Issuu

DREAM HOMES | STURGEON FISHING | TRIUMPH | HOME WELLNESS | VALLEY ENTREPRENEURS

FALL 2026/2027

HOME + DESIGN Issue

OFFLINE IS THE NEW LUXURY

AZADI FINE RUGS

Since 1790

Fine Contemporary & Antique Rugs 660 Sun Valley Road Ketchum, ID SUN VALLEY (208) 913-0524 JACKSON (307) 734-0169 TELLURIDE (970) 728-4620 SCOTTSDALE (480) 483-4600 SEDONA (928) 203-0400 www.azadifinerugs.com

BELLA FINE GOODS

Be Inspired

Fine Jewelry, Home Furnishings & Fine Art 660 Sun Valley Road Ketchum, ID SUN VALLEY (208) 913-0552 JACKSON (307) 201-1848 TELLURIDE (970) 728-2880 CAREFREE (480) 488-7062 SEDONA (928) 282-0255 www.bellafinegoods.com

AZADI FINE ART

Contemporary Fine Art 231 2nd Street Ketchum, ID SUN VALLEY (208) 913-0552 JACKSON (307) 201-1150 www.azadifineart.com

SVM_F26_JustAds.indd 1

9/14/26 6:00 PM

Architects design your dream home. We design your dream travel.

WWW.TRAVEL-WELL.ORG

SVM_F26_JustAds.indd 2

9/14/26 6:00 PM

SVM_F26_JustAds.indd 3

9/14/26 6:00 PM

SVM_F26_JustAds.indd 4

9/14/26 6:00 PM

SVM_F26_JustAds.indd 5

9/14/26 6:00 PM

HOME LIVES HERE TIMELESS FURNISHINGS FOR A MORE MEANINGFUL LIFE

Designed with you in mind SVM_F26_JustAds.indd 6

9/14/26 6:00 PM

CURATED FOR THE WAY YOU LIVE

At Topnotch Fine Furnishings & Design, we believe a home should be more than beautiful — it should feel like you. From timeless furniture to layered textures and thoughtful details, we help create spaces that inspire everyday living.

Thoughtful Details

Layered Textures

MAKE A BIGGER IMPACT

FOR LASTING STYLE

VISIT US IN KETCHUM 680 SUN VALLEY ROAD, KETCHUM, ID 208.726.7797 | TOPNOTCHONLINE.COM

SVM_F26_JustAds.indd 7

9/14/26 6:00 PM

SVM_F26_JustAds.indd 8

9/14/26 6:00 PM

Photo: Gabe Border

SVM_F26_JustAds.indd 9

9/14/26 6:00 PM

native

landscapes, inc.

NLidaho.com

SVM_F26_JustAds.indd 10

9/14/26 6:00 PM

105 Lewis St, Suite 101 | Ketchum, Idaho 83340 | ConradBrothersConstruction.com | 208-726-3830 |

:conrad_brothers_construction 105 Lewis St, Suite 101 | Ketchum, ID 83340 | ConradBrothersConstruction.com 208.726.3830 | conrad_brothers_construction

SVM_F26_JustAds.indd 11

9/14/26 6:00 PM

STORAGE WITH STYLE

Luxury Condos Luxury Storage Storage Condos BBEELLLLEEV VUUEE,, IID DA AH HO O

NOW AVAILABLE STORAGE-HAUS.COM

Artist’s rendering. Images are for illustrative purposes only and may not reflect actual construction.

(208) 913 0072

SVM_F26_JustAds.indd 12

9/14/26 6:00 PM

SVM_F26_JustAds.indd 13

9/14/26 6:00 PM

SVM_F26_JustAds.indd 14

9/14/26 6:00 PM

SVM_F26_JustAds.indd 15

9/14/26 6:00 PM

SVM_F26_JustAds.indd 16

9/14/26 6:00 PM

pc: Gabe Border

SVM_F26_JustAds.indd 17

9/14/26 6:00 PM

Making dreams come true through inspired design, personal collaboration, and exceptional architecture.

BlincoeArchitecture_FullPage_SVM_F26.indd SVM_F26_JustAds.indd 18 2

9/14/26 9/4/26 2:42 6:00 PM

2:42 PM

SVM_F26_JustAds.indd 19

9/14/26 6:00 PM

FROM SEARCH TO SELL. YOUR AUTOMOTIVE ADVOCATE

SELL IT.

SOURCE IT.

Consignment services.

We search nationwide.

Targeted marketing & professional photos.

All makes. All models.

Auction services.

We inspect and verify.

Proven results. Maximum value.

We negotiate for you.

Secure storage and transactions.

We handle delivery.

COMPLETE CARE FOR EVERY CAR. EVERY CLIENT. CONCIERGE SERVICE

PREMIUM STORAGE

MORE THAN A GARAGE. A COMMUNITY.

SunValleyAutoClub_FullPage_SVMF26.indd SVM_F26_JustAds.indd 20 1

EXPERT CARE

PROFESSIONAL MARKETING

1930 Electra Lane, Hailey, Idaho 83333 208.578.2323 svautoclub.com

9/14/26 9/4/26 2:37 6:00 PM

2:37 PM

SVM_F26_JustAds.indd 21

9/14/26 6:00 PM

contents // features 66

Distinctly Idaho Life, lore, and greener pastures in Triumph, Idaho BY MARK DEE

Land and Sky What makes the West the West E S S AY B Y A D A M TA N O U S

Seeking calm and simplicity in an East Fork retreat

A SUN VALLEY HOMECOMING

B Y H AY D E N S E D E R

Vintage alpine soul reimagined for modern living

THEATER OF SHADOWS

RIVER CAMP RETREAT

Historic charm and mountain views B Y K AT E H U L L

by Kate Hull

108

VIEW FROM THE TOP Design integrated with landscape in Indian Creek B Y H AY D E N S E D E R

A home for shared moments

ON THE COVER Designed by Farmer Payne Architects, with interiors by Studio H Design Group, Katy and Brock Heckmann’s mountain modern home offers views across the valley towards Dollar Mountain.

B Y K AT E H U L L

PHOTO BY GABE BORDER

HAVEN AT CORRAL CREEK

100

PHOTO: GABE BORDER

sunvalleymag.com | FALL 2026-2027

SVM_F26_TOC.indd 22

9/14/26 5:46 PM

PHOTO: GABE BORDER

SVM_F26_TOC.indd 23

9/14/26 5:46 PM

contents // departments

34 localbuzz

58 getoutthere

YOUNG GUNS

138 inthearts

CHASING COLOR

BUCK UNBOXED

Trailblazing entrepreneurs in the Valley

A journey through Idaho’s fall foliage

THE DARK SKY ECONOMY

STURGEON FISHING

How a Boise airbrush master blends Old West roots and pop culture

How one of America’s brightest mountain towns discovered that its greatest asset arrives after sunset

BUILDING ASPIRATIONS The High Desert College Collaborative expands educational opportunities

50 body&soul BREATHE EASY Reset your space with whole-home wellness

THE PEPTIDE PUZZLE The latest health trend is really about the bigger wellness picture

138

Sturgeon fishing in Hells Canyon

118 tradesecrets TRENDS & INSPIRATIONS Tips from design pros and industry experts covering how to use natural textures, moody rooms, incorporating stripes and curved forms, working with stone, and designing with color.

132 foodanddrink

AN ECOSYSTEM OF CREATIVITY Wood River Rep expands the reach of theater in the Valley

 also in this issue 28 FROM THE PUBLISHER 30 CONTRIBUTORS 112 BEFORE & AFTER

RAISE THE BAR AT HOME

144 GALLERY BUZZ

Storing and serving your wine and spirits

152 WHY WE LIVE HERE

PHOTOS (CLOCK WISE FROM LEF T): TRAVIS AMICK , SHUT TERSTOCK , COURTESY BUCK /BYRON BUCHANAN

sunvalleymag.com | FALL 2026-2027

SVM_F26_TOC.indd 24

9/14/26 5:46 PM

PHOTOS (CLOCK WISE FROM LEF T): TRAVIS AMICK , SHUT TERSTOCK , COURTESY BUCK /BYRON BUCHANAN

Appliances • Plumbing • Hardware UTAH • IDAHO • WYOMING www.mld.com

SVM_F26_TOC.indd 25

9/14/26 5:46 PM

online // sunvalleymag.com  PAST ISSUES

PAUL NEWMAN | SANDHILL CRANES | WILD RYE | KELLY WARDELL | IDAHO WHITEWATER

Summer 2023

BUCKIN’ BRONCOS

THE KINGS OF RODEO I DA H O B O R N & B R E D

 MORE STORIES The Sun Valley Magazine website, at sunvalleymag.com, is user friendly and incorporates responsive design so that you

SVM_S23_000_Cover.indd 1

6/20/23 1:23 PM

get the same award-winning content on phones, tablets or desktop computers. On our site you will find all of our print stories, as well as a wealth of additional online content, including resource guides, videos and online features. Look for the best of Sun Valley life in our Arts, Food & Drink, Community, Health, Adventure, Home & Design, and Wedding sections.

To explore our magazine archives, dating all

You can also enjoy

the way back to the Winter 1973/1974, visit

digital editions of Sun

sunvalleymag.com/magazine. On our digital

Valley Magazine in our

magazine page, you can enjoy back issues of

extensive archives and

Sun Valley Magazine. Travel back in time to see

access all of our social

what we were covering at the turn of the century

media sites.

(21st!) and beyond. Looking for an old article? Spend some time in our archives—an ongoing, living record of life in the Wood River Valley. Also check out our digital edition of TASTE of Sun Valley on the Food & Drink page!

 FOLLOW US: #sunvalleymag FACEBOOK

@Sun Valley Magazine

INSTAGRAM @sunvalleymagazine

sunvalleymag.com/subscribe

LOVE being in the know ... SUBSCRIBE online to get the INSIDE STORY on all things Sun Valley—delivered right to your doorstep! 26

sunvalleymag.com | FALL 2026-2027

SVM_F26_TOC.indd 26

9/14/26 5:46 PM

SVM_F26_TOC.indd 27

9/14/26 5:46 PM

e spend much of our lives building things we know will not last forever. We build houses and businesses, plant gardens and trees, create traditions and communities. We restore old buildings and preserve photographs. We select stone shaped over millennia and wood grown across generations to craft our homes and civic buildings. We make things, tend things and pass things along to younger generations—all while living with the quiet knowledge that permanence is largely an illusion. There is something beautiful in that contradiction. It begs the question of whether the desire to build for longevity is really about permanence at all. Perhaps it is about participating in a story we perceive as larger and longer than our own. The places that seem to understand this best rarely shout for our attention. An old cabin has been weathered silver by decades of mountain winters just like the ones in the unincorporated community of Triumph, where a simpler way of life reigns and many of the structures have been built using the remnant timbers of a mining history long forgotten (“Life, Lore, and Greener Pastures in Triumph” on page 66). A stone wall was assembled by hands whose names may be soon forgotten, like the ones at River Camp, a home crafted to emerge naturally from the landscape meant to evoke the charm and nostalgia of historic fishing lodges and their intimate connection with the natural world (“River Camp” on page 86). A well-worn trail beneath the aspens winds through the impending fall foliage (“Chasing Color” on page 58) and a uniquely Idaho fish glides through a river that it has inhabited relatively unchanged for 175 to 200 million years (“Idaho’s Ancient River Giants” on page 62). Consider a house thoughtfully positioned to capture the late-afternoon light like the one created in collaboration with homeowner Leslie Benz and architect Michael Doty, who says you can “almost tell the time of day by where the shadows are being cast” (“Theater of Shadows” on page 78). Or a home

designed by Scott Payne of Farmer Payne Architects, that drinks in the views of the surrounding mountains while being designed to tuck discreetly into the hillside, thanks to a flat green roof that integrates the terrain so it “really feels like it grew out of the land,” according to project designer Kelly Hinchman of Studio H Design Group (“A Sun Valley Homecoming” on page 100). These are uniquely Idaho scenes and they belong because they seem to acknowledge what was there before them—and what will remain after. That may be the essence of a true sense of place: not simply building in a landscape but allowing ourselves to be shaped by it. Over time, our own marks are added. Floors become worn beneath familiar footsteps. Trees grow taller. Tables collect scratches and stories. Rooms become intertwined with the people and memories created within them. Impermanence, strangely enough, may be what gives these things their value. Knowing that a moment cannot be held makes us want to remember it. Knowing that our time in a place is finite makes us want to care for it. And so, we continue to build. Not because we believe anything will remain exactly as we leave it, but because longevity can mean something different from permanence. It can mean creating something worthy of being cared for; something capable of adapting, weathering and gathering stories … something that, long after the moment of its making has passed, still carries a little of the life that happened there before.

Laurie Sammis publisher / editor-in-chief

sunvalleymag.com | FALL 2026-2027

SVM_F26_TOC.indd 28

9/14/26 5:46 PM

IDAHOMOUNTAINBUILDERS.COM / 208.726.1603

SVM_F26_TOC.indd 29

TIM CARTER + JOE MARX | KETCHUM. IDAHO

9/14/26 5:46 PM

featuredcontributors // writers & photographers

HEIDI LONG

MARK DEE

CAROLYN FRENCH

TAL ROBERTS

With a background in fine art

Mark Dee, born on the Red Sox

Carolyn French is a freelance

Tal Roberts got his start

from the Art Institute of Chicago

side of Connecticut, has lived in

writer who moved to Sun Valley

creating still images by hitting

a gazillion years ago, Heidi

and covered Idaho since 2016.

in 2023 after graduating from the

the pause button when the tricks

Long has been shooting the

A former writer and editor of the

University of California, Santa

looked just right on the classic

Rocky Mountain West, inside

Idaho Mountain Express, his work

Barbara in 2022. She got her

skateboard videos of the mid

and out, for over 35 years.

has been featured in The Atlantic,

start with Sun Valley Magazine,

1990s. Though he didn’t use a

From stellar architecture, to

Deseret Magazine, the Idaho

as both an editor and writer, and

real camera until years later, the

backcountry star tracks, to

Statesman, and the Boise Weekly,

now continues contributing as

desire to document his passions

adopted starlings, Heidi shoots

among other leading publications.

a freelancer, covering lifestyle,

was still intact. Tal kickstarted

for the stars. Her work has been

He lives in the Warm Springs area

art, food and adventure. After

his photographic career while

featured in national and regional

of Ketchum with his wife, small

relocating to New York last

exploring the mountains around

publications. Her two sons and

dog, and geriatric cat.

year, Carolyn remains closely

his home in Ketchum, Idaho, and

connected to the Valley’s culture

continues to focus on making

“Life, Lore, and Greener Pastures in

and community, always finding

pictures of his friends having fun.

Triumph, Idaho” page 66.

a good excuse to return or to tell

five grandchildren keep her shooting on her “down time” as well.

Stories by Mark Dee:

Photography by Heidi Long: “Haven at Corral Creek” page 92

its stories. Stories by Carolyn French: “The

Photos by Tal Roberts: “Life, Lore, and Greener Pastures in Triumph, Idaho” page 66

Peptide Puzzle,” page 54; “An Ecosystem of Creativity,” page 142.

in this issue writers Karen Bossick, Ben Bradley, Winslow Brokaw, Mark Dee, Carolyn French, Kate Hull, Jonathan Mentzer, Coral Morgan, Cristy Sellas, Pamela Kleibrink Thompson, Hayden Seder, and Adam Tanous.

photographers Travis Amick, Gabe Border, Heidi Long, Halsey Pierce, Tal Roberts, Adam Rouse, Kirsten Schultz, Tessa Sheehan, Mike Schirf, Tory Taglio, Adam Tanous, and Joshua Wells.

sunvalleymag.com | FALL 2026-2027

SVM_F26_TOC.indd 30

9/14/26 5:46 PM

Building custom homes since 1980. SV CUSTOM BUILDERS svcustombuilders.com | 208.726.4843 | PO Box 3233, Ketchum, ID 83340

SVM_F26_TOC.indd 31

9/14/26 5:46 PM

EXPERIENCE THE POWER OF LIVING SOIL

FALL 2026/2027

Made by worms from organic & natural ingredients

publisher/editor in chief

Laurie C. Sammis

managing editor Adam Tanous associate editor

Cristy Sellas

guest art director Lillie Cooper senior designer Liz Parmalee sales & marketing director Sara Adamiec marketing coordinator

Grace Ostolozaga-O’Brien

copy editor

Patty Healey

controller

Brenda Carrillo

circulation director

Nancy Whitehead

Sun Valley Magazine Online: sunvalleymag.com email: info@sunvalleymag.com Sun Valley Magazine Awards 2024 OZZIE AWARDS Gold Winner, Best Cover Design - Summer 2023 Gold Winner, Best Feature Design - “Men of Steel” Gold Winner, Best Use of Photography in a Feature - “Kings of Rodeo” 2024 EDDIE AWARDS Finalist, Best Feature Article, “Men of Steel” 2018 MAGGIE AWARDS Finalist, Best Feature Article - “Primal Necessity” 2017 MAGGIE AWARDS Finalist, Best Feature Article - “The Long Journey Back” Finalist, Best Profile - “A Life in the Sky” 2016 MAGGIE AWARDS Finalist, Best Feature Article - “The Great Migration” 2015 MAGGIE AWARDS Finalist, Best Annuals & One-Time Custom Publication/Consumer Finalist, Best Cover/Consumer

Organic • Healthy • Improves Soil Structure • Plants Thrive

2014 MAGGIE AWARDS Finalist, Best Annuals & One-Time Custom Publication/Consumer 2013 MAGGIE AWARDS Finalist, Best Semi-Annual & Three-Time/Trade & Consumer Finalist, Best Special Theme Issue/Consumer

Our organic compost tea tree and lawn program includes monthly applications starting in April to encourage early stimulation and root growth, then again in June and August, and a final application in October to put trees to rest with the nutrients they need for the winter.

2012 MAGGIE AWARDS Winner, Best Semi-Annual & Three-Time/Trade & Consumer 2011 MAGGIE AWARDS Finalist, Best Semi-Annual & Three-Time/Trade & Consumer Finalist, Best Special Theme Issue/Consumer 2010 MAGGIE AWARDS Finalist, Best Semi-Annual & Three-Time/Trade & Consumer Finalist, Best Special Theme Issue/Consumer 2010 OZZIE AWARDS Gold Winner, publication fewer than 6 times per year 2010 EDDIE AWARDS Gold Winner, publication fewer than 6 times per year

MOUNTAIN VALLEY COMPOST & TREE CARE

SERVING THE WOOD RIVER VALLEY SINCE 2018 208.309.2813 | colby@mountainvalleycompost.com

2010 MAGGIE AWARDS Finalist, Best Semi-Annual & Three-Time/Trade & Consumer 2009 MAGGIE AWARDS Winner, Best Semi-Annual & Three-Time/Trade & Consumer Sun Valley Magazine® (BIPAD # 074470772330) is published three times a year by Mandala Media LLC. Editorial, advertising and administrative offices are located at 313 N. Main St., Hailey, Idaho 83333. Telephone: 208.788.0770; Fax: 208.788.3881. Mailing address: 313 N. Main St., Hailey, Idaho 83333. Copyright ©2026/2027 by Mandala Media, LLC. Subscriptions: $24 per year, single copies $7.95. The opinions expressed by authors and contributors to Sun Valley Magazine are not necessarily those of the editor and publisher. Mandala Media LLC sets high standards to ensure forestry is practiced in an environmentally responsible, socially beneficial and economically viable manner. This issue was printed on recycled fibers containing 10% post consumer waste, with inks containing a blend of soy base. Our printer is a certified member of the Forestry Stewardship Council, the Sustainable Forestry Initiative, and additionally meets or exceeds all federal Resource Conservation Recovery Act standards. When you are finished with this issue, please pass it on to a friend or recycle it. Postmaster — Please send address changes to: Sun Valley Magazine, 313 N. Main St., Hailey, ID 83333

Printed in the U.S.A.

SVM_F26_TOC.indd 32

sunvalleymag.com | FALL 2026-2027

9/15/26 10:59 AM

SVM_F26_TOC.indd 33

9/14/26 5:47 PM

localbuzz

Young Guns Trailblazing entrepreneurs in the Valley W O R D S PA M E L A K L E I B R I N K T H O M P S O N P H O T O S K I R S T E N S H U LT Z

he Wood River Valley fosters innovation and creativity. But starting any business is not easy—self-doubt and uncertainty are a constant struggle and the initial months or even years of wearing many hats and surviving with low profits before first sales can make even the toughest among us take pause. Chase Geagan, Natalia Smith and Dominic Cooper are three rising stars who are finding success in aviation, poolside fashion, and home building and inspiring other emerging talents to follow in their entrepreneurial footsteps.

