Excavation at Bandit Mountain

I have always been a fan of fossils and desert/western themes and wanted to create a set that combined both of my interests. To my knowledge, there are no current desert/mountain themed sets, aside from the Adventurer desert themed sets I grew up building that have long been retired. In fact, there are some small references to these past themes in my Lego Ideas Project (e.g. the vintage camera buried in the sand has an image of Johnny Thunder next to a dinosaur inside it; the bandit’s safe on the second level can be found in several retired western sets).

One of the reasons I got into Lego was the stories I could tell with building. I believe every great set starts with a great story. I hope you enjoy this labor of love as much as I enjoyed designing it. And please support!

Come on an adventure with paleontologist Dr. Johnny Studwell and his devoted crew as they explore the recesses of Bandit Mountain. You never know what you might find in the ruins of this mysterious desert land. While there is plenty to see on the outside, with its fossils, buried artifacts and elegant waterfall, a long lost hideout with stolen goods has a story of its own if you dare to venture into the mountain. An old, abandoned gold mine can be found on the ground floor with the bandit’s skeleton lying tragically at the end of the tunnel amidst some rubble. He seems to have met his untimely end due to the unstable nature of the mine, hence the “keep out sign” at the entrance. As we climb up the rickety ladder to the second level, we discover where the bandit kept his loot/safe, along with his playing cards, a wanted poster, map of the land, and a dining hall. But wait, what’s this? The sheriff’s skeleton is behind bars next to a bottle of rum in a makeshift dungeon. Evidently, the bandit got his revenge on his longtime adversary before meeting his own demise. And that’s not all. The mountain moves and can be rearranged for a different look. Lastly, a piece of the mountain at the base on the far right slides out and details the process of fossilization. If your curiosity is piqued, ask the local prospector who will tell you all there is to know about this curious landscape. However, proceed with caution. He has a few sticks of dynamite rigged to blow should you get too curious about “his” gold!