
Who we are
Stay Wild Build Co. was founded by owner and builder Erik Howes — a craftsman, climber, and seeker of wild places.
“I didn’t find construction through having some kind of ‘plan.’ I found it on a road trip. After leaving the automotive industry behind, I packed up my Jeep Wrangler and outfitted it as an adventure mobile for one. With nothing more than a torn old soft top to keep me dry, a sleeping bag, and a small wooden cabinet that I had built in place of where the passenger airbag once was. That tiny handmade cabinet above the glovebox didn’t seem like much at the time — but it changed everything. It gave that bare utilitarian space a touch of beauty, warmth and purpose. It made the Jeep feel like home.
Over time, as that Jeep evolved. More wood. More functionality. More care, intention, and craft. The tiny wooden dashboard cabinet became a rolling expression of who I was becoming — and that mobile, hand-built space has shaped me over the years as much as I have shaped it.
Eventually, as that passion grew into something larger: a full trolley bus conversion. What began as a mode of travel turned into a space of reflection, creativity, and growth. It was in those miles — between seasons of carpentry and long days on job sites — I truly discovered how important space is to how we live. Whether out roaming in the desert towers of Moab, or the granite spires of Jackson Hole, or in the comfort of home… It is the atmosphere we surround ourselves with that guide the way we show up in the world.
That is the heart of Stay Wild Build Co.
I believe that adventure starts at home — that craftsmanship and exploration are part of the same story. The way a rock climber studies a route and navigates the crux is the same way a builder tackles a complex roof assembly or hand-cut joinery. Both require patience, precision, problem-solving, and a love of what lies on the other side.
Stay Wild Build Co. creates spaces that allow people to live their most authentic, wild versions of themselves. Every project is tailored to the individual — just like every mountain and desert has its own beauty, every home should reflect the uniqueness of the people who live in it. Whether it’s a custom home, a small cabin, or a hand-built mobile dwelling, my goal is always the same: create environments that inspire, support, and elevate the people who inhabit them.
Because a well-crafted space isn’t just a place to live — it’s where the adventure begins.”
Contact us
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