December 1, 2025

Welcome to Cabin in the Pines, a blog dedicated to preserving history and building community in the Pinehaven Cabin Community and Cuchara, Colorado. Click the “Start Here” to view the content of this digital time capsule. To help you explore Cabin in the Pines, we’ve made it easy to find stories in a few different ways.

Browse by category. Click any of the general categories below to open an accordion menu showing related Journal titles and direct links.
Browse by interests. Use the search box below to quickly find people, places, or topics you’re curious about.
Browse by journal list. Prefer to wander? Simply scroll down this page to see every Journal entry and select one to read.

You can return to this Table of Contents at any time by clicking the “Back to Table of Contents” button at the end of each post. Its your trail back to the start.

1. Browse by Category

Click the small arrow on any of the general categories below to open an accordion menu showing related Journal titles and direct links.

Welcome & Introduction

History of Pinehaven

History of Cuchara

Builders, Leaders, and Influencers

The Living Forest (Water, Land, and Habitat)

Destinations Near Pinehaven

Living Safely in the Mountains

Governance, Infrastructure, and Community Life

Time-Slip Fictional Stories & Poems

Resources and Media

2. Browse by Interest

Use the search box below to find people, places, or topics within the Cabin in the Pines blog.

3. Browse by Journal List

Click any of the numbered Journal links below to open the Journal. They are listed in the order that they were created.

Special Thanks and Invitation to Participate
Journal 1: Why We Created This Blog
Journal 2: Flags Over the Forest
Journal 3: Cuchara Camps, Catalyst for Growth
Journal 4: From Battlefield to Backwoods: Homesteader John L. Powell
Journal 5: John Vories and the Beginnings of Pinehaven
Journal 6: Steve Pierotti: Architect of Pinehaven
Journal 7: Lower Slopes Development and Filing #1
Journal 8: Mid-Mountain Development and Filing #2
Journal 9: Country Road Take Me Home

Journal 10: From Lanterns to Lighbulbs

Journal 11: From Mountain Stream to Cabin Tap

Journal 12: Cabins, Covenants, and Community
Journal 13: Pierotti Pavilion
Journal 14: Close as It Gets: Pinehaven and the Spring Creek Fire
Journal 15: Pinehaven’s Historic Timeline
Journal 16: Poem - John L. Powell: Union Veteran of the West
Journal 17: Poem - A Touch of Heaven in the Pines
Journal 18: Poem - Steve Pierotti A Pioneer of Pinehaven
Journal 19: Poem - Flags Over the Forest
Journal 20: Bend Creek: Pinehaven’s Ripple in the Cuchara Watershed
Journal 21: Bears, Bullets, and Backbone on Raspberry Mountain
Journal 22: Rediscovering Raspberry Mountain (Part 1: Precambrian – 1876)

Journal 23: Rediscovering Raspberry Mountain (Part 2: 1876 - Present)
Journal 24: Fire Road vs. Limited Access Roads, What’s the Difference?

Journal 25: Pinehaven’s Limited_Access Road, It’s Origin and Challenges

Journal 26: Fire Road, Life-Saving Takeaways (with bonus videos)
Journal 27: Bi-annual Forest Debris Pick-up Q&A
Journal 28: Pipes, Progress, and Partnership: How CSWD Enriched Pinehaven
Journal 29: Tribute to Bob Pierotti, Patriarch of Pinehaven

Journal 30: Where Does Pinehaven’s Water Come From?

Journal 31: Wild Neighbors: Living Close to Nature in Pinehaven

Journal 32: Where We Come From: A Map of Pinehaven Cabin Ownership

Journal 33: How Cuchara Influenced Scientific History

Journal 34: Four Faces of Pinehaven

Journal 35: Why the Red Dirt?

