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

 If you keep walking uphill past the last sunny decks and familiar pines of Pinehaven, the forest quietly changes and the trees that take over are built for snow, silence, and survival. That’s where our walk through the forest takes us today. 

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

Over the past three posts, we’ve taken a slow walk through the Pinehaven forest starting near the cabins, moving across sunny slopes and shaded draws, and climbing into the colder, snow-heavy parts of the mountain. Along the way, we met ten very different trees, each shaped by the land, the weather, and the long seasons they endure. Now it's time to tell us YOUR favorite. 

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

Cuchara is an unincorporated mountain community governed by Huerfano County, a structure that quietly influences nearly every aspect of life in Cuchara and Pinehaven. In this video interview, Gene Roncone speaks with County Commissioner Jim Chamberlain about District 2’s culture, needs, challenges, strengths, and how local residents can play an active role in shaping solutions.

Journal 76: Six Lesser-Known Facts About The Timbers

Great news has a way of traveling fast in a small mountain community and this one was especially welcome. The Timbers Steaks & Spirits has reopened, and wow, what a comeback. With it comes the return of a place that has long occupied a special corner of Cuchara’s shared memory. Let’s celebrate by exploring six lesser-known facts about The Timbers.

Journal 77: An Interview with Timber and Jerrilynn Wood

For generations, The Timbers has been more than a restaurant in Cuchara. It has been a place where milestones were celebrated, stories were shared, and memories were made over good food and long conversations. When Timber and Jerrilynn stepped into that story, they didn’t arrive with a background in the restaurant business, but with something just as important: a deep respect for community, a heart for hospitality, and a willingness to say yes to an unexpected calling.

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

The idea that Cuchara Village’s “main street” began with cows and hay wagons with no intention of ever becoming charming may come as a surprise. Cuchara Avenue, the short and walkable heart of the mountain community of Cuchara, Colorado, did not begin as a town street at all. It was someone’s driveway. Let me explain.

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

Did George Mayes Purchase the Cuchara Camps Land in 1906, 1907, or 1910? Although often described in local histories as a direct 1906 purchase from W. J. Gould, county records reveal a more complex transaction. Let's unravel the mystery. 

Journal 80: Parallel Pioneers, Steve Peirotti and Alfred Mayes

At first glance, Pinehaven and Cuchara Camps seem to belong to entirely different worlds. One began as a bustling summer resort, complete with cabins, dining halls, and guests arriving by railcar and wagon. The other took shape quietly in the forest where a cabin community built slowly, one family at a time. Though they share the same valley in Cuchara, Colorado, they reflect different eras, different economic models, and very different rhythms of life. 

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

What goes on behind the scenes to ensure the history you’re reading is accurate, well-sourced, and trustworthy? We’re glad you asked.

Journal 82: Why Should I Join the Cuchara Association?

One of Cuchara’s best-kept secrets also happens to be one of its most practical assets, especially for cabin owners, whether full-time or seasonal. Many residents have heard the name Cuchara Association, yet its purpose, responsibilities, and range of services often remain unclear. Let's talk about it.

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

In a village with no stoplights, no sidewalks, and more pine trees than people, Cuchara found its own way to welcome the New Year. They lower a glowing pine cone over Cuchara Avenue at exactly ten o’clock. Some towns drop a crystal ball at midnight; Cuchara drops a pine cone at ten. That somehow tells you almost everything you need to know about this place.

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

Traveling through the Cuchara Valley along Colorado State Highway 12, it becomes clear that this is not a single town or village, but a series of carefully layered mountain neighborhoods tucked among the pines. Elevation rises and falls, forest types subtly shift, and clusters of cabins and their owners have adapted to the land around them. Although not every home is part of a formal subdivision with clearly defined boundaries, and some neighborhood names are informal or colloquial, nine distinct areas together shape life in the Cuchara Valley. (1)  

Journal 85: Why Rent Your Cabin? Part 1

What if the cabin you love could do more than sit quietly between visits? In Cuchara, where cabins have long been places of rest, memory, and mountain tradition, shifting travel habits are opening the door to new possibilities. In this two-part series, local historian Gene Roncone teams up with Ed Matthes, a longtime Cuchara resident and owner of Cuchara Cabin & Condo Rentals, to explore a growing opportunity that supports cabin owners while strengthening the community.

Journal 86: Why Rent Your Cabin? Part 2

Most cabin owners do not lie awake wondering how to turn their place into a business. They lie awake wondering how to protect it, pay for it, upgrade it, and keep it part of the family for years to come. Gene Roncone and Ed Matthes wrap up this two-part series by sharing three more reasons that matter most to cabin owners.