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 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.