CHASE GEAGAN Aviation Services

Local pilot Chase Geagan saw a need and is filling it. Some kids find work detailing cars, but Geagan took detailing a step higher by founding Sun Valley Aircraft Detailing. The opportunity was in plain sight, though was only realized with the help and advice from his mentor Bruce McLean. Geagan has been passionate about flying since he was 4. He received a scholarship to the National Flight Academy at 15 and earned his private pilot’s license at 17. “I’ve wanted to center my life (on) the world of aviation, and starting this company has allowed me to do just that.” Geagan started his detailing company in July 2024 but not before launching another venture and failing. “At 16, I was inspired by Iman Gadzhi, a young and prominent entrepreneurial role

sunvalleymag.com | FALL 2026-2027

SVM_F26_LocalBuzz.indd 34

9/14/26 6:20 PM

Your Local Acrisure Insurance Agency That Serves You First.

Our Specialty Is You!

model who was heavily involved in the digital marketing as well as online educational space. I fell in love with his story, his dual emphasis on personal and professional improvement, and the life that he was able to build from a young age being a resourceful entrepreneur. I knew that I wanted the same for myself.” That motivated Geagan. But nine months later he was in a desperate situation with no clients, no case studies, and no more life savings after investing everything in his own digital marketing agency. “At this low point, I learned about an aircraft detailing business opportunity from my mentor and decided to pivot. Given the larger need in the Valley, my love of aviation, and a local mentor willing to be my first client, I felt like it was a perfect opportunity to continue my entrepreneurial journey. I knew that the person that I would become

through the trials and challenges of growing a tangible service business would be as valuable to me as the business itself.” Geagan is quick to credit his mentor. “None of this would’ve been possible without my mentor Bruce McLean. He was a flying mentor of mine growing up, taking me flying in his Cessna 206 and supporting my journey toward getting my pilot’s license. Then when he heard I was in the entrepreneurial space, he told me about the need for aircraft detailing in the Valley and offered to be my first client. Bruce also founded AirSF, a Pilatus PC-12 charter company operating out of the Bay Area and Sun Valley. I began detailing their aircraft every month. Bruce has been an amazing business advisor, flying partner, and life mentor. This business and entrepreneurship is the greatest catalyst I’ve found for self-development.”

FALL 2026-2027 | sunvalleymag.com

SVM_F26_LocalBuzz.indd 35

208.726.0726

9/14/26 6:20 PM

localbuzz // young guns

NATALIA SMITH

“Growing up in Hawaii and being a surfer, swimwear has always been a big part of my everyday life,” said Natalia Smith, founder of Cheeni Bikini. “I was constantly in bikinis, so I became really aware of what I loved, what worked, and what I felt was missing. That eventually inspired me to start creating pieces for myself, and from there, the idea of building my own swimwear brand naturally grew.” The name Cheeni was inspired by an inside joke with friends, and it stuck. “I loved that it felt playful, personal, and a little cheeky, which

NATALIA SMITH: HALSE Y PIERCE

Beach Fashion

sunvalleymag.com | FALL 2026-2027

SVM_F26_LocalBuzz.indd 36

9/15/26 11:01 AM

Accentuating Landscapes. Defining Properties.

NATALIA SMITH: HALSE Y PIERCE

“The Wood River Valley’s Premier Fence Company for 50 Years and Counting”

fits the personality of the brand perfectly,” shared Smith. Smith curates swimwear with the goal of empowering women to feel beautiful, sassy, and confident. Cheeni Bikini ensures a perfect fit for all body types with swimwear designed for every body. Smith wants women to celebrate their unique style with simple, flattering and timeless swimwear. Whether you display a wild side with a cheetah print or select another fashionable option, Smith’s curated collection at Cheeni Bikini enables you to shine whether you are

on the beach in Kauai or poolside at the Sun Valley Resort. As an entrepreneur, Smith finds it challenging to simply balance everything. She also works full-time, so “finding the time to do it all can definitely be challenging. Our swimwear is made in Brazil, which I love, but working with production internationally can also come with its own challenges. It’s a lot to juggle, but it’s also been such a learning experience. I look forward to making more collections in the future!”

FALL 2026-2027 | sunvalleymag.com

SVM_F26_LocalBuzz.indd 37

Custom Fencing Entry Gates & Archways Log Home Repair & Restoration (208) 788-4705 | SawtoothWoodProducts.com

1% of profits donated to Idaho reforestation projects.

9/15/26 11:16 AM

localbuzz // young guns

‘‘

I thought I was going into construction. What I’m actually doing is helping two people who love each other make about 4, 000 decisions in a row, under budget pressure.”” —DOM COOPER

DOM COOPER

Custom Building

Dom Cooper, founder and general contractor of Cooper Custom Builds, was inspired to start his business in 2024 by “… two things that don’t obviously go together. One, I wanted to build the most interesting things I could find. That took me to Passive House construction. That means your housing envelope is so airtight and well insulated that the house holds its own temperature with almost no energy going into it.” And now he is into giant concretehardened underground structures. “People hear that and think doomsday, but there is more to it than that. The engineers I work with have decades of military experience in these systems, since a lot of them spent years learning how to break into them in the

Middle East. How much redundancy do you build into a filtration system so one failure isn’t fatal? How do you keep water out of something permanently buried in it, with no chance to go back and fix it? Same problem as Passive House with the stakes turned up. It all comes down to controlling a boundary: air, water, temperature. “Two—and this is the real reason my custom home part of the business exists— ask anyone who’s been through a build, and they’ll tell you it was the most stressful thing they’ve done short of raising kids. I ran other people’s jobsites long enough to watch the same thing happen every time. The building came out fine. The experience was miserable. Clients found out about problems weeks after

the crew did. Budgets soared and nobody explained why. The construction was never the hard part. Communication was, and nobody treated it as a skill worth learning. I’m good at calming that chaos down. “A house is the most expensive thing most people ever buy and the least protected purchase they’ll ever make. No warranty covers a builder who stops answering the phone. When someone hands you their savings and two years of their life, the standard of care should look more like what you’d expect from an attorney than from a handshake.” A Type A person, Cooper was surprised by how emotional the job is. “I thought I was going into construction. What I’m actually doing is helping two people who love each other make about 4,000 decisions in a row, under budget pressure, while living somewhere else.” Cooper shared a story about how he helped a client. “This one’s personal. My American grandfather in Twin Falls had leukemia, and I was helping look after him. He was living in a house that was flat-out wrong for someone with his disabilities, and watching that was hard. “It pushed me to get certified as a CAPS (Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist) so I could design that thinking into my builds properly. Zero-threshold entries, widened doors, walls blocked for grab bars later, a bedroom on the main floor. People love this community and don’t want to end up in a nursing home, and one bad fall takes years off someone. It’s not the most lucrative work I do, but it might be my favorite.” 

sunvalleymag.com | FALL 2026-2027

SVM_F26_LocalBuzz.indd 38

9/15/26 11:01 AM

SVM_F26_LocalBuzz.indd 39

9/14/26 6:20 PM

localbuzz // dark sky

The Dark Sky Economy How one of America’s brightest towns found its true magic after dark W O R D S J O N AT H A N M E N T Z E R PH OTO S T R AV I S A M I C K

ong after ski lifts stop spinning and hiking trails empty, another attraction is quietly emerging above the Wood River Valley.

sunvalleymag.com | FALL 2026-2027

SVM_F26_LocalBuzz.indd 40

9/14/26 6:20 PM

THE STARSCommunities across the United States and the world are beginning to see darkness, once considered the absence of something, as an asset in its own right. As artificial light spreads across cities and suburbs, truly dark skies are increasingly rare, creating opportunities for tourism, education, conservation and business. In the Wood River Valley, where visitors have long come for snow-covered slopes, blue-ribbon trout streams and alpine trails, a growing number of organizations and businesses now see the night sky as the region’s next natural resource. The concept has become known as the “dark sky economy.” This summer, Sun Valley Resort became the first resort in the United States to earn DarkSky Approved Resort certification from DarkSky International. “In our community, we have people who have cared about dark skies for around 30 or 40 years,” said Betsy Siszell, sustainability manager at Sun Valley Resort. “People are passionate about this.” Sun Valley had already made significant strides toward becoming a designated dark sky community. The resort completed much of the lighting overhaul mandated by the city of Sun Valley, aligning with efforts to reduce light pollution. When Siszell and James Brigagliano, the lighting program manager at DarkSky International, discussed the resort program, the conversation focused on initiatives specific to the resort and its facilities. That timing proved ideal for evaluating Sun Valley Resort’s progress and comparing it against technical criteria and guidelines for high-quality lighting. THE FIVE PRINCIPLES

To be certified, Sun Valley Resort had to comply with the Five Lighting Principles for Responsible Outdoor Lighting, jointly published by DarkSky and the Illuminating Engineering Society. The light should be useful, targeted, low-level, controlled and warm-colored. “We’re basically looking at the quality of the lighting and making sure it’s not overlit, and making sure it’s targeted,” Brigagliano said. The Wood River Valley has been a stargazing hub for quite some time, with some of the first steps beginning in 1999, when

FIVE LIGHTING PRINCIPLES FOR RESPONSIBLE OUTDOOR LIGHTING Jointly published by DarkSky and the Illuminating Engineering Society, the following are the five principles that the Wood River Valley area, Sun Valley Resort and other areas abide by to become certified by DarkSky.org. These principles are also useful for personal use at a private residence.

Useful: Use light only when needed. All light should have a clear purpose. Consider how the use of light will impact the area, including wildlife and their habitats.

Targeted: Direct light so it falls only where it is needed. Use shielding and careful aiming to direct the light beam downward so it does not spill beyond where it is needed.

Low Level: Light should be no brighter than necessary. Use the lowest light level required. Be mindful of surface conditions, as some surfaces may reflect more light into the night sky than intended.

Controlled: Use light only when needed. Use controls such as timers or motion detectors to ensure that light is available when it is needed, dimmed when possible, and turned off when not needed.

Warm-colored: Use warmer color lights where possible. Limit the amount of shorter-wavelength (blue-violet) light to at least what is needed.

Ketchum adopted one of Idaho’s first local dark sky ordinances and laid the groundwork for future protections. In October 2017, the city of Ketchum earned separate accreditation as an International Dark Sky Community. That December, the Central Idaho Dark Sky Reserve was officially designated, stretching 1,416 square miles from the Wood River Valley up to Stanley and earning Gold-Tier Reserve status from DarkSky International.

FALL 2026-2027 | sunvalleymag.com

SVM_F26_LocalBuzz.indd 41

9/14/26 6:20 PM

localbuzz // dark sky

sunvalleymag.com | FALL 2026-2027

SVM_F26_LocalBuzz.indd 42

9/14/26 6:20 PM

‘‘

DarkSky wants to see a lighting revolution.” —DREW RE AGAN, SENIOR MARKE TING & COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER AT DARKSKY INTERNATIONAL

THE EMERGENCE OF ASTROTOURISM

Astrotourism is defined as “tourism-related activities that involve or relate to the viewing of celestial objects and events.” Unlike traditional tourism, which centers on daytime recreation, the dark sky economy encourages visitors to stay engaged after sunset through astronomy programs, guided stargazing, astrophotography, nighttime trail experiences and educational events. As a result, these activities extend visitor spending into the evening while reinforcing the area’s reputation for outdoor recreation and conservation. Forbes, National Geographic, Condé Nast and multiple magazines have ranked astrotourism among the top travel trends. “It’s definitely a growing industry, and at DarkSky, we’re always trying to figure out what’s driving this,” said Drew Reagan, senior marketing and communications Manager at DarkSky International. “People are seeking authentic experiences, and there’s a lot of astrophotography out there.” To create darker skies, the first step is to eliminate light pollution, defined as the inappropriate or excessive use of artificial light, including glare, skyglow, light trespass and clutter. Astronomers have long recognized central Idaho as one of the country’s premier places for observing the night sky because of its high elevation, dry climate and relatively limited light pollution. Those same conditions benefit wildlife, improve human health and preserve an experience that many Americans rarely encounter—genuine darkness. For conservationists, protecting dark skies often aligns with broader environmental goals. Excessive outdoor lighting can disrupt migratory birds, insects and nocturnal

FALL 2026-2027| sunvalleymag.com

SVM_F26_LocalBuzz.indd 43

TIME

MATTERS

Charter

Avionics

Parts

Fractional

Management

MRO

Private Terminal

JacksonJet.com • BOISE: 877-383-3300 • PHOENIX: 602-273-3770

9/14/26 6:20 PM

localbuzz // dark sky

mammals while wasting energy and diminishing the character of mountain communities. To reduce these impacts without sacrificing public safety, shielded fixtures, warmer-colored lighting and thoughtful planning can help. According to Globe At Night, an affiliate of DarkSky International, light pollution has been increasing 10% each year. “This is also another sustainability feature for tourists,” Reagan said. “DarkSky wants to see a lighting revolution.”

“Rather than simply acknowledging the night sky as a backdrop, we have integrated it into the guest experience through design, programming, storytelling and partnerships that encourage exploration of both the landscape and the cosmos,” said Euan Taylor, General Manager at The Observatory, A Viceroy Resort. “Our goal is to help guests experience Idaho’s dark skies not as an attraction, but as a defining characteristic of the destination itself.”

THE OBSERVATORY, A VICEROY RESORT

The economic implications are significant. Unlike many tourism amenities, dark skies require relatively little infrastructure. Communities can improve the visitor experience through responsible lighting ordinances, public education, interpretive programming and partnerships with local businesses, rather than large-scale development. Restaurants can host astronomy dinners. To wit, Galena Lodge, north of Ketchum, has been

While Sun Valley Resort is the first to receive this certification, it isn’t the only business to feature ways to gaze at the constellations. The Observatory, A Viceroy Resort, is making astronomy and stargazing a core part of its identity with a rooftop observation deck envisioned as a celebration of the extraordinary environment.

ECONOMIC IMPACT

hosting full-moon multi-course dinners where guests can stargaze since the early 2000s. Hospitality providers are finding that dark skies can open the door to new opportunities, from guided tours and educational programs to wellness retreats and astrophotography workshops. These offerings not only boost yearround visitation and benefit the local economy but also promote environmental stewardship. The result is an attraction that benefits multiple sectors while preserving one of the Wood River Valley’s defining qualities. 

sunvalleymag.com | FALL 2026-2027

SVM_F26_LocalBuzz.indd 44

9/14/26 6:20 PM

GENERAL CONTRACTOR bashistacorp.com 208.622.7900 ESTD. 1982

INSPIRED L U X U RY EXACTING D E TA I L

SVM_F26_LocalBuzz.indd 45

9/14/26 6:20 PM

localbuzz // scholarships

Building Aspirations Throughout Rural Idaho The High Desert College Collaborative expands educational opportunities WORDS AND PHOTOS

WINSLOW BROK AW

sk a middle school student: What do you enjoy doing today that might make a great career for you in the future, and why? You might be surprised by their earnestness and vision. “I want to be an Imagineer for what is known as ‘The Happiest Place on Earth’ … Disneyland. This career excites me. I have a creative mind … When I make machines and rides, I hope that they will encourage kids and families to follow their dreams and use their imagination.”—sixth grader, Gooding Middle School “I want to be a chicken rancher. I want to supply the world with high-quality food. I have grown chickens from a young age. I have 46

raised my chickens naturally. I give them herbs, meats, grains, and gravel … I am going to MSU or Texas A&M and will get my degree in animal science and veterinary.”—seventh grader, Wendell Middle School. “My dream is to become a chemist … I am going to be a student at MIT because I like robots and engineering … My mom told me when I was a little girl, ‘If I can dream it, I can do it.’”—Sixth grader, Shoshone School These excerpts capture the aspirations of the nearly 400 middle schoolers who applied for a High Desert College Collaborative (HDCC) scholarship this spring. HDCC is an educational nonprofit in its seventh year, working across rural Idaho

to inspire, connect, and celebrate the innate excitement and enthusiasm of students in fifth through eighth grades, building aspirations for college across the spectrum of trade, vocational, two-year, and four-year programs. Founded and directed by Bayard “Bags” Brokaw, a longtime educator, HDCC presently collaborates with 10 school districts: Bliss, Shoshone, Camas County, Carey, Dietrich, Glenns Ferry, Hagerman, Gooding, Richfield, and Wendell. HDCC partners with the Sun Valley Community School, which allows it to operate under its 501(c)(3) status, as well as with Boise State University, College of Southern Idaho, and the Idaho College Savings Program. This spring, I had the unique opportunity

sunvalleymag.com | FALL 2026-2027

SVM_F26_LocalBuzz.indd 46

9/14/26 6:20 PM

SVM_F26_LocalBuzz.indd 47

9/14/26 6:20 PM

localbuzz // scholarships

HDCC HIGH SCHOOL SCHOLARSHIPS HDCC recently extended its reach beyond fifth through eighth grade to support the MC-HDCC High School Senior Scholarship, which is in its second year at Bliss and Wendell schools, thanks to a generous family fund. The scholarship, which is among the largest available, provides $2,500 per year for two seniors and is renewable for the duration of the student’s post-secondary academic program, up to four years, if the student remains in good academic standing. HDCC Scholarship Awards can be put into a 529 Education Savings Plan or an existing education account. They can be used to help with tuition and/or books in a vocational, trade, two-year, or four-year program after graduation, or for a special program, camp, or relevant purchase during middle or high school connected to one’s dreams.

HDCC founder Bags Brokaw presents an award to a young student.

to oversee HDCC’s scholarship process and attend year-end assemblies where 209 students were honored with scholarships. (In six years, 1,109 students have been recognized). It was a joy to witness the excitement and awe in each student and to see how much is possible when a child’s effort is seen and celebrated. As one mother stated, “I made sure to get out of work to watch my son receive his HDCC award. It’s a huge deal for him and us, especially because he has an Individualized Education Plan. This is going straight on his wall.” HDCC believes that supporting earlier and equal access to educational information beyond high school helps students connect their schooling to possible future goals. By encouraging students to be active participants in their own education through aspirational workshops, HDCC gives children the chance to reflect on what they enjoy doing now, while introducing them to a broad range of educational opportunities available after high school. Crystal Gillette, a sixth-grade teacher at Gooding School, reflected, “My students really enjoyed this experience, and it was very cool to 48

listen to them research and think about their future! I have not had students do this kind of thinking before, and I definitely see the benefit of it!” Students agree, stating, “The workshop has sparked my thinking about the future. Since then, I have thought about my interests and options a great deal.” HDCC believes that when it invests in the young people of our region, we all benefit. Blaine County is one of the most resourced counties in Idaho, supported in part by a workforce that commutes into the county daily. Roughly 40.2% of Blaine County jobs are filled by commuters from HDCC’s collaborative communities. Yet far fewer resources flow back to the communities these workers call home. HDCC is building a bridge, investing directly in the aspirations and education of students in these neighboring communities, one student and one school at a time. As former Superintendent Tim Perrigot of Wendell School District noted, “The greatest benefit of HDCC is that it creates opportunities … that were not available prior or previously considered by students. The belief

they can go to college someday or a technical school. The idea that they have a chance.” No matter what a student wishes to do in the future, most aspirations will require a credential or degree of some kind. Bags Brokaw has called for broadening our perception and definition of college: “It is time to move beyond the traditional adage that college is not for everyone. Instead, let’s broaden our perspective and affirm that college is indeed for everyone if we are willing to embrace the fact that colleges come in all varieties. It is time for the national dialogue to advance a broader definition of college and help build a bridge across the college-versusnon-college and rural-education divide.” HDCC is doing just this: Opening doors for students to pursue their aspirations across the spectrum of college-level opportunities and recognizing that Blaine County’s vibrancy will continue to be linked to the aspirations and future education of our wonderful neighboring communities. 

sunvalleymag.com | FALL 2026-2027

SVM_F26_LocalBuzz.indd 48

9/14/26 6:20 PM

ALLISON PAIGE INTERIOR DESIGN

SVM_F26_LocalBuzz.indd 49

9/14/26 6:20 PM

body&soul

Breathe Easy Reset your space with whole-home wellness BY KAREN BOSSICK

ood River Valley residents are quick to talk about how good they feel after an invigorating hike in the beauty of the surrounding mountains. But does your home make you feel that way? It’s a question more and more people are asking, and a growing number of builders, architects and designers are answering it with a concept called whole-home wellness. 50

sunvalleymag.com | FALL 2026-2027

“For us, wellness in a mountain home is not an amenity you add at the end,” said Jennifer Hoey, interior designer with Suedestudio. Hoey designs for wellness from the first drawing. That means circadian lighting systems like Ketra, which tracks the sun through the day to support sleep and mood. Because some clients come from lower elevations, Hoey includes oxygenation systems

that help people acclimate and sleep, paired with air purification so the air inside is as clean as the air outside. And recovery is simply part of how people live here: “Saunas, steam, infrared, and cold plunge come up far more often in our conversations than avoiding chemicals does.” Wellness also lives in the surfaces. Hoey specifies American Clay, a breathable, living

plaster that regulates moisture so bathroom mirrors don’t fog and can be repaired rather than replaced. She prioritizes bio-based, low-emitting materials for the things people are closest to—rugs, textiles, mattresses and finishes—to limit chemical exposure. “The goal is always a home that works with the body, not against it.” Allison Connolly, interior designer with Allison Paige, has more clients asking for dedicated spaces for reflection: meditation areas and yoga rooms. The equipment needs are minimal—a mat, certain pillows—but the approach is more contemplative. “A room that’s aesthetically quiet,” Connolly said. “Natural finishes, soothing colors, natural fibers, wood that shows its natural grain pattern. Embrace Mother Nature as much as possible.” She creates the mood through all the senses: a fountain for sound, an essential oil diffuser for scent.

