Imagine getting into the cockpit of a plane as naturally as you might decide to go out for a hike or swing by your favorite cafe for a latte. For a highly exclusive subset of the private aviator community, going airborne is a way of life. This is The Refuge at Alpine Airpark.
In effect, touching down on the runway is only half the story. The Refuge Airpark in Alpine, WY, which is represented by Clear Creek Group Associate Broker Reynolds Pomeroy, presents a compelling vision of the other half: a turn key residential enclave offering both residential and avion amenities, access to all the manifold recreational opportunities of the Jackson Hole region, and the chance to connect with other pilots and their families in a real sense.
Recently, we paid the Airpark a visit to explore and share our findings.
The world’s most magnificent fly-in sporting community
The Refuge offers 22 residential lots, 3 combined commercial/residential lots, and 25 stand-alone airplane hangars. Tucked into Star Valley–a riparian river corridor nestled beneath snowy peaks just a short drive away from the Tetons–the development is the brainchild of Steven Funk, who already plans to make the community the most breathtaking and one-of-a-kind in its genre. The centerpiece of each purchased lot will be the pairing of a residence on an ample 2 or more acres with its own on-site airplane hangar. Land your plane, push a button, and drive right in.
Like a garage, but for your plane.
As listing agent Pomeroy explains, these “pilot suites” are “man caves to the extreme.” Inside, pilots can park their babies–rare, experimental, or top-of-the-line aircraft. Plus, the attached suites allow for a full range of luxurious extra spaces. “Think game room, private bar/lounge, with kitchen and other living facilities next to a million dollar jet (or more), all on a polished concrete slab, plus other “toys” on the side,” says Pomeroy. For each pilot, the opportunity to customize both home and hangar means creating a highly individualized space that also invites others in to admire, talk shop, or simply relax after a long day of recreating in Wyoming’s rivers and backcountry.
“As a private airport in close proximity to Jackson Hole,” Pomeroy explains, “there is no competition or facility sharing with commercial operators.” Fuels are the cheapest in the area and at 50 feet wide, the runway can accommodate everything from small prop planes to most of the largest private jets, including G5’s. That size will soon rise, too, with a planned runway expansion to 60 feet in the works.
Sense of belonging
It’s not just about the amenities, although the simplicity of landscaping and upkeep being included in HOA dues is certainly a boon. What truly sets The Refuge apart from the 12 other developments of its kind in the country is its community. This isn’t simply a place to park and refuel. This is a place to live and connect. “The runway facilities accommodate some of the largest private aircraft made, in a setting that is drop-dead gorgeous,” says Pomeroy. “For the relatively small demographic that would or could appreciate this pairing, I don’t believe there’s another place that offers as much, and anecdotal comments from the number of pilots and owners I’ve met thus far confirms this.”
Eventually, Funk envisions The Refuge as a mini-community with businesses, private homeowners, and families all attracted to the private aviation lifestyle. Those who are drawn to Wyoming in particular are already a special breed. Pomeroy points out that many are the proud owners of backcountry single engine aircraft like the Husky, which is manufactured locally. Husky pilots dip into the wilds of Idaho and Wyoming like eagles swoop over the Snake River to make their daily catch. These folks love to share their enthusiasm with each other. The Airpark also hosts aviation-centered events with catering, entertainment, and speakers revered among aviation wonks.
At The Refuge, neighbors are neighbors first, and the layout of the compound allows for families to break bread together, host their crews, and invite one another over to share inspiration and expertise. It’s all here.
Exceptional extras
While the concept of The Refuge is already pretty special, the neighborhood sweetens the deal with extras that ensure an all-inclusive stress-free stay for all residents. An example: landscaping that highlights native brush, shrubs, prairie grass, evergreen trees, and fish ponds, as well as a planned bike and running path. But that’s not all. Beyond the 1,500 trees already planted throughout, The Refuge hosts its own nursery of 1,800 trees so that whenever homeowners require new landscaping, they don’t have to travel outside the Airpark to find it.
Airpark residents also enjoy fuel delivery directly to their own hangars–all you have to do is put your craft in park after you hit the tarmac. Lastly, the runway is equipped with an AWOS system (or Automated Weather Observing System for those uninitiated) so that pilots can call in before landing for up-to-the-minute weather and radar updates.
What do you want to do today?
Whether the answer to that question is ski, bike, fish, boat, or hike, every resident at the Airpark puts one activity first: They simply love to fly. The Refuge is designed with their every need in mind. And better yet? It’s in a magical place.
“Being so close to Jackson Hole–perhaps one of the best one-of-a-kind places on the planet–with ongoing implementation of a community vision that appears first class by any measure, puts The Refuge, for me at least, in a unique category,” Pomeroy says.
Perhaps the sky isn’t the limit after all.
For more information or to schedule a tour of The Refuge Airpark, contact Reynolds Pomeroy at reynoldsp@tccgjh.com or 307-732-5935.
