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Elevator Going Up: Steamboat Pilot’s Eugene Buchanan earns his turns on a not-quite backyard bootpack.
Courtesy
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A new edition of “Tales from a Mountain Town” was recently finished by Eugene Buchanan.
Courtesy
STEAMBOAT SPRINGS — If at first you succeed, try, try again. That’s the mantra Steamboat author Eugene Buchanan is following, releasing a second edition of his popular “Tales from a Mountain Town” tome just in time for the holidays.
The new book adds 20 new stories, more illustrations.
“A bigger font and everything,” Buchanan said. “Plus, it’s a special gluten-free version.”
That lightheartedness permeates the book, which shares happy-go-lucky stories from 25 years of living in a mountain town, from rescuing dogs via canoe and dealing with the “dreaded berm” to escaping “urban” avalanches, safety kayaking for the, believe it or not, Philadelphia Flyers, counting guest days on his couch and more.
“Tales from a Mountain Town: Musings from 25 years of Living in the Colorado Rockies” highlights the adventures and misadventures of life in an outdoor playground, with both new stories and those previously printed in a variety of outdoor publications, creating a dynamic, easy-to-read book.
Maybe it was growing up in Boulder, guiding rafts in Alaska or living in towns like Telluride and Steamboat, or maybe it was running an outdoors magazine for 14 years that let him travel the world — whatever it may be, Buchanan’s love for the outdoors and the fun it presents shines through in every page, making it the perfect gift for the holidays.
Buchanan enlisted the services of Steamboat artist Mack Maschmeier to illustrate many of the stories, adding even more levity to the writing. Published by Recreation Publishing Inc., the book chronicles Buchanan’s two and a half decades of living in the Rocky Mountains, with pen and a knack for adventure in tow.
“The stories aren’t all about getting after it,” Buchanan said. “One’s about our roof getting electrified from sliding snow knocking out our electrical main; another’s about coaching kids soccer. But they all share living in a mountain town in common.”
A resident of Steamboat since moving the offices for Paddler magazine to town in 1992, Buchanan has written about the outdoors for more than 30 years. A lifelong adventurer and member of New York’s Explorer’s Club, he worked the Beijing Olympics for NBC and has written for ESPN.com, The New York Times, Men’s Journal, Sports Afield, Outside, National Geographic Adventure, 5280, Forbes Life, Skiing, Powder and other publications.
Buchanan is also the author of “Brothers on the Bashkaus,” “Comrades on the Colca” and “Outdoor Parents, Outdoor Kids,” which won the gold medal from the Living Now Book Awards.
“Steamboat has pretty good everything, all out your back door,” Buchanan said. “You can ski, fish, climb, bike, hike, kayak, sup and more all during your lunch break. It’s also an awesome community of like-minded people who all do the same. It’s pretty easy to find someone to do something with.”
Even with the epic span of stories and adventures, Buchanan said there’s still quite a bit he has yet to do.
“I’m actually pretty soft compared to a lot of folks out there getting after it every day,” Buchanan said. “I haven’t climbed as much as I’d like to, backpacked enough, summited enough peaks, caught big enough fish, skinned or biked enough, the list goes on. There’s always something else to do.”
Buchanan said there are a lot of people in the community who inspire him from bike racers to business owners to mountain climbers.
“What they’ll share is the zip code they’ve decided to make their home,” he said. “The community here is great.”
Sponsored by ahost of local supporters, “Tales From a Mountain Town” is available at such retailers as Off The Beaten Path, BAP, ACE, Lyon’s Drug, Backdoor Sports, Ski Haus, Cruisers, Hala Gear Space and more in Steamboat Springs, as well as online on Amazon and eugenebuchanan.com.
“Hopefully, it will help people laugh at the day-to-day predicaments we all often find ourselves in here and appreciate everything we have living here,” he said.