Regular Contributors | Rocky Mountain Outdoor Writers & Photographers

Am I Really Retired?

By Richard Holmes, April 2020

Best of Show, Writing ~ RMOWP 2020 Contest

It just occurred to me that I might be retired. I had not thought of that before. Could I have just eased into it without noticing?

A Cecil, according to RMOWP’s own photographer Jack Olson, is a sunrise or sunset photo named in honor of Academy Award-winning producer Cecil B. DeMille (1881-1959), whose Biblical films featured characters such as Moses atop a mountain, arms raised to the fiery sky. You don’t capture Cecils very often, Jack tells us. They must be special in one way or another, a spectacular show in the sky, reminiscent of DeMille’s epic films.

Pie Lady of Pie Town Calls it Quits

By Don & Barbara Laine

New Mexico has lost an institution.

Pie-O-Neer cafe in Pie Town, NM — The Pie-O-Neer was a popular spot. © Kelly Gatlin

The Pie-O-Neer Pie Bar in Pie Town, New Mexico, has closed after more than 20 years in business, a victim of the Coronavirus pandemic. The announcement was made by owner Kathy Knapp, according to an article in the Socorro, New Mexico, newspaper “El Defensor Chieftain.” She told the newspaper that she opened the pie shop for the season this year on Pi Day (March 14), but because of the pandemic closed the next day. More on Pi Day below.

Fog Light in Antarctica

By Ian King

You’re going to Antarctica, what many refer to as the “seventh continent,” as if it’s a collector’s item accrediting them with significant prestige in a time of global travel. But the first two days of your trek are not particularly auspicious. You’ve spent them forging a labored trail through the infamous Drake Passage, rolling from side to side in the heaving swell of the Southern Ocean, the forbidding gateway to this “last and final continent.”

fog in Antarctica, icebergs, moody — Iceberg ghost ships emerge as the fog lifts. © Ian King

Social Distancing

“Then stirs the feeling infinite, so felt in solitude,
where we are least alone.” ~ Lord Byron

I have always preferred social distancing while hiking. My treasured outdoor memories are mostly of solo hikes, my companions limited to rocks, trees, flowers and possibly a few animals.

orange lily on black — “Orange Lily on Black” © Kent Taylor, Hon. Men. Flora Category, RMOWP 2019 Photo Contest

The Unwelcome Guest

Text & photo by Maryann Gaug

young gopher snake invades van camper — A young gopher snake invaded my van camper!

Arriving at Wheeler Peak campground in Great Basin National Park, I found the perfect campsite for Rover, my camper van, for 4 nights. I leveled Rover, got settled, and paid the campground fee. Then I opened the door to the bathroom and there was the snake. ACK!! A SNAKE!! ACK!! A small one, about 2 feet long, yellowish with a black pattern, with oblong head – at least it wasn’t a pit viper (venomous). Maybe a small bull snake or large garter snake. It wriggled on the floor trying to crawl up the wall. Heck, I was at 9,880 feet! I had no idea of how it got in the bathroom. I was so shaken that I didn’t even take a picture. I decided to find someone to help me (I figured I needed at least 4 hands and 2 heads).

Rutting & Rooting

Text and photo by Kenita Gibbins

Rutting Season in Rocky Mountain National Park

bull elk on ground in grasses — Bull elk keeping watch over his harem.

The elk stands tall and weighs up to 1000 pounds, becoming a fascinating species within the deer family.

Gardening & Grooming

The Difference

Text and photos by Jack Olson

A little while ago I was asked about the control of depth of field for photography in a field of columbine and I explained in a newsletter article. Now I want to get into a discussion conerning Gardening and Grooming. I used to talk about gardening, and if it was ever acceptible. Some of our photographers may disagree in this but, for now, I hold the stage.

Dr. Faustus at Sprague Lake

By Ian King

reflections on Sprague Lake, Rocky Mountain National Park — Sprague Lake © 2012 Harry Snelson

You hadn’t exactly been making tawaf, that great, frenzied, swarming circumambulation of the Holy Kaaba in Mecca; and you clearly hadn’t been doing anything quite like the Muslim Hajj, either. Nonetheless, in a limited, quasi-metaphorical way, it is the first pilgrimage-like parallel you draw when you reflect on your visit to Sprague Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park in early September 2019.

The Legend of El Patron

Book Review by Barb Laine

This is a charming, entertaining, and educational little book, written by RMOWP member Virginia Parker Staat. It brought both tears and chuckles – what more can a reader ask? Although written for children eight to 14, it’s a lovely story for all ages. It’s also a true story, and includes delightful illustrations by Andy Ramon.

Category: Regular Contributors