Neverland
February 24th, 2009 by Dan Gardiner
We just arrived home from an action-packed weekend trip to Colorado. Rick Barker, Ryan Nelson, Geoff “Phatty” Dyer, and myself met up with Dave Napier, Matt Entz, and Michael McCullough to ride one of Dave’s top secret locations.
Dave appropriately named this location “Never never land.” The name was clearly inspired by the never-ending expanses of untracked canyons, river bottoms, and tree lines. On Saturday, we were welcomed by 18 inches of Colorado champagne powder and blue skies. We didn’t cross a single track until we started to head home at the end of the day. I have never seen such a large riding area with absolutely no other people. Everyone rode like savages all weekend, but many an untracked river bottom and canyon remained, calling out to us to burn the fuel we were saving for the ride back to the trucks. Fortunately, a few of us carried in extra gas.
Snowmobiling offers us an escape from everyday life, which is especially valuable in the current economic climate. There is something incredible about carving waist deep powder, flying off cliffs, or sidehilling across a 1000ft. mountain face that melts away the stress and worries of the real world with every turn and adrenaline-pumping second. In a world of GPS, internet, and online forums, however, it becomes increasingly difficult to find fresh tracks. Don’t get me wrong, we are ridiculously spoiled by the amount of fresh powder we ride, but there are always more people figuring out where the secret riding stashes are.
Like wild animals being driven out of their natural habitat by human encroachment, this year we’ve been exploring new areas and going ever further into the backcountry in the pursuit of powder. So it was nice to ride a new area and not see a another rider, just make sure you have your GPS and survival equipment, because no one is going to rescue you out here!
Photos by Dave Napier and Geoff Dyer
9 Responses to “Neverland”
By Dave Napier on Feb 24, 2009
To My TEAM!!!
Thanks for taking time out of your busy schedules to make this past weekend one I will never forget! The GAP is waiting boys, Matt and I will shave her and sweep her run-in until you arrive again. WE”RE OFF TO NEVER NEVER LAND!!!!!!
By Ryan Nelson on Feb 25, 2009
Dave,
Thanks for the awesome weekend!! Excited to come back for the gap!!
By nick on Feb 26, 2009
hope to get back there again this year
what a place to experience
great photos that i’m sure dave didnt shoot
did dave let yu guys stay in that house he
rented this year!!!!!!!
nick
By Dave Napier on Feb 26, 2009
nick i need to start charging you rent!!! lol
when are you going to grow some and learn how to sidehill.
By nick on Mar 2, 2009
as soon as i can afford a hcr,you dirty rat.don’t tell the world i can’t sideways hill. want to race?????
By Rosey Paul on Mar 2, 2009
You experts need to buy any expert set up sleds for your shoots???? Got some great fast HCR’S– CHEAP!!!!
By phatty on Mar 6, 2009
Neverland… it will bite you if your not careful! Scrub some speed!
Dave thanks for a fantastic weekend! I have been dreaming about the gap jump… I cant wait to hit it!!! I have March 13-March 22 off so name the day and I am there!!!
By Dave Napier on Mar 10, 2009
Phatty I am watching the weather daily and Matt has been calling EVERY day…..might work this weekend. He is hoping that you guys cant make it so he can make the POACH it for himself.lol.
By Matt on Mar 13, 2009
HAHAHAHA!!! Just tryin to get you fired up Dave. That poor lonely gap is just sitting there begging to be stomped. That and I didn’t shovel just for fun.