Nick Gilman, president of NPG Industries LLC, has been remodeling homes since the 1990s, and he’s watched the trend toward healthier materials and systems accelerate dramatically in the last five years. “People are more aware and interested in their immediate environment and its impact on their health and well-being,” Gilman said. Achieving the ultra-high energy ratings of new construction is difficult in an existing home, so it’s a process of incremental gains. “We remove all the old insulation and detail out every stud bay prior to installing the highest R-value possible,” he said. High-level water filtration systems now use reverse osmosis, and Gilman marvels at how clean the water can get: “The process filters to almost the level of distilled water, then reintroduces the minerals that make water healthy and flavorful.” Rising temperatures and wildfire have become a primary driver towards air conditioning.

Get Your Assets In Shape Your assets should do more than sit on a balance sheet. American Capital Advisory helps you make thoughtful decisions about what you’ve built—so your wealth can support the life you want. Put your wealth to work.

500 North Washington Avenue Suite 202, Ketchum FALL 2026-2027 | sunvalleymag.com

www.investaca.com

body&soul // whole-home wellness

“You used to be able to rely on that Rocky Mountain air conditioning: open windows at night and, when it’s cold in the morning, shut all the windows for a perfectly comfortable house,” he said. “With higher temperatures and the prevalence of wildfires, clients now need AC just to have clean air and comfortable temperatures.” Jolyon Sawrey, architect and owner of Vital Ink Environmental Architecture, says he asks why we do what we already do. Why have a crawl space? It’s a floating floor above an area prone to moisture and radon, collecting dust and dirt. Why use forced air heating, which blows hot air that collects at the ceiling while you sit 8 feet below, moving dust around? “A radiantly heated home, tubes with transfer fluid in the slab, might be a better way to warm the body without moving dusty air around,” Sawrey said. Instead of an air conditioner that extracts humidity and creates condensation, a radiantly cooled slab can hold the cool, much like an Anasazi sandstone structure. Sawrey advocates thermal mass: heavy wood wall assemblies, heavy wood ceilings and thermal mass walls. “It’s calming, feels genuine, and there’s a lack of fluctuation of temperature because of forced air,” he said. “Like a potter’s flywheel, it keeps holding the energy, and you don’t hear the furnace kicking on with radiant heat.” Heat pumps and mini-split heat pumps are three to four times more energy efficient than gas-forced air or radiant heat. They’re affordable and vastly quieter than a forced air furnace. Sawrey urges caution with some seemingly green materials. Recycled carpeting made from plastic pop bottles breaks down into microscopic plastic fibers when vacuumed, and carpet is a dirt collector. He recommends trading vinyl flooring for linoleum, natural material that lasts longer. Sawrey suggests finishing walls with natural plasters, beeswax, carnauba wax and natural oils: “I prefer specifying materials that go into a home that I’d be willing to eat a tablespoonful of. So many of the construction adhesives, paints, polyurethanes and varnishes are toxic. A wool rug can be shaken on the patio and laid over a railing to let the sun sterilize it naturally, without steam cleaning with chemicals. Natural materials feel different, and the difference is calming.” ï

sunvalleymag.com | FALL 2026-2027

SPECIAL PROMOTION

THE HEART OF THE VALLEY. THE HEIGHT OF CARE. By Joy Prudek, Public Relations and Communications Business Partner, St. Luke’s Wood River

THE BIG 3 IN HOME WELLNESS

or 25 years, St. Luke’s Wood River Medical Center has delivered something rare: advanced, high quality health care in the heart of a rural mountain community. Opened in 2000 through the vision and generosity of local residents, St. Luke’s Wood River (SLWR) was built on a shared belief—that people in the Wood River Valley deserve exceptional care, close to home. A quarter century later, that commitment continues to guide everything the hospital does.

AIR Advanced HEPA filters and air quality sensors keep your indoor air clean and balanced ventilation incorporates heat recovery ventilators or energy recovery ventilators to continuously flush out stale indoor air and introduce filtered outdoor air.

As the only hospital within 75 miles of Ketchum, Sun Valley, Hailey, and Bellevue, St. Luke’s Wood River serves both year round residents and the many visitors drawn here for skiing, hiking, biking, and outdoor adventure. Whether someone is welcoming a baby, managing a chronic condition, recovering from surgery, or facing an unexpected emergency, SLWR provides care grounded in compassion, clinical expertise, and strong community connection.

WATER

Patients have access to a broad range of services designed to meet the needs of a rural, active population. Primary care providers are located in both Ketchum and Hailey. Specialty services include orthopedics, cardiology, dermatology, OB/GYN, pediatrics, general surgery, neurology, rehabilitation, wound care and more, with visiting specialists in areas such as oncology and gastroenterology.

Advanced water purification systems remove toxins, allergens and impurities from your water that may prevent gastrointestinal and other chronic illnesses. Smart water filtration improves the water quality throughout the home, reducing the risk of contamination.

LIGHT

Members of the Wood River Women’s Foundation with the ABUS.

Recognizing mental health needs in our community, St. Luke’s Wood River offers comprehensive behavioral health services for adults, children, and adolescents. This includes pediatric and adolescent psychiatry—an uncommon resource in rural communities—supported by a multidisciplinary team of experienced therapists providing counseling and support close to home.

Implementing smart lighting that mimics natural daylight helps to regulate your body’s sleep-wake cycle. Circadian lighting design which changes from morning to midday to afternoon to evening can affect energy, mood, productivity, focus and even cortisol levels.

The emergency department is staffed 24/7 by board certified emergency physicians, and diagnostic services include CT, MRI, full laboratory testing, and advanced breast imaging at the Women’s Imaging Center. Over the years, the care available at St. Luke’s Wood River has continued to evolve—shaped by community need, health system commitment, and local generosity. With support from the St. Luke’s Wood River Foundation, the hospital has recently added clinically meaningful advancements, including robotic assisted surgery, automated breast ultrasound (ABUS) to enhance breast cancer screening, and a new CT scanner completed through a shared investment with St. Luke’s Health System. Together, these tools help ensure patients receive timely diagnosis, thoughtful treatment, and advanced care without leaving the Valley. Access and convenience are also central to how care is delivered. Patients can use on demand virtual care, available seven days a week for many non emergency needs. St. Luke’s also offers prescription home delivery, making it easier for patients to receive medications safely and reliably—especially helpful for those managing ongoing conditions, seasonal residents, or anyone balancing busy schedules. In a community defined by outdoor recreation, rapid emergency response can be lifesaving. With Air St. Luke’s base at St. Luke’s Wood River, critically ill or injured patients can be transported quickly to higher levels of care when needed. Staffed by highly trained flight nurses, paramedics, and pilots, Air St. Luke’s provides ICU level care in the air—offering reassurance when minutes truly matter. As St. Luke’s Wood River celebrates its 25th anniversary, the focus remains steady: caring for this community today while preparing for what’s ahead. It’s a commitment to meeting the community’s needs by providing care, connecting care, and funding care—today and for the future. St. Luke’s Wood River Medical Center 100 Hospital Drive, Ketchum 208 727 8800 St. Luke’s Clinic – Family Medicine (Hailey) 1450 Aviation Drive, Suite 100, Hailey 208 788 3434 Learn more about services, virtual care, and pharmacy home delivery at www.stlukesonline.org Through the generosity of donors, the SLWR Foundation helps fund critical equipment, programs, and services that improve the lives of people throughout the Wood River Valley. For more information, visit www.slwrf.org.

FALL 2026-2027 | sunvalleymag.com

body&soul // peptides

The Peptide Puzzle Fitting the pieces of the latest trend into a larger wellness picture B Y C A R O LY N F R E N C H

hether it’s recovering faster after a big Baldy hike, maintaining muscle to ski well into your 70s, or simply sleeping and feeling better, the pursuit of health is hardly new to the residents of the Wood River Valley. In a community built around movement, there’s always interest in what might help people stay active a little longer. Peptides are the latest addition to that health toolbox, but as local practitioners are quick to point out, they’re just one tool among many. Once a term more likely to come up in a research lab or doctor’s office, peptides have become one of the buzziest subjects in health and longevity, fueled by social media 54

sunvalleymag.com | FALL 2026-2027

and growing interest in everything from recovery and metabolism to inflammation and skin health. For something surrounded by so much “biohacking” language, peptides aren’t foreign to the human body at all. They are short chains of amino acids, and the body naturally produces thousands of them. Many act as signaling molecules, delivering messages throughout the body that influence biological processes. “We make thousands of peptides in our body already,” says Christine Hansen, nurse practitioner and founder of Ketchum’s BioPeak. “They’re like your body’s biological text messages to each other.”

For Blair Brown of Monarch wellness center, peptides are a way to open a bigger conversation about many aspects of healthy living. The focus on peptides themselves isn’t new. Hansen says some of their early popularity came from bodybuilding circles, where people sought them out for muscle growth and faster recovery. But GLP-1 medications like Ozempic and Wegovy pushed peptides into a much bigger conversation, offering a visible example of what peptide-based drugs can do. GLP-1 medications have been studied and FDA-approved for uses including Type 2 diabetes and chronic weight management, but they’re only one area of the peptide world. Interest has since expanded to peptides for

body&soul // peptides

recovery, skin health, muscle growth and other forms of optimization, though the research behind those uses varies widely and remains somewhat experimental. In the Wood River Valley, where an active lifestyle is ingrained in the culture, it’s not difficult to understand the appeal. “The Ketchum crowd are avid runners, they’re mountain bikers, they’re skiers, they ride dirt bikes,” Hansen says. “So, they typically have more inflammation, they’re more sore, they want to recover faster, they want to sleep better.” At Monarch, Brown sees the fascination with peptides as an opportunity to start a much bigger conversation about what makes someone healthy in the first place. “I call peptides the gateway drug,” she jokes, describing them as something that can draw people into thinking more broadly about their own health. Brown’s approach is built around sequencing care rather than starting with whatever peptide happens to be trending. Her model moves through three stages: stabilize, repair and restore, then optimize. That means first looking at foundations like sleep, nutrition, recovery, metabolic health and hormonal support. “Peptides are one tool among many,” Brown says. “Right now, the peptides as an optimization intervention are the darling, but again, if your system’s not stable, you can’t optimize.” At BioPeak, Hansen requires patients to complete labs and an assessment before prescribing peptides, looking at factors including hormones, sleep, recovery and diet. If other health issues need attention first, she recommends addressing those before adding peptides. “Peptides are only as effective as the cells that are receiving them,” Hansen says. She also pushes back on the idea that an injection can substitute for that work. “I do actually have people that think they can just do peptides and it’s going to fix all their problems,” Hansen says. “It’s not.” Safety and sourcing matter, too. Not every peptide has undergone the same regulatory scrutiny, and compounded medications are not FDA-approved. Hansen recommends medical supervision and avoids products from sources she doesn’t know.

sunvalleymag.com | FALL 2026-2027

Top: Peptides can be a tool for many modalities, including physical exercise, healthy sleep and nutrition. Middle and bottom: There are different modes of delivery for peptides, all of which should be supervised by a professional.

For all the futuristic language surrounding peptides, the message from both local practitioners is remarkably familiar: sleep enough, eat well, move, recover and understand what your individual body needs. According to Brown, there are roughly 8,700 hours each year when a person is not sitting in front of a doctor. How they eat, sleep, move and recover is where much of their health actually takes shape. And perhaps that’s why the peptide conversation feels particularly at home in Sun Valley. Here, health has rarely meant simply avoiding disease. It means maintaining enough strength for another ski season, enough endurance for another climb and enough capacity to continue doing the things that make living here worthwhile. “Most people want to show up for their health, and health means living the most vital, active, full life you can while you’re on this planet,” Brown explains. “It’s not about living longer. It’s about living the best life you can while you’re here.” ï

getoutthere

Chasing Color A journey through Idaho’s fall foliage BY CORAL MORGAN

here is a moment every autumn in the Wood River Valley when summer quietly slips away. Overnight, the first patches of gold appear on the hillsides. Aspens begin to shimmer in the breeze, cottonwoods lining the Big Wood River start to glow, and Bald Mountain slowly trades its deep greens for warm shades of amber and yellow. For many, it is the most anticipated season of the 58

sunvalleymag.com | FALL 2026-2027

year—a fleeting few weeks when Idaho seems to put on its grandest display before winter settles in. Across the world, travelers plan entire vacations around the changing leaves. Japan’s maple forests, Germany’s woodlands and the colorful landscapes of eastern Canada have earned their reputation as some of the world’s most remarkable places to experience

the changing season. In the United States, New England often claims the spotlight, with Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine drawing millions of travelers each fall. Yet the Mountain West has its own remarkable show, and Idaho quietly offers some of the country’s most breathtaking autumn scenery. The stunning display of autumn color may feel like nature’s artwork, but the

‘‘

Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall.” —F. SCOT T FIT ZGERALD

transformation begins with a carefully timed biological process. Throughout spring and summer, leaves are filled with chlorophyll, the green pigment that captures sunlight and fuels photosynthesis—the process trees use to create energy and grow. As autumn approaches and daylight hours shorten, trees begin conserving resources for the colder months ahead. Chlorophyll production slows and eventually stops, allowing the green pigment to fade and revealing the hidden colors that have been present in the leaves all along. With the green no longer masking the other pigments inside each leaf, autumn’s famous palette emerges. Carotenoids— pigments found naturally in leaves throughout

the growing season—reveal shades of yellow, gold and orange. Anthocyanins, produced by certain trees as sugars, become trapped in the leaves during cool, sunny autumn days, create the brilliant reds and deep purples seen in maples and oaks. Temperature, rainfall and elevation all influence the intensity of the colors, making every autumn slightly different from the last. Eventually, photosynthesis comes to an end. Trees seal off the connection to each leaf, allowing it to drift gently to the forest floor. Perhaps it is this natural rhythm of release and renewal that makes autumn resonate with so many people. More than simply a change in scenery, fall has long represented a season

of transition—a time to reflect and embrace the beauty of change. It is a season of release, gratitude and renewal. Trees let go of what they no longer need, conserving energy for the months ahead. F. Scott Fitzgerald captured that feeling in “The Great Gatsby” when he wrote: “Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall.” Autumn invites a slower rhythm—cool mornings with a warm cup of coffee, afternoons on quiet trails and evenings gathered around a fire. It carries a sense of nostalgia while also hinting that something new is just around the corner. In Idaho, the arrival of fall is written across the mountainsides, riverbanks and forests. FALL 2026-2027 | sunvalleymag.com

getoutthere // foliage

Quaking aspens cover mountain slopes in shimmering gold. Cottonwoods brighten the riverbanks with ribbons of yellow, while Western larches—often called tamaracks—add a rare golden glow to the landscape. Unlike most evergreens, these unusual conifers shed their needles each year, transforming from green to radiant gold before winter arrives. Bigtooth maples, tucked into canyon walls, provide vivid bursts of orange that complete Idaho’s autumn color. For visitors to the Sun Valley area, some of the best places to experience the changing season are only minutes apart. The drive over Galena Summit offers sweeping views of golden aspens framed by the Sawtooth Mountains. Bald Mountain provides panoramic overlooks where waves of autumn ripple across the landscape. The Sawtooth National Recreation Area, Draper Preserve, Townsend Gulch and Silver Creek Preserve each offer a different perspective on Idaho’s fall beauty, whether viewed from a hiking trail, a quiet riverbank or a scenic drive. Idaho’s autumn display continues across the state, offering endless opportunities to explore its changing landscapes. Northern Idaho’s International Selkirk Loop, Kootenai National Wildlife Refuge and St. Joe River Scenic Byway showcase dense gold forests. Central Idaho’s Salmon River Scenic Byway and the roads surrounding Redfish Lake offer striking mountain scenery, while the Boise Greenbelt, Mesa Falls Scenic Byway, Harriman State Park, Thousand Springs Scenic Byway and City of Rocks National Reserve offer unforgettable views of Idaho’s autumn landscapes, from high mountain forests to winding river valleys. That is what makes autumn so unforgettable. Perhaps the beauty of autumn comes from knowing it will not last. Before the leaves give way to winter, Idaho’s hillsides and forests offer a brief but unforgettable reminder of nature’s ability to transform. As author Lauren DeStefano wrote, “Fall has always been my favorite season. The time when everything bursts with its last beauty, as if nature had been saving up all year.” ï

The palette of fall, from the top: aspen, oak, and bigtooth maple leaves.

sunvalleymag.com | FALL 2026-2027

FALL 2026-2027 | sunvalleymag.com

getoutthere // sturgeon

Idaho’s Ancient River Giants Sturgeon fishing in Hells Canyon BY BEN BRADLEY

sunvalleymag.com | FALL 2026-2027

PHOTO: COURTESY JONES SPORT FISHING

or the avid angler, Idaho truly is the promised land, an embarrassment of riches in all reality. Idaho boasts over 107,000 miles of rivers and streams, and this doesn’t even consider the myriad of high alpine lakes and fishable reservoirs. If the line often cited to fishing beginners holds true, that the “tug is the drug,” then Idaho’s wild expanses will ensure that the passionate piscator need never worry about getting “clean.” When dreaming of Idaho fishing, most in Sun Valley would likely conjure images of freestone rivers and the striking speckles and vibrant colors of native trout, but Idaho’s wilderness offers plenty of other species to target during a day on the water. From the high alpine Arctic grayling in the Sawtooths, to the golden scales of Snake River carp, a beautiful fish that’s a thrill to catch even if many turn their noses up at the notion, opportunities abound. One species towers above the rest in both unique character and the battle it puts up: the white sturgeon. Nearly everything about the white sturgeon sets it apart from other Idaho fish; its size, lifespan and lifecycle, and, perhaps most notably, its connection to the prehistoric world. Today’s trout and salmon species have been swimming the Earth’s waterways for roughly 7 to 10 million years, which is nothing to sneeze at. But the white sturgeon has existed on earth, relatively unchanged, for somewhere between 175 and 200 million years, meaning the first sturgeon swam alongside the dinosaurs of the Jurassic and Triassic periods. Lacking typical scales, sturgeon have skin that is more akin to that of sharks, and they protect themselves with five rows of bony, spiky plates called scutes. And while most trout in the Big Wood River live around three to 10 years, white sturgeon do not even reach maturity until they are somewhere between 10 and 30 years, with the oldest of the species still alive and kicking as genuine centenarians. For the angler, the size of these ancient fish is the draw, with the largest among them topping 10 feet and more than 500 pounds. No fish tale exaggerations needed with these giants. Three of Idaho’s principal rivers, the Clearwater, Salmon, and the Snake, are home to sturgeon populations, though anglers are only permitted to target sturgeon on the Snake and Lower Salmon. Perhaps the most famous place in the state to land these extraordinary fish is in Hells Canyon. The rugged basalt cliff walls of North America’s deepest gorge provide an awe-inspiring backdrop for a day on the water in search of

Peptide Therapy | Hormone Optimization | Medical Weight Management Aesthetics | Laser Treatments

Experience a personal path to lifelong vitality with Biopeak, where longevity meets functional medicine in a uniquely tailored concierge approach.

Ketchum Idaho w w w. b i o p e a k s v. c o m 208.244.6862

Getaway to the Great Outdoors

Come visit us at Wild Horse contact us or visit our website at

www.wildhorsecreekranch.com 208.588.2575 4387 Wild Horse Creek Road, Mackay, ID 83251 The Ultimate Sun Valley Getaway

getoutthere // sturgeon

THE IDEAL STURGEON EXCURSION When to Go: Sturgeon can be found year-round, but the best times are widely considered to be spring or fall.

