News | Rocky Mountain Outdoor Writers & Photographers

Conference 2021 in the Rear-View Mirror

By Barb Laine

As RMOWP’s 47th conference drifts into the mists of memory, we’re thankful we were able to gather together and share experiences once again. Alamogordo gave us the opportunity to see some remnants of the old West at Oliver Lee Memorial State Park, photograph numerous petroglyphs at Three Rivers Petroglyph Site, and witness a double rainbow shortly before sunset at White Sands National Park.

So You Want to Self-Publish?

By David Staat

One of the highlights of this year’s RMOWP conference was a self-publishing panel discussion. Self-publishing a book is a multifaceted endeavor where success comes in many forms. This subject was explored by a panel of experienced self-publishers. As moderator, I was asked to provide a summary of their discussion. The panelists were Ron Belak, John Hanou, Peter Kummerfeldt, and Virginia Staat.

RMOWP Loses Longtime Friend Sue Baker

Sue Baker, a longtime member of RMOWP, passed away in Stillwater, Oklahoma, October 10 at the age of 82. An accomplished artist, illustrator, and teacher, with post-graduate studies in art, Sue was active in the Stillwater Art Guild. She also had a degree in business education and was office manager of Baker Animal Clinic, her husband Jim’s veterinary practice.

A Bad Man But a Great State Park

Text and photos by Don Laine

first grease rack - concrete. Pancho Villa State Park. — The first grease rack – made of concrete. Pancho Villa State Park. © Don Laine

General Francisco “Pancho” Villa was not a nice person, but the Mexican bandit-revolutionary, certainly without meaning to, played a major role in helping the United States prepare for its entrance into World War I.

Today, those traveling in southern New Mexico can drop in to Pancho Villa State Park in the border town of Columbus to learn about Villa and see some of America’s first mechanized military equipment. If your timing’s right you might also see blooming cactus in spring and do a bit of bird watching in winter.

White Sands Welcomes RMOWP

Playing in the cool gypsum sands, White Sands National Park — Playing in the cool gypsum sands of White Sands National Park. © Don Laine

RMOWP’s annual conference is just a few weeks away (Sunday-Wednesday, September 26-29) with a good time for all planned in sunny Alamogordo, New Mexico.

In addition to photographing the glistening white gypsum sands of White Sands National Park, we’ll discover the real Wild West at Oliver Lee Memorial State Park. A must-see in the area, that we hope you’ll explore on your own, is Three Rivers Petroglyph Site, with more than 21,000 ancient petroglyphs. Other local attractions include the New Mexico Museum of Space History for a glimpse of the beginnings of America’s space program, the Tularosa Basin Museum of History, and of course the Toy Train Depot. Due to the ongoing pandemic, some of these attractions may have limited hours when we’re there, but we’ll try to get current information closer to the conference.

RMOWP 2021 Conference Set

Ready to trek across the sparkling white sands of White Sands National Park? Then mark your calendar for September 26-29 for RMOWP’s 47th conference in Alamogordo, New Mexico.

The Legend of Pavla Blanca

Courtesy National Park Service

To the Indians of central New Mexico, one of the most enduring legends is that of Pavla Blanca, the ghost of the Great White Sands. Hidden behind the swirling eddies of the spectral white dunes, her tragic story provides one of the most fascinating tales of the Southwest.

A Look at the Evil Empire

By David Staat

I am not a big social media guy. As a matter of fact, I avoided getting involved for years because of all the negative comments I heard from friends, family, and the media. Last year, however, I decided to experience social media so I could understand the technology pros and cons and could make an informed decision as to whether there was any value in it for me.

Let’s Have a Conference!

There’s good news across the country and in New Mexico, as we begin to get the Coronavirus pandemic under control and get closer to the normal life we had in the good old days. Although there are still more questions than answers about the rest of 2021, it’s looking good that RMOWP will gather for a conference September 26-29 in Alamogordo, New Mexico, home of White Sands National Park. See the May-June issue of Rocky Mountain Outdoors for photos of the Alamogordo area.

New Colorado Fly Fishing Guide

Ron Belak, longtime RMOWP member from Kittredge, Colorado, tells us that he recently published his second book, The Fishing Guide to 800 High Lakes in Colorado. He describes it as “the most comprehensive and up-to-date fishing guide for Colorado’s high-mountain lakes, covering all of the major mountain ranges in Colorado.”