TRUCKEE, Calif. – Adventure is at the epicenter of many Tahoe locals’ lifestyle, and supporting the rigorous way of life that many lead, as well as the “van life” movement, Sierra Adventure Vehicles was born. 

With a desire to assist the Truckee and other surrounding communities in their van repair needs, Sierra Adventure Vehicles was determined to set a precedent for a unique auto shop that specialized specifically in building out vehicles such as Sprinter vans, Promasters, Transits, and “dream mobiles.”

Owner and founder of Sierra Adventure Vehicles, Mike Ricker, initially thought of the idea by him and his family having their own need with getting their personal van fixed. 

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“The desire [we] had to go a little further, get lost, find dirt, and hit the trail got stronger and stronger,” Ricker said. “We are adventurous people, we can’t help it. The need to upgrade our van was real, but finding a solution was a real problem.” 

Once Ricker defined a niche that van repair was a need in the Truckee community, he and his team continued to establish themselves as a premier repair and custom shop. 

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“Vans are a versatile mode of transport that serve many people,” Ricker said. “We initially began in a shop in Pioneer Commerce Center that used to be a Crossfit gym, which provided us with wide open space and the opportunity to pull larger vans in the space,” Ricker said. “We started mainly with van suspension, which ended up growing into a bunch of other services as well.” 

Upon their growth, Sierra Adventure Vehicles quickly expanded their service menu, and now offers services such as van suspension, wheel and tire options, exterior enhancements, alignments, power systems, water systems, and also stock parts in-house. 

In the past year, the shop has also recently expanded to include servicing other outdoor adventure vehicles, such as an offroad Jeep or pickup truck. 

“We can really make any upgrade to a van to make it self-sufficient for them,” Ricker said. “We had van customers come in and say they wanted to get their pickup truck or Jeep to be more capable off-road, so in summer 2022, we branched out into the truck and Jeep market, serving those other vehicles that people like to use for longer road trips or to utilize off-road.” 

Along with Sierra Adventure Vehicles’ extensive service menu, the shop has also begun to offer interactive classes for community members to join. 

“In hopes of deepening our connection with our customers and community members, we teach classes every other month,” Ricker said. “We can teach someone to use their recovery gear, their power system, or how to get their vehicle ready for a road trip.”

From the classes that Sierra Adventure Vehicles were hosting, the shop also grew to include offering interactive experiences out off-roading for their customers. 

“Once our classes became successful, we also added trail rides as well to our class list. Once a month when the weather is nice, we host a trail ride, where we take a handful of van or off-road vehicle owners out and host a day of fun adventures off-roading at nearby spots.” 

As a business in the Truckee community, Ricker and his team are grateful to be a part of the local business landscape, and continue to position themselves to be a pivotal resource for avid outdoor and off-road enthusiasts in the area. 

“The best part of Sierra Adventure Vehicles is by far the connection to the community,” Ricker said. “If we are getting a dozen customers in here per week, we are seeing people from all different backgrounds that make up our local community. From nurses and doctors, to teachers, other business owners, and even second homeowners that enjoy coming up here to recreate – we are seeing and serving our neighbors. The connection to the community is by far the best part.” 

Ricker and the Sierra Adventure Vehicles team is grateful for their growth in the local community, and look forward to establishing more relationships and to continue to serve their neighbors. 

“For us, no project is too small, don’t be afraid to come by the shop, or reach out to us,” Ricker said. “It may seem like a small project to you, but it typically leads to a long-term relationship for us. We love for folks to come in and talk to us, get to know us, and build a relationship with Sierra Adventure Vehicles.” 

Sierra Adventure Vehicles is located at 10800 Pioneer Trail, Unit 1 & 2. For more information on Sierra Adventure Vehicles, visit sierraadventurevehicles.com, or call the shop at 530-562-6009.

For more information on Sierra Adventure Vehicles’ class list, follow them on Instagram at: @sierraadventurevehicles and @sierraadventurevans, or register for their mailing list through their website. 

Madison Schultz is a reporter for the Tahoe Daily Tribune and Sierra Sun.