Choose Your Guide: Find a guide that will cover everything you need and book early to secure your ideal dates.

Consider Your Lodging: Many guide

sunvalleymag.com | FALL 2026-2027

reeling in a white sturgeon can take hours and will require arms of steel and unshakable resolve. “They’re so strong, you know? After that jump they usually dive down deep and will run and get in and out of the current,” describes Robins. “It’s definitely a battle. They’re not just going to roll over and come in.” Landing a sturgeon is also an entirely unique experience when compared to the typical river and lake fish species and almost always involves the angler ending up as wet as the fish. In order to adhere to Idaho Fish and Game regulations and plain old decency, these beautiful fish must remain in the water. So, capturing a photo of your sturgeon will require you to join your catch in the flowing waters along the bank of the river. Handling these creatures with the utmost care is paramount and just a small part of the regulations in place to protect and conserve the fragile population of these ancient swimmers.

Preparation: Prepare for good, long days on the water and potentially long, difficult fights with massive and powerful fish.

Like salmon, sturgeon are anadromous fish, meaning they spend their adult lives in saltwater or brackish estuaries, returning to the freshwater rivers of their birth to spawn. Unlike salmon, however, sturgeon will reproduce multiple times throughout their long lives, returning to the salt between spawning runs. During the first half of the 20th century, a multitude of dams were constructed along Idaho’s rivers. These dams have essentially cut off the sturgeon population’s ability to return to the river to spawn as they are able to venture downstream of the dam but have never been recorded making the arduous return trek up the fish ladders. For a fish that grows exceptionally slowly and only reaches spawning maturity after 10 to 20 years, this means that the decline in their population will likely continue without successful human intervention. While there are efforts underway to help these fish rebound in places like Hells Canyon, only time will tell if the initiatives can stem the tide. Working with responsible local guide outfits will ensure one can enjoy a bucket listworthy day on the water, while safeguarding these extraordinary fish, so they can continue to thrive in Idaho’s rivers for the next 200 million years. ï

PHOTO: COURTEST Y JONES SPORT FISHING

these prehistoric behemoths. Though he has spent substantially more of his 40-plus-year career on the local waters of Blaine County’s high country, legendary fishing and outdoor guide Guy Robins has made several successful sturgeon runs into Hells Canyon. Robins describes the experience of hooking into a sturgeon after throwing a line into a deep pool of the river and patiently waiting for a strike. “You would set the drag on the reel really loose, so they can pick it up and run with it,” says Robins. “Then you hear this ‘click, click, click,’ and you switch the reel over and set the hook. Then, you know, normally first thing they do is just launch out of the water.” The astonishing sight of the massive fish, weighing hundreds of pounds, clearing the surface and then crashing back into the river will set any fisherperson’s heart to racing and is just the opening salvo of the battle between human and fish. From this point, the feat of

services offer lodging along the river of varying degrees of “roughing it,” so find the one with the amenities that matter to you.

CUSTOM STONE FABRICATION & SLAB YARD

The Residences at 460 N Main, Unit 201, Ketchum Listed by John Sofro, Berkshire Hathaway Home Services SVP Developed by Wilson Construction

FALL 2026-2027 | sunvalleymag.com

DISTINCTLY IDAHO

sunvalleymag.com | FALL 2026-2027

Life, Lore, and Greener Pastures in Triumph WORDS MARK DEE

P H O T O S TA L R O B E R T S

FALL 2026-2027 | sunvalleymag.com

ilton and Vernette Haar believed in the things they saw, just as they believed in the things they didn’t. The New Age minister and the clairvoyant minister’s wife found both in the one-time mining town of Triumph,

If the Collinses are Triumph’s old guard, the Wilsons are part of a new generation who found the neighborhood in search of the same things as their tenured peers: More space, less commotion, and a price they could afford to pay.

Idaho, during the early 1960s—though found isn’t the word they would

On that criteria, few in the shadow of Sun Valley made out as well

have chosen. The Haars told reporters across the decades that they

as Milton and Vernette Haar. Answering their calling, the Haars spent

were led to Triumph from their home in Gettysburg, South Dakota, to

$50,000 in 1962 to purchase a rough 90 acres and 17 buildings — essen-

establish what has alternately been described as a “commune,” a “hippie

tially what’s now the townsite of Triumph — from the Triumph Mine

establishment” a “religious retreat” and a “UFO cult” in the thin canyon

Company, according to a 1975 report in the Twin Falls Times News. That’s

carved by the East Fork of the Big Wood River.

worth about $552,000 today, less than half of Blaine County’s median

To Ashton and Alaina Wilson, Triumph is just called “home.”

listing price for a single house. The New Agers had stumbled into the

The Wilsons moved from Ketchum to Triumph about seven years

tail end of Blaine County’s mining economy, and made out pretty well.

ago, before the birth of their son, Ernie. That makes them short timers in

The Triumph Mine, a web of claims tucked in tunnels under the hillsides

the unincorporated community of about 60 a 12-mile drive from Hailey,

around town, had been one of the region’s richest. From 1884 until 1959,

where a clutch of neighbors have lived since the Ford Administration, if

it turned out $39 million in metals, mostly zinc, silver and lead, according

not before.

to research from The Community Library. Depending on your source,

The town, such as it is, starts out East Fork Road around the time

150 to 200 men dug into these mountains in the early half of the 20th

most texts stop going through, and for that it already earns an old-fash-

Century, pulling ore for the Philadelphia Smelter in Ketchum and places

ioned feel. It’s a late stronghold of the landline, and residents are often

far beyond. World War II stoked a flare up in activity, but soon after

unreachable unless you walk right up and knock on the door. It makes

mining at that scale wound down for good, and the earthworks—along-

the place tight-knit, one resident said. She was hesitant to speak to a

side its mineral rights—were sold to the mine’s foreman, Rupert House.

reporter, except to say what “a wonderful, quaint and peaceful commu-

The Houses and the Haars lived for a long time as strange, if cordial

nity Triumph is with a rich historical background.” She’d lived there, I’d

neighbors. Rupert House started mining at 17. He was a Golden Gloves

learn, some 50 years.

boxing champ, founder of the Sawtooth Rangers Riding Club, and, later,

Billy and Wendy Collins have lived here 51 years. The couple lived in the house that’s now Grumpy’s on Warm Springs Road before striking out for greener pastures, quite literally; for their horses.

a Blaine County commissioner. Vernette Haar could, through meditation and automatic writing, contact a higher being named St. Germain.

“I hardly see my neighbors,” Billy said recently, “but if something

The Haars practiced daily meditation and spoke morning affirma-

happens, they’re there. That’s how it always seems to operate out here.

tions: “Nothing but good shall come to me, nothing but good shall go

It’s really a nice thing.”

from me,” Milton would say. They believed in aliens, and saw them with

some regularity in the skies around Triumph. Milton Haar and a retired

House had seen plenty of change in that establishment himself.

Air Force major named Wayne Aho lectured on the subject. They held

Rupert House was born on the first day of spring in Hansen, Idaho, east

an annual conference on the subject in Ketchum, and took their material

of Twin Falls. He moved to the Wood River Valley 20 years later.

on tour. Had you been in the Blue Room of the Owyhee Hotel in March

“These gals said that things were looking up in Blaine County,”

of 1962, you could have caught their three-day seminar, sponsored by a

House told the Idaho Mountain Express in 2006, two years before his

California firm named Understanding International. Topics were titled

death. “They said the Triumph Mine was up and running again, and

“Unidentified Flying Objects (Spaceships) in Earth Skies,” “The Ending of the Old Age and the Dawning of the New Age,” and “Survival in the Atomic Age.” The Rocky Mountain area, the Haars told a reporter in 1975, “has higher vibration, making it easier to communicate with alien beings.” But when the Collinses moved in, most of the Haars’ original troupe had moved on, replaced by younger pilgrims with their own beliefs. “Each seems to be on their own thing,” the Haars told the reporter in 1975. “Many of our young people are great souls,” Haar, a former Protestant preacher, said. “They have come here to find themselves, but many do

some railroad people were building a fancy hotel

‘‘

near Ketchum.” House signed on at the North Star Mine in Triumph for three dollars a day, less one for room

I hardly see my neighbors, but if something happens, they’re there. That’s how it always seems to operate out here.”

not know how to express themselves because of

—BILLY COLLINS

the great confusion in the world. “There might be some that use marijuana, but we feel more and more they are getting away from that.” Rupert House didn’t seem to mind the company, which he said kept “pretty well to themselves.”

and board. To that point, he’d never seen a dollar bill—and wouldn’t for another two years. Even then, he thought it was a fad: “That stuff will never last,” he’d said. Later that year, the hotel those gals had mentioned would be christened the Sun Valley Lodge, and America’s first destination ski resort would open on the slopes of Proctor Mountain. House moved his family to Triumph full time in 1949. He stayed on until the bitter end, then kept digging. “My wife says she’ll live any place in the world,” he told the Times-News, in 1975, “as long as it’s here.”

House tried to revive the Triumph claims into the 1980s, but it never came back like it did during the war. When the Age of Aquarius found

“A lot of people say they’re hippies, but I say, ‘What the hell is a

their little canyon, Rupert and Bonnie House were running cattle and

hippie?’” he told the reporter. Most of them work. Several of them

raising their family in a “shack-like home” made of salvaged timber past

are buying their houses. They are different from those of us who are

“the camp,” as they called Triumph, friend and resident Carl Massaro

members of the establishment, but I’m slightly envious.”

wrote in his book, “My Years in Triumph: A Search for the Lost Utopia.” “It was said that if you wanted to talk to Rupe, bring your hammer,” Massaro wrote. “His wife, Bonnie, would feed ya, but he would work ya.” Nearby, “the camp” was taking on the increasingly odd shape of a town. The Haars and their followers lived in a cluster of old mine shelters and built small houses as they found the time. Milton Haar sold them for six or seven thousand dollars “to anyone who came along, no questions, no credit application.” Massaro himself built a house shaped like a pyramid, where he lived for years. By multiple accounts, Milton Haar was aware of his reputation, and knew the reputation of the town he helped grow. One day, a group had gathered at the Massaros’ house when the county building inspector drove up. “Who’s

building

this,”

Massaro

and

Triumph resident Billy Collins remembers the man asking. “Why, men from space,” Milton Haar answered. Collins remembers the inspector’s stunned face. “They come in the night and work with lamps.” The county man turned around. ‘Milton, why did you say that?’” Collins asked when the building inspector had gone. “Well,” Haar said, “we’re all from space.” “See,” Collins told me in August, “he always played that card.” In Triumph, stories like that are less about the truth and more about the telling. Milton Haar had a sense of humor, Massaro said. He also had sincere beliefs, and saw UFOs all the time. Those two traits make facts hard to parse. Consider this: his brother, Ernie, was building a great wooden structure near the town’s main barn. Massaro remembers it as a go-kart track. Collins told me it was a roller coaster. Wilson, who was told the story second (or third) hand, heard it was a scaffold to help Jesus land his rocket when he came back down from the stars. “I love that there is lore here,” Wilson said. When he hears a new story, he always tries

Clockwise from top left: Gardner, Eve, and Bowen Cord; Ashton and Ernie Wilson; Dan Turner’s barn; Billy and Wendy Collins.

sunvalleymag.com | FALL 2026-2027

‘‘

You’re growing in life alongside these people. You get to see the days and seasons pass with a bit of a village.” —GARDNER CORD

to keep it in his back pocket. If he runs into a

when it came, standing in the snow next to

chip in to help. Sometimes you get a little too

longtime resident—someone like Collins—he’ll

Olympic ski racer and gold metalist, Picabo

on each other’s toes, and you take a breather,

ask to hear about it. He rarely gets the same

Street, Triumph’s own.

but for the most part it’s cordial — roaming

version twice. “No one is ever like, ‘Yeah, for sure, that’s exactly how it went,” Wilson said. “Everyone has their own story, which is awesome.”

Wilson, the executive director of the Environmental Resource Center in Ketchum, keeps a scientific skepticism on the subject.

dogs and roaming people.” Today, to the Collinses, it feels like there’s a broader range of people in town. Their son and

“The universe is far too vast for there not to

grandson live next door. And in the past year or

be other life out there,” he said, summoning his

so, they’ve all welcomed two new babies into

inner Neil deGrasse Tyson. “But the odds that

the valley. At a few months old, Bowen Cord

“Well, they’re here to get us,” he said.

it touched down in Triumph are significantly

is a seventh-generation Idahoan and “a first-

“What do you mean, Milton?”

less than the volume of hallucinogens that

generation Triumphite,” his father, Gardner,

“Yeah, they’re here to get us and there they

flowed through this town in the ‘60s and ‘70s.

told me.

Like the time Haar greeted Collins with a grim warning.

are,” Haar said, pointing. Collins turned and his hair stood on end—

“I think brain chemistry is easier to modify than the space time continuum.”

Gardner Cord spent his 20’s following the standard Ketchum playbook: frequent moves

before he realized he was looking at the round

So no, Wilson doesn’t see saucers from his

crest of a hot air balloon coming over the ridge.

porch. But in a way, he can see a vision of the

People don’t talk about the UFOs that much

future. Billy and Wendy Collins have lived on

anymore, Collins said. There are so few people

the same road since 1975. They arrived to find

He set out looking for a permanent place

in Ketchum and Hailey that remember Haar

a small town of like-minded young people, and

with a few competing criteria: a garage, a yard

and how that talk got started. Collins used to

a few older ones — like Milton and Vernette

and a price tag he could stomach. Growing up

have people come up to his door and ask if he’s

Haar. Some died, others left, still more stayed

in the Wood River Valley, Cord always thought

seen anything in the sky overhead. He’d play

behind. They married, divorced, had kids and

he might move out East Fork “when I really

into the bit, whether the visitors knew he was

cried in driveways when those kids went away

made it.” Still, he drove past the eight-figure

or not.

to college or beyond. Several families that

estates that dot the road up the canyon to find

arrived in the 70s are still in the same houses,

a little lot in Triumph that needed some love,

shaped ones?” Collins would say.

in a small town that looks, at first glance, very

but somehow fit his budget.

“Where do you see them?”

much the same now as then. They’re like-

“Well,” he’d point, “go up the canyon about

minded old people now, rather than young.

“What type, the circular ones or the cigar

16 miles and wait.”

“You can still walk down the street and

The Collinses own children were more

borrow a cup of sugar,” Wilson said. “If some-

likely to be waiting for the school bus, back

one gets sick, everyone’s asking how they could

sunvalleymag.com | FALL 2026-2027

and plenty of roommates. “It was a lot of fun, but after I moved like the fourth time in three years, I was over it.”

“The house was a little bit funky,” he said. “I did some remodels. And we have done, like, one quick seance to cleanse some spirits. Since then, it’s been great.” The harder part was convincing his

then girlfriend, Eve, to come with him. Her response: a flat “no.” “Maybe when I’m 30,” Eve Pruecil — now Eve Cord — said at the time. Gardner had the place for about two years before Eve made the leap and moved in. Now, like Bonnie House before her, “she refuses to live anywhere else,” Gardner said. Eve Cord has learned to appreciate the

“Whenever Gardner’s out of town and

“You know there are contaminants around,

I’m walking the dogs at night, I think that

but over the past almost 30 years it seems like

they might just abduct me in that moment,”

they’ve done a really good job.”

she laughed. “He’d never know where I went,

Gardner’s cousins, who are soon follow-

because I will just vanish off the face of the

ing the Cords to Triumph, shared his initial

Earth.

concerns. He pointed to the neighbors.

“Now that I’m thinking about them they

“I mean, look at every person who has lived

will definitely abduct me — they know that I

here for the last 50 years,” he said. “They’re

know they’re there.”

all happy. They’re all healthy. That was my

silence — the bird calls, the bears, the signs of

Choosing to raise Bowen in Triumph, their

life that make every day “like a safari,” she said.

concerns lay under the ground rather than

And she’s come to love the moment when it all

above it.

real sign.” The Cords now live a five minute walk from the Wilsons. Esther Wilson, their daughter,

comes into view: East Fork Road bends and

In 1993, the Environmental Protection

Hyndman Peak tops out overhead, leading the

Agency proposed listing Triumph as a Super-

isn’t that much older than Bowen Cord. “I feel super fortunate to have this close-

Pioneer Mountains toward the sky.

fund site, contaminated with heavy metals left

knit neighborhood; all these folks, we’ve

“It’s the most peaceful homecoming,”

by the mine. Local opposition to the designa-

become friends,” he said. “You’re growing in

she said, “Like a ‘Welcome Home’ sign I see

tion led to state-run remediation. The Idaho

life alongside these people. You get to see the

every day.”

Department of Environmental Quality started

days and seasons pass with a bit of a village.

For the first three months, the house didn’t

its own clean-up in 1998, with major work

We’re pretty lucky.”

have high-speed internet or cell service. Starlink

generally ending in 2004. It is still under state

As we talked, a neighbor knocked on the

has been a game changer for many residents —

supervision, subject to regular inspection,

door and asked if Ernie wanted to watch a rain-

the Cords and Wilsons included — but those first

monitoring and five–year reviews. Much of

bow blooming overhead. Soon, the sun would

three months were probably some of the best,

the neighborhood is reluctant to talk on the

run below the ridgeline and the animals would

Gardner said. Send your texts at the mouth of East

record about it, though Garnder Cord said it

grow a little louder, Sandhill cranes and great

Fork Road and get your responses the next day.

was a “major consideration” in his move. What

horned owls and the yip of coyotes welcom-

Their household already fits the Triumph

he has found since put him at ease. The Cords

ing the night. And before he puts his kids to

mold: Gardner is content to do his own thing,

independently tested water from their faucets

bed, Wilson could look up into that perfect

while Eve’s happy to stop and chat as she takes

and from the community well, and checked

August dark, same as Milton Haar, and see, if

the dogs up and down the street. They’re yet to

the DEQ’s finding on sites around the town.

not spaceships, then stars, countless stars. ï

see anything out-of-this-world, Eve said, but

Everything nearby — particularly the water —

it’s on her mind.

came back clean. FALL 2026-2027 | sunvalleymag.com

Land & Sky WHAT MAKES THE WEST THE WEST W O R D S A N D P H O T O S A D A M TA N O U S

sunvalleymag.com | FALL 2026-2027

SVM_F26_Feature_Land&Sky.indd 74

9/14/26 6:26 PM

rive west from Bozeman, Montana, which at Western speed

roamed the Earth for 155 million years. One hundred and fifty-five million

limits you can do for longer than most people want to be in a

years. I can barely conceptualize a couple hundred years of human history.

car—a day or more before tumbling into the Pacific—and you

Some people might have a grasp of a couple thousand years. Even at that,

begin to understand part of this country, and maybe some of its people.

2,000 years of modern human history relative to the dinosaurs’ time would

Ironically, you won’t really see any people, or, at least, very few.

be the equivalent of 1.1 seconds of our 24-hour day. Hardly noticeable, I’d

What you will see is an unbroken horizon of land—sagebrush, rivers,

say. I’d also say that the dinosaurs did pretty well for themselves to hang

mountains—and seemingly limitless sky coming down to meet it. At

around for that long. I’m not sure humanity has that staying power. Homo

times, you can convince yourself that you are rushing toward the curve of

sapiens, our genus and species, has managed to survive about 190,000

the Earth, land falling away from you just beyond eyesight. Occasionally,

years so far. That’s about one one-thousandth of the dinosaurs’ time on

you will see cattle, fencing, coyotes, but little else to ground you in the

Earth. Comparatively, it should be the dawn of our time here, but it doesn’t

familiar ways of life. It’s hard to imagine that the place looked much

feel that way. It feels more like late afternoon-evening, after the sun has

different 500 years ago.

slipped out of sight and the air has a little bite to it.

I once drove from a soccer tournament in Idaho Falls, which is on

Ask people what they think of when you say, “the West,” and you

the more eastern side of Idaho, to Hailey, Idaho, which is in the central

will get a panoply of answers: Hollywood, the Pacific, liberal politicians,

part of the state. After crossing the city limits, I drove for two and a half

earthquakes, sunshine, fruits and vegetables, surfers, water wars; the

hours at 65 mph and didn’t see a single car, not a single person. The only

list goes on.

signs of what you might call civilization were power lines—straight as a ruler—stretching across open land until they vanished.

