Cove Meadow

Sun Valley, Idaho
$5,950,000
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Tucked away in the upper East Fork Valley, just 20 minutes from Ketchum, this exceptional 81± acre mountain retreat offers stunning views of the Pioneer Mountains and features a beautifully designed set of improvements built to the highest standard, including a 10,532± square-foot owner’s home, a guest residence and a caretaker’s quarters. The East Fork and Cove Creek meander through lush meadows for over a half-mile providing a haven for fish and wildlife. Bordered by federal lands and private ranch holdings, this property offers the ultimate in privacy and seclusion yet is only a short drive to the amenities of Sun Valley.

Cove Meadow is located in the heart of the Pioneer Mountains 20 minutes southeast of the mountain resort community of Ketchum, Idaho. The town of Hailey, county seat for Blaine County, is 30 minutes southwest of the property and home to Friedman Memorial Airport which offers commercial air service on Skywest and Horizon Airlines and a private fixed-base operation, Sun Valley Aviation. Cove Meadow lies approximately 10 miles east of State Highway 75 and is easily reached year-round from Ketchum and Hailey via the East Fork and Cove Creek roads.

Located on the southern edge of the vast central Idaho wilderness, Blaine County encompasses 2,655 square miles and supports a current population of approximately 20,000. The majority of the county's residents live in the Big Wood River Valley communities of Hailey, Bellevue, Ketchum, and Sun Valley. Of the nearly 1.7 million acres that comprise the county, 77% of the land base is state or federally owned, assuring ample open space and public lands recreation.

With Cove Meadow, one is able to take advantage of the amenities and activities found in a high quality resort community while also enjoying the low-key lifestyle afforded by rural living. As part of the greater Sun Valley area, an owner has access to one of the nation's most prestigious year-round Rocky Mountain resorts. Top-rated golf courses, fine dining, cultural opportunities, mountain biking and hiking trails, blue ribbon trout fishing, upland and big game hunting, and world-class downhill and cross-country skiing are all available within a short distance of Cove Meadow. At the same time, the property is situated in the upper East Fork Valley, one of Blaine County's most scenic areas offering an uncluttered setting only minutes away from the heart of Sun Valley. Among other features, this part of the county is famous for its mountain vistas, abundant wildlife and vast open spaces. With Cove Meadow, an owner truly enjoys the best of everything the region offers.

The elevation of Cove Meadow is 6,300 feet. The climate for the area is best described as semi-arid with an average humidity of only 30% and annual precipitation of 14 inches per year. Summers are warm with the temperatures occasionally reaching into the low 90's and cooling to the mid-40's at night. Winters are generally cold, with an average maximum temperature from November through February of 35° and an average minimum temperature during the same period of 13° .

Cove Meadow is a secluded rural estate situated in one of Blaine County's most scenic and laid-back areas. The property is bordered by public lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management to the south and large, undeveloped private tracts of land to the north, east and west. A 22-acre conservation easement held by the Wood River Land Trust also borders the property to the north ensuring additional open space. Cove Meadow is rectangular in shape a half-mile in length from east to west and a quarter-mile wide from north to south. The residential compound is strategically situated at the northwest corner of the property to take advantage of the bold views up and down the valley. A winding gravel driveway links the improvements with Cove Creek Road on the eastern edge of the property. The property offers outstanding views of the surrounding Pioneer Mountains and is equally divided between open meadows and timber-covered foothills. Cove Creek joins the East Fork of the Big Wood River on the property, providing over a half-mile of stream frontage with adjoining wet meadows and a willow-lined riparian corridor.

Cove Meadow is a beautifully improved mountain estate designed for understated elegant living. Situated along the banks of the East Fork, the main residence is a magnificent 10,500 square foot contemporary home offering the finest custom finishes and built with quality as the guideline. Renowned Sun Valley architect Janet Jarvis and builder Jim Bishop, each of whom has a history of working on the area's finest residences, teamed up to design and develop Cove Meadow. Built in 1999, the main home features 7 bedrooms and 8.5 bathrooms with an attached 3-car oversized garage. In addition to the bedrooms and baths, living areas include a custom kitchen with top-end appliances, a full pantry and breakfast nook, family room, open dining room leading to a spacious living room, office, library, children's playroom, large exercise room, sound-proof music room, basement with wine cellar, and large mudroom. Additional features include a lap pool, hot tub, extensive paver-covered patios, and heated walkways. Overall, this is the ideal family retreat with a thoughtful layout that allows family and friends the ability to gather easily or retire to quiet spots.

Just a short walk west of the main residence is the 1,000 square-foot guest home which offers 2 bedrooms, 1 full bath, open living room, dining room, and abbreviated kitchen. On the opposite side of the residence, there is a barn with a 3-car garage and a second-story caretaker's apartment with 1,200 square feet of living space. A crystal clear pond lies between the barn and residence and is perfect for a swim on a summer's day or large enough to stock with trout.

A detailed list of improvements and features is available upon request.

