McCALL Spring 2011 • ��

River RanchA Dream Come Truewritten by Doug Copsey • photographed by Giuseppe Saitta

�0 • McCALL Spring 2011

McCALL Spring 2011 • �1

About 30 years ago, Dennis and Cathy Hart partnered with their old friends Judd and Diane DeBoer to purchase 458 acres along 2 1/2 miles of the Payette River just south of

McCall. After 25 years as a successful cattle and seed oat operation, they began to realize their long-term dream for the property—a residential community that would reflect the personality of this beautiful high mountain area.

�2 • McCALL Spring 2011

Their first mandates were to maintain the look of a ranch and to keep lots of open space and water. With that in mind, they turned the bulldozers loose to move more than 550,000 cubic yards of dirt, transforming the flat pastureland into a gently undulating sea of grass-covered berms.

They also dotted the land with five private lakes that total 30 acres. “We dug the lakes and used the bed soil for our roads,” explains Director of Sales, Jo Conn. “We even have our own gravel pit, sand, and nursery on site.”

Over 5,000 mature trees have been planted throughout the development to help create a beautiful, private estate setting, and another 2,500, some over 40 feet tall, are being managed at the nursery for future use. The owners also set

aside four parcels—another 80 acres—along the river as permanently protected conservation areas.

The community’s 64 homesites range from 4 to 10 acres, each with its own pre-determined building and landscape envelope. With your nearest neighbor more than half a football field away, you’ll have plenty of privacy and unimpeded views of the river and the surrounding mountains.

“The biggest benefit for our owners here is the water,” says Conn. “We have historic water rights that keep fresh water flowing into all the lakes and that allow us to irrigate the entire property in the summer. The owners can actually tap into that water for their landscaping and not have to use city water.”

Architect Robert Heck from Ward-Young Architecture of Truckee, California, designed a 4,300-square-foot

masterpiece that sits atop a 4.3-acre site.

McCALL Spring 2011 • ��

�� • McCALL Spring 2011

Not long after the clubhouse was finished—complete with pool, in-ground hot tub, dining and meeting rooms, and the first of five planned two- and three-bedroom adjacent guest cabins—the Harts decided to build a spec home. Architect Robert Heck from Ward-Young Architecture of Truckee, California, designed a 4,300-square-foot masterpiece that sits atop a 4.3-acre site.

The wide-open living room, dining room and kitchen area gives the home a spacious feel. A sizeable den with its own small bath sits just off the living room

and features the same handsome wood ceiling as the living area. High-tech amenities such as a Wolf range, programmable lighting, radiant heat floors throughout, and a built-in computer in the breakfast nook are offset by a thick, rough-edged granite island, extra-deep dark copper-colored sinks, and a refrigerator with wood doors matching the cabinets. The rustic ranch look continues through the kitchen and into the living room, where the interior design—a collaboration between Barrie Connelly Interiors in Boise and Bentley Designs of Incline Village,

McCALL Spring 2011 • ��

California—blends perfectly with the hand-scraped maple flooring. A wealth of Montana prairie fieldstone carries from the entryway through the massive fireplace, which has a small built-in seating area, and on to a wall of high-end JELD-WEN windows and doors framing the spectacular view.

“It looks out over the river, and one part of our conservation area,” Conn explains. “The placement of all the lots, along with the landscaping plan, ensures that all views of the river and mountains are kept open.”

Taking full advantage of this beautiful area requires only a walk out onto the huge Brazilian mahogany deck, which is plumbed for a hot tub in a small area off the master bedroom. Keep going and you descend onto a large paver patio further down the slope, the perfect place for a fire pit.

The large master bedroom and bath occupy one end of the main floor, their vaulted ceiling creating the perfect ambiance for the fireplace, especially on a cold winter night. The master bath is finished with marble flooring

�� • McCALL Spring 2011

McCALL Spring 2011 • ��

and tiles, as are all the bathrooms in the home. While the multiple shower heads are delightful, the view from the large tub would make a soaker out of almost anyone.

At the opposite end of the house, past an elegant powder room just off the kitchen and a laundry room featuring beautiful matching slate floors and countertops, is a second, only slightly smaller master bedroom with an equally large bath and a view all its own.

On the way upstairs you can’t help but notice the exquisite stained metal handrails by Ken Kern of Precision Ironworks in Boise. The landing at the top features copious amounts of storage, including one closet with cubby holes that go deep inside—a favorite play spot for children, according to Conn. The two upstairs bedrooms are large enough for multiple bunk beds. One has a view of the river, and the other looks out at the surrounding

mountains, including local landmark Jughandle Mountain. Each has an attached bath.

“The Harts use the home themselves,” Conn says, “but they’ve also auctioned off the use of it for several charity fundraisers. It’s a wonderful opportunity for families who have never visited the McCall area before. We have so much to offer that everyone always has a ball.”

How could they not? Between the comfortable elegance of the home and the views from a series of hiking trails allowing river access for fishing, kayaking, and wildlife watching, between soaking your feet on a hot summer day and taking advantage of private access slips at Mile High Marina on the lake, River Ranch is the perfect place to make your own vacation dreams come true.

...between soaking your feet on a hot summer day and taking advantage of private access slips at Mile High

Marina on the lake, River Ranch is the perfect place to make your own vacation dreams come true.

M