What you hear less often is what most of it is: open space. And that open space, that sparsity of humanity, breeds a mindset. Independence

That kind of emptiness can be both disconcerting and redemptive.

is part of the mindset. Live in the great open spaces for a while and one

Disconcerting because when things go wrong, there is no easy fix. The

can’t help but adopt a sense of independence. If there is no one else

land is as dispassionate as the sky. And with an overheated car or empty

around to depend on, what are you going to do? Finding your own way is

gas tank, one can get pretty lonely long before any kind of help might

a prerequisite to getting by.

amble over the horizon.

A visceral connection to the land is another mark of a Western

That being said, the vastness can bring with it the flush of redemption,

mindset. Land dominates every aspect of living in the West. It brings

even exhilaration. To be a speck on that Western horizon is to experience

forth food in enormous quantities, and maybe more importantly, holds the

the world in its simplest and purest form. To feel small and unnoticed in

water crucial to that food and our existence deep within its belly.

such a world is also to marvel at its evolutionary longevity. Back in Bozeman is the Museum of the Rockies. Hidden among the enormous skeletons and dioramas is a fun little fact: The dinosaurs

There is also a spiritual component to the land that is more difficult to explain. Maybe the best way to frame it is this: If you feel it, you feel it. And if you don’t feel it, it takes some time to find it.

FALL 2026-2027 | sunvalleymag.com

SVM_F26_Feature_Land&Sky.indd 75

9/14/26 6:26 PM

sunvalleymag.com | FALL 2026-2027

SVM_F26_Feature_Land&Sky.indd 76

9/14/26 6:26 PM

I spent many years guiding people down rivers in the West. Those people were often from the cities, particularly East Coast cities. Many were uneasy with the ruggedness of the land, the wildness, the bigness of the place, and, perhaps most bewildering to them, that there is often little control to be had. In many ways, civilized society measures its success by its degree of control: control of environment, social behavior, economic systems, sometimes even thought. Control is something we are taught to strive for, and, ultimately, to have. But I’m not sure control is the equilibrium toward which the natural world actually trends. We learned early in our lives, probably in high school chemistry, that the entropy of an isolated system—which is what we live in—always increases. In other words, over time, order loses, disorder wins, every time. In the history of science, no one has ever found an exception.

‘‘

the vastness can bring with it the flush of redemption, even exhilaration.” Back to the river. What I found was that after a few days in the wild, in places where other forces often control the day’s events, our guests

slowly began to feel the exhilaration of letting go, of sensing the power and comfort of something bigger. Before my eyes, they would let free the idea of control and let the natural world and all of its unpredictability wash over them. Sounds trite, but it was a phenomenon to behold. The cliché goes that barbed wire tamed the West. Maybe it tamed the horses and cows, but not the land. It’s as big and unruly as ever. And I’m grateful for that because great expanse is a luxury. I can imagine those before us, Native Americans and later pioneers, traversing a land with seemingly no limit. As they passed over vast ridges, more and more land and sky unfolded before them. Who wouldn’t want to keep going? Wouldn’t you want to see what was on the other side? Of course, there was an end to it, but they didn’t know that. For their practical purposes, and to some extent ours, it’s a thirst that can’t be quenched. That kind of thirst gets in your soul and, if you’re lucky, never leaves. ï FALL 2026-2027 | sunvalleymag.com

SVM_F26_Feature_Land&Sky.indd 77

9/14/26 6:26 PM

HOME+DESIGN

sunvalleymag.com | FALL 2026-2027

SVM_F26_Feature_DreamHome2_DotyGillman.indd 78

9/14/26 6:52 PM

Theater of

SHADOWS Finding East Fork Calm W O R D S H AY D E N S E D E R

PHOTOS GABE BORDER

nlike many homes built in the Wood River Valley in which the focus is on taking in the surrounding views and the home itself takes a back seat to the landscape, this 4,910-square-foot home in East Fork is the main event, with a unique central courtyard

feature, four distinct and parallel gable forms, and a number of visual surprises.

FALL 2026-2027 | sunvalleymag.com

SVM_F26_Feature_DreamHome2_DotyGillman.indd 79

9/14/26 6:52 PM

“

While the home is simple in nature, the closer you look, the better it gets.” —MIKE DOT Y, ARCHITECT

Architect Doty’s design incorporates two gabled roof forms that are connected by a central courtyard.

sunvalleymag.com | FALL 2026-2027

SVM_F26_Feature_DreamHome2_DotyGillman.indd 80

9/14/26 6:52 PM

FALL 2026-2027 | sunvalleymag.com

SVM_F26_Feature_DreamHome2_DotyGillman.indd 81

9/14/26 6:52 PM

sunvalleymag.com | FALL 2026-2027

SVM_F26_Feature_DreamHome2_DotyGillman.indd 82

9/14/26 6:52 PM

The design of any home project is dependent on the topography of the land it’s to be built

ARCHITECT MICHAEL DOT Y

on, and for this project, rather than bulldoze and level off the 1.5-acre plot, architect Mike Doty

BUILDER LEE GILMAN BUILDERS

three feet below grade—allowing for natural privacy as opposed to berms or wall construction.

INTERIOR DESIGNER JENNIFER GOITIANDIA

decided to work with it, building the home in what’s almost a sunken portion of the plot—about On the other side, the house comes to grade. One of the most prominent features of the home is the central courtyard, on which the entire home is focused. The courtyard falls between the gabled roof forms, which sit over the main living area and

L ANDSCAPE ARCHITECT & INSTALL ATION S U N VA L L E Y G A R D E N C E N T E R

the three bedrooms, providing high-volume spaces in the home’s main areas and flat-roofed

ENGINEERS K&S STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING & GALENA BENCHMARK CIVIL ENGINEERS

two gabled roof forms, a steel trellis was added, the slats of which create playful shadows

areas over secondary spaces like the garage, laundry room, and den. To visually connect the across the courtyard, as do other steel trellises that provide cover over the other various outdoor spaces, or “microclimates,” as Doty refers to them.

The gabled roof design provides for a voluminous great room. At right, steel trellises over outdoor spaces create playful shadows throughout the day.

“I think when you’re living in the house, you can almost tell the time of day by where the shadows are being cast,” he says. From the street, the home has a low profile. In the afternoon light, shadows through the trellis slats make the exterior look like a log cabin. The home’s various outdoor spaces offer various levels of exposure or shade depending on the time of day. The home’s four roof gables help with this, with the large primary gable extending over 13 feet to the north of the living room to provide a covered outdoor living space connected to the interior through large, glazed doors and an interior/exterior double-sided fireplace. To the west, a steel trellis provides shade and cover to an outdoor cooking area, and

FALL 2026-2027 | sunvalleymag.com

SVM_F26_Feature_DreamHome2_DotyGillman.indd 83

9/14/26 6:52 PM

T HE DE TAIL S CABINETRY GILMAN ENTERPRISES LIGHTING DESIGN LIGHTPL AN

to the east lies the courtyard, complete with landscaping, outdoor dining and lounge areas, and a fire pit in an alcove that opens to a hot tub deck and large backyard lawn area. For homeowner Leslie Benz, simplicity was key. “I wanted a simple roof, simple materials, simple layout,” she says. With both her children grown and with families of their own, she

ROOFING W E S T E RN S TAT E S

didn’t need much more than the home’s three-bedroom footprint. When she does have

ME TA L ROOF ING S TA NDING SE A M MILEY ROOFING

to and across the courtyard.

ARCHITECTURAL STEEL D-S WA NER W EL DING

thoughtful details throughout and refined craftsmanship. For instance, the siding of the flat

WINDOWS AND DOORS: W E AT HE RSHIE L D V UE

parts, creating a clear distinction and contrast. Metal around the windows creates a kind

visitors, the home opens up and allows for connection quite easily, through the sliding doors While the home is simple in nature, “the closer you look, the better it gets,” says Doty, with roof portions of the home are lighter in tone than the dark horizontal siding of the gabled

SIDING DE LTA MIL LW ORK S

of picture frame effect, giving the exterior more texture and three-dimensionality. Another

HARDWARE ROCK Y MOUN TA IN H A RD WA RE

hillside beyond.

subtle, accidental detail, is the slope of the roofline almost perfectly matching the pitch of the

sunvalleymag.com | FALL 2026-2027

SVM_F26_Feature_DreamHome2_DotyGillman.indd 84

9/14/26 6:52 PM

For the interior of the home, Benz called on longtime friend and interior designer Jennifer Goitiandia, with whom Benz shares a similar style and affinity for natural materials. Working from inspirational photos, Goitiandia took Benz’s vision and had fun with it, using her knowledge of Benz’s style to provide her with just a few choices. “Leslie’s a great client because she knows what she wants and appreciates someone doing the groundwork for her,” says Goitiandia. The result is a home with a mix of natural materials, like oak wood floors and American clay walls; natural, organic patterns; and the use of blues, greens, browns, and creams. Goitiandia has certain vendors she uses outside the Valley, but she loves to source locally as much as possible, from businesses including Topnotch, Stuhlbergs, Red Door, and Good Riddance for antiques. The end result is just as Benz envisioned: simple. “It’s just the vibe I was looking for—it’s very calm,” she says. “It’s easy to have people over, it’s easy to be quiet, it’s easy to have little kids running around in the back yard; it just has a good feel to it. It’s definitely not the biggest house in the Valley, but it’s exactly what I wanted.” 

FALL 2026-2027 | sunvalleymag.com

SVM_F26_Feature_DreamHome2_DotyGillman.indd 85

9/14/26 6:52 PM

River Camp RETREAT Historic charm and mountain views W O R D S K AT E H U L L

PHOTOS ADAM ROUSE

sunvalleymag.com | FALL 2026-2027

SVM_F26_Feature_DreamHome4_Conrad.indd 86

9/15/26 4:42 PM

ucked away in a dense forest near the Big Wood River in West

Perfect for sitting and drinking a cup of coffee or relaxing and unwinding

Ketchum, you might not notice the striking stone-clad home,

after a day in the great outdoors. Customized elements like hydronic

known as River Camp, nestled beyond the trees. Expertly crafted

radiant floor heating, a second-level fireplace and viewing patio, and a

to emerge naturally from the landscape, the project’s team intended for

spectacular skylight that invites the night sky in turn the space into a

this mammoth architectural feat to be as subtle as it is grand.

true mountain getaway.

The property combines the charm and nostalgia of historic fishing

“One of the most striking elements is the panoramic views,” says Paul

lodges and the intimate connection with the natural world with all the

Conrad, of Conrad Brothers Construction. “The 45-foot-wide sliding

comforts of modern luxury to create a home that is timeless and rooted

glass wall, which opens from floor to ceiling, creates an uninterrupted

in its surroundings.

connection to the spectacular surrounding mountains. It was an

And while its size gives enough room to roam and then some, each detail invites a cozy energy that feels understated and purposeful.

important design feature that brought the landscape into the heart of the home.”

River Camp encompasses just over 10,500 square feet, including a

River Camp was designed by Zac Rockett and team at RO Rockett

1,450-square-foot garage, five bedrooms, an office, and six and a half

Design, a full-service architecture and design firm based in Los Angeles,

bathrooms inside the four interconnected sleeping lodges.

San Francisco, and Aspen, alongside the team at Conrad Brothers

“The setting is extraordinary,” says Brooke Seidl, a project engineer

Construction. While this was the first project for Rockett in the Wood

with Conrad Brothers Constructions. “The home is dramatically

River Valley, he quickly understood the pull to call the Ketchum area home.

removed from the street, approached by a gated drive that winds through the landscape toward the river and the base of the mountain.” Each space is connected by light-filled wood and glass walkways, with the central living space and kitchen as the heartbeat of the space.

“We have spent a lot of time in other mountain towns over the years, and Ketchum has this unique character that just feels different from others,” he says. “Ketchum has a quality that is a little more down to earth and also sophisticated.”

FALL 2026-2027 | sunvalleymag.com

SVM_F26_Feature_DreamHome4_Conrad.indd 87

9/14/26 8:58 PM

sunvalleymag.com | FALL 2026-2027

SVM_F26_Feature_DreamHome4_Conrad.indd 88

9/14/26 8:58 PM

ARCHITECT RO ROCKE T T DESIGN BUILDER CONRAD BROTHERS CONSTRUCTION INTERIOR DESIGNER F I V E S TA R K I T CHE N A ND B AT H LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT A ND INS TA L L AT ION WEBB L ANDSCAPE

The Rocket design team employed white oak throughout the house to provide a warm and light ambiance.

FALL 2026-2027 | sunvalleymag.com

SVM_F26_Feature_DreamHome4_Conrad.indd 89

9/14/26 8:58 PM

Rockett was able to weave this juxtaposition of sophistication and

Seidl explained that the materials, like full-depth Montana stone

laid-back approach into the design with simple, neutral palettes and

walls, Belgian oak, Moroccan stone flooring, and clean, elegant finishes,

materials with modern touches. The river-adjacent home is anchored

created a warmth and permanence.

by a great room with three guest retreats extending into the scenic

“The materials were selected to feel natural and timeless, allowing

landscape. Light wood finishes complement large-scale rooms that

the architecture to complement rather than compete with its dramatic

invite ample light no matter the season, highlighting the surroundings

setting,” she says.

and creating a calm, serene interior.

For Rockett and his team, achieving this meant spending ample

The kitchen, which is connected to the great room, is set in front of a

time researching the site and the complexity of being in a floodplain.

wood wall with a secondary kitchen on the other side, giving residents a

Teamwork was a driving force behind each step, which culminated in a

seamless entertaining space.

four-year project from start to finish.

“It is entirely stone on the outside of the building,” Rockett says. “This

“The incredible teamwork and shared vision among everyone involved

is in response to it being in this rugged landscape and in the floodplain.

were essential to bringing the home to fruition,” says Conrad. “Our

We really wanted to think about durability and the potential for a bit of

like-minded approach and close collaboration throughout the project

a harsh environment.”

allowed us to work through the details together and ultimately transform

The answer? Limiting the materials that were used and interconnecting stone, steel, and glass with wood. “We complemented the stone with something a bit softer on the

the blueprints into a finished home that exceeded expectations.” The result? A Sun Valley oasis sure to stand the test of time in both style and design. ï

interior,” he says. “The inside features this white oak that is very bright and creates a very warm space. The outside can handle the harsh realities of the climate. The inside is softer and warmer.”

sunvalleymag.com | FALL 2026-2027

SVM_F26_Feature_DreamHome4_Conrad.indd 90

9/14/26 8:58 PM

T HE DE TAIL S FLOORING STROMBERG MOORE CABINETRY T AY L O R W O O D W O R K S FINISH CARPENTRY MADERA ROOFING ELITE ROOFING & CONSTRUCTION WINDOWS PANOR AMAH! TILE RIVER BUILDING GROUP HARDWARE ROCK Y MOUN TA IN H A RD WA RE DOORS: FSB

FALL 2026-2027 | sunvalleymag.com

SVM_F26_Feature_DreamHome4_Conrad.indd 91

9/14/26 8:58 PM

Haven at Corral Creek AN ELEVATED FARMHOUSE FOR GRAND GATHERINGS AND COZY NIGHTS PHOTOS HEIDI LONG

PHOTO CREDITS

W O R D S K AT E H U L L

sunvalleymag.com | FALL 2026-2027

anet Jarvis, the principal and founder of The Jarvis Group, has designed homes across the globe for all tastes and aesthetics, all with a timeless touch. But when it comes to homes in Sun Valley, her Idaho roots shine bright. “I grew up on a ranch in Idaho,” she says. “Idaho is my roots, and

that is what I think is the most important when designing here—we are creating architecture that fits in Idaho and doesn’t feel like it belongs in Newport Beach. Whether it is traditional or modern, it is meant to speak about the place.” When it came to the Corral Creek home in the White Clouds area of Sun Valley, Jarvis helped the owner, who wished to remain anonymous, find the ideal lot, combing through every inch of two potentials in all

ARCHITECT JANE T JARVIS PROJECT ARCHITECT LUCAS WINTE BUILDER IDA HO MOUN TA IN BUIL DE RS JOE MARX, TIM CARTER INTERIOR DESIGNERS STUDIO BODEN: ERIK A BL ANK AND ROSEMARY SPILLER LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT C H A S E G O U L AY

times of day for ideal light. Jarvis and team leaned into the client’s deep love of the Wood River Valley, skiing and recreating in the mountains, and all that makes this region of Idaho shine to create a home that’s meant as much for activity as it is for relaxing.

FALL 2026-2027 | sunvalleymag.com

‘‘

We created the aesthetic of clean and simple in terms of “structure, that also can withstand the extreme snow loads. The simplicity of forms is what the owners were drawn to.” —ANE T JARVIS, ARCHITECT

sunvalleymag.com | FALL 2026-2027

he owners, who enjoy everything from yurt ski trips to hiking and biking, also welcome family each summer and needed room to roam, store their gear, and find solace. The result? A stunning stone and reclaimed-wood-clad

home with elevated farmhouse interiors, clean lines, and simple yet exquisite design perfect for gathering family, friends, and beyond, or tucking in for a simple, cozy night. Tim Carter and Joe Marx, co-owners of Idaho Mountain Builders for the past 22 years, were the duo behind the 6,500-square-foot home, which also includes a two-car garage, a shed, and a sport court for any sports lover’s ideal gear space. “These are really complex projects,” Carter says. “I’m really thankful for (the) team we had to build this home; a lot of the relationships are ones we’ve built over years of being in business.”

“This project took such collective care, and that’s what made it a successful build from the client, architect, and engineer, to the masons

one of Janet’s impressive skills is hiding mass within the roofline of the house. It is a really striking character of Janet Jarvis’ designs.”

and sheetrockers, all the way down the chain,” Marx says. “Janet also has

This feature is visible in the structure of the home that has aspects

lots of history working in this community, and the impact of her incred-

of interest without overcomplicating the roofline, Jarvis explains. “We

ible work can be seen through all she does.”

created the aesthetic of clean and simple in terms of structure, that also

The home is tucked away with views of Trail Creek and surrounded by ample light that is also expertly shaded during the afternoon sun, inviting

can withstand the extreme snow loads. The simplicity of forms is what the owners were drawn to.”

guests to sit outside on the patio space and into the night. “The sun angle

Inside, the space is open yet cozy. “Everything is about scale and

and the amount of winter sun they get across the golf course was really

proportion,” Jarvis says. Vaulted ceilings and neutral palettes open the

important,” Jarvis says. “I like houses that have light all year round.”

living room and dining space, with large-scale steel windows showcas-

The exterior features a combination of modern aesthetics with

ing the views. The kitchen, tucked away behind the living space with a

reclaimed materials. Muddy Creek stone was hand-selected from east-

partially open wall, is anchored by a textured concrete island counter-

ern Montana in addition to reclaimed wood. “The texture of the stone

top from Bozeman.

bridges the gap between the natural surroundings,” Marx says. “And FALL 2026-2027 | sunvalleymag.com

sunvalleymag.com | FALL 2026-2027

T HE DE TAIL S CABINETRY KETCHUM KUSTOM WOODWORKS SIDING MON TA N A RECL A IME D T IMBE R ROOFING MILEY ROOFING STONEWORK PRECISION MASONRY WINDOWS LOEWEN HARDWARE ROCK Y MOUN TA IN H A RD WA RE ME TA LWORK RE D S TA R IRON W ORK S S TAIR R AIL ING BOZO CARDOZO TILE NICHOLS AND CO.

FALL 2026-2027 | sunvalleymag.com

localbuzz // article name

sunvalleymag.com | FALL 2026-2027

“We made the windows on the kitchen sink open up to the patio with a seating space so they can pass food back and forth and have people sit at the kitchen window,” Jarvis says. The home has room to host, whether for a holiday gathering or a big family reunion, with bunk rooms, a game space, and nooks and crannies for guests to enjoy, but is also perfectly designed for a smaller, intimate evening in. “The master suite and the game room are presented as not separate buildings, but separate spaces from the outside. It blocks any dominating facades,” Marx says. The star of the Corral Creek home is no doubt in the details, like vertical wood paneling that gives an elevated farmhouse aesthetic; deep, rich hues that create a moody game room appeal for late-night fun; and a beautifully crafted staircase that both Marx and Carter lovingly called, “the work of a mad scientist.” “The craftmanship of the stair railing was done by a local woodworker named Bozo Cardozo, a local heli-ski guide and woodworker,”

Carter

says.

