The Wilderness Gateway Story

In 1963, Patty's parents purchased the land in Cowles, NM. Over the years, Patty's father, Frank, built a summer cabin and began landscaping with rock walls, trees, terraces and water systems to include several ponds.

Patty grew up backpacking in the Pecos wilderness and realized at a very young age that her heart belonged in the Pecos wilderness. Friends and family visited the cabin at Cowles throughout the years and many great memories were created and reminisced.


Patty's father, Frank, retired in 1992, sold his house in Albuquerque and moved to Cowles, NM. He has since earned the name "Mountain Man", given his expertise in felling trees, the Pecos Wilderness and knowing all the different coniferous trees that grow in the wilderness. What began as a hobby for the love of trees, Frank began what is known today as the Mountain Man Tree Farm. With love and much patience, Frank now has a tree farm of various trees including ponderosa pines, white firs, blue spruce, bristle cone pines and douglas firs, among others.

Patty met her husband Steve in 1989 and on New Year's Eve 1990, Steve proposed to Patty at the cabin. Steve and Patty frequently went to the cabin over the years and found that when it was time to return to their home in Albuquerque, they didn't want to leave the mountains. One day, Patty said, "Wouldn't it be great if we could live up here in the mountains?". The dream began.

With the generous help of Patty's father Frank, preparation for the log home began in July of 2000. Frank would work on the log home while Steve and Patty continued to remain in Albuquerque, working at their jobs. Steve and Patty would go up to the construction site three weekends of the month for five years. In November of 2004, the time had come. Steve and Patty put their house up for sale in Albuquerque, resigned from their jobs and moved to Cowles, NM.

They continued to work on the building and in July 2005, almost to the day of groundbreaking in July 2000, it was complete. Since moving to Cowles, NM, Steve and Patty have enjoyed living in the wilderness, watching deer, elk, eagles and bobcats.

Steve and Patty's mantra: If you're lucky enough to be in the mountains, you're lucky enough".