January is a time of resolutions and new beginnings, when the promise of a new year drives us all to do better—especially for our minds and bodies. Blair Brown is no stranger to incorporating wellness for mind, body, and soul into her daily life. In 2023, Blair founded Monarch in Ketchum, a full-body wellness center with a variety of practitioners, devices, and treatments (like cold plunge, infrared sauna, lymphatic massage, etc.). After moving to Ketchum from Alaska when she was 11, Blair grew up skiing and playing in the mountains, instilling in her a lifelong love of both nature and this town. Before moving back to the Valley part time in 2016 (and full time in 2019), she lived in New York, working in the wellness space, with a particular focus on artisan cannabis and CBD apothecary products (her company Verté Essentials was featured in Forbes), even writing two books on CBD and hemp-derived wellness. The birth of her son, Rhodes, in 2019 spurred her move back to Ketchum full time, where she channeled her expertise in the intersection of wellness, beauty, and sustainability into creating Monarch. She and her five-year-old Rhodes live in Elkhorn with their dog Biggie and …
24hrs with a Local: SVSEF Gold Member Peter Wolter
A lifelong local (seriously, he was born in the old Sun Valley hospital), cross-country skier Peter Wolter has made his hometown his full-time base again as he competes with SVSEF’s XC Gold Team, racing nationally and internationally throughout the year. After graduating from Community School, Peter attended Middlebury College, where he was a two-time All American and Eastern Intercollegiate Ski Association’s Rookie of the Year. He graduated Middlebury in 2022 and moved back to the Wood River Valley, joining the SVSEF XC Gold Team, for which he trains about 600–750 hours throughout the year, doing all manner of activities, from cross-country skiing to running, biking, roller skiing in the gym, and bagging peaks. Though he also works part time for Decked, doing digital marketing, Peter still spends about half the year travelling outside the Valley and competing; last year he raced in Minnesota, Canada, Germany, Switzerland, Norway, Finland, Sweden, and Utah. In his two post-collegiate years, Peter has accumulated numerous accolades, including placing third overall in the SuperTour 2022–2023 season, fourth place at the US Nationals Classic 20k, and twelve World Cup starts. Though Peter admits that he doesn’t have a ton of free time, he is passionate about automotive …
24 Hours with a Local: Higher Ground’s Kate Dobbie
Higher Ground’s Kate Dobbie has been with the organization for sixteen years, starting from when she came on as their four full-time employee in a Volunteer Coordinator Position to serving as Executive Director for twelve years, to her current role as Chief Development Officer. The Florida native originally moved to the Wood River Valley with five friends after college, intending, as so many do, to stay for just one or two years before moving on. But after waiting tables and nannying, she landed a job at Hemingway Elementary that would change her life forever. Working as a paraprofessional for a Kindergartener named Ruby (who, in a full-circle moment, is now working for Higher Ground as well), Kate worked one-on-one with Ruby for a whole year, taking her swimming and doing other activities. She got her first exposure to Higher Ground (then called Sun Valley Adaptive Sports)—a nonprofit that provides therapeutic recreation and education to children and adults with developmental, cognitive, or physical disabilities—when Ruby went on a ski outing. When a job came up at the organization, Kate jumped at the chance, rising through the organization over the years and taking it from an organization with a handful of full-time …
24 Hours with a Local: The Wylde Beet’s Sloan Storey
Growing up in Sun Valley instilled both a love of the outdoors and a love for plant-based foods in Sloan Storey, both of which she incorporates into her life on a daily basis as the owner of The Wylde Beet café in Hailey. After leaving the Valley to get degrees in health education and community, Sloan worked on multiple farms and moved back to the area in 2017, eventually working for the Hunger Coalition and cementing her passion for providing local, sustainable food to her community. She channeled that passion into opening her own food truck in 2023, The Wylde Beet, serving up affordable, plant-based food using as sustainable and local ingredients as possible. In early 2024, she and her team opened a brick-and-mortar Wylde Beet on Main Street in Hailey, where it continues to serve affordable, plant-based food and serve as a space for fun events, local merchandise, and great eats. Sloan and her boyfriend, Sage, live in Hailey with their two dogs, Raglin and Bruneau. When she’s not working at the café, she’s hiking with her dogs, Nordic or backcountry skiing, mountain biking, or doing anything outside with friends or her three nephews. We caught up with Sloan …
24 hrs with a Local: Professional Paraglider Gavin McClurg
If you’re like me and know nothing of the world of professional paragliding, you may ask yourself why a paraglider with accolades like being National Geographic’s 2015 “Adventurer of the Year” and who’s sponsored by Patagonia, Garmin, Smith Optics, and more would live in Sun Valley, Idaho. As it turns out, Sun Valley is world famous for its paragliding, with all the nation’s paragliding records set here. Gavin moved to Sun Valley in 2012, after spending fifteen years sailing around the world, and promptly set the record for longest flight in the US from a mountain in 2013 by flying from the top of Baldy to Canyon Ferry Lake in Montana. A lifelong adventurer, Gavin has been featured in films like Red Bull’s The Rockies Traverse, TGR’s LOCALS, and many more; operated a net-zero carbon offshore sailing/kitesurfing expedition for many years; and has had several first descents in kayaking in Central America. Gavin still loves to adventure, whether that’s flying or backcountry skiing (he’s been skiing since growing up ski racing in Lake Tahoe), but he’s also a family man now, with he, his wife Mattie Mulick (a trainer at the YMCA), daughter Fallon (age 7) and their rescue dog …
