The second annual Idaho UTV Invasion brought thousands of UTV enthusiasts to the towering St. Anthony Sand Dunes over Labor Day weekend in 2015. Between fast dune rides, a packed vendor area, custom builds, competitions and evening entertainment, the event showed why St. Anthony had quickly become one of the West’s premier UTV destinations.
By Seth Fargher
What could be better than scaling, carving and roosting some of the tallest sand dunes in North America from the seat of a UTV? Doing it alongside a couple thousand like-minded enthusiasts. That was the experience at the 2015 Idaho UTV Invasion near St. Anthony, Idaho.
Following a successful inaugural Idaho Dunes UTV Invasion in 2014, promoter Dave Kuskie expanded the program by hosting two UTV Invasion events in 2015. Although St. Anthony is a long haul for many of the aftermarket companies based in Southern California, the Idaho event attracted vendors and attendees from across the western United States.
Arriving at the Idaho Dunes
Coming from North Carolina, I took an early flight and arrived in Idaho Falls on Thursday afternoon. Some attendees had been camping since Sunday or Monday, but the official event activities began Thursday.
After settling into our Springdale RV, provided by Great Outdoors RV Rentals, we climbed into a new Polaris RZR XP Turbo and headed into the dunes for photos with our friends from Assault Industries and In2Dirt Media.
I had previously driven the XP Turbo during Oregon DuneFest, but that short demo ride was hardly enough time to understand what the new turbocharged RZR could do. This particular machine was equipped with sand tires at all four corners, and its FOX internal-bypass shocks had recently been revalved by Justin Smith at Shock Therapy.
After shooting a few photos, we returned to camp and caught the end of the UTV teeter-totter preliminaries. Drivers tested their throttle control, braking and balance while attempting to stabilize their machines on the oversized obstacle.
The Labor Day weekend schedule also included a poker run, raffles and a concert by Nashville recording artist Brian Collins. Red Bull athlete Ronnie Renner brought his crew and equipment to the dunes to film another stop on the GoPro Ronnie Renner Freeride Tour.
Sunrise Above Egin Lake
My East Coast biological clock started ticking around 4 a.m. Friday. Fortunately—or unfortunately for my bunkmates—that meant we were awake in time for sunrise. At approximately 6:30 a.m., we rolled through the main gate so the Destination Polaris crew could capture the sun coming up and the arriving vehicles lined up outside.
The show sent videographer Gram to cover the event, and we spent much of Friday helping him arrange interviews and capture action throughout the dunes.
After the sunrise shoot, we broke away to photograph our RZR XP Turbo and “The Instigator,” a TMW Off-Road-built RZR XP 1000, near Egin Lake. We also found a long section of whoops where we could evaluate the upgraded suspension on both machines.
The St. Anthony dunes provide a backdrop unlike almost any other sand-riding area. Glamis has its own rugged beauty, but it is difficult to compete with the combination of massive dunes, vegetation and a lake immediately alongside the sand. See our tour of the St. Anthony Sand Dunes for a closer look at the riding area.
Custom RZRs and Destination Polaris
Following the morning ride, we regrouped with several people participating in the Destination Polaris shoot. Gram interviewed riders about where they had traveled from and what separated St. Anthony from the other dune areas they had visited.
Along the way, we met the Arizona contingent of Doug Tyler from TMW Off-Road and Jon and Amy Wolf of Wolf Designs. Doug was showing his newly completed XP Turbo called the “Punisher,” while Jon was driving a green-and-blue XP 1000.
After finishing the Destination Polaris segment and taking a few photos with the TMW crew, we headed back into the dunes for a ride with Ronnie Renner.
Dune Riding With Ronnie Renner
Anyone who has met Renner knows that he is a down-to-earth guy who enjoys almost anything involving off-road vehicles. For this trip, he brought his dirt bike, an SDR Motorsports-built XP 1000 and a four-seat XP 1000.
A group of approximately 10 UTVs headed into the dunes for a fast-paced ride. After more than 20 years of riding many of the major dune areas in the United States, I can confidently say this was one of the most enjoyable dune rides I had experienced.
Maybe it was the pace, the people or the fact that we were not constantly stopping for photos. Whatever the reason, we stayed on the throttle from the moment we left camp until taking a break near Choke Cherry Hill. It was simply an excellent day of duning.
Renner also gave a new GoPro camera to one participant during the group ride and handed out several more cameras over the course of the weekend.
A Cold Saturday With HCR
Saturday morning greeted us with temperatures near freezing. The thermometer reportedly showed 39 degrees, and portions of the dunes had frost on them when we headed out for an early ride with HCR Racing.
Despite nearly numb fingers, the rising sun produced excellent photography conditions. I also commandeered the Muzzys Performance shop car, “Purple Haze,” for the morning shoot. The heavily modified four-seat RZR used a 1,132cc big-bore engine that pulled through the enormous Idaho dunes with impressive authority.
Show and Shine, Sand Drags and Concert
High winds and the threat of rain limited our time on the sand later Saturday, but conditions improved before the show and shine. A total of 56 UTVs were displayed in separate enthusiast and industry classes.
The industry builds naturally featured plenty of expensive components and polished details, but the enthusiast class held its own. Many of the privately built machines demonstrated remarkable fabrication and design work from people who did not build custom UTVs for a living.
As the sun went down, much of the campground headed toward Thunder Mountain for the evening sand drags. The K&T Performance crew eventually began making passes, although most of the serious action did not get underway until after dark.
Despite the cold temperatures, Brian Collins and his band took the stage around 9 p.m. The band performed original songs and familiar classics while attendees watched from around several nearby bonfires. The relaxed concert atmosphere provided a fitting conclusion to Saturday’s activities.
Raffles and Vendor Row
The event continued through Monday, although attendees facing longer drives began packing Sunday afternoon. Those who stayed participated in a raffle stocked with products from event vendors and sponsors.
Vent Racing donated two complete cages, PRP Seats contributed a set of suspension seats, and companies including Assault Industries, Rugged Radios, WARN Industries and Boondocker provided additional prizes.
Vendor row included many of the biggest names in the UTV aftermarket, and the host campground at Idaho Dunes RV reached capacity. Organizers also worked to keep the event affordable: admission to the event, activities and concert cost only $5, while raffle tickets were $1 each.
Why the 2015 Idaho UTV Invasion Mattered
The second annual Idaho UTV Invasion was a tremendous success. It combined organized activities and industry participation with the type of riding that makes the St. Anthony Sand Dunes a destination in their own right.
For riders who have considered visiting Idaho but hesitated because of the long drive, the dunes are worth the trip. Photos cannot fully communicate their height, scale or the experience of carving through their enormous bowls.
The event also helped establish a tradition that continued in later years. Read our coverage of the 2017 Idaho UTV Invasion and the 2018 UTV Invasion.
2015 Idaho UTV Invasion Photo Gallery
Show and Shine
Vendor Area
In the Dunes
Featured UTVs From the Event
- TMW Off-Road “Punisher”
- Muzzys Performance “Purple Haze”
- Wolf Designs “The Goblin”
- TMW Off-Road “The Instigator”
Special thanks to the event sponsors and vendors that supported the 2015 gathering, including Idaho Dunes RV, Boondocker, Great Outdoors RV, Muzzys Performance, Assault Industries, Rugged Radios, WARN Industries, Vent Racing, Wolf Designs, JRi Shocks, GoPro, Red Bull, PRP Seats, HCR Suspension and the many other companies that contributed to the event.
