BY KAREN BOSSICK
The spectacular ski lodges on Bald Mountain and groomed corduroy will be closing in the coming week as the 2025-26 ski season comes to an end.
But a Ketchum man is proposing to bring the same elegance—with groomed sand—to the beaches at Redfish Lake.
Justin Pisteoff is proposing 5Beach Club, a private lakeside beach club at the popular summer retreat in the Sawtooth Mountains.
It comes with private cabanas, lounge chair cocktail service, massage and valet parking. All for the price of a $10,000 season pass for the summer.
The 5Beach Club eliminates the stress of trying to find a parking space and standing in long lines for food and drink at the bar outside Redfish Lodge. And it brings to the mountains an experience you would customarily see along the beaches of the Cote d’Azur, or the French Riviera.
“I’ve been skiing here in Sun Valley for the last 30 years. Every year I buy a season’s pass to gain access to this magnificent mountain, ski its perfectly groomed runs and eat at the wonderful lodges with their breathtaking views,” said Pisteoff, who maintains his office at the back of Grumpy’s. “5Beach Club simply a way to bring a similar level of luxury and convenience to the lake.”
Pisteoff recounted how Redfish Lake was once a quiet getaway for 5B residents with campsites always available even on summer weekends. But over the last seven years, beginning with the Covid pandemic, it has been besieged by city people seeking to revel in the stunning outdoor scenery of the Sawtooth Mountains.
“The Instagram-ification of once little-known places has ruined some of my favorite spots,” Pisteoff groaned. “I remember with horror seeing a certain little stretch of river I used to float near Stanley posted online a few years ago. The post went viral and the following year it was overrun with people, dogs and paddle boards retrofitted with coolers and boom boxes.”
Finally, he said, he realized the only solution was to adopt the pay-to-play model that the ski industry utilizes, offering sun bathers and lake enthusiasts an elevated experience unlike anything else in the Mountain West without the uncertainty of whether there would be a spot on the beach to lay down their towel.
Pisteoff’s vision of the 5Beach Club includes a perfectly manicured beach that will be mechanically raked each morning with a Sandboni—he’s working on the patent pending device now.
Once groomed, the beach crew will arrange several cabanas and changing huts along the beach. There will be a beach bar at one end, serving smoothies, juices, cocktails and light snacks.
And there will be a swim-up bar utilizing the U-shaped dock that currently exists.
Wait staff will be on hand to greet guests, park their car, show them to their cabana, set up their towels and bring refreshments. There also will be massage, manicure and pedicure service at beck and call.
Every detail has been thoughtfully curated.
“I could go to a free beach and fight to find a spot to place my towel. Or I could pay to relax on a pristine sandy beach tucked into a cove, lay back on a comfy recliner and receive deck chair cocktail and meal service,” said Pisteoff. “My vacations are extremely precious. I’ll happily pay for the latter.”
Learn more at https://5beachclub.com/.