and some of my kids love coming up to help.
“Crazy ideas are the best ideas.”— Richard, Jun 27 · 12K likes on Instagram
No lifts. Just saws, sleds and stubbornness.
Glading lines
Limbing up pines and clearing underbrush so runs ski clean once the snow's deep.
Building roads
A new road to the top means snowmobile access to the big runs.
Wood jumps
Built mostly from sawmill leftovers. Road gaps, a Y-tree and log piles.
Safety gear (yes, really)
You all kept commenting, so I got the chaps and a helmet with hearing protection. Glad I did.
Recent milestones
Dates are from the YouTube and Instagram posts. The founding crew will get the full log.
“Crazy ideas are the best ideas”
The reel that started it for a lot of you.
Why I'm building my own backcountry resort
New Stihl MS500i joins the crew
Wood-fired hot tub in, ravine cleared
Norwood sawmill running, road gap jump built from our own logs
@moosespringsranch
Reels, build days and the occasional moose. 33.7K people already follow along.
Want the stuff that doesn't make Instagram?
Full build days, raw riding footage and first word on new runs will go to the crew first.