In 1981, Mark Nash ventured to the Wet Mountain Valley for the first time. Nash was an avid backpacker and nature photographer and was eager to explore the area. However, his first visit was cut short, and he promised himself he would return. After more than 40 years, Nash has been frequenting the Rocky Mountains of Colorado numerous times each year.

During his earlier journeys, Nash would backpack, day-hike and capture photographs of the mountains, cabins, barns, mine sites, cemeteries, and antiquated equipment. As Nash’s trips to Colorado became more frequent, he noticed that many of the homestead cabins and barns were falling apart. They were simply collapsing before his eyes.

An idea sprouted when Nash had a conversation with his sisters. They came up with a plan to create a television show to save many of these historic properties. As Nash researched one property, he became fascinated by the history of the property and the surrounding area. He found homestead claims, stories about the homesteaders and subsequent property owners from the current owners and others in the area. The stories that brought the people to the Rocky Mountains fascinated Nash, and the more he researched, the more he obsessed over the idea of a show focused on saving these vanishing pieces of western history.

Nash’s obsession about the history of the cabins started him on a journey. This journey has led Nash and a small team of like-minded individuals, one with personal experience restoring homestead farmhouses in eastern Colorado, to create Rocky Mountain Restoration.

The concept originated with “just another remodeling/home-renovation show” but quickly shifted to the idea of focusing on homestead cabins and other historic structures. After several more twists of fate, or “God Things” as the team calls them, it became obvious that this is truly a mission to save a part of western U.S. history that is often overlooked. Cabins, homes, barns, and other structures, all privately owned, are in dire need of restoration.

The long-term goal of Rocky Mountain Restoration is to create a funding source and a program to showcase the many pieces of western history that can become family legacies for future generations. Providing financial assistance, when necessary, combined with restoration expertise is what some of these property owners need. Other property owners just need a team of conservationists to show them the value in restoring what they already have. Either way, this process saves an historical structure and can extend, or create a new, legacy for the future.

Rocky Mountain Restoration can be the catalyst for these restoration projects; contributing the construction expertise, and can tell the story of the property. This story is not just a 30-second snippet of what the owners want, but is the history of the property; tales of our forefathers who risked their lives to carve out an existence and a future in the great Rocky Mountains of the west.  Our show is an opportunity to not only save a part of history, but to also create new family legacies that can be enjoyed for generations to come. Nash and his team invite everyone to join them on their journey, and perhaps have a little fun along the way.