Special to the PVT Brady Anderson and Dillon Aaron ride Three Rivers ATV's in The Great Basin National Forest. The relatively new company is open for business in Pahrump. Advertisement

There are people who move to the Southwest because of the desert and then there are those who get here and fall in love after the fact because there's more to the desert than meets the eye.

An unseen wealth of wildlife, plant life and ancient artifacts are just beyond the line of sight and the way to get up-close and personal with nature and some ancient history might be to take advantage of a relatively new venture in town that caters to the outdoor lover -- or would-be outdoor lover, if they just knew what they were missing.

Three River Outfitters is the brain-child of Jerry and Debbie Pribila. After an inspired trip to Alaska, the couple decided opening a business that puts man and nature comfortably together would be something lucrative for the desert, even though the activities would be much different. "I was impressed at how the outfitter we used in Alaska took care of us," Jerry Pribila said. "It made the trip hassle-free and we really enjoyed it."

Both Jerry and Debbie are avid outdoor enthusiasts and experienced as well. Jerry grew up in the woods and hills of Pennsylvania hunting and fishing every chance he got. He has also served 12 years in the military patrolling woods and deserts all over the world.

Debbie has spent most of her life in the Western U.S. and grew up "coastal" camping with her family and during the summers camping from California to South Dakota.

Together, they have spent as much time as possible exploring the hills and mountains of Nevada and have had many worthwhile experiences. "There are deer and elk, wild horses and burros, not to mention all kinds of birds when you get out," said Jerry Pribila. "It's all there." Mines, ruins and beautiful views along the Mt. Charleston range are other perks to see when exploring. Their goal is to provide those sight-seeing opportunities to the public.

They founded the company in August 2007 knowing they wouldn't be doing a lot of business over the winter months. Instead of sweating the small stuff, the Pribilas spent the time creating a nice informative Web site (www.threeriversoutfitters.net), getting the information out to the public and getting all the equipment together. "We've got it all," said Jerry. "And if we don't, we'll get it."

What they can offer is limitless -- all the way down to feeding patrons who use their services. "Eventually, we want to go full-bore with this thing," said Pribila.

He means the ability to offer guide services. Apparently there is much to be done regarding permits to use national forest and Bureau of Land Management trails. "The application itself is going to run about $2,500 and there is surveying to be done too," said Pribila. "I'm a surveyor, so that helps cut costs some.

"We've also cut costs for now by not having a store front. I have the business license hanging in a back office here (CivilWise Services) and I store the equipment at the house." Opening the business at his home would have meant having to go through a zoning change.

The process is still going to take awhile, the projection being for the company to have full guide services and permits in place within the year. The national forest and a BLM representative have yet to do an actual "inventory" of specimens, so to speak. Since there is a law preventing collection of anything on public lands, a mapping of petroglyphs, Indian artifacts and other things must be completed before permits are issued. With the concern over conservation in the news as of late, getting those permits could become increasingly more difficult.

Right now, Three Rivers Outfitters is maintaining the business by leasing ATV and camping equipment to the public.

For ATV riders, they provide a full tank of gas; which is at a premium right now, goggles, helmets and gloves. They recommend riders be aware of climate changes when ascending to elevations of 4000 feet or more, and to take suitable clothing. When returning the rental, the unit does not have to be clean and the gas tank doesn't have to be full.

Camping equipment is available in three packages from the simple basic to the little luxuries. All of the packages provide for an overnight stay in the wilderness. Just remember, there are laws about collecting firewood and where burning is and isn't allowed.

They also deliver the gear free of charge or with a fee depending on distance to the drop point.

Two things Pribila wants people to know are his prices are about half the going rate and if there are special requests, or questions, don't hesitate to ask.

Although the season is just getting started, Pribila's diligence has paid off. He said he averages five rentals a month already and has an architectural firm out of Las Vegas that has rented "everything he has" just so they can "come up and look around."

The regulations for renting any of the equipment, rates and other information are available on the Web site, or you can contact them by calling 702-325-6156 or 702-234-9645.