Journal 36: Ten Things That Make Pinehaven Unique

Journal 37: The Four Seasons in Pinehaven

Journal 38: Pinehaven, The Realities Behind the Beauty

Journal 39: How to Drive Safely During a Wildfire Evacuation

Journal 40: Ravaged and Restored; The Logging History of Raspberry Mountain

Journal 41: Why Pinehaven's Blog Matters

Journal 42: Memorial in the Pines: The Forgotten Bomber of 1943

Journal 43: Hidden Gems Less Than a Mile from Pinehaven

Journal 44: Cabin Styles in Pinehaven

Journal 45: Let Us Help You Tell Your Cabin’s Story

Journal 46: Pinehaven Historic Timeline

Journal 47: Understanding Cuchara’s Governance

Journal 48: Onboarding Your New Cabin

Journal 49: Inside Pinehaven’s HOA

Journal 50: How the Great Depression Changed Cuchara

Journal 51: The Mouache of the Cuchara Valley

Journal 52: Buckskin Charley on Leadership

Journal 53: The Relevance of the Mouache Ute

Journal 54: The Outhouse at the Gap (time-slip fiction)

Journal 55: The Outhouse and Spanish Colonialism (time-slip fiction)

Journal 56: The Outhouse and Bear Hunters (time-slip fiction)

Journal 57: Pinehaven’s Firewise Program

Journal 58: A Biography of George A. Mayes

Journal 59: George Mayes’ Enduring Legacy

Journal 60: Wheels of Change: The Truck That Drove Cuchara’s Future

Journal 61: The Outhouse and John L. Powell (time-slip fiction)

Journal 62: The La Veta Fire Auxiliary

Journal 63: The Cuchara Camps Outing Club

Journal 64: Re-Creating the Cuchara Camps Truck

Journal 65: Cuchara Connections: Influential People with Ties to the Valley

Journal 66: The Ever-Evolving Road to Pinehaven

Journal 67: Music Video: “He Painted His Dreams on the Side of a Truck”

Journal 68: How Would You Rate Cuchara's Epic Snowstorms?

Journal 69: The Outhouse and Cucharan Resiliency (time-slip fiction)

Journal 70: When Snow Turns Dangerous (Explainer Video)

Journal 71: A Walk Among Pinehaven’s Trees – Part 1

Journal 72: A Walk Among Pinehaven’s Trees – Part 2

Journal 73: A Walk Among Pinehaven’s Trees – Part 3

Journal 74: What’s Your Favorite Mountain Tree? (survey)

Journal 75: A Conversation with Jim Chamberlain, Cuchara’s County Commissioner

Journal 76: Six Lesser-Known Facts About The Timbers Restaurant

Journal 77: An Interview with Timber and Jerrilynn Wood

Journal 78: From Ranch Driveway to Main Street: The Origins of Cuchara Avenue

Journal 79:Untangling the Confusion About the Cuchara Camps Land Purchase

Journal 80: Parallel Pioneers, Steve Peirotti and Alfred Mayes

Journal 81: Methodology, Sources, and Use of Research Tools

Journal 82: Why Should I Join the Cuchara Association?

Journal 83: More Than a Countdown: The Story Behind Cuchara’s Pine Cone Drop

Journal 84: From the Gap to the Pass, Nine Neighborhoods of the Cuchara Valley

Journal 85: Why Rent Your Cabin? Part 1

Journal 86: Why Rent Your Cabin? Part 2

November 1, 2025

Thanks and Invitation to Participate

Our love for the Pinehaven community led to a desire to better understand its general history. Three years ago, we began a deep dive into the 500-year history of the land that is now Pinehaven. Now we invite you join us on this journey.

Journal 1: Why We Created This Blog

When singing about his discovery of the Rocky Mountains, John Denver claimed to have "come home to a place he had never been before".(1) That’s how we felt when we stumbled upon Cuchara, Colorado. While traveling west on Highway 160, we saw a scenic highway sign pointing south called Highway of Legends (Highway 12). We turned around and decided to explore the unknown.

Journal 2: Flags Over the Forest

What if you stood in the Cuchara Valley centuries ago? The air would still smell of pine, but no cabins or roads would break the silence. You’d see Ute hunters on horseback, Spanish explorers pushing north, or maybe hear the distant clink of miners' tools. It all depends on which flag was flying that decade. If the mountains could talk, they’d tell stories no textbook ever could.

Journal 3: Cuchara Camps, Catalyst for Growth

You step off a dusty wagon, the scent of pine and woodsmoke thick in the air. Around you, canvas tents flap gently along the Cuchara River, children chasing each other on narrow trails, and George Mayes waves from the porch of a rustic lodge, offering a hand and a promise: “You’ll sleep better here than you have in years.”

