As Red Ledges celebrates its 10th anniversary, a few of the club’s longest-tenured members reflect on a decade of exceptional experiences.
The Baughs
During a ski trip to Park City a little more than decade ago, Ken and Melinda Baugh saw an advertisement for the impending development of Red Ledges and decided to visit the site. After touring the property in a four-wheel-drive vehicle (roads had yet to be paved) and looking over the master plans for the community, the Baughs fell in love with the valley and also the prospect of what Red Ledges would one day become.
The Baughs purchased a homesite shortly thereafter, but for several years they were content to utilize their membership benefits while staying at Deer Valley when they vacationed in the area. Only recently did they build a house on their homesite and now live at Red Ledges whenever they escape their daily lives in the Bay Area. As Ken acknowledges, those escapes are never frequent enough.
Do you have any favorite memories of your time spent at Red Ledges over the years?
When Jack Nicklaus was here for the grand opening of the golf course … that was a highlight. He gave a short golf clinic on the driving range and then played three or four holes with a large group of people following along. He was very gregarious. He talked about how Tony [Burns] had approached him about the property and how he [Tony] was personally involved in the development of the golf course.
Now that your home at Red Ledges is built, do you have a favorite room or space where you most like to spend time?
The house is great, but what we enjoy most is the outside, which is why we have large decks and a very nicely landscaped backyard with a waterfall feature and a fire pit. Our favorite thing to do at the club is just to spend time out on our decks or in the backyard, taking advantage of the great weather in the summertime or enjoying views of the fireworks on the Fourth of July.
If you have to choose an amenity at Red Ledges that is the club’s secret weapon, what would it be?
We love the casual, family friendly nature of the golf park. We love going out there with the family and playing different golf games.
You’re an avid golfer and an avid skier. Which season ranks higher at Red Ledges?
I enjoy them both so much, I don’t think I can choose. It’s great that you can have different seasons and enjoy them both and get excited and look forward to both. The golf course is a huge draw and the summers are wonderful, but I’m always excited when the winter comes with snow and I can get geared up for that. We also love the tennis bubble in the winter time and love being able to play tennis when it’s cold outside.
If a prospective member asked you what it was like to be a member at Red Ledges, what would you tell them?
It’s really a beautiful place in a gorgeous location. The Heber Valley is just beautiful. The club has done everything first rate—the quality that’s gone into the development of the property is really high—and it’s very family friendly. It’s really great to just see the community develop and to meet new people. I’ve actually had at least one friend join Red Ledges after visiting me and seeing the club firsthand.
The Fierys
For much of their lives, West Virginia was home for Ann and Mike Fiery; yet the couple longed to live out West. After numerous property visits in the greater Park City area—where nothing felt right—the Fierys visited Red Ledges. Even though the community was still in its infancy, the Fierys could see its potential, and they purchased a homesite within 24 hours of their visit. After a few years, they built their dream retirement home and have called Red Ledges home ever since.
Ann talks about their experiences at Red Ledges and how the club plays a pivotal role in their retirement happiness.
What do you value and appreciate the most about being a member at Red Ledges?
We’ve met some wonderful people, and we now have a whole new group of friends—people from all across the country who have come here for the same reasons that we did.
After 10 years, have you found that you have a favorite room in your house?
It’s either the back deck or the front porch, depending on the weather. I’ve got rocking chairs in both spots and I’ll sit out and do my knitting while I watch our dog hunting in the bushes. She’s always hunting for something.
What are some of your favorite memories at Red Ledges?
It’s the activities and the people that we’ve met. I love the hikes. People really get to know Utah through the places that Stephanie takes us to for those hikes.
Is there a dish that you’re most likely to order when you dine at Juniper Grill?
The Southwest Chicken Salad, that’s my signature dish for lunch. Mike loves the Duck Cobb Salad. He gets it every single time. If we walk in off the street and Chef Daniel sees us, he knows to get those two salads ready. He’ll fix them for us for dinner, too.
If a prospective member asked you what it was like to be a member at Red Ledges, what would you tell them?
The thing that holds everything together is the activities. That’s a huge plus, and it’s not anything that we realized we were looking for. We were just looking for a place to live out West. We just loved being here, with the sunshine all the time and the big open spaces. So for us, the whole thing about Red Ledges has been a surprise. We’d never been in a gated community with a club like this before, so there are so many things that we love that we didn’t even know we were looking for. To have a community and be around these people…we didn’t realize how much we needed it.
