Steven L. Wolper

Steve Wolper, 79, passed away peacefully at his home in Hailey Idaho, Sunday, February 22nd, 2026.

Steve lived the kind of life that refuses to fit neatly into a paragraph. Marine. Electrician. Film student at the University of Southern California. Hollywood assistant cameraman. Alaska hunting lodge operator. Homebuilder. Construction company owner. Underwater photographer. EMT. Pilot. Relentless community advocate. If there was a harder way to do something, he didn't just consider it, he embraced it.

Steve Wolper was an avowed and devoted conservationist. He believed loving a place meant protecting it — even if that meant annoying a few people along the way. He believed that loving a place meant showing up for it. He gave his time, energy, and relentless determination to the causes and organizations that protect and strengthen the places he loved.

Steve was intimately involved with Mountain Rides, Blaine County Citizens for Smart Growth, the Idaho Conservation League, the Greater Yellowstone Coalition, Idaho Rivers United, the Blaine County Recreation District, and the Harriman Trail, among others. The Wood River Valley is better because he cared deeply about community, conservation, and the long view.

Steve Wolper was a force. Steady. Determined. When on his team, you benefited from his strength of character and his ability to make things happen. When on the other side, you felt his resolve, and you heard his opinion whether asked for or not.

Beyond his work and civic engagement, Steve embraced the outdoors. He loved rock climbing, scuba diving, flying, mountain biking, skiing, sailing, and fishing — pursuits that reflected his deep appreciation for wild places around the world.

One measure of a life well lived is the number and richness of the stories that remain. You would be hard-pressed to find anyone who knew Steve who doesn’t have a story — or twenty — to tell.

Along with his many devoted friends, Steve is survived by his son Caleb Wolper and Caleb’s wife Jennie Liu; and his grandchildren Jonah and Eloise; his brother Bob Wolper and Bob’s wife Pam; his sister Cathy Victor and her husband Greg.

To say Steve Wolper lived a full life is an understatement. He lived the life of a small army.

Contributions in Steve Wolper’s name can be made to Wilderness Watch.