Journal 4: From Battlefield to Backwoods: Homesteader John L. Powell

The wind tugged at John Powell’s coat as he surveyed the land just north of Cuchara. It wasn’t much, just forest, rock, and possibility. But to a Civil War veteran with nothing but grit and a government promise, it looked like the future.

Journal 5: John Vories and the Beginnings of Pinehaven

John Vories had big dreams.(1) He envisioned turning the rugged land into a peaceful resort, but lacked the funds to bring it to life. However, he began planning and working with what little he had. His first project? Designing a cabin area on a scenic hill overlooking what was then just a dirt road, now known as Highway 12.

Journal 6: Steve Pierotti: Architect of Pinehaven

In the 1940s, amid the rugged peaks and whispering pines of the Cuchara Valley, a bold dream began to take root, and right at its center stood Steve Pierotti. A son of Huerfano County and a trusted friend of John C. Vories, Pierotti possessed a boundless energy and a vision that reached far beyond the valley floor. He could see what Pinehaven might one day become, and he had the grit to make it happen.

Journal 7: Lower Slopes Development and Filing #1

By the early 1950s, John C. Vories had decided to move on from Huerfano County. He offered to sell the resort land he had begun developing to his longtime friend, Steve Pierotti, for $3,700. Pierotti would become the most influential person to shape Pinehaven’s future.

Journal 8: Mid-Mountain Development and Filing #2

By the 1970s, Steve Pierotti was ready to take Pinehaven to the next level. With the success of Filing #1 behind him, he began planning Filing #2, a brand-new phase of development that would stretch across Roads 405, 406, 407, and extending portion of Road 401.(1)

Journal 9: Country Road Take Me Home

How did a wilderness mountainside with narrow trails for roads evolve into a thriving cabin community? This is the remarkable story of Pinehaven’s transformation from an untamed wilderness to a modern mountain cabin community. But it all started with a dirt road we now call Highway 12.

Journal 10: From Lanterns to Lighbulbs

history of electricity in Pinehaven in Cuchara, Colorado

Long before porch lights flickered in Pinehaven, the cabins nestled on Raspberry Mountain were truly off the grid. Off-grid and deep in the forest, night falls like a velvet curtain. Life gets so dark you can’t see your own hand in front of your face, only feel the wilderness breathing around you. And then, at last, Pinehaven saw the light—literally.

Journal 11: From Mountain Stream to Cabin Tap

Pinehaven didn’t always have access to a public water and sewage system. As the cabin community grew, patchwork solutions just couldn’t keep up. But everything changed when Pinehaven was annexed into the Cucharas Sanitation and Water District. It was a game changer for everyone.

Journal 12: Cabins, Covenants, and Community

As a community grows, so does the need for reasonable structure, collaboration, and shared expectations. Pinehaven's HOA provides a framework for collaboration, ensuring decisions reflect the collective good rather than individual convenience. With clear governing documents in place, neighbors can protect what they love while planning wisely for the future.

Journal 13: Pierotti Pavilion

Another meaningful contribution to Pinehaven’s sense of community came from the construction of a large open-air pavilion near the intersection of Roads 401 and 406.(1)

Journal 14: Close as It Gets: Pinehaven and the Spring Creek Fire

It came like a monster in the mountains—fast, fierce, and fueled by drought. In the summer of 2018, the Spring Creek Fire roared to life in southern Colorado, becoming one of the most destructive wildfires in state history.

Journal 15: Pinehaven’s Historic Timeline

The development of Pinehaven spans over a century, beginning with John L. Powell’s 1905 homestead claim under the Homestead Act of 1862. Over the decades, the land passed through the hands of family heirs and visionaries like John C. Vories and Steve Pierotti, who transformed rugged forest terrain into a planned mountain retreat.

Journal 16: Poem - John L. Powell: Union Veteran of the West

A poetic tribute to John L. Powell, a Civil War veteran, original pioneer, homesteader, and owner of the land that is now Pinehaven.

Journal 17: Poem - A Touch of Heaven in the Pines

A poetic reflection upon the moment Gene and Rhonda knew the cabin at 80 County Road 406 was the perfect place for them.

Journal 18: Poem - Steve Pierotti A Pioneer of Pinehaven

A poetic tribute to Steve Pierotti, the chief visionary, architect, and pioneer of the Pinehaven cabin community.