24hrs with a Local : Spur Community Foundation Executive Director Sally Gillespie
Before eventually moving to the Sun Valley area in 1997, Spur Community Foundation Executive Director Sally Gillespie was living in Philadelphia, only dreaming of living out West on the many vacations she would take to this side of the country. But she eventually made her way to Idaho, working at the Nature Conservancy, Sun Valley Center for the Arts (now the Sun Valley Museum of Art), and consulting in the nonprofit world before starting the Spur Community Foundation. Founded in 2016, Spur Community Foundation’s mission is to inspire impactful philanthropy in the Wood River Valley by helping people give purposefully and helping local nonprofits achieve maximum impact. It is through this work that the organization helps maintain the culture and spirit of this community. Sally lives in Elkhorn and in her free time enjoys walking the local trails, Nordic skiing, and outdoor socializing with her friends or her children, ages 22 and 20, when they are home. Read on to learn more about her perfect August day in Sun Valley. How does your morning begin? Sally: I’m out the door for some kind of walk or activity as the sun’s still low in the sky and it’s nice and cool. …
24 Hours with a Local: Fit Me SV’s Kathryn Caminiti
A Ketchum local, Kathryn Caminiti (aka Kat) moved back to the Valley three years ago from Newport Beach, California, looking to get back to her small-town roots in the town she grew up in and where her parents and many of her friends still live. She began dabbling in pilates, eventually becoming certified and teaching classes at Zenergy before opening her own pilates studio, Fit Me SV, in March 2024. Kat envisioned not only having a dedicated pilates studio in Sun Valley, but one that taught classes that blended all the elements of her favorite workout classes into one: pilates, yoga, barre, spin, and Lagree. Already, in the short time the studio has been open, it’s been a hit, with her hiring on new instructors and herself teaching fifteen classes a week. Kathryn, who lives in west Ketchum with her boyfriend, Griffin, is just as active in her free time, spending it hiking, playing tennis, riding her bike, and rock climbing. Of course, she enjoys her downtime as well, whether that’s going to the symphony and dining on a charcuterie board, laying by the river or pool, or just chilling with friends. Check out Kat’s perfect July day in Sun …
24 hours with a Local: Powder Magazine Founder Jake Moe
The skiing in Sun Valley has been influential on many people and brands over the years, including Jake Moe, who was working as a Sun Valley ski patroller in 1968 when he came up with the idea for Powder magazine. At just 20 years old, Jake Moe lived like so many ski bums still do in Sun Valley: balancing his love of riding fresh pow with working an assortment of jobs, from dishwasher, waiter, and cook to roof shoveler, cannery worker, and painter. In 1972, the first issue of Powder came out, and Jake continued producing the magazine from Sun Valley until 1975, when he opened the magazine’s office in Boulder. Over the years, Jake has been in and out of Sun Valley, but it was when he finally retired seven years ago that he and his wife, Susan, decided to leave Seattle and come back to the town where they met 50 years ago (Susan worked for Sun Valley back in the ’70s as well). Now living in Warm Springs, Jake maintains a busy life for someone who’s “retired”: coaching tennis three days a week, volunteering, mountain biking, golfing, fly fishing, hiking, catching summer concerts, traveling in his van, …
Essential Things You Need for a Mountain Road Trip
A mountain road trip is an exciting adventure, offering breathtaking views and a chance to explore nature. However, it also comes with challenges like unpredictable weather, rough roads, and limited access to services. Proper preparation is essential to ensure a safe and enjoyable journey. Packing the right items, organizing your vehicle efficiently, and being ready for emergencies will help you avoid common road trip problems. One of the most important aspects of preparation is having access to professional auto locksmith services in case of lockouts or lost keys. With the right planning, you can focus on enjoying your trip without unnecessary worries. The Ultimate Packing List for a Safe Mountain Road Trip When traveling through the mountains, having the right supplies can make all the difference. Start with basic necessities like food, water, and extra clothing. Weather conditions in the mountains can change suddenly, so carrying warm clothing, rain gear, and sturdy footwear is important. A reliable GPS device or map is crucial because cell phone signals can be weak in remote areas. Your vehicle should be equipped with a spare tire, jack, jumper cables, and extra fuel. A flashlight, multi-tool, and basic first-aid kit will also come in handy. …
24 hours with a Local: Wendy Jaquet
You may know the name Wendy Jaquet from her eighteen years in the state legislature (she’s a former Democratic representative, minority leader, and budget committee member), but Wendy has played many roles in the Wood River Valley, and beyond. She and her husband, Jim, moved to Ketchum from San Francisco in 1977, as Jim had been hired as city administrator for the City of Ketchum. Soon Wendy found herself dabbling in a variety of roles, from president of her two sons’ school PTA to managing an art gallery, to managing the Wagon Days parade (which she did for twenty-five years, and still announces for), to being executive director of the Sun Valley/Ketchum Chamber of Commerce for thirteen years. In 1994 she decided to run for the state legislature, which she did full time until 2012, when she began teaching foundational studies and intro to public administration at Boise State University. Tired of the commute to Boise, she quit teaching but has remained busy ever since, serving on the board of Visit Sun Valley and the advisory council of the Trailing of the Sheep, giving historical tours of downtown Ketchum, coordinating the Resort Cities Coalition for the City of Ketchum, participating …