Courtney returned to Idaho with her family in 2022 after a long stint in the Seattle area. After decades of dancing in and out of the outdoor industry, we are lucky to have her (wo)maning our ship. Since college, when Courtney worked in a ski shop, she has held a wide variety of positions from sales support, to manufacturer, to sales rep, to buyer. With that type of history, it’s only natural she landed where she is today. No matter her title, the one thing that has kept her coming back for more throughout the years is connecting with great people and helping them find gear that will make their time spent outdoors even better.

Courtney treasures her time outdoors and finds long adventures especially meaningful, whether that means eight weeks on a sailboat en route to Alaska or taking a big ski trip to Canada with the family. Watching her kids learn and excel at the activities she grew up with like skiing and sharing her love for the outdoors with her family is one of her favorite things; getting her kids get on the chairlift for the first time and taking their first runs was truly something special!

When she’s not in the shop or on a big adventure, Courtney can be found on her skis, in a drift boat fishing, or in the San Juan Islands enjoying the solitude and crabbing.

Oldest Piece of Gear:

Courtney has a handful of bamboo fishing rods, most handed down from her father who took her camping and fishing as a kid. Even after buying new gear, she somehow ends up on the mountain in her old goggles and gloves… It might have something to do with a certain teenager raiding her closet!

Prior to moving to Ketchum with his family in 2022, Coert was no stranger to the Valley. Skiing brought him to the area as a kid, first for alpine skiing with his family, then for training as a Nordic racer, and most recently bringing his own athletes to town for races. Coert was racing the moment skate skiing began its emergence into the Nordic scene while skiing for the University of Utah, and the US development team.

If you have questions about Nordic Skiing, trail running, or mountain biking, come find Coert on the sales floor. His wealth of knowledge is staggering, and he loves chatting with customers about new gear technology and sharing in the excitement and stories of your athletic breakthroughs. When he’s not in the shop you can find him in the river casting for trout, getting dusty on the trails on foot and bike, or on the snow with two planks under his feet.

Oldest Piece of Equipment:

Coert owns a beautiful pair of Madshus Redline Classic skis, rumor has it, that the skis once belonged to Thomas Alsgaard. You might say Coert has a ski obsession, some have cellars stocked with fine wine, but not Coert, he has a closet in his garage stocked with beautiful skis… #lifegoals!

Born and raised right here in Ketchum, (yes, another true local) Griff has spent most of his life taking advantage of the blissfully easy access we have to the outdoors. His first foray into working in the outdoor industry was as ambitious as it was fun—a multi-day raft guide on the Middle Fork of the Salmon River. It’s no small feat. As one of the more technical guided rivers in the continent, ascertaining his guides license still stands out as one of his proudest moments .

When Griff returned to Ketchum from his time guiding on the river, he started at the Perch as a bike rental monkey. He now is in charge of all store operations as well as backcountry and outdoor! His infectious stoke is exactly what you need to fire you up for your next outdoor adventure and get you kitted out for all of your gear needs. If you come to the shop with a Superkids Wrap (from Wrapcity) with extra bacon and Chinese chicken salad sauce, he might just share some of his secret local spots with you (try slipping him a few bucks if the wrap isn’t working).

Most Loved Piece Equipment:

His favorite summertime Saxx undies (he’s probably wearing them right now, you’ll have to take his word for it).

One of three true locals on our staff, she was born in The Moritz Hospital in Sun Valley, Anne Marie is the real deal. Working in the outdoor industry runs in her blood, Ann Marie’s dad owned Sun Summit Ski & Cycle, where she began working as a kid and has lived in this world ever since. As you might guess from someone in her position, chatting with folks who come into the store is one of her favorite things.

Pick her brain about anything, from footwear to skiing, biking, and baking, while you’re at it show her a cute picture of your pup. When you need inspiration, just ask her about Bike to School Day in 2007… she rode from Deer Creek all of the way to Hailey Elementary, (how many miles is that anyway, ?? a lot) what a hero. Outside of the shop, you’ll find Ann Marie fueling up on a smushed PB&J somewhere beside a trail in the backcountry, ripping turns on her skis, or basking in the sunshine. If you really want to make a friend for life, just swing by the store with a smile and some Wildflour salted chocolate chip cookies, that’s really all it takes.

