Our Story

They who can put the self aside and in Love’s saddle leap and ride,

Their eyes will see the gates unfold to green roads of Never-Old.

By Markham Edwin 1920

“Ex nihilo” is a Latin phrase meaning “out of nothing”.

Hello everyone, I am the editor of this website. You may find it very surprising why I introduce the story of Gold Mountain Ranch & Resort in this manner. That is because I feel that I want to present this unique story to you in the sincerest form from a third party’s perspective. The first impression Gold Mountain gave me was it seem that I went through a time portal and arrived at Texas 1870s.  During my stay, I got to know the man who creates this Elysium – Mister Z. Through our conversation, I learnt the history and process how Gold Mountain was built from nothing to an enchanting hideout for City kids like myself.

Firstly, allow me to introduce the protagonist of this story – Mister Z. He is the founder of Gold Mountain Ranch & Resort. When you first see Mister Z, you will probably have the impression that this person is very nonchalant and ruffled. However, when you get to have a chat with him about horses, archery and many hobbies, you will that sparkle in his eyes. Mister Z is like a walking encyclopaedia, he loves to share knowledge and how-to with those who are keen in learning. He has very interesting perspective in matters and life. As a city kid all my life, I truly learnt so much from this man.  During the conversation about Gold Mountain, he shared with me that he was engaged in the restaurant business for the past twenty years. In this bustling society, everyone is engulfed by materials comfort and monetary benefits. However, he made the choice to give all these up and move to a rural area to build an entirely different business.

Mister Z is an animal lover especially for horses since young. As he grew up, he spent his time gaining knowledge about horses and also horseback riding. One of his main motivations for him to build this place was to create a conducive and beautiful environment where people can connect with horses. The character “驛” referred to pit stops created for officials in the military intelligence riding the horses to rest and stay in ancient China.  As for the character “境” can means a state of mind or place. To Mister Z, he hopes that Gold Mountain is like a pit stop where horses and people can stop to rest and replenish their energy.

Many of us would say that we love animals but how many of us are willing to sacrifice or completely change our way of life for them. At the beginning, Gold Mountain was a 3900 square feet forest buried in the mountain. From a chef to a restaurant owner, Mister Z has no knowledge or experience on what to do. With a blueprint in mind, he learnt from experts on how to clear the road, pave the payments, and lay the wires and pipes. He built every single buildings and landscape. Every day he travelled over a hundred kilometers thru and forth from his home to here and after a year and half, Gold Mountain was finally completed. The courage, endurance and persistent of this man deserve much respect and admiration.

Now Gold Mountain is a Shangri La,  a secret base for City Kids like myself to connect with nature, to learn and explore many activities such as horseback riding, and air gun shooting. This place allows you to rest and reconnect with your body, mind and soul. And it is a wonderful place for families and friends to gather together for a different experience and create beautiful memories.