Here’s a closer photo?

Compare with Heptacodium miconioides. Does that look like a possibility?

I wondered about dogwoods but haven’t gone up to see them myself. Would photos of them in dormancy help? I don’t know if all the leaves have dropped yet. Do red and yellow twigged dogwoods only show the twig coloration in winter?

Dogwood. My first thought was silky or gray.

Photos in dormancy would certainly help. As would closer views of the flower/fruit heads.

The latter made me think of dogwoods too, but I’m sure I’m seeing some alternate foliage and afaik most Cornus are opposite. OP says they’re in 6b.

Cornus subg. Thelycrania of which this planting would be an example if it consists of a dogwood species does not strictly adhere to opposite leaf arrangement:

Cornus in Flora of North America @ efloras.org

I'm not sure it makes a huge difference whether Kay 21 thinks the planting is in USDA 5 or 6, with the geographic location of Utah at 6100' probably being the most important combination of involved circumstances.

I’m so sorry; the elevation is 4,600 ft, and region is considered humid continental climate. I don’t know how I put in 6,100. Consensus seems to be dogwood.

I hope to have a photo of dormancy in the next day or two when my brother is in the area.

is there a sarcococca that will endure utah winters? that was my first thought after looking at the photos but the cold temps of zone 5 would be a deal breaker. even after another look, the leaves don't appear to be "leathery" enough for sweet box.

"is there a sarcococca that will endure utah winters?"

No. The leaves are also far too large for a sarcococca and they are evergreen and do not change colors. Flower parts (buds? seedheads?) in the third photo are also nothing like those of sarcococca.