Storm On The Mountain, at 6600 words, is the seventh installment in the Mountain series, but it can be read as a stand-alone. The Mountain series, made up of short fiction and novels, follows a group of park rangers and ski instructors in the Colorado Rocky Mountains. Each book centers on an episode in the life of one of the gay couples with the other friends in the background as supporting characters.

One of the strengths of the series is the vividness and authenticity with which it fills in the setting of small-town Colorado with its breathtakingly beautiful wilderness. It also conveys the unique culture of the locals, which encompasses an independence and eccentricity born of the pioneering spirit, but also a distrust of outsiders. Best of all, it features characters working in real jobs that are fascinatingly detailed and yet woven seamlessly into the action. If you ever wondered what firefighters, park rangers, and ski instructors actually do in their outdoor workplace, you’ll find it here and learn a lot while you enjoy the story.

The story opens in the first-person viewpoint of Mark, who works with the ski patrol at a Colorado ski resort. A blizzard hits on Valentine’s Day, creating near whiteout conditions, and he and his coworkers are inching across the slopes in a snow cat vehicle, rescuing stranded skiers, including one poor guy whose companions deserted him when he couldn’t keep up with them.

Mark worries about his lover Allan though this isn’t the first time that his over-protectiveness has threatened to capsize their fragile new relationship. Allan is a chef at the resort and not very experienced or athletic when it comes to the great outdoors. It would be like him to risk frostbite by heading into the storm unprepared to deliver meals.

When Allan makes it back to Mark’s apartment, Mark’s concern shifts into how to care for his seriously chilled boyfriend without irritating Allan by overreacting. The two of them are at that vulnerable point in a new relationship where their emotions are completely engaged and yet they don’t know each other well enough to relax into comfortable familiarity. How can Mark find the courage to ask Allan to move in with him?

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