“The

way the complex railing came together and to get it to meet the standards required an excellent craftsman and mathematician.” The stone walkway and pristine landscaping welcome visitors inside the space. Nearby, a patio, fireplace, and barbecue space keep outdoor access ample all year. From each finite detail and beyond, Corral Creek invites all to come, gather, and find respite after a day in the mountains. ï

A Sun Valley

Homecoming VINTAGE ALPINE SOUL REIMAGINED FOR MODERN LIVING. W O R D S K AT E H U L L

100

PHOTOS GABE BORDER

sunvalleymag.com | FALL 2026-2027

ARCHITECT F A R M E R P AY N E A R C H I T E C T S , S C O T T P AY N E BUILDER MAGLEBY CONSTRUCTION LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT GARDENSPACE DESIGN; DEAN HERNANDEZ INTERIOR DESIGN STUDIO H DESIGN GROUP

hen Scott Payne of Farmer Payne Architects began

Heckmann joked with the team at Farmer Payne that he hoped the

working with Katy and Brock Heckmann to design their

build and design would be so incredible that his wife Katy would want to

home in the Dollar Mountain neighborhood, the project

call the Wood River Valley their home. Now, they do. Whether its cousin

quickly became a special one. Heckmann grew up play-

time in the bunk room, barbecues at the heated outdoor patio, or watch-

ing in the pasture that would become the neighborhood, and his mother

ing Sun Valley from their large-scale, fishbowl windows, the house has

lives just across the street. While they began building a vacation getaway,

become their home.

the wheels were set in motion for the home to become a forever home. “When we started seeing the views and got a feeling for what the house was going to be like, we just fell in love with it,” says Heckmann,

But beyond the deep roots in Sun Valley, nearby familial ties, and the love of mountain living, the team also felt an extra sense of pride in creating a structure worthy of celebrating.

who was born in Sun Valley but lived in San Diego with his family at the

“This is one of the more visible homes we have ever worked on,” says

start of the project. “Now, I keep falling in love with it more and more

Aaron Belzer, an associate with Farmer Payne Architects and the direc-

every day.”

tor of design. “You can see the home from Dollar Mountain where all the

FALL 2026-2027 | sunvalleymag.com

101

102

sunvalleymag.com | FALL 2026-2027

kids learn to ski. It is such a fun thing to get to continue to experience

ened steel, and tumbled native stone create a rich, tactile composition,

the home from that view. Having this home in a promote spot, we felt a

all of which will weather well over time.

responsibility to the Sun Valley area in some ways.” The result? A 5,000-square-foot space tucked discreetly into the hillside, effortlessly complementing the surroundings, thanks to a flat green roof that integrates the terrain, a natural palette of interiors, and thoughtful design at every angle. “Brock and Katy wanted a mountain modern look,” says Scott Payne. “They loved the idea of making a timeless piece of architecture, which means the proportions are right and the materials are right and real natural materials.” To accomplish this, Farmer Payne utilized materials with authentic-

As one approaches the home, the first floor is set down 3 feet from the street level, creating an intimate experience that welcomes guests with a “wow factor” amplified by the views from the interior. “The way Farmer Payne set the house on the land was so precise with the views,” says Kelly Hinchman, the founder and design principal of Studio H Design Group. “It really feels like it grew out of the land. That led to taking advantage of those incredible views.” Brock envisioned a space that encapsulated the feeling of being in a historic ski lodge, and Katy brought an elevated California modern vibe that blended into a contemporary mountain home.

ity and longevity in mind: dark-hewn siding, re-sawn Douglas fir, blackFALL 2026-2027 | sunvalleymag.com

103

104

sunvalleymag.com | FALL 2065-2027

T HE DE TAIL S FLOORING DUCH AT E AU CABINE TRY CHAPEL HILL CABINE TRY LIGHTING DESIGN F PA AND ST UDIO H DESIGN FINISH CARPENTRY MAGLEBY ROOFING BRYER CO PINE BRONZE S TA NDING SE A M STONEWORK TUMBLED CHIEF CLIFF BY SELECT STONE ENGINEERS: GEOTECH S T E V E BU T L E R & A S SOCI AT E S; STRUCTURAL: LIV JENSEN ENGINEERING HARDWARE ROCK Y MOUN TA IN H A RDWA RE

FALL 2026-2027 | sunvalleymag.com

105

Bringing wood into the kitchen cabinetry, combined with black soapstone countertops and a neutral palette inspired by nature, helps balance the home within the surrounding landscape.

“The vision was an all-weather mountain home,” Hinchman says.

“We knew that our footprint had to be pretty compact,” Belzer

“It feels light in the winter and not too heavy with the furnishings for

says. “Our most private space lent itself to being by a public space: the

summer months. The color palette is more neutral, but we wanted to use

entryway. The bedroom and the entryway share a wall, but the material

landscape colors to add depth.”

ensures they feel very private.”

A deep green sofa alongside two lush swivel chairs gives a nod to

For Katy, the view from the living room’s large-scale windows is what

shades in the surrounding views. Pops of color that evoke a mountain

sets the space apart. “When you sit in that space, no matter the season,

sunset add balance to the landscape rather than contrast.

and have your coffee in, whether it’s watching golfers or people on the

“We played with a lot of neutrals with punches of color alongside golds and black,” she continues. “They have a bit of a modern edge.”

path Nordic skiing, it feels really special.” “We can watch a storm roll in facing the mountain,” Brock adds.

The living room has vaulted ceilings before dropping down in the

Whether it’s Belzer and his family seeing the home from atop Dollar

kitchen area. The bar area and pantry to the left of the kitchen can be closed

Mountain, Brock and his daughter listening to the symphony from their

off, creating an open functionality with hidden pockets for entertaining.

backyard while they play baseball, or cousins stopping by to say hi, the

The use of Tumbled Chief Cliff stones by Select Stone extends from the outside to the interior, including an iconic bedroom wall that wraps around into the main bedroom.

106

sunvalleymag.com | FALL 2026-2027

Skyline Drive home has deepened roots for everyone involved. ï

FALL 2026-2027 | sunvalleymag.com

107

PHOTO CREDITS

108

sunvalleymag.com | FALL 2026-2027

ARCHITECT MIKE BRUNELLE BUILDER S U N VA L L E Y C U S T O M B U I L D E R S LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT N AT H A N SCHU T T E INTERIOR DESIGN STUDIO BODEN

View From the Top Design integrated with landscape W O R D S H AY D E N S E D E R

PHOTOS JOSHUA WELLS

ost custom-built homes in the Sun Valley area are centered on one thing: the views. Whether it’s the position of the home, the size of the windows, or the creation of outdoor spaces, design elements that allow

for unobstructed views of some of the area’s many beautiful peaks often play a large role. For this Lemhi Drive property, located within the Indian Creek neighborhood in Hailey, the elevated site provided the awe-inspiring views that the owners were looking for—but with a catch. The property’s location in a mountain overlay zoning district meant extremely strict regulations around the build, particularly in the home remaining unseen from Indian Creek Road and the highway. The result is a two-story mountain contemporary home with a reverse floorplan, nestled into the hillside. When architect Mike Brunelle met with the owners on the property, their discussion focused on how to take in the amazing 360-degree views from the site, ultimately the most important thing to the couple. “The location of the site was so unique that I really felt we had to find someone who could see a vision for that, because I don’t know that I saw it,” says one of the homeowners, who wished not to be identified. “I couldn’t tell you what I wanted there, but I knew it was a special spot. When I spoke with Mike and talked to him about the kind of home we wanted, I asked if he had it pictured in his head. He said, ‘I did the minute I stepped on the site.’ I fell in love with that answer.” Mountain overlay districts are created to preserve the natural character and aesthetic value of hillsides and mountains in Blaine County, as well as protect the natural environment. This meant not only getting county and Indian Creek HOA approval but also coming up with a design with minimal site disturbance and hillside visibility. Limiting the home’s visibility from the road meant Brunelle had to convince the county and the homeowners that rather than a single-story home, a two-story would work better with the terraced topography. The home has a “reverse floorplan,” where the living areas are on the top floor, with the bedrooms beneath. The home only houses two people, so a manageable size was important, though the homeowners also wanted the ability to entertain small and large groups of friends. FALL 2026-2027 | sunvalleymag.com

109

Expansive windows and a huge “party deck” with step-up bars/railings surrounding a firepit, pizza oven, and spit allow for entertainment spaces that bring the outdoors in. “I personally have never lived in a home where I have so many options of viewpoints,” says one of the homeowners. One of the more unique features of the home, and one becoming more popular in custom-built homes in the area, is the potential for adding an elevator in the future (the home currently has stairs). The homeowners were originally set on single-story living to avoid having to navigate stairs in the event of injury or as they age in the home. The incorporation of the outdoor environment extends to the inside, where the homeowners wanted natural colors and elements with small pops of color. Exposed timber and steel beams, natural stonework, warm wood ceilings, and expansive windows allowing in natural light provide a backdrop of natural elements that feel right at home in a design so incorporated into the surrounding outdoor environment. Interior designers Erika Blank and Rosemary Spiller of Studio Boden say the owners were drawn to natural materials, rich wood tones, stone, leather, and soft, textured fabrics to create a warm, welcoming, and timeless environment that would feel appropriate in a mountain setting. “One of our biggest goals was creating a home that felt connected to the landscape,” says Blank. “With views in nearly every room, we kept the palette grounded in earth neutrals with subtle greens, warm browns, and soft creams, so nothing competed with what was happening outside.” Small details throughout the home pop against the mostly natural tones, from an orange footrest to the art on the walls to aqua bathroom tiles. Creating a home where the design, build, materials, and interior blend seamlessly is a collaborative effort, and in this case, Studio Boden, Brunelle, the homeowners, and Sun Valley Custom Builders made every effort to work closely throughout the building process to achieve this. “We worked closely to ensure the interior felt like a natural extension of the architecture rather than something layered on afterward,” says Spiller. “Everyone shared the same goal of creating a home that felt authentic to its setting.” The homeowners moved into the new space in December 2025, though it was only when they had to evacuate the home due to the threat of wildfire in July 2026 that they realized just how much they’d come to love their new space. One of the homeowners described talking to her son while she was displaced from the home, who consoled her by reminding her that if the home burned down, she could build again and fix anything that she didn’t like. “I realized when he said that that there isn’t anything that I would change,” she says. “It’s only been six months, and no home is perfect, but I feel we got exactly what we wanted. It’s perfect for the two of us.” ï

Studio Boden designers created the warm and inviting feeling throughout the home using natural hues and materials and elements infused with intentional pops of color.

110

sunvalleymag.com | FALL 2026-2027

T HE DE TAIL S L A NDSC A PE INS TA L L AT ION H I G H E L E VA T I O N L A N D S C A P E S FLOORING: STROMBERG MOORE CABINETRY CHAPEL HILL CABINE TS FINISH CARPENTRY S U N VA L L E Y C U S T O M H O M E S ROOFING MILEY ROOFING WINDOWS SIERR A PACIFIC, VIEWPOINT WINDOWS SIDING HEWN ENGINEERS MAXWELL DESIGN STUDIO HARDWARE ROCK Y MOUN TA IN H A RD WA RE GREEN BUIL DING F E AT URE S JOHN REUTER GREENWORKS

FALL 2026-2027 | sunvalleymag.com

111

Revamping Space The Glow Up Edition... BY CRISTY SELLAS

Home renovation plans are often slippery slopes. What starts as a simple “aesthetic update” can turn into much more. Such was the case for Ian Sundby and the team at Lloyd Construction in their collaboration to modernize a somewhat dated space. Beyond the décor and design, the owners wanted to maximize their space based on their family’s intended use. They hoped to 112

sunvalleymag.com | FALL 2026-2027

BEFORE PHOTOS: TORY TAGLIO; ATF TER PHOTOS: MIKE SCHIRF

before+after

FALL 2026-2027 | sunvalleymag.com

113

before+after // recreating home

revamp the primary suite and better utilize spaces that could be multifunctional, such as the den also serving as a guest room and opening up the family room, dining room and kitchen to become a much more family friendly great room plan. Due to existing space and infrastructure, the scope of the project grew, and communication between owners, builders and design team became paramount. The construction team took opportunities to improve building assemblies’ best practices with materials and methods that would stand the test of time and meet the design considerations of the team, including rainscreen wall construction, thermally modif ied exterior cladding, f ire/rot resistant materials and low maintenance options. Elizabeth Ellis from Ellis Interior Design and her team dubbed the aesthetic of this project “Southwest Japandi” combining Southwest warmth and texture with the restrained, minimal qualities of Japanese and Scandinavian design. This was perfect for the homeowners from Albuquerque, New Mexico, who wanted their Ketchum home to ref lect some of the warmth, organic materials, and simplicity they love about the Southwest. The material palette included plaster walls, natural stone tile and countertops, and white oak f looring and cabinetry. The furniture and lighting choices were kept equally minimal and organic. Ellis continued the clean quiet aesthetic with integrated f inger pulls instead of classic cabinet hardware and creative functionality, including a Murphy bed in the f lex room with pull out nightstand shelves. The laundry appliances are elevated, and the laundry room includes integrated pull-out hampers and hamper platforms designed to make loading easier. ï

114

sunvalleymag.com | FALL 2026-2027

AFTER

BEFORE PHOTOS: TORY TAGLIO; ATF TER PHOTOS: MIKE SCHIRF

BEFORE

A special advertising section

HOME+DESIGN

spotlight

DESIGN CREDIT: SCAPE DESIGN

spotlight on: Fireplace Outfitters Since purchasing Fireplace Outfitters 4½ years ago, Ben Carney and Joe Atkin have focused on building a team known for expertise, exceptional service and attention to detail. With more than 50 years of combined industry experience, the Fireplace Outfitters team brings extensive product knowledge to every project. For Ben, great service means more than simply delivering a great product—it means going above and beyond to provide every client with an exceptional experience. The Fireplace Outfitters team takes pride in being punctual, clean and dependable. Whether they’re servicing an existing fireplace or installing one in a new home, they pay attention to the details—and go the extra mile to get the job done right. Their employees are known for spotless work and for providing extra levels of service at no additional cost, whether that’s painting a tarnished burner or building a custom pilot hood to improve performance. For their contractor partners, that also means understanding the schedule and doing their part to keep the project moving – they never want to be a subcontractor that holds up a project.

Ben Carney Owner 515 River Street Hailey, ID 83333 208-578-2184 www.fireplaceoutfitters.com

With products from more than 50 leading brands, Fireplace Outfitters isn’t limited to only a handful of options. They can help you find the right combination of design and performance for your home—from fireplaces and stoves to hot tubs, saunas and outdoor living. The Fireplace Outfitters team take pride in what they do. Ben loves seeing the result of hard work and collaboration. He believes the Wood River Valley has some of the best contractors out there and their work truly highlights the quality of the products Fireplace Outfitters sells. Ben and his team are encouraged daily by the slew of positive comments they receive from their customers and clients. Fireplace Outfitters is definitely a “one stop shop” for premium fireplaces, spas and outdoor spaces that make a statement.

From the Ashes Recreating a home in Warm Springs B Y A D A M TA N O U S

n Saturday, Sept. 3, 2022, the Limelight condominium complex on Warm Springs Road in Ketchum was filled with a mix of part- and full-time residents enjoying a summer evening over the Labor Day weekend. When a propane grill reportedly caught fire, the two-story complex was rapidly consumed with flames, destroying 26 units. Remarkably, no one was injured. Then began the long process of insurance investigations, zoning debates, and rebuilding. Hollis Partners Architects of Ketchum designed a new complex, while Conrad Brothers Construction took on the role of general contractor for the project. With a new structure in place, the individual owners of the 26 condos went about recreating their homes with the help of interior designers. Sarah Latham and her team at L Interiors took on one such rebuild, naming it Nordic Haus. Sophia Deming , studio manager at L Interiors, explained that the owners of what would become Nordic Haus wanted to create a personal ski condo with a European aesthetic, 116

sunvalleymag.com | FALL 2026-2027

blending Bavarian and Mountain West styles. To achieve the look, the team used warm, neutral, and organic colors for the hard finishes and trickled in plaids and playful colors with the rugs, furniture and draperies. A herringbone wood floor and decorative lighting added a sophisticated finish to the unit. Sarah Latham, principal designer at L Interiors, described her experience with the Nordic Haus project this way: “After meeting the client and hearing their story, I felt deeply committed to helping recreate not simply the home they had lost, but the feeling of it. They described walking through the front door of their former condo as feeling ‘like a hug,’ and that became such a meaningful part of our design direction. Having come very close to losing my own home to wildfire this past summer, I understood in a very personal way the emotional toll that kind of loss can take. Knowing that, through design, we could help bring back that sense of warmth, comfort, and home for their family was incredibly meaningful and truly an honor.” ï

PHOTO COURTESY IDAHO MOUNTAIN E XPRESS, ROL AND L ANE PHOTOGRAPHER

before+after // from the ashes

INTERIOR PHOTOS: HALSE Y PIERCE

FALL 2026-2027 | sunvalleymag.com

117

tradesecrets Color Crush Deep and dramatic yet effortlessly livable, cool slate teal or tones of shifting blue and navy make a striking statement when paired with creamy nuetrals. These layered hues play with contrast and saturation, bringing richness, warmth and a confident jolt of color to any room. 1

118

sunvalleymag.com | FALL 2026-2027

SVM_F26_TradeSecrets.indd 118

9/14/26 8:41 PM

Combat Drought Maximize Water Savings One outdated sprinkler system can waste thousands of gallons yearly. State-of-the-art sprinkler heads & irrigation controllers with moisture sensors and weather-enabled technology help maximize water savings—Up to 60% water savings in the 1st year

Conserving Water One Sprinkler System at a Time

1. Rich deep brown in the pendant light, and rug complement the deep, blue-gray of the slate teal cabinetry designed by Suede Studio.

2. The pattern play in these tiles are on point, exhibiting a range of dusty peacock blues and teal against the calming cream and white of this bath by Suede Studio.

www.ecoirrigate.com

3. Artwork in dusty blues reference colors in other areas of the home—think Benjamin Moore Aegean Teal, Farrow & Ball Inhchyra Blue, or Sherwin-Williams Moody Blue or Still Water. Courtesy Suede Studio. 4. Layering tones helps add visual depth, as seen in the navy and indigo variations in this room designed by Brianna Scott Interiors.

FALL 2026-2027| sunvalleymag.com

SVM_F26_TradeSecrets.indd 119

119

9/14/26 8:41 PM

tradesecrets // natural textures

Earthbound Grounded in nature, earthy hues and tactile textures bring warmth, depth and authenticity indoors. Consider incorporating sun-washed neutrals, raw woods and woven fibers—materials that celebrate imperfection and invite touch. 1

1. Textured wood is complemented by the organic form of the handblown glass chandelier in this dining room by Suede Studio. 2. A n antler chandelier and neutral palette speak to natural forms in this Brianna Scott Interiors room. 3. U sing natural elements in browns and cream—leather, wood, ceramic, linen and horn—help bring an earthbound element to this bedroom by Picket Fence / Studio Boden. 4. A chiseled natural stone backsplash complements the plaster kitchen hood in this Studio Boden design.

5. A stone wall and waterfall chandelier evoking origami shapes helps bring softness to this dining room designed by Suede Studio. 6. L eather, wood and natural earthtoned textures evoke calm in this bedroom by Studio H Design. 7. M ixed metals, stone and rustic wood accents bring nature into this clean kitchen design by Allison Paige Interior Design.

120

sunvalleymag.com | FALL 2026-2027

SVM_F26_TradeSecrets.indd 120

9/14/26 8:41 PM

A special advertising section

HOME+DESIGN

spotlight

spotlight on: Latham Interiors Founded in 2016 by Principal Designer Sarah Latham, Latham Interiors (L Interiors) has become one of the Wood River Valley’s premier full-service interior design studios. Drawing on a multidisciplinary background in architecture, interior design, and fine art, Sarah leads a team dedicated to creating thoughtfully curated spaces through a seamless process that guides each project from initial concept to final installation. The studio offers comprehensive design services that integrate space planning, technical documentation, custom millwork design, architectural renderings, furnishings, lighting, window treatments, and finish selections. By combining technical expertise with artistic vision, Latham Interiors provides clients with exceptional clarity throughout the design process while delivering highly personalized interiors tailored to each home and lifestyle.

Sarah Latham Principal, LEED AP

Known for luxury new construction, extensive renovations, remodels, and fully furnished interiors, the firm serves both residential and commercial clients throughout the Mountain West and beyond. Latham Interiors’ design philosophy balances timeless architecture with contemporary livability, layering natural materials, artisan craftsmanship, and carefully curated furnishings to create spaces that are refined, welcoming, and enduring.

760 N. Washington Ave, Suite 101 Ketchum, ID 83340 208-928-6366 www.linteriors.co

To begin your project, visit the Latham Interiors website to submit a project inquiry and share your vision, goals, and timeline. We look forward to helping you create a home that is both beautifully designed and uniquely your own.

