James Nugent

James Nugent, known as "Rocky Mountain Jim" (died 1874) was mountain man in the early history of Estes Park, in the Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado. A guide for visitors, his character is described in the writings of English explorer and author Isabella Bird.

Life James Nugent came to Estes Park about 1868; it is not known where he came from. He built a cabin in Muggins Gulch, an entrance to Estes Park, and was one of the first guides in the area. He lost his eye and sustained other injuries when attacked by a grizzly bear in July 1869. Much of what is known about Nugent comes from her writings, in A Lady's Life in the Rocky Mountains. She describes Nugent as "…a broad, thickset man, about the middle height, with an old cap on his head, and wearing a grey hunting-suit much the worse for wear… a revolver, sticking out of the breast-pocket of his coat… Tawny hair, in thin uncared-for curls, fell from under his hunter’s cap and over his collar. One eye was entirely gone, and the loss made one side of the face repulsive, while the other might have been modeled in marble… Of his genius and chivalry to women there does not appear to be any doubt; but he is a desperate character, and subject to 'ugly fits', when people think it best to avoid him."

With Nugent as guide, and two others, she climbed Longs Peak; Bird writes "Had I known that the ascent was a real mountaineering feat I should not have felt the slightest ambition to perform it." During the expedition, Nugent confided to her; she wrote in a letter that he "told stories of his early youth, and of a great sorrow which had led him to embark on a lawless and desperate life." Nugent was opposed to Lord Dunraven's plan to make Estes Park a hunting preserve, but Evans was in favor of it. Bird, aware during her visit of the bad feeling between them, wrote in a letter, "Jim's 'I'll shoot you' has more than once been heard in Griff's cabin."

On June 19, 1874, Nugent was shot outside Evans's ranch-house; he died from the injury in September in Fort Collins. It was supposed that he was shot by Evans who was later acquitted; but it was also alleged that he was shot by Haigh.