Journal 19: Poem - Flags Over the Forest

A poetic tribute to the five sovereign nations that have flown their flags throughout history over the forested land that is now Pinehaven.

Journal 20: Bend Creek: Pinehaven’s Ripple in the Cuchara Watershed

As you drive in the steep entrance into Pinehaven, look to your left, you’ll glimpse a quiet, wooded gulch where Bend Creek winds its way through the trees. At first glance, it may seem like just another mountain stream. However, this hidden waterway plays a small but significant role in sustaining the Cuchara Valley’s watershed, carrying snowmelt and runoff from higher elevations and nourishing the forested landscape below.

Journal 21: Bears, Bullets, and Backbone on Raspberry Mountain

At first glance, Pinehaven might seem like just another peaceful mountain retreat, tucked away among the evergreens with the hum of hummingbirds and the scent of pine drifting through the air. But look a little closer, and you’ll find that this quiet cabin community is perched on a slope that once echoed with the sounds of rifle shots, bear growls, and frontier grit.

Journal 22: Rediscovering Raspberry Mountain (Part 1: Precambrian – 1876)

Rising boldly above the pine forests and meadows of the Pinehaven’s cabin community, Raspberry Mountain commands the skyline. While Pinehaven is its own community, it is geologically part of Raspberry Mountain's western slope. The mountain is part of the eastern flank of the Culebra Range, which is part of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains and rises 11,247 feet, dominating the skyline east of Highway 12.

Journal 23: Rediscovering Raspberry Mountain (Part 2: 1876 - Present)

Once a rugged wilderness bursting with wild berries and prowled by bears, Raspberry Mountain has steadily evolved from untamed backcountry into a cherished mountain community. Tucked within Colorado’s Spanish Peaks region, it first sustained wildlife and early homesteaders, then welcomed loggers, ranchers, and adventurers. Today, its slopes are dotted with cabins and quiet trails, blending the echoes of frontier grit with the comforts of modern mountain life. Its a living landscape where wilderness and community now coexist.

Journal 24: Fire Road vs. Limited-Access Roads, What’s the Difference?

When it comes to wildfire, knowing your way out is just as important as knowing when to go. In Pinehaven, we have a limited-access fire road, but it’s not yet equipped to serve as a safe mass evacuation route for residents. This article breaks down the difference between official and limited-access fire roads, and why that distinction matters.

Journal 25: Pinehaven’s Limited-Acess Road, It’s Origin and Challenges

After the 2018 Spring Creek Fire came dangerously close to Pinehaven, our community took bold steps to improve wildfire readiness, including the creation of a limited-access fire road. But this solution comes with challenges we can’t ignore. This post explores the origins, limitations, and future of Pinehaven’s fire road, and why smarter, more strategic investments may hold the key to long-term safety in our mountain community.

Journal 26: Fire Road, Life-Saving Takeaways

Given the challenging location, limited tactical use, and high cost of upgrading Pinehaven’s limited-access road, it may be more effective to focus our energy on other proactive strategies. By investing in fire mitigation, strengthening evacuation plans, and enhancing prevention efforts, we can make a meaningful difference in our community’s safety.

Journal 27: Bi-Annual Forest Debris Pick-up Q&A

Living in the mountains comes with breathtaking views and the shared responsibility to protect them. As a recognized Firewise community, Pinehaven takes wildfire prevention seriously through proactive efforts like our twice-yearly forest litter pick-up service.

Journal 28: Pipes, Progress, and Partnership: How CSWD Enriched Pinehaven

On a summer day in the early 1970s, Steve Pierotti stood knee-deep in mud with a pickaxe in hand and a vision in his head. He wasn’t a city engineer, just a determined man trying to bring running water to a cluster of rustic cabins under the pines. That’s how Pinehaven’s journey toward modern water service began, with a hidden spring on Raspberry Mountain and the vision to build a thriving cabin community called Pinehaven. But it was Cucharas Sanitation and Water District that fulfilled the dream.

Journal 29: Tribute to Bob Pierotti, Patriarch of Pinehaven

Bob Pierotti stands as a pillar of quiet strength and enduring impact, not just in Pinehaven, but across the Cuchara Valley. From local government and education to community planning and public utilities, his leadership has shaped Pinehaven and beyond.

Journal 30: Where Does Pinehaven’s Water Come From?

