Megan has always been enamored with turquoise since her youth and a creative at heart. It wasn't until she took a silversmith class at a local studio that she knew she found the craft she has been yearning for for years. Santi built Megan a bench for Christmas, and she saved all her money to buy tools and silver. It didn't take long until Santi joined her in tinkering around this new craft. Santi is a natural with his hands and black smithed in high school. So, in the heart of quarantine and the cold winter, Crooked Trails was born in December of 2020.
Just as our name states: we create jewelry that is meant to take you on all of life's winding paths and trails. Our jewelry is functional and made with adventure in mind. We imagine our jewelry hiking long trails, climbing mountains, worn for farm chores, or going out with friends. We are inspired by wild places that we recreate in from the desert near Capitol Reef, to the Wasatch in our backyard, and to the southern tip of Chile, and the transition of seasons. We hope each piece reminds you of your adventurous soul and your favorite natural landscapes.
Our Love Story
We (Santi and Megan) met in January of 2019. During this time, both had sworn off dating after some rough break-ups. Megan was student teaching in SLC and decided to meet some locals through Tinder. We met at a cafe and ended up spending hours talking about life. It was an instant and magical connection. In less than 2 weeks, we fell in love, but Megan had to go back to Iowa to finish school. For the next year, we did long distance. We would meet in Utah, Wisconsin, and Chile whenever we could. Megan moved to SLC full-time in December of 2019, and in that same month, we moved in together.It didn't take long until we adopted a dog, and scampered off into the Uinta Mountains to elope. Our love has always been rooted in adventure and helping each other achieve our dreams, so it was natural to take on this endeavor together.
Megan
Megan was raised in Wisconsin. She always craved more adventure and knew her small town couldn't contain her. She went to school for Elementary Education and French in a small town in Iowa. These formative years brought her to farms in Togo and France, to the desert of New Mexico, rural villages in Alaska, and homesteads in Iowa. She's worked as a barista, farmer, landscaper, and an educator. Right now, she currently works as a 5th grade teacher. The work is hard yet rewarding. Other than jewelry, Megan loves to garden and dreams of having a big plot of land to farm someday. She also loves to thru hike and recently thru-hiked the Tahoe Rim Trail and Oregon Coast Trail. She brings the creativity and rustic style to Crooked Trails.
Santi
Santi is originally from Chile. He grew up traveling to SLC for prosthetic care and ski racing. He has competed in two Paralympics. He attended school in Utah where he studied Health Promotion and Education. Santi has extensive knowledge and education in search and rescue, rope safety, and avalanche safety. More often than not, you will find him in the mountains whether recreating for fun or guiding in the backcountry. His most recent feat is the first disabled descent of the Grand Teton. In his free time he loves to ski, climb, mountain bike, kayak, and snuggle with Luna, our dog. Santi brings a meticulous eye and polished look to our jewelry.
Luna
Luna is the quintessential part of Crooked Trails Silver. She was adopted in April of 2020 and is believed to be a mix of Border Collie and Heeler. In her free time, she loves to play frisbee, go skiing, swim, and snuggle with her humans. In Crooked Trails, she brings joy, laughter, and checks all your orders before they are shipped out. Every piece of jewelry is Luna approved.