ADDITIONAL MANAGEMENT, RESOURCE ENHANCEMENT, AND FINANCING SERVICES OFFERED BY HALL AND HALL

MANAGEMENT SERVICES - The management of a ranch such as this one can be made as simple and as time saving or as involved as one desires through the services of Hall and Hall's ranch management division. These services are customized to each owner and ranch. They can be as simple as leasing out the agricultural operations so one has virtually no responsibilities. Or they can be as involved as assessing the existing resource, finding and hiring a caretaker or manager, buying livestock and equipment, expense paying and payroll accounting, etc. Wes Oja and Jerome Chvilicek at (406) 656-7500 are available to describe and discuss these services further and welcome your call.

RESOURCE ENHANCEMENT - Should one desire to assess and enhance the existing fish and wildlife assets of this ranch Hall and Hall's resource management division is available to do so. These services are custom tailored to each owner and ranch and can range from inventorying of existing conditions, plans for restoration and enhancement of streams and ponds and introduction of bird and game feed plots to bidding, cost accounting, construction supervision. Peter Weber at (406) 587-3090 and Wes Oja at (406) 656-7500 are available to describe and discuss these services further and welcome your call.

SPECIALIZED LENDING - Over the past 59 years Hall and Hall has created a legacy by efficiently providing capital to the intermountain west. In addition to traditional farm and ranch loans, we specialize in understanding the unique aspects of placing loans on ranches where value may be influenced by recreational features, location and improvements.
Competitive Pricing - Flexible Terms - Efficient Processing
In-House Appraisals - Common Sense Underwriting
Dave Roddy - (406) 656-7500 - Billings, Montana

81+/- Deeded

The Sun Valley region offers Idaho's best collection of trout waters, and Cove Meadow lies in the heart of it all. From classic spring creek fishing on world renown Silver Creek to the excellent freestone fisheries of the Big Wood, Little Wood and Big Lost Rivers to stillwater fishing on the area's numerous alpine lakes, an owner of Cove Meadow is only minutes away from an outstanding fishing experience.

Lying 45 minutes south of the property, Silver Creek is among the crown jewels of western fly-fishing. Beginning with the stretch of water through The Nature Conservancy's Silver Creek Preserve, there are miles of spring creek habitat and outstanding fishing downstream to Silver Creek's confluence with the Little Wood River. Fabled insect hatches, eager but selective surface-feeding rainbow and brown trout, and an unlikely high desert setting combine to make this historic spring creek a remarkable place to "wet a line."

Should one have his or her fill of spring creek fishing, the Big Wood, Little Wood, and Big Lost Rivers offer excellent freestone fisheries with plenty of public access. Located just 10 minutes east of Cove Meadow, the Big Wood River, an outstanding rainbow fishery, flows south through the Wood River Valley. This medium-sized mountain stream offers dozens of public access points, a catch and release section, and steady hatches. Rainbow trout growing to 20 inches are the predominant sport. The East Fork of the Big Wood, which combined with Cove Creek meanders through Cove Meadow for a half-mile, is a tributary to the Big Wood River and offers nearly unlimited opportunities to catch small rainbows and brook trout. Lying southeast of the small ranching community of Picabo, the Little Wood River offers a unique angling experience below its confluence with Silver Creek. Looking out across the sagebrush flats south and east of US Highway 93, it is difficult to imagine any water flowing through this high desert environment. Upon closer inspection, however, one will find the Little Wood River tumbling across basalt lava rock and teeming with rainbow and brown trout, some of which grow between 18 to 20 inches. Flanked by Idaho's highest peaks and a short 1˝ hour drive away, the Big Lost River near Mackay, Idaho has become a destination for anglers from across the region and is frequented on a daily basis by the top Sun Valley fishing guides. Among the most popular reaches is the section of river below Mackay Dam, which is known for its large rainbows.

The area is also rich with upland birds and waterfowl. Blue grouse and the occasional covey of chukar partridge are found on the hillsides and ridgelines around Cove Meadow. Hungarian partridge inhabit sagebrush areas adjacent to agricultural fields in the southern part of the county, while sage grouse are generally found in sagebrush stands on adjacent BLM lands. Numerous springs and smaller spring creeks, are found in the lower Wood River Valley. Because of their constant temperature, these bodies of water rarely freeze during the winter, which make them a haven for migrating and wintering ducks and geese.

The valley also boasts strong populations of big game. The surrounding mountains, foothills, and high desert areas teem with elk, mule deer and pronghorn. Moose, black bear, and mountain lion also reside locally.

In addition to hunting and trout fishing, the Sun Valley area offers a variety of world-class, year-round outdoor recreation activities only minutes away from Cove Meadow. Winter activities include downhill skiing on famous Bald Mountain (the top of which can be seen from the property) and cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and snowmobiling on the area's extensive winter trail network. During the summer and fall, the area's diverse topography offers unparalleled hiking, backpacking and mountain bike riding. Blaine County is also blessed with tens of thousands of acres of BLM and National Forest lands, which provide unlimited opportunities for one to experience the best of Idaho's backcountry.

There is a groundwater right appurtenant to the property allowing for the irrigation of 22 acres.

Property taxes for 2008 were 4,336.40.