Pinehaven Cabin Community water source in Cuchara, Colorado

Take a one-minute journey from mountaintop to faucet as we explore how Pinehaven gets clean water from the tap as part of the Cuchara Valley watershed. From snowmelt on Raspberry Mountain to clean, pressurized water flowing into your cabin sink, discover the hidden story behind every drop and how nature and infrastructure work hand in hand to keep Pinehaven refreshed.

Journal 31: Wild Neighbors: Living Close to Nature in Pinehaven

Tucked into the forests and foothills of Colorado’s southern Rockies, Pinehaven isn’t just a cabin community, it’s a VIP box seat to nature’s most unpredictable reality show. From alpine meadows to whispering pine forests, this wild landscape plays host to a colorful (and sometimes toothy) cast of characters. Whether it’s a hawk’s shadow slicing across the creek or a bear swiping berries like it owns the place, every day in Pinehaven reminds us that we’re not alone out here. And honestly, we wouldn’t have it any other way.

Journal 32: Where We Come From: A Map of Pinehaven Cabin Ownership

Ever wonder where your Pinehaven neighbors hail from? Whether you’re sipping coffee on the deck or chatting from your UTV with Pinehaven friends, it’s clear our little mountain community draws folks from far and wide. But just how far? Let me explain.

Journal 33: How Cuchara Influenced Scientific History

High in Colorado’s Culebra Range, the quiet village of Cuchara became an unlikely cradle of scientific thought, drawing Harvard scholars seeking both solitude and inspiration. The combined contribution of these great minds influenced fields like botany, maize genetics, and the history of science. Cuchara stands as a reminder that some of the world’s most influential ideas are born not in labs, but in the stillness of wild places.

Journal 34: Four Faces of Pinehaven

Just as Mount Rushmore’s four presidents represent foundational eras and ideals in American history, Pinehaven has been shaped and sustained by four remarkable individuals. Each one has left their own enduring imprint on its story. Let's take a look at who they are and why they matter.

Journal 35: Why the Red Dirt?

Ever notice that some of Pinehaven’s soil and rocks wear a warm, rusty-red hue? That’s not the handiwork of paint, it’s nature showing off its own masterpiece. In this quick, two-minute video, we’ll uncover the story behind that color, tracing it to Pinehaven’s perch on Raspberry Mountain and a geological wonder known as “redbeds.” You’ll see how the mountain’s ancient history has been quietly coloring our corner of Colorado for millions of years.(1)

Journal 36: Ten Things That Make Pinehaven Unique

If you’ve stumbled onto this blog, chances are you either own a cabin in Pinehaven or you’re daydreaming about buying one. Maybe you’re even asking yourself, “What makes Pinehaven different from the other charming spots in Cuchara?” Well, pull up a chair (or a rocking one on the porch) and let me share a few of the qualities that make Pinehaven more than just a place on the map. It’s a community where the mountains meet friendship, and where living, working, and playing all come with a view worth talking about.

Journal 37: The Four Seasons in Pinehaven

One of Pinehaven’s quiet charms is that the seasons don’t fake it here. They arrive with all their quirks and glory. Plenty of communities promise four seasons, but Pinehaven lives them in perfect balance. In this post, we will explore what each season brings to Pinehaven, uncover how Cuchara’s weather sets it apart from the rest of Colorado, trace the subtle ways these patterns have evolved over the past decade, and give some tips for each season.

Journal 38: Pinehaven, The Realities Behind the Beauty

Life in Pinehaven is as picturesque as it sounds with towering pines, crisp mountain air, and the kind of quiet you can feel in your bones. The magic lies in things like the scent of fresh pine after a summer rain, the hush that falls over the forest when snow drapes the trees, and the stars spill across the night sky in dazzling clarity. But like any mountain town, Pinehaven has its own rhythm that’s shaped by elevation, weather, wildlife, and the realities of living off the beaten path. These aren’t “downsides” so much as they are part of the quirks that give the community its character and keep life interesting.

Journal 39: How to Drive Safely During a Wildfire Evacuation

When wildfires threaten mountain communities, your vehicle becomes more than just transportation, it becomes your lifeline. But escaping safely isn’t just about having a road out; it’s about knowing how to use it. This video covers critical best practices for evacuating by car.

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