SVM_F26_TradeSecrets.indd 121

9/15/26 11:03 AM

tradesecrets // mood

Mood Shift Dial up the drama. Dark colors have a way of changing the conversation—creating sophisticated spaces that feel intimate, layered and beautifully composed. Inky blues, smoky grays and nuanced browns envelop a room in warmth and atmosphere, proving that deeper palettes can feel every bit as inviting as they are dramatic. 1. A dark powder room with dramatic stone and gold lighting accents by Studio H Design Group. 2. D ark tile with light grout creates drama in a clean kitchen design by Allison Paige Interior Design. 3. R ich, dark color wraps this room by Studio Boden in warmth, creating a cozy space that still feels connected to the landscape outside. 4. D eep, earthy walls create a quiet backdrop, giving this reading corner a cozy relaxing vibe; Studio Boden. 5. S uede Studio used rich wood tones and dark countertops to set the mood in this bathroom. 6. Dark gray surfaces layered in mixed metals and complementary tones adds depth and drama to this minimalist kitchen by Suede Studio.

1 2

122

sunvalleymag.com | FALL 2026-2027

SVM_F26_TradeSecrets.indd 122

9/14/26 8:41 PM

A special advertising section

HOME+DESIGN

spotlight

spotlight on: Studio Boden Studio Boden is a boutique interior design studio in Sun Valley, founded by designers Erika Blank and Rosemary Spiller, and project manager Killarney Loufek, around a shared philosophy: a home should tell the story of the people who live there, not the designer who created it. After working side by side at a local design firm, we discovered a natural creative rhythm and a shared desire to create a more personal, hands-on design experience. Today, we intentionally keep our studio small and selective, allowing our clients to work directly with our lead designers and giving us the opportunity to stay closely involved in every project. Each home we design is a collaboration, not just with our clients, but with architects, builders, craftspeople and landscape designers.

Rosemary Spiller (left) Lead Designer Erika Blank (center) Lead Designer Killarney Loufek (right) Project Manager 511 East Avenue, 2A Ketchum, ID 83340 208-538-1919 www.studioboden.com

SVM_F26_TradeSecrets.indd 123

We specialize in new construction, renovations and full-service interiors. Rather than prescribing a signature “look,” on every project we see every home as the intersection of three things: the architecture, its location, and the personality of the people who live there. Our job is to find the balance between them. A client’s lifestyle, collections, and the way they gather with family and friends all help inform the design. Our process is designed to be accessible, whether clients are local or across the country. Through open communication and a mix of remote and in-person collaboration, we have designed a system that is personal and straightforward. At Studio Boden, successful design is about more than a beautiful photograph. It’s about crafting a home that feels like yours. Because a personal home is a timeless home.

9/14/26 8:41 PM

tradesecrets // stone

Stone Story More than a material, natural stone easily elevates to the level of art. Subtle color variations and richly textured surfaces transform walls, fireplaces, baths and kitchens into striking focal points shaped by nature.

1. T he natural texture of Montana Moss fieldstone stacked in an organic style adds warmth and sculptural richness to an all-white kitchen, furnishings by TopNotch Fine Furnishings and Interior Design.

124

sunvalleymag.com | FALL 2026-2027

SVM_F26_TradeSecrets.indd 124

9/14/26 8:41 PM

PHOTOS : (BOT TOM LEF T TO RIGHT ) MARGARE T ROSE PHOTOGRAPHY, ( TOP RIGHT CORNER) LENA YAREMENKO

A special advertising section

HOME+DESIGN

spotlight

spotlight on: Brianna Scott Interiors At the intersection of livable luxury and boundary-pushing creativity sits Brianna Scott Interiors, a full-service design firm redefining the art of home. Known for crafting deeply personalized, elevated interiors that balance timeless detail with thoughtful functionality. Led by founding designer Brianna Untener, the firm brings a fresh, artistic perspective to each project—whether designing sleek high-rises in Manhattan, refined Hamptons retreats, or cozy Sun Valley chalets. Drawing on formative time spent in Florence’s fashion district, Brianna fuses a fashion flair with modern livability, resulting in spaces that feel both effortless and fresh. The firm’s reach extends across the country from the city skyline of Manhattan to the mountains of Sun Valley where Brianna and her team seamlessly adapt their vision to vastly different landscapes. Urban projects reflect tailored sophistication and spatial ingenuity, while mountain homes lean into texture, warmth, and quiet luxury.

Brianna Untener Founder, Principal Designer 917-426-3617 IG: briannascottinteriors www.briannascottinteriors.com

SVM_F26_TradeSecrets.indd 125

Known for her editorial eye and meticulous detail, Brianna has garnered attention from publications like Architectural Digest, House Beautiful, and Homes & Gardens. Yet beyond the press, it’s her collaborative spirit and unmatched dedication that set her apart. Her firm takes on only a select number of clients each year—ensuring each project receives the highest level of care, customization, and craftsmanship. Whether sourcing locally, internationally, or designing bespoke pieces in-house, Brianna Scott Interiors delivers interior environments that are as inviting as they are striking. For those who crave more than the expected, this is interior design at its most refined—where every space tells a story, and every detail is by design.

9/15/26 4:43 PM

tradesecrets // stone

Stone can quickly become a main focal point or anchoring design element. From quietly honed surfaces to boldly figured slabs, each stone brings its own history, character and enduring sense of place.

1. N atural stone in earth tones brings the landscape into the architecture of this home by Michael Doty Architects. 2. A stone fireplace, wood floors and sage green upholstery bring the outdoors into this living room by Studio H Design Group. 3. T he dramatic veining in this stone walk-in shower by Brianna Scott Interiors adds warmth and movement to the nuetral palette. 4. N atural stone adds richness and texture, becoming the focal point of this entrance hallway by Allison Paige Interior Design. 5. T he texture and visual interest of stone surfaces works in any room. A stone accent wall behind the bed carries the neutral palette of this bedroom by Suede Studio. 6. A stone-clad range wall brings texture and character to this kitchen by Studio Boden, turning a functional surface into a defining design element.

126

sunvalleymag.com | FALL 2026-2027

SVM_F26_TradeSecrets.indd 126

9/14/26 8:41 PM

A special advertising section

HOME+DESIGN

spotlight

spotlight on: Studio H Design Group, Inc. Studio H Design Group creates interiors for those who love the soul of mountain living but want it with a distinctly modern edge. Rooted in a belief that extraordinary homes begin with understanding the people who live in them, Studio H approaches each project as a highly personal collaboration, considering how clients live, entertain, travel, collect, and recharge. The result is a fresh interpretation of luxury mountain design: warm and inviting, yet sophisticated, unexpected, and confidently contemporary. Studio H balances natural materials and a strong sense of place with clean architectural lines, refined details, artful furnishings, and moments of contrast. Every element is considered part of the whole, creating homes that feel cohesive, timeless, and deeply personal.

Kelly Hinchman Design Principal 619-230-5343 www.studioh-int.com

SVM_F26_TradeSecrets.indd 127

Studio H offers a comprehensive approach to residential interiors, bringing together planning, interior design, and project management from the earliest ideas through the final layers of furniture, art, and accessories. The studio’s work encompasses space planning, custom cabinetry, finish and material selections, lighting, furnishings, and detailed design development, allowing the team to shape an interior with consistency from room to room. For Studio H, mountain living is less about a prescribed look and more about a feeling: effortless, elevated, comfortable, and connected to its surroundings. It is mountain living, reimagined from a modern point of view.

9/14/26 8:41 PM

tradesecrets // rounded forms

Curve Appeal Design is softening its edges. Sculptural furniture, rounded walls and gracefully curved stone bring movement and ease to interiors, replacing rigid lines with forms that feel organic, fluid and undeniably inviting. 1

1. W ith a distinctive pattern and playful fringe, these curved-back Libby swivel chairs from Massoud Furniture bring energy and eye candy to any living space; available at Topnotch Fine Furnishings & interior Design. 2. T his après day bed from Azadi Fine Rugs showcases curves and comfort in its sleek design. 3. H igh contrast marble slab from Suede Studio sweeps upward in a dramatic curve into the mirror above. 4. C urves are ergonomic in the case of this contoured desk chair at a built in desk with rounded natural wood bullnose corners by Brianna Scott Interiors. 5. A sculptural countertop vessel basin shows off its curves and smooth polish in this elevated vanity top by Suede Studio.

128

sunvalleymag.com | FALL 2026-2027

SVM_F26_TradeSecrets.indd 128

9/14/26 8:41 PM

A special advertising section

HOME+DESIGN

spotlight

spotlight on: Suede Studio

Ketchum team

Founded in Ketchum by Jennifer Hoey, Suede Studio is a full-service interior design firm with a 22-year legacy across the Mountain West. Fifteen design professionals work from studios in Ketchum, Idaho, and Bozeman, Montana, with a growing presence in Park City, Utah. We protect both the investment and the vision, ensuring every structural detail is drawn accurately, priced honestly, and held strictly to plan from the first blueprint to the final installation. We live, work, and play in these mountains. We know how a home here should perform—and feel, in every season. This deep regional alignment allows us to work shoulder to shoulder with the area’s leading architects and builders, involved from the earliest drawing phases to create spaces unique to each client’s lifestyle.

Bozeman team

Jennifer Hoey, ASID, NCIDQ Founder p. 208.726.1561 suedestudio.com 323 Lewis St., Suite A&B, Ketchum, ID 83340

Known for a signature livable luxury that balances rustic warmth with clean, modern lines, Suede pairs deep technical precision with artful, custom design and true material intelligence. That standard—innovative in its creativity, uncompromising in its execution—has earned Suede recognition as a Mountain Living Top Designer for eight consecutive years, with projects spanning from Sun Valley and Big Sky to Jackson Hole and Deer Valley. “Building a home should be exciting, not stressful,” says Hoey. “We guide every decision with precision and care, so you can focus on your life while we deliver a custom sanctuary built to endure.” — Jennifer Hoey, ASID, NCIDQ — Founder

620 E. Cottonwood St., Suite 102B, Bozeman, MT 59715

SVM_F26_TradeSecrets.indd 129

9/14/26 8:41 PM

tradesecrets // stripes

Line Dance Stripes are having a moment—sometimes subtle, sometimes statement-making. From tailored textiles to bold architectural details, lines bring order and energy to a space, creating visual rhythm with a playful, graphic edge. 1

1. P laids ands stripes in variations of gray feel playful and energetic, while creating a visual flow in this bedroom by Studio Boden / Picket Fence.

3. These boldly striped club chairs bring instant maximalist energy to your living space, available at available at TopNotch Fine Furnishings & Interior Design.

2. S triped ottomans from Massoud at TopNotch serve both as extra seating and footrests, in a striking mix of graphic drama and comfort.

4. S ubtle stripes add just enough pattern and movement to this quiet bedroom by Studio Boden, proving that a classic can still feel fresh.

130

sunvalleymag.com | FALL 2026-2027

SVM_F26_TradeSecrets.indd 130

9/15/26 11:07 AM

Severn Art Services

since 1974

50 YEARSfor 48 Years PictureCELEBRATING Framing & Art Installation Severn Art Services offers custom archival framing, featuring vintage and contemporary P I C Tframes U R EforFfine RAMING &three-dimensional A RT INSTALL ION art, mirrors, and objectsAT of all sizes … Severn Art Services offers custom archival framing, featuring vintage and contemporary Artframes storage andart, professional advisory services for artwork for fine mirrors, and three dimensional objects of all sizesvaluations ... and restoration conservation Art Storage, shipping and advisory … services for artwork valuations, appraisals, conservation and restoration Professional services for indoor and outdoor art installations ... Professional services for indoor and outdoor art installations Severn Art Services is located in Gail Severn Gallery ...

SE VE R N ART SE RVIC E S

S e v e r n A rt S e r v i c e s

400 First Avenue North • PO Box 1679 • Ketchum, ID 83340 • info@gailseverngallery.com www.gailseverngaller y.com 208.726.5079

400 First Avenue North • PO Box 1679 • Ketchum, ID 83340 • 208.726.5088 • artservices@gailseverngallery.com

SVM_F26_TradeSecrets.indd 131

9/14/26 8:41 PM

Raise the Bar at Home Storing and serving your wine and spirits BY BEN BRADLEY

Wine stored for optimum preservation with cooling and humidity control, insulated walls, and vapor barriers.

132

ew things in a person’s life bring about a deeper sense of calm and peace than their home. For some, home provides a shelter from the outside world, where they can nestle away from it all, while for others, a home’s safe and welcoming confines are best experienced when offered up to family, friends, and even perfect strangers. Originally born of the Latin word “hospes,” meaning guest, host, and stranger, hospitality and the gracious extension of care to guests and strangers seems to be an intrinsic trait, a

genetic predisposition to generosity. One was either born with it, or not. The ritual of hospitality for many includes the proffering of spirituous libations, a centuries-old tradition. For all the headlines in recent months that cite a decline in alcohol consumption among the younger generations as a harbinger of an existential threat to alcohol’s very existence, the custom home builders and designers of the Wood River Valley would beg to differ. From new builds to large-scale renovations, the vast majority

TOP PHOTO: GABE BORDER, COURTESY ROCK Y MOUNTAIN HARDWARE; INSET: COURTESY ROCK Y MOUNTAIN HARDWARE

food&drink

sunvalleymag.com | FALL 2026-2027

SVM_F26_Food.indd 132

9/14/26 8:07 PM

SVM_F26_Food.indd 133

9/15/26 11:11 AM

TOP PHOTO: GABE BORDER, COURTESY ROCK Y MOUNTAIN HARDWARE; INSET: COURTESY ROCK Y MOUNTAIN HARDWARE

The proper storage of wine requires maintaining a temperature between 50 and 55 F. Control of the humidity is vital as well to keep the cork closure sealed.

include at least one—if not multiple spaces— solely dedicated to the storage, display and enjoyment of fine wines and spirits. While some may consider such a space an excessive luxury, for many others a home in the Idaho mountains would be objectively incomplete without them, as practically functional as a kitchen or garage. With today’s building technology, designers and builders can create stunning spaces for not only memorable entertaining, but also the preservation of the quality and integrity of the wine and spirits as well. For high-end spirits, which have seen a major resurgence in popularity in the last decade, the standards of care are generally simple to adhere to and generally follow common sense. Maintaining ambient temperatures, mainly avoiding intense heat or 134

cold and direct sunlight are the keys to keeping those 20-year-old scotches and single-barrel uncut bourbons shining in all their glory. This of course does not include liqueurs, creambased spirts, or vermouths, which obviously need refrigeration and prompt consumption, advice often cast aside by the drinking masses to their own detriment. When it comes to wine, however, proper care becomes a fair bit more involved. Unlike spirits, which will cease aging once they are harvested from barrels and stills, wines within a bottle are still very much changing year to year. Maintaining a narrow range of temperature between 50-55 F is just a part of the equation. Proper humidity is also critical in keeping the cork closures moist enough to stay completely sealed. Any drying of a cork will lead to the introduction of oxygen inside the

bottle, eventually ruining the wine inside. For aficionados with wine collections requiring separate insurance policies, creating the perfect environment for their bottles is paramount. Because of the number of critical technical aspects, the first step in designing a home wine room involves establishing the engineering requirements with respect to electrical load and air handling, among others. For the acclaimed Ketchum and Bozeman-based design firm Suede Studio, the development of the showstopping aesthetic elements cannot begin in earnest until the scope of the environmental requirements is properly considered. “For us, a wine or spirits room is not a display case you tack onto the plan,” says Suede Studio founder Jennifer Hoey. “It is two rooms doing two different jobs, and the design starts

WINE PANTRY : GABE BORDER, COURTESY SUEDE STUDIO; CABINETS: COURTESY ROCK Y MOUNTAIN HARDWARE; DOOR: CORTESY ROCK Y MOUNTAIN HARDWARE

food&drink // raise the bar

sunvalleymag.com | FALL 2026-2027

SVM_F26_Food.indd 134

9/15/26 4:41 PM

WINE PANTRY : GABE BORDER, COURTESY SUEDE STUDIO; CABINETS: COURTESY ROCK Y MOUNTAIN HARDWARE; DOOR: CORTESY ROCK Y MOUNTAIN HARDWARE

‘‘

With today’s technology and materials, there’s almost nothing someone can dream up that can’t be achieved.” —DANIEL FAIRBANKS

with knowing which one you are solving for. Wine is a preservation problem, so it gets its own cooling and humidity control, insulated walls, and a vapor barrier that lets it hold its climate independent of the rest of the house.” Odds are that the Wood River Valley’s nearly perpetual state of blue-sky sunshine days must be factored in as well, unless you’re hiding away in a basement, and that means selecting the right glass to keep harmful UV and passive heat gain at bay. On that, Hoey notes, “Glass changes the equation. When wine sits behind glass off a living space, we size the cooling for it from the start and coordinate with the builder early, because the mechanical load is part of the result, not an afterthought.” Maintaining an environment that is separate from the rest of the home also means thinking about the way air moves. Pressure changes and imbalances must be monitored and typically require an entirely separate HVAC system. “These types of rooms are often one of the most complex parts of a project,” says Daniel Fairbanks, owner of Fairbanks Custom Homes. “They typically demand intricate electrical systems, as well as their own HVAC systems to ensure they function with the desired performance. “ Whether starting from scratch with a custom-built home, or creating an extraordinary space within an existing structure, the ultimate success of a wine- or spirits-focused project begins with a clear vision. From there, a road map of proper mechanical and electrical buildout will guarantee the technical performance of the space and create the blank canvas with which owners and designers will work together to truly bring the room to life with all the charm and personal finishes. Fairbanks adds, “With today’s technology and materials, there’s almost nothing someone can dream up that can’t be achieved.”  FALL 2065-2027| sunvalleymag.com

SVM_F26_Food.indd 135

EVERYTHING you need to know about Sun Valley. Pick up your copy on stands or subscribe online today! | www.sunvalleymag.com |

OPEN DAILY AT 5:00PM Cozy. Rustic. Hyperlocal. Delicious. 520 East Avenue North • Ketchum, Idaho 208.726.4660 • ketchumgrill.com

135

9/14/26 8:07 PM

THEATER THAT MOVES UPCOMING SHOWS, WORKSHOPS & MORE AT

WOODRIVERREP.ORG

SVM_F26_Food.indd 136

WOOD RIVER REP Local theatre, global talent — a nonprofit, professional company. Mainstage productions, new works, and community programming in the heart of the Valley.

9/15/26 11:12 AM

JOIN BRANDS

WHO KNOW MARKETING! Sun Valley Magazine has been delivering national award-winning publications for over 50 years and has the largest requested circulation of any magazine in the area, period! We are the only magazine in our market with both local and national distribution. Aligning your brand and business with Sun Valley Magazine will ensure that you stay top of mind among this coveted audience—we are an influencer in the Sun Valley market! Contact sales@sunvalleymag.com

Since 1973, Sun Valley Magazine has remained the trusted resource for passionate residents and curious newcomers. We continue to deliver the most sought-after demographics in the state of Idaho:

AFFLUENT, EDUCATED, ACTIVE and SOPHISTICATED readers living a LUXURY RESORT LIFESTYLE!

Love Life. Love Sun Valley. SUBSCRIBE ONLINE

sunvalleymag.com/subscribe

SVM_F26_Food.indd 137

9/14/26 8:07 PM

Inthearts

Buck Unboxed How a Boise airbrush master blends Old West roots and pop culture B Y K AT E H U L L

138

sunvalleymag.com | FALL 2026-2027

Left: ““John Wayne,” hand airbrushed acrylic and collage on canvas, 60 in. x 48 in., Above: “End of a Long Trail,” mixed media on canvas with gloss resin, 48 in. x 48 in.

hether through large-scale mixed-media depictions of Clint Eastwood and Buffalo Bill or a vibrant painting of John Wayne atop comic book pages—or his occasional oil-on-canvas abstract wildlife paintings— Boise-based, mixed-media contemporary artist Byron Buchanan, known in the art world as Buck, explores the intersection of Western Americana lore and classic vintage pop imagery in each piece. Buck’s subjects are varied, but he continually finds the indomitable human spirit to be a source of endless inspiration. Though he was born in Detroit, Buck spent most of his formative years in Texas. His childhood home didn’t have a television, so he spent his free time poring over books and comic books, connecting with characters and reading anything he could get his hands on. And when he did get to watch television, he says, he always opted for “The Lone Ranger.”