Oldest Piece of Equipment:

A very steezy pair of her dad’s 1989 Smith Rails!

Though Tyler was also born and raised in Ketchum we just got him back in town three years ago after a long stint in Durango, Colorado. Growing up Tyler’s love for the outdoors was fostered by his parents and the Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation, leading him to a degree in Adventure Education & Small Business Management. After school, he worked with an adaptive sports program for six years, dabbled in bike coaching, and spent 82 days trekking in Chile (ask him how many showers he took!).

When Tyler came back to town his love for bikes led him to his position at The Perch where he quickly became a store favorite. Not only is he great at what he does, but it’s obvious he takes pride in his work and loves seeing how thrilled people are when they cruise away on their new or newly tuned-up bikes.

Oldest Piece of Gear:

An old Patagonia wind shell that packs down to the size of a grapefruit. However, he recently upgraded to the Patagonia Houdini which packs down even smaller and has a hood!

When Jason emerged from the frozen darkness that is Minneapolis in winter, blinking into the brilliant Ketchum sunshine, he knew there was no going back. Why not trade the dark and dead cold of Minnesota for the place where they order up their snow with blue skies? And mountains! This is what they named the bikes after! Turns out they don’t put a lot of air up there at the top of them, but mountain biking in actual mountains just can’t be beat. Lucky for us, he’s ok at bikes and he turned up here eager to turn wrenches and accidentally bought a house, so he can never leave.
He drinks a lot of coffee, so don’t sneak up on him, but stop in if you want to talk bikes or trails or what lies you need to tell yourself to justify a new ride.

Oldest piece of equipment:

Hell, I AM an old piece of equipment. I have bikes older than most of the staff here. The jersey my wife designed for a shop I worked at in Excelsior, Minnesota, thirty years ago still (sorta) fits me and I’ll keep embarrassing my kids with it for as long as there’s still life in me.

Julie has been a mainstay at The Perch for the last 24 years, keeping everything behind the scenes running smoothly. After moving to the area from Oregon (Go DUCKS!) Julie was offered her position at The Perch by longtime friends, and then owners Bob and Kate Rossi. She has seen the Perch change over the years as the town grew and as ownership changed, but loves the family of co-workers this place always seems to bring together. You may not see her out on the floor but she is behind the scenes, the glue that has held it together over the years.

In winter, when Julie isn’t in the shop, she is chasing the sunshine around the mountain and ripping groomers. In summer, she enjoys cruising the dirt or gravel trails in the area on her bike. Year around you can spot her as one of the diehard Oregon Duck fans amongst the sea of Boise and Washington fans in town. Don’t even try to challenge her on who the best college sports team is, it’s the Ducks!

Most Loved Piece of Equipment:

Her Specialized Roubaix road bike that she’d ideally be riding through the idyllic French or Irish countryside!

As an Idahoan, Gavin has always enjoyed the endless adventure opportunities the state offers away from people and roads. Since moving to the Ketchum area he’s fallen in love with the easy access to mountain adventures, and the tight-knit community of like-minded adventurers that live here. Though not on the floor full-time, Gavin loves connecting outdoor folks with the gear that will allow them to simply enjoy their adventures and not worry about the gear on their backs. As an avid adventurer himself, he is full of recommendations on what to bring on your next backcountry adventure.

When he’s not in the shop, Gavin can be hard to find! That’s because he’s likely far in the wilderness scrambling a new peak, checking out a trail he’s never done before, or completing an ambitious endurance objective he’s come up with. His love for the backcountry doesn’t stop with these human-powered missions, Gavin is a passionate conservationist, hoping to preserve the last of our wild places. If you are looking for a new backcountry mission, stop in and chat with Gavin for some ideas on epic places to explore and the gear to take with you!

Most Loved Piece Equipment:

A trusty old Patagonia R1 Fleece that comes on every adventure no matter the season.