Creating Meaning & Memories
As the Red Ledges community evolves, the vision of connection and authenticity reigns supreme
Winter 2020/2021
Written By: Katie Eldridge | Images: Courtesy Red Ledges
Many dream of hitting the road and exploring new places near and far. Delonnie and Ryan Henry, members at Red Ledges, have been living that dream the past four years. The Henrys have traveled everywhere from the northern Rockies to west Yellowstone in their silver bullet of a trailer, a 27-foot Airstream Globetrotter.
The retired couple were enjoying their time on the road but had been searching for their forever home (without wheels). They researched and visited many communities in Utah and beyond, but felt most at home at Red Ledges.
Ryan remembers his first impression of the property, “It’s hard to beat that view of Mount Timpanogos. That was big for us.” Delonnie adds, “We
had a very clear list of everything we wanted. After looking at homes in Red Ledges, we realized it checked off all of the boxes for us.”
Red Ledges is nestled on 2,000 wide open acres in the Heber Valley with astounding views of the Wasatch Mountains and Mount Timpanogos. The landscape is unique — red-rock formations and lush greenery — and is a mecca for wildlife.
Many think that the story of Red Ledges started in 1979 when Tony Burns made his first purchase of land in the Heber Valley.
Truth be told, Tony’s wife had deep family roots (and land) that date back generations to the settling of Heber Valley. Over the years, Tony only
wanted to invest in land that was meaningful to his wife and his family. This intention resulted in the accumulation of thousands of acres and
the involvement of his lifelong friend, Nolan Archibald, to develop their shared vision for the community. This history reveals the founders’
commitment to love, family, and land, which remain important pillars of Red Ledges.
As chief operating officer of Red Ledges, Mitchel Burns (Tony’s son) is committed to adding new amenities as the community grows. The sought-after neighborhood already includes two Jack Nicklaus golf courses, a Cliff Drysdale tennis school, swimming pools, a water park, and an equestrian center. “People come to Red Ledges because they love the rugged West, and want to experience the outdoors. We make it easy to try new things and our full-time activities director helps connect our residents with activities they love,” says Mitchel.
“You can feel the intention here, to make a place truly for the residents,” says Ryan. “We have kayaks to take out on the water, we can have our grandkids visit, plus we have a three-car garage with room for the Airstream,” adds Delonnie.
The Henrys broke ground on their new Red Ledges home last June, and will be moving in this spring. The couple also took advantage of a new Red
Ledges offering: an on-site home building company that Red Ledges launched just two years ago.
“We thought, let’s make it easier for people — the building process. Now, when you come to our sales office we can help you choose your architect, and we will build your home,” says Rex McGuire, vice president of homebuilding operations. Buyers can choose their land, and then get down to all of the details with the Red Ledges Homebuilding team. This makes a process that can be complicated and stressful more streamlined and simple.
“We are halfway through the build — and so far, the one-stop-shopping process has made it easy, and convenient. It’s really an enjoyable process,” confirms Ryan.
Sales at Red Ledges have doubled since last year as many folks search for connection, meaning, and wide-open spaces. As the community grows, so will the amenities and neighborhoods, and Mitchel predicts they will sell their last piece of land in about eight years. “We build things and expand things as the community grows,” he says.
Mitchel, as you might expect, lives on the property with his wife Annica and dog Mozzie. He and his father work together daily. Both are committed to sustainable development, the residents, the future of Red Ledges, and this stunning landscape steeped in family history.
“We’ve been here from the beginning and we’re definitely not going anywhere.”
