As the founder and owner of the Elephants Perch for more than 30 years, Bob Rosso is no stranger to the constant and rapid changes that have had a profound influence on outdoor equipment and the retail environment. With ever expanding internet sales and large outdoor retailers vying for the customer’s attention, Bob Rosso and the Elephants Perch continue to grow and enjoy success based on the simple formula of hard work, excellent customer service and product knowledge that the large scale retailers could only dream of.

It is usually the love of the outdoors that initially draws a person into the outdoor retail business. At 58 years of age Bob Rosso has not forgotten his love and passion for outdoor sports. When he is not challenging a difficult pitch on a rocky wall, Bob can be found tearing up the pavement on his bicycle, piling up the kilometers on our local cross country ski trails, backpacking on the numerous mountain trails, or finding an untouched shot of backcountry powder. Originating from the sun and surf of California, Bob also sneaks away from the mountains to free dive and surf whenever the opportunity arises. Competing in a variety of events and placing consistently in the upper tier of competitors provides Bob with the opportunity to test the gear that he sells and pass his knowledge on to his customers.

Bob also enjoys spending time with his son, Steve and wife, Kate, to whom he has been married for 29 years.

As Bob has so often commented, “The past 30 years have flown by us.” You can bet that in the next 30 years the store will continue to improve as The Elephants Perch builds on its foundation of customer service, product knowledge and the irreplaceable experience of the past 30 years.

Running a successful business alongside her husband, Bob, has provided Kate with 30 years of enjoying a life of working and playing in the mountains. As co-owner and soft goods buyer for the Elephants Perch, Kate derives a great deal of pleasure in meeting and helping the active Elephants Perch customer. Like so many people that live and work in the Wood River Valley, Kate came here to spend a summer working before college and fell in love with both the mountains and Bob Rosso, although we are not sure which one came first. Kate also derives a great deal of satisfaction and inspiration working with the numerous and fascinating employees that have helped to add vitality, and at times, scheduling challenges to the Elephants Perch over the years.

A family that plays together stays together, and Kate is a willing and constant participant in the numerous outdoor activities that await right out her doorstep. Skiing, hiking and bicycling are just a few of the many activities that Kate enjoys doing with her husband and friends. Learning to fly fish in the pristine pools and rivers of Idaho is another activity that Kate is looking forward to perfecting.

One of the things that make living in a resort community so interesting is the diversity of its residents. Kate shares in this diversity by mixing her love of the outdoors with her deep interests in reading, gardening, cooking and other artistic endeavors.

Whether helping a customer find just the perfect garment for their next adventure or planning more than a year in advance for ordering the latest in outdoor clothing, Kate’s warm personality and sincere demeanor add significantly to the shopping experience at the Elephants Perch.

After falling in love with Bob Rosso and the mountains during that summer long ago, Kate can proudly say “over 30 years later were still here; working and enjoying life in the mountains.”

No business can be successful without the efforts of a dedicated and dynamic staff. Liza has been at the Elephants Perch for over 20 years working in countless capacities, including hard goods buyer and manager. When not placing orders to satisfy the needs of our customers, Liza can be found working on the floor, sharing her years of experience and product knowledge with our customers as they embark on their numerous outdoor adventures. To be successful in outdoor retail sales you must also enjoy working with people. Whenever Liza is working on the floor she can be found greeting customers with a friendly smile and sharing in the excitement of finding just the right piece of equipment to assist the customer in their next outdoor foray. Liza has found her long-term relationships with customers, other employees and industry friends to be a particularly rewarding aspect of her career in outdoor retail sales.

Having grown up skiing and climbing in Yosemite, Liza is well accustomed to the outdoor lifestyle. Teaching Nordic skiing is what brought Liza to the Sun Valley area originally, and soon after she made the valley her permanent home. Anything to do with the outdoors will likely satisfy Liza during her free time, whether it’s skiing, working in the garden, fly fishing, cycling, running or sleeping under the stars during the summer. As Liza would say, “Who could possibly find time to watch TV when there are so many things waiting to be done outdoors?”

Liza enjoys sharing her love of the outdoors with her husband, Greg, and son, Dawson.  Clearly, Liza’s love of family, the outdoors, and of helping others provides her with a deep sense of satisfaction.

If Nappy had his way he would have you believing that his life is made up of nothing but “formers”. Nappy has had a great deal of experience in a number of interesting areas within the ski industry. His former experience includes work as a Special Assistant to the U.S. Ski Team, Director of World Pro Skiing, Assistant Mountain Manager for Sun Valley Company and work as a Racing Representative for Head Ski Company. 

But if you walk into the Elephants Perch and need help with anything from the latest in camping gear to the best bicycle to suit your particular riding style, Nappy will be eager to put his vast background of experience and product knowledge to work for you. Indeed, as one of the core members of the hard goods sales team, Nappy’s knowledge of the best products to suit your needs is nothing but current and up to date.

A common theme that runs through each and every employee of the Elephants Perch is a love of the outdoors and a desire to help others experience and appreciate all that the outdoor experience has to offer. In support of the desire to work with and help other people, Nappy has been instrumental in organizing and maintaining the Elephants Perch Wednesday Night Bike ride. This is a great opportunity to get together with other cyclists for a non-competitive ride through the beautiful scenery of the Wood River Valley. The rides begin shortly after 6:00 P.M. as soon as weather and daylight permits and is open to experienced and beginning cyclists alike.

If you are about to embark on an outdoor excursion, don’t forget to check with Nappy to see where you may have the best chance of spotting one of the numerous mountain goats that inhabit the surrounding peaks. Nappy has been devoted to the research, protection and enjoyment of these beautiful animals for many years.

Additional interests of Nappy’s include rock and ice climbing, alpine touring and cross country skiing in the winter.

There is an old saying that goes something like this “It’s the winters that bring you here but it’s the summers that make you stay”. Obviously that saying must hold true based on the large number of people that continue to move to the Sun Valley area. This must mean that if you were born and raised here, then the mountains and all the thrills and spills that they have to offer is just a part of who you are. Your connection to the mountain lifestyle arises out of your birthplace and cannot be denied. Mike Payne, who can boast of being a true Ketchum native, has enjoyed working at the Elephants Perch for nine years, sharing his love of the mountains and the outdoors with the many active customers that visit us each day.

As with all Elephants Perch employees, it is the enthusiasm and passion for the outdoors that makes working in a retail environment such as this so much fun. Mike especially enjoys turning people on to the sports and places he loves. With a lifetime of knowledge and experience pursuing outdoor sports, there is a lot of information for the willing outdoor enthusiast to absorb. In particular Mike enjoys backcountry skiing, mountain biking, rock climbing, backpacking and just about anything else that will bring him into the great outdoors. When Mike isn’t busy pursuing his favorite backcountry passion, he can be found playing basketball or competing in Ultimate Frisbee, a sport in which he was a member of the 2004 Masters National Championship team. Rumor has it that Mike has one heck of a vertical jump too, probably from playing all that basketball.

Mike definitely doesn’t like to slow down too much but when he does, listening to his favorite music or learning more about healthy eating to fuel his outdoor adventures give him some down time to relax and reflect on his next big outing.

This unseemly, burned-out shell of a man came to us under mysterious circumstances and little is known about his actual history. Evidently a participant in the witness relocation program, “Jason” appears to be a competent enough mechanic, but is given to mumbling and nervous looks over the shoulder. He’s steady as a rock once he gets a drink in him and almost never talks with his mouth full. In the evening he melts into the desert with the lengthening shadows only to reappear suddenly the next afternoon, full of caffeine and a renewed desire to help people.