The Levines
For most of the year, Dennis and Elke Levine live in Indian Wells-Palm Desert area of California, but there was a time when they were full-time Deer Valley residents. During that chapter in their lives the Levines joined Red Ledges, acquiring a residential homesite and the affiliated membership mostly for investment purposes, but also so Dennis could enjoy the club’s golfing amenities.
Since then, the Levines sold their Deer Valley home and moved to California, but they return to the area for three months every summer, renting a residence at Deer Valley. During those summer retreats, Dennis often drives to Red Ledges to play golf and enjoy lunch at Juniper Grill. He explains the appeals of a golfing membership at the club, as well as the perks that a Red Ledges membership can offer during the winter.
As an avid golfer and a member who visits Red Ledges specifically to golf, what makes the golfing experience at the club unique?
I love the course for its beauty and because it’s a challenge. Every part of the course is well maintained—the fairways are in excellent condition and the greens are always well kept. As far as strategy goes, it’s a course that puts an emphasis on where you miss. That sets up your next shot, and if you’re in the wrong place on this course, you’re potentially in a lot of trouble. The greens are also extremely challenging, which makes it more enjoyable to me.
Do you spend much time at the golf park?
The short course is a lot of fun. When friends come out, we may play 18 holes on the full course and then after lunch play 12 holes at the golf park. We’ll play two-club matches, where you can only use a putter and one other club. It’s a fun experience. The golf park is a great place to learn and to enjoy a casual outing. I don’t know of any other club around here—or any of the 150 courses in the Palm Springs area—that has a short course like that.
Are there other perks to having a golf membership at Red Ledges?
The golf staff is extremely knowledgeable and friendly. They go out of their way to assist you, so kudos to the staff. And the practice facility is excellent; it’s probably the nicest practice facility in the area. Plus, being in the valley, you get six or eight weeks of more golfing weather than you would get at courses in Park City.
How would you describe your dining experiences at the club?
Chef Daniel does a great job with his menu. He tries to have a wide variety to please everyone. I’ve visited other clubs in the area—Glenwild and Promontory—and I think Chef Daniel’s food is superior to those other clubs. The fish tacos and smoked turkey wraps are outstanding, and my son thinks that the hamburgers are the best in Utah.
What makes the Red Ledges experience during ski season so unique, especially for members like yourselves who don’t live on property?
It’s the reciprocity program with the Deer Crest Club up on the mountain. It’s a huge benefit. It’s ski-in-ski-out, so you’re basically skiing into a private club at the St. Regis Hotel. It’s a nice lifestyle.
The McKees
When Christina and Brandon McKee purchased their membership at Red Ledges, they did so as avid golfers who wanted to enjoy the club’s courses. In part because they lived in a sprawling 11,000-square-foot home in Heber, the McKees weren’t in a rush to build a home on site. In fact, they still haven’t built a house on their homesite, but that is something that they intend to do. In the meantime, the McKees and their six children are content to visit the club regularly as non-resident members.
Christina shares many of the things that she loves about the club and why they would never relinquish their membership.
Do you have a favorite amenity at the club?
The par-3 course—the golf park—is fantastic. I love that we can go utilize it as a family. The Village Pool and the whole center there that the club opened is also fantastic. We used it a ton this past year. We were there all summer and we ate there all the time.
Is there a holiday during the year that you most enjoy celebrating at Red Ledges?
It’s the Fourth of July. The club brings in face painters and food trucks. You don’t have to deal with crowds of people, and the fireworks are spectacular. You’re sitting on this patch of grass right underneath them. It’s just fantastic.
Do you often eat at Juniper Grill? If so, do you have any favorite dishes?
If we’re going to go out to eat in Heber we’ll always come to Red Ledges. Juniper Grill is the best restaurant in town by far. I’m a boring girl—I’m always going to get the Red Ledges burger. But when Chef Daniel tells Brandon what the special is, that’s what Brandon usually orders because he knows that it’s going to be great if Chef Daniel made it. And so long as he has the ingredients, Chef Daniel will make us something special if we ask. He takes care of us when we go in, and I love that. You don’t get that everywhere.
What do you love most about the club?
Red Ledges is probably the most beautiful property in Heber, and the club offers a beautiful view of Heber Valley. It’s a place where I can take my whole family, not just now while my kids are young but it’s a place that my kids can come back to with their families.
If a prospective member asked you what it was like to be a member at Red Ledges, what would you tell them?
I’ve been to other private golf clubs before, but Red Ledges is different. It’s not a stuffy club. It just feels like home to us. We fit perfectly here. We know all the staff so well, and they know my kids personally. I’d never give Red Ledges up; it’s like a vacation from home, but it’s right around the corner.