‘‘

I am fascinated by our Native American history and the bravery and warrior spirit, and the way they survived and overcame.” “I was heavily inf luenced by Western culture growing up in Texas,” he says. “Pretty much most of the exciting stories are about the Wild West. I also loved Tonto, the Lone Ranger’s horse, more than the Lone Ranger.” Art was a big part of his childhood, but it wasn’t until adulthood and a bit of happenstance that he pursued his passion as a career. After high school, he moved to Los Angeles and got work painting houses, which led to doing FALL 2026-2027 | sunvalleymag.com

139

inthearts // buck

architectural and interior design. Whatever he was doing, Buck always made room for his creativity. He painted a portrait for a friend and was met with encouragement from folks who saw it. That encouragement led him to pursue his passion more intently. Buck, who now resides in Boise, works predominantly in airbrush, weaving acrylic paint with collage to create hyper-realistic images. He lets his inspiration drive the ship, oftentimes working on 10 pieces at a time, all of which are large-scale. He combs through books, comic books, vintage posters, advertisements, and gathers found objects, utilizing things that relate to the subject and are then layered onto the canvas. “I am all about telling stories,” Buck says, whether about underdogs, people who overcame obstacles, or individuals who found a way to overcome. “I am fascinated by our Native American history and the bravery and warrior spirit, and the way they survived and overcame. That is a main theme throughout a lot of my work.” Other times, he says, he leans on the classic good versus bad. “I am really drawn to people who have had some kind of obstacles and hard times, or at least did their best to overcome their odds. I f ind it inspiring.” The use of collage allows him to tell a deeper story behind the subject. Then, the image comes to life with the star of the piece, typically done using an intricate airbrushed style and f inished with high-gloss resin. “Airbrush is ver y versatile,” he says. “You can spray a big wide line or a line as thin as a human hair and get these soft blends; it really lends itself to hyper photo-realism.” He’s been likened to other pop artists such as Andy Warhol and Jean-Michel Basquiat, and his work hangs in galleries and private collections across the country, including those of Vin Diesel, Dr. Dre, and Saint Laurent in Paris. He’s also showcased his work alongside Mr. Brainwash, Andy Warhol, and others. For Buck, the broad appeal of his style goes back to the joy he puts into it. “If I could boil it down to the most 140

sunvalleymag.com | FALL 2026-2027

“Clint Eastwood as the Outlaw Josey Wales,” airbrushed acrylic and collage on canvas, 60 in. x 48 in.

simplistic terms: it’s about having fun,” he says. “I have a lot of fun when I make art, and I like to put a smile on people’s faces. “On the serious side, I want to get people thinking about the human spirit. This person toughed it out; they overcame, and you can, too. Hopefully, they can get a tiny bit of inspiration to believe they also can make something of their lives and overcome their circumstances ....” Byron Buchanan, however, cannot be put into a singular box. Buchanan works in two personal genres: his mixed-media contemporary, known as Buck, and a more contemporary oil on canvas under his given name.

“I always had this dream of being an oil painter,” he says. “It just so happened that I started airbrushing, and I was having fun doing it. I always liked hyperrealism and photorealism but deep down, I also wanted to oil paint.” His oil work is an opportunity for him to explore wildlife, landscapes, and the like. “The art world always tries to put artists in a very specif ic category,” he says. “I have never let anyone control my passion for art. I just f igure I will do what I love, and the money will come, and if it doesn’t, it remains my passion. I don’t paint for the market; I paint for what I like.” ï

JANETSTARR fine art

studio tours by appointment text/voice 208.720.6894 art@janetstarr.com janetstarr.com Graffiti Series Mixed Media on Panel 40”x30” | 30”x24” | 24”x24”

inthearts // wood river rep

Production: “The Marvelous Wonderettes”

An Ecosystem of Creativity Wood River Rep expands the reach of theater in the Valley B Y C A R O LY N F R E N C H

theater begins with a stage, but it rarely ends there. From every production, threads stretch outward to the actors who bring a story to life, the audience that receives it, the students learning backstage and the artists f inding new ways to create. Follow those threads far enough, and a theater can become something larger: a web woven into the community around it. That web is beginning to take shape at Wood River Rep. Formerly The Liberty Theatre Company, the nonprofit officially adopted its new name in April after years of confusion with the privately owned Liberty Theater building. Although the decision to rebrand predated Emily Meister’s arrival as artistic and executive director, she led the months-long transition, working with board members, community stakeholders and a branding agency to shape the organization’s new identity. For Meister, this new name is an opportunity to build something that’s, 142

sunvalleymag.com | FALL 2026-2027

in her words, “of and with the Valley,” rooted as much in the connections it creates as the performances it produces. Wood River Rep’s f ive seasonal mainstage productions remain the organization’s artistic anchors, drawing audiences into the theater throughout the year. But beyond the footlights, the company is intentionally weaving what Meister describes as a “creative web”—a network of free community workshops, educational programs and partnerships designed to keep creativity f lowing even after the curtain falls. From “Voices of the Valley,” a fiveweek storytelling workshop, to teaching artists working alongside students at Wood River High School and apprentices shadowing professional productions, each strand offers another way into the creative process, not just as an audience member, but as a participant. “It’s like an ecosystem,” Meister says. “It’s very much creating that creative web to just help foster a community ...

and then, of course, being able to come into the theater and experience it.” That expanding vision will take several forms this fall. Wood River Rep will return to the Liberty Theater for “The Mystery of Irma Vep,” while “The Witching Table,” an immersive murdermystery experience held at one of the Valley’s most haunted locations Oct. 30 and 31, will take theater beyond the traditional stage. The latter offers an early glimpse at Meister’s interest in sitespecif ic work, where place becomes part of the creative experience. In a Valley whose identity is so often tied to outdoor recreation, Meister doesn’t see creativity and adventure as competing interests. Blaine County residents, she argues, are multifaceted— they can be skiers and artists, mountain bikers and designers, outdoor enthusiasts and theatergoers. Its artistic identity can grow alongside its adventurous one. “I think it’s about fostering and cultivating all the different parts of

PHOTOS: COURTSE Y/WOOD VALLE Y REP/KRISTEN SHULT Z

an individual within a community,” Meister explains. The designer, teacher, healthcare worker and outdoor enthusiast aren’t necessarily different people. The Valley’s residents contain multitudes, and Wood River Rep hopes to give their creative sides room to grow. A person doesn’t need to consider themselves an artist to f ind a place within that web—curiosity is enough. Residents can attend a performance, join a free enrichment workshop, answer an open call for local creatives or simply try something unfamiliar. For those who would rather support from the sidelines, attending shows, donating and spreading the word all strengthen the network Meister hopes to build. “It takes bravery, I think, and courage to try anything if you haven’t done it before,” said Meister, who describes herself as a “forever student.” “I approach everything with a beginner’s mind.” The payoff extends beyond whatever ultimately reaches the stage. Meister sees creative work as an exercise in conf idence and problem-solving. She hopes that these skills will follow participants, especially young artists, long after a production ends.

For now, Wood River Rep is building its network of artists, audiences and community partners one connection at a time. As a small nonprof it, Wood River Rep’s ambitions are tied to funding and community support, making the process one of “patience, perseverance and continuing to just show up day to day.” That means strengthening relationships with local artists and audiences and building a strong foundation from which the company can expand. Looking further ahead, Meister imagines the network stretching beyond the Valley, with artist residencies, festivals and opportunities to bring visiting creatives into conversation with local artists. But growth doesn’t mean competition. “It’s about how we can help each other and be there for each other,” Meister says. The name Wood River Rep may still be new, but the idea behind it is already taking shape—one production, one student, one artist and one story at a time. Woven together, those individual threads can become something sturdier: a creative infrastructure built by, ref lective of and belonging to the Valley itself. ï

THE SPOT The Spot has spent more than a decade carving out a home for bold, boundarypushing performances. The nonprofit pairs professional productions with opportunities for emerging performers, giving its small stage an outsized role in the Valley’s creative community. Its work champions new voices and isn’t afraid to experiment, while a strong focus on education gives young artists room to do the same. Programming for middle and high school students, classes and private lessons run alongside its professional season. This fall, The Spot will present Jordan Harrison’s Pulitzer Prize finalist “Marjorie Prime” Oct. 14–18. Beyond the stage, The Garage, its artist incubator, creates another avenue for artists to develop new work.

LAUGHING STOCK Laughing Stock Theater Company has long been a fixture in southern Idaho’s theater scene. The company brings together professional and semiprofessional performers with local actors, directors and designers, while keeping arts education and community involvement at the heart of its work. This fall, the company will offer two staged readings at its studio, along with after-school theater classes for young performers. The season will round out with Laughing Stock’s biannual production of “A Christmas Carol: The Musical,” running Dec. 19–24. From introducing young artists to the stage to carrying on longtime Valley traditions, Laughing Stock continues to create opportunities for the community to experience and take part in live theater.

Production: “Where Did We Sit on the Bus”

FALL 2026-2027 | sunvalleymag.com

143

inthearts // gallery buzz

FALL 2026

GALLERY BUZZ “All the Memories Not Recalled” by James Austin Murray, at Gilman Contemporary; oil on panel, 60 in. x 60 in.

BROSCHOFSKY GALLERIES The ongoing exhibition “Reframing the West” explores the evolving narrative of the American West through the work of historically significant and contemporary artists. Spanning a range of media and perspectives, the exhibition examines how the imagery of the West has been documented, interpreted, and reimagined across generations.

144

sunvalleymag.com | FALL 2026-2027

At its foundation are vintage photographs from Edward Curtis's landmark 30-year project, “The North American Indian (1898–1928)”, offering a powerful visual record of Native American life at the turn of the 20th century.

Contemporary photographic works by David Yarrow bring cinematic scale and theatrical intensity to the exhibition. Through immersive compositions and dramatic storytelling, Yarrow creates visually striking interpretations of the modern West.

In dialogue with this legacy are iconic prints from Andy Warhol's “Cowboys and Indians” series (1986), which reframe Western imagery through the lens of Pop Art, challenging familiar cultural symbols and narratives.

The exhibition also features contemporary works by Rudi Broschofsky and Jeremy Booth, whose bold visual styles offer fresh interpretations of the American West. Broschofsky's hand-cut stencil

paintings explore perspective, symbolism, and Western history through layered compositions, while Booth's dynamic paintings distill iconic Western imagery into vibrant color and striking geometric form. Rounding out the exhibition are recent acquisitions by Russell Chatham, whose atmospheric landscapes capture the emotional essence of the West through light, mood, and a profound sense of place. Additional works by gallery artists will also be on display, including Bill Barrett, Duke Beardsley, Kollabs, Joan Mitchell, Ken Peloke, Billy Schenck, Theodore Villa and more.

CONNELLY MARTIN GALLERY September: Elizabeth Hohimer, “A New Kind of Well” Elizabeth Hohimer is an Austin-based artist whose “woven paintings” merge materiality, memory and emotion into atmospheric abstractions. Working on a 16-harness European floor loom, she uses doublecloth techniques and hand-dyed fibers, often colored with clays, ash, flowers and other natural

Top: “Boot, Scoot, Boogie” by Rudi Broschofsky, at Broschofsky Galleries; spray paint on canvas triptych, 48 in. x 30 in. (each). Right: “BPM Face” by Sally King Benedict, at Sun Valley Contemporary Gallery, mixed media on canvas, 40 in. x 40 in.

FALL 2026-2027 | sunvalleymag.com

145

inthearts // gallery buzz

elements gathered from the landscapes that shape her practice. This solo exhibition will also feature her wall totems and floor-to-ceiling sculptures made from agave fiber, wire, and steel. Opening Dec. 29, 5-7:30 p.m.: Danielle Winger Shaped by the expressive spirit of German Romanticism, Winger paints emotionally resonant landscapes that suggest the natural world is as much a vessel for emotion and memory as it is a physical space. Historically, in both spirituality and mythology, mountain imagery is seen as dark terrain, feral, deserted, holy and stripped of self. Seeking the solace of empty places, she creates intensely personal portraits of quiet, meditative spaces that encourage contemplation and investigation of self, sublimity and the divine.

GAIL SEVERN GALLERY “Honoring Our Landscapes XV” This group landscape exhibition explores the artistic interpretation of the American West by six nationally renowned painters: Sheila Gardner, James Cook, Victoria Adams, Don Nice, Tony Foster, and Michael Gregory. Each artist offers a distinctive perspective on the landscape, capturing its grandeur, intimacy, light, and sense of place. James Cook’s thickly painted oils provide an epic interpretation of the Sawtooth Mountains and surrounding ranges, while Michael Gregory’s iconic barns and homesteads reflect the quiet beauty and isolation of the American West. Victoria Adams’ serene oils capture atmospheric light, honoring the stylistic views of the Hudson River School. Don Nice reinterprets the traditional landscape painting, through bold explorations of color, texture, and natural forms and by combining and re-arranging Western tropes in totemic and horizontal forms. Tony Foster’s intimate watercolors respond directly to the landscapes he encounters, capturing changing light, weather, and atmosphere. Sheila Gardner’s vibrant and rhythmic watercolors depict waterways throughout the Wood River Valley. Together, these works celebrate the diverse character and enduring beauty of the Western landscape. “Color X” Color X brings together a dynamic group of artists whose works celebrate the expressive power of color across diverse mediums. From luminous encaustic surfaces to richly layered prints and mixed-media compositions, the exhibition explores how color, texture, and form can convey emotional and visual depth. Top right: “Water Tower at Hauger Ranch” by Jim Westphalen, at Gilman Contemporary; archival pigment print, 36 in. x 46 in., edition 1/10. Above: “Bulwark” by Andrew Bolam, at Kneeland Gallery; acrylic on canvas, 48 in. x 48 in.

146

sunvalleymag.com | FALL 2026-2027

Raphaëlle Goethals and Rana Rochat use encaustic techniques to create deeply saturated abstract compositions that seem to radiate light from

inthearts // gallery buzz

from Sofia Jaramillo and James Austin Murray. Sofia Jaramillo is a Colombian American photographer and filmmaker whose work reimagines who gets to appear in the visual history of the American West. She grew up in Sun Valley, where the historic photography collection at the Sun Valley Lodge first shaped how she saw the region and who got to be seen in it. That question now drives her ongoing project restaging the early imagery of ski culture with a cast of BIPOC and gendernonconforming subjects, expanding a story long told through a narrow lens. Working between editorial rigor and collaborative studio practice, Jaramillo builds images that feel both historical and overdue. James Austin Murray paints exclusively in ivory black oil, using wallpaper brushes mounted on long handles to rake, drag, and scrape the paint across canvas. The results shift between concave and convex, catching light like machined steel or a raked sand garden depending on where you stand. Murray’s work argues that restriction, not abundance, is where invention happens. “A Celebration of” by Sofia Jaramillo at Gilman Contemporary; archival pigment print, 30 in. x 40 in., edition of five.

HEMMINGS GALLERY September-October

within. Tom Hammick’s boldly colored woodblock prints draw from the Scottish Colorist tradition, transforming everyday scenes into dreamlike narratives. Cole Morgan playfully blurs the line between illusion and reality through trompe l’oeil, collage, and drawing, creating works that challenge perception and invite viewers into imagined spaces. Alicia Tormey’s vibrant works explore color and layered surfaces, while Tony Berlant’s intricate mixed-media constructions transform architectural and urban imagery into richly detailed compositions. Together, these six artists demonstrate the many ways color can shape perception, evoke emotion, and transform the familiar into something unexpected.

GILMAN CONTEMPORARY September Gilman Contemporary presents a pair of parallel solo exhibitions that explore the idea of the “West” in our collective memory. In “Echoes on the Land,” Jim Westphalen photographs the weathered remains of disappearing homesteads across the American West, structures that once marked one of the most ambitious and consequential migrations in American history. Shot with a vintage 4 in. x 5 in. large-format camera married to digital hardware, his images carry a painterly stillness, as though the buildings themselves are holding their breath, pursuing the “souls” of these places and the long-ago labors and lives they hold.

148

sunvalleymag.com | FALL 2026-2027

“Echoes on the Land” creates thoughtful monuments to a history that is neither simple nor finished. Artist Dana Hart-Stone creates colorful, rhythmically crafted digital paintings using vintage vernacular photographs as medium and means of looking at the everchanging fabric of the American West. In his exhibition “Western Charm,” Hart-Stone draws on childhood summers spent exploring abandoned homesteads in northeastern Montana, sandwiched between the Sioux Nations and the Fort Peck Reservation of the Assiniboine, where the castoff photographs of strangers first revealed how a place holds the people who once shaped it. Repeating and mirroring these found images into large-scale patterns, Hart-Stone builds a West that is at once nostalgic and unsettled, a collective memory pieced together from what was left behind. October Ben Steele paints from Helper, Utah, where classical training meets pop culture with a wink. His oil paintings fold vintage toys, advertisements, and art-historical references into scenes that are as technically precise as they are quietly subversive. Gilman Contemporary presents new work continuing his ongoing conversation between old masters and new mythologies. November/December To close the year, Gilman Contemporary presents a group exhibition spanning photography, painting, and mixed media, a survey of the range and depth across the gallery’s program. The exhibition will feature work

“Scenic Route” Frances Ashforth Frances Ashforth’s spare paintings and drawings reflect the geography and geology of the intersecting habitats that she has studied and explored. Her passion for flyfishing and time spent in remote places has allowed her to experience and be inspired by wild, unpopulated lands across the United States. For her latest show, “Scenic Route,” Ashforth has chosen subjects closer to her home in the Wood River Valley. Whether she’s working with pencil or oil paint, Ashforth’s process is consistently based on observation and intuition. Her work can appear deceptively simple, yet by focusing on the details and editing the composition, Ashforth’s work evokes memories and knowledge that only comes from the focused study of a particular landscape. Each piece takes the viewer on a contemplative journey, one that rewards patience and introspection. November Group exhibition with select artists This November, Hemmings Gallery presents a dynamic group exhibition featuring a selection of artists, including Thom Ross, Sarah Bird, Sally King Benedict, Jeff Juhlin, Ezra Siegel and Stuart Ashman. Bringing together distinct perspectives, styles, and approaches to contemporary art, the exhibition celebrates the breadth and diversity of the gallery’s artists.

inthearts // gallery buzz

December “The Art of Edie Baskin” Opening Night Tuesday, Dec. 29 from 5 -7:30 p.m. Hemmings Gallery is pleased to present an exhibition of photographs by Edie Baskin, the pioneering photographer whose work helped define the visual identity of “Saturday Night Live” during its formative years. From 1975 through the late 1990s, Baskin photographed the show’s legendary cast, hosts, and musical guests, creating the now-iconic hand-tinted portraits that appeared throughout each broadcast. Her work combines candid portraiture with a distinctive, playful use of color and handapplied color. Baskin’s photographs have become an important visual record of 1970s and ’80s popular culture. Her first monograph, “Live From My Studio: The Art of Edie Baskin,” was published in 2025. For the first time, a selection of photographs from Baskin’s archive will be available to collectors.

KNEELAND GALLERY September Kneeland’s featured artist for September is English-born Andrew Bolam. Bolam has always had a fascination with the American West since his early days sketching cowboys and Western landscapes inspired by films and documentaries. His paintings pay homage to these Western icons and present them through a contemporary lens that redefines their significance in pop culture. They balance traditional and modern styles with graphic compositions often featuring native Western wildlife and Native American imagery. Today he refines his craft from his Lake Tahoe studio, creating compelling pieces that resonate with the viewer both emotionally and visually. December Featured Artist: Caleb Meyer Artist’s Reception: Tuesday Dec. 29, 5-7:30 p.m. A native of Hailey Idaho, and former apprentice of Robert Moore, Caleb Meyer has always enjoyed the rugged beauty the Northwest has to offer. A graduate of Boise State University, he continued his education through an apprenticeship with renowned artist Robert Moore. Meyer compares his time in Moore’s studio to the laying of a strong foundation. “The painting process is like building a house—a painter must understand the principles of design to create a strong painting, and much like a carpenter must understand the principles of architecture to build a strong house.” Meyer is now an established artist in his own right and features in public and private collections nationwide. ï

150

sunvalleymag.com | FALL 2026-2027

Top: “A Light So Bright” by Caleb Meyer at Kneeland Gallery, oil on canvas, 36 in. x 72 in. Above: “Sedge 2026” by Devin Farrand at OCHI, anodized aluminum, 80 in. x 68 in.

J E W E L R Y + S K U L L S R U D Y B L U . C O M

whywelivehere // #sunvalleymag

“

One cannot be pessimistic about the West. This is the native home of hope.”

MIDDLE FORK OF THE SALMON RIVER: ADAM TANOUS

― WALL ACE STEGNER

152

sunvalleymag.com | FALL 2026-2027

SVM_F26_WhyWeLiveHere.indd 152

9/15/26 11:09 AM

SVM_F26_Cover.indd 1

9/14/26 5:33 PM

SVM_F26_Cover.indd 1

9/14/26 5:33 PM