In a world where technology reigns supreme and online recommendations often shape our every move, the true essence of adventure and exploration can often be overshadowed. However, there are those who refuse to let digital algorithms dictate their journeys.
Eric Eliason, Ryan Greene and Cody Blackett — three Cache Valley residents with a passion for exploring the outdoors — have a simple yet exhilarating mission to maintain their sense of wonder and curiosity when it comes to exploring Utah’s wilderness: to let fate be their guide.
The trio has traded Tripadvisor and social media for maps, compasses and a randomized “dart” that picks their destination for them. Armed with a trusty Jeep, mountain bikes, hiking gear and an unwavering sense of adventure, Eliason, Greene and Blackett set out on daring escapades monthly. According to them, each step they take on their adventures holds the promise of authentic exploration.
On Saturday, the trio launched their first YouTube series titled “Dartboard Earth,” where they document these adventures. Using a random location generator, the group is given three potential destinations, and their challenge is to reach the most difficult one.
“This whole process is reward guarded by challenge,” said Eliason, who came up with the idea for the YouTube series. “It takes some sacrifice and body and other stuff, but once you get to the destination, you just think ‘wow.’”
The group said their trips to their darts usually take three days. And they often find themselves in situations where they need to use a variety of gear to get to the “dart.” In the trio’s first episodes of the series, their darts took them to locations many do not get to reach, including the side of a cliff in Canyonlands National Park and deep into the forest of Bears Ears National Monument.
So far in filming “Dartboard Earth,” Eliason, Greene and Blackett have come across elk sheds, jasper fossils and scorpions. They have hiked along a precarious band of cliffs, rappelled down a ledge to their dart and driven up mountains.
The group has plans to eventually take their YouTube series out of Utah to other surrounding states. Although, the trio said their end goal is for their channel to reflect its name with videos of “darts” around the world.
‘Just throw a dart and go’
Eliason, Greene, and Blackett share a deep-rooted connection with outdoor recreation — even before the idea of their exploration YouTube series emerged.
The trio said their families were hardly surprised when they started discussing their YouTube series, as they had already spent countless hours engaging in mountaineering, mountain biking, skiing, snowboarding and rock-climbing throughout their lives.
Eliason shared that his father, who has rheumatoid arthritis, has always shown curiosity about his adventures. With the launch of their YouTube series, Eliason said his father now has the opportunity to catch a glimpse of his hobbies and experiences.
Eliason, who has a background in entrepreneurial business, actively contributed to crafting two maps of Utah for the Natural History Museum of Utah. According to him, this involvement became a catalyst for the concept behind “Dartboard Earth.”
The vastness and captivating beauty of Utah fascinated Eliason as he worked on the maps. He said he felt an irresistible urge to personally visit the stunning locations he was mapping. With countless places to explore, Eliason said deciding where to begin seemed almost impossible. That’s when the idea of treating Utah as a “dartboard” was born.
“You just have to throw a dart and go,” Eliason said.
Greene and Blackett, acknowledging Eliason’s strong sense of navigation stemming from his map-making expertise, regard him as the “brains” of the group.
“We’re proficient on our own to be able to get to places,” Greene said. “But I mean, Eric’s like next level.”
As Eliason started planning the YouTube series, he approached Greene and Blackett, recognizing their skill sets would contribute to the realization of his vision. While Eliason’s strengths lie in navigation, Greene excels in videography and storytelling, Eliason said.
Greene, an educator serving as the principal for the Utah Schools for the Deaf and Blind’s Blind Campus, brings his own motivations to the trio. Passionate about defying limitations and making the outdoors accessible for everyone, he sees their adventures as an opportunity to inspire others.
“We’re creating some really cool artifacts,” Greene said. “Whether this goes anywhere or not, I can record these videos and look back, remembering how awesome it was.”
While Eliason emphasized the entertainment aspect of their YouTube series, he also highlighted a larger goal: to inspire others to embark on their own adventures. Blackett, with his extensive background in outdoor recreation, particularly in mountaineering, echoed this sentiment, expressing his involvement in the series as a means to motivate others to simply “get outside.”
“I get so inspired being in the mountains,” Blackett said. “It’s my church being up there and experiencing all the trees and birds. It’s just magical.”
The space ‘in between’
Although embarking on a journey to reach a dart can be grueling and physically demanding, Eliason, Greene, and Blackett said the difficulty is what fuels their spirits. The trio said they thrive on the mental and physical challenges they encounter along the way, finding immense satisfaction in reaching seemingly unreachable locations.
“It’s not about getting to the dart,” Eliason said. “It’s about what you experience on the way there, and what you experience on the way out.”
Blackett adds that while the destinations they encounter are often breathtakingly beautiful, it’s the thrill of navigating rough terrain and forging their own path that truly exhilarates them. The space “in between” holds extraordinary wonders, he said.
For Greene, these adventures are not just about pushing boundaries, they are a form of self-care. Nature provides the nourishment and solace he seeks, he said.
But it’s not just about individual rejuvenation, Greene said, as the social aspect of these expeditions is equally profound for him. Sharing these “remarkable” experiences with incredible friends adds a layer of camaraderie and deepens the impact of their adventures, Greene said.
“I love having shared experiences with some really awesome people,” he said.
In the face of challenges and obstacles, Eliason, Greene, and Blackett find themselves constantly renewed, both individually and as a tight-knit group, they said. Their pursuit of adventure not only provides the escape they crave but also serves as a reminder of the incredible power of nature and the irreplaceable connections formed through shared exploration.
Not only do the trio’s adventures give them a greater sense of well-being, but they also help them with their relationships and lives back home. According to Blackett, being challenged mentally and physically every now and then is extremely important.
“My wife loves who I am when I come home,” Blackett said. “I think it’s a necessity of my personality.”