The idea to build a themed roller coaster in the Napa backyard of two Cal Poly engineering alumni can be traced back to a kitchen conversation and a napkin sketch during the coronavirus lockdowns of 2020.
Two sets of brothers, including a mechanical engineering student, took that rough illustration from the impromptu brainstorming session and created an alpine escape – complete with bobsleds, a 24-foot-tall, stucco-coated mountain and 450 feet of steel track running under waterfalls and over a timber-framed bridge.
When the brothers posted a YouTube video of their first roller coaster – “Matterhorn: Alpine Escape” – visitors couldn’t get enough, to the tune of over 230,000 views.
“Our video became very popular, and after that we knew we had to build something even bigger and better,” said Matthew Eggers, a mechanical engineering senior with an innate talent for inventing.
They constructed their second roller coaster a year later, with an Old West theme and twice the ambition. “Little Thunder Mountain” had double the track length of the “Matterhorn,” human-like animatronics and a mid-ride launch inside a rock formation sculpted by over 45 volunteers.
“This all started because we wanted to build something cool, but it evolved into, ‘Why can’t we do this for other people?’ Eggers said.
The four founders are putting that question to the test with their newly established Magictecture LLC through which they aim to revolutionize backyard aesthetics with thrilling, themed roller coasters for anyone with the motive and means to dream big.
Matterhorn: Alpine Escape
Sean LaRochelle, a master’s student studying architecture at Clemson University, enlisted his brother Michael and two friends – Eggers and his brother John – to construct their first roller coaster in the backyard of his parents Jack and Diane LaRochelle, who met at Cal Poly while studying civil engineering.
During the pandemic, the LaRochelle brothers watched a video of a family’s re-creation of “Pirates of the Caribbean” in the theme and said, ‘We can do better,’ according to Diane, who graduated in 1981.
“Then, we ended up with the Matterhorn in our backyard.”
The brothers set out to build a traditional PVC backyard track but shifted to steel, adding a 20-foot motor-powered lift to pull the bobsleds to the top of the mountain. Other elements included a yeti animatronic and an original soundtrack composed for the coaster.
“I had no idea when they started this would be anything other than a small PVC track,” Diane said, expressing her astonishment at the project’s evolution. “But suddenly, we were having concrete delivered to our house, and the boys were building a mountain.”
They documented the process, sharing progress reports on their YouTube channel and amassing devoted fans who tuned in to see the final reveal as friends and family boarded their bobsleds.
For Eggers, the project was the perfect platform to display his ingenuity.
“I always wanted to know how things work,” said Eggers, who grew up in Napa. “And then I figured out how to make things I love.”
While many of his peers were buying video game consoles, he used his savings to buy a 3D printer at age 13.
He modified Nerf guns into electric, higher-powered wrist launchers giving him palm control like Spiderman and created an electric cat feeder programmed to dispense food twice a day. He wired his first car so he could unlock his car and roll down his windows from his phone.
He also began building his collection of used high-quality tools by scouring social media and eBay for the best deals, then storing them in a rolling toolbox that became his hallmark after his transfer to Cal Poly in fall 2022.
“The shop techs at Cal Poly probably know me because of my red tool collection,” he said, with a grin. “I’m the only one to roll in with a rolling toolbox.”
Home-schooling afforded Eggers the flexibility to spend hours in his workshop, graduate high school a year early and earn his associate of applied science degree in machining. Home-schooling also provided the connection point between the two sets of brothers who blended their respective talents in engineering, manufacturing, marketing and videography.
Little Thunder Mountain
Compelled by their success with the “Matterhorn,” the brothers reunited to build their next coaster during the summer of 2021.
The LaRochelles’ backyard became their blank slate once more when the “Matterhorn” was disassembled after the bobsleds took their final traverse through the mountain.
“With ‘Little Thunder,’ the manufacturing was better planned and executed, because we knew what to do and what not to do,” Eggers explained.
They doubled the track length to 1,000 feet, requiring a bigger rock formation created from 10,000 square feet of rigid foam that was textured and painted to give it an Old West feel.
A masked bandit animatronic positioned inside the tunnel held a swinging lantern that became a target for toy laser guns, triggering a mid-ride launch that catapulted carts to speeds of 25 mph through a dense vapor emitted by a fog machine. One of the biggest challenges, Eggers said, was incorporating enhanced safety measures to keep riders secure.
“It’s really challenging to ensure safety, which is a major reason people aren’t making backyard roller coasters for other people,” he explained.
After working on the “Matterhorn,” he became the lead in manufacturing and electrical implementation on “Little Thunder,” earning a quarter share of the company born out of their efforts.
“It was definitely a passion project,” he said.
“Little Thunder Mountain” was unveiled during a grand celebration, then promptly dismantled as the LaRochelles prepared for a move to the East Coast after accepting a surprise offer on their home.
The tracks are in a storage unit as the brothers seek out their next creative challenge.
“After ‘Little Thunder,’ we made an agreement there would be no more roller coasters that aren’t paid for,” said Eggers, explaining their first two coasters were funded out of pocket.
Magictecture became a limited liability company in May, and the founders are expanding their team to include financial, marketing and engineering professionals.
“Watching these boys, who met while home-schooling, use their skills and abilities to create whole new worlds has been phenomenal,” Diane said. “They have so much passion for this, and I’d love to see it take off.”
To be properly amazed, visit Magictecture here.
By Emily Slater
