GARY SCOTT STEFFENS explores the history of Ohio Creek Valley, where ranchers, miners, and frontier women overcame hardship to build a life. Blending rich stories, ghost tales, and local legends, this book pairs vivid narrative with past and present imagery that captures the valley’s enduring spirit. Spanning the rugged landscape from Irwin and Crested Butte to Powderhorn and Lake City, through Gunnison and the Ohio Creek Valley, it serves as an encyclopedic account of the region—an essential volume for ranchers, historians, and enthusiasts of mining and railroads. In 2026, Valley of Castles, Cattle & Coal received two prestigious CIPA EVVY Book Awards, earning top honors in both the History Nonfiction and Overall Nonfiction categories.