Last year immediately after our very successful 10 Anniversary Thunder in the Mountains 2007, we were notified by the host hotel that we would not be able to hold further BDSM events at that hotel. It appears that upper management had made some policy changes, and we parted from this hotel amicably. As it turned out, this may have been the best thing that could have happened to us. Far and away, the most frequent complaint registered by our attendees about the past few Thunders is that there was simply not enough space either in the dungeons or in the seminar rooms. People were also unhappy that we didn’t have a big room for people to gather in and schmooze like we used to have at the Holiday Inn DIA. Since we left the Holiday four years ago, they had always invited us to come back, and this year we finally took them up on it.
In September we completed a new three-year contract with the Holiday Inn DIA for 2008, 2009, and 2010! All of the rooms in the hotel have been recently remodeled, and the hotel is in great shape. The room rate for all three years will remain at $110 for single, double, triple, or quad. Parking will be free. And once again, we will have, bar none, the largest play space in the world—50,000 sq. ft. to be exact! There will be no more problems with crowded walk ways and people stepping into other people scenes. And for those of you who remember one major problem three years ago, all of the air conditioning in the hotel and convention space has been completely replaced with new.

I do want to make something clear, however, to everyone who thinks they might want to attend Thunder 2008. The hotel has fewer rooms than last years host hotel, and if you want to reserve a room, you should click on the HOTEL link to your left and follow the specific procedures listed. It is important that you follow these exactly in order to make sure you reserve your room(s). Be aware, however, that if you do reserve a room and you decide you don’t want it, you MUST cancel your reservation before 6PM on July 18, 2008, or you will be charged for one room night even if you do not attend. This policy is to prevent people who are not sure they really want to attend Thunder from reserving rooms and not canceling them until the last minute, thereby preventing others from getting rooms in the host hotel. So, reserve your rooms early, but if you don’t think you can attend, be sure and cancel them before July 18 to prevent an unwanted charge to your card.

Standards of Behavior

Each year in the text of this website, I discuss the standards of public behavior that we expect of our attendees at Thunder. This year is no different, even though the Holiday Inn DIA is renting rooms only to Thunder members on the nights of Friday and Saturday (July 25 & 26) please be aware that there may be people in the hotel for various other reasons (staff, maintenance, non-scene guests, etc.). We would ask that you please be respectful of their sensitivities and their sense of morals. No matter how strongly we may believe in our own moral codes, it is not up to us to make these judgments for others. Our continuation in this hotel may depend upon how well we are received by all people in the hotel.... staff and others alike. So please be friendly and respectful to everyone.

For many this sort of discussion about standards of behavior is no longer even necessary. Most of us have been to events all over the country, and we understand that our behavior in public venues reflects upon our entire community across the nation. But there are always those people, however, who feel it is proper and necessary to push the envelope and to try and shock the people outside our community. So for those people, let me reiterate---at Thunder we maintain a basic, common sense approach to public behavior, dress, and decorum. That means specifically that there will be no exposed genitals or women’s breasts, no groping, no lewd behavior or scening in the public areas, and there will be no walking of slaves or subs through the public areas of the hotel on chains, ropes or other bondage equipment. This means that when you go to the restaurant to eat or when you decide to walk through the lobby area on your way to a demo, vendor space, or play party, PLEASE remember that you are in a public area with non-scene staff. If you are wearing fetish wear that is risqué, cover up until you get into the secure membership-only areas. Your behavior in this regard, whether in Denver or elsewhere, reflects significantly upon our ability to continue booking these great hotels for our leather events.

We ask your cooperation here not only because it helps to keep our event open, but because behaving in a civilized manner in a public area is the right thing to do. I’d like to state the simple behavioral standard we attempt to impose as permanent Thunder policy: If you would not wear it or do it in front of your own grandmother, do not wear it or do it in the public areas of Thunder in the Mountains. There are members of the hotel staff who ARE offended and who do not think this sort of thing is either cute or funny. Please respect their sensibilities as we expect them to respect ours. Thunder staff members will assist you if you have any questions about what may or may not be proper, but I truly believe that all of you know on an intuitive level what is proper and what is not. A good rule of thumb to use is this: If you have questions about whether something is proper or not, it probably isn’t. Don’t do it! Use your head and follow its lead. You will usually not be wrong!

At Thunder we remain proud that our event continues to be an event where we have an absolute minimum of rules imposed by Thunder staff and administration. We can make this claim because Thunder is a gathering where we have some of the most experienced and mature players in the country attending. We want our event to be seen as the one event in the nation where all attendees (both novice and experienced) can feel at ease and feel relatively free to choose for themselves at any one time the proper course of action in public or scene behavior. Such freedom, like all freedom, carries with it a great burden of responsibility, and we want to trust the real players who attend Thunder not only to step up to the plate in this regard but to encourage and set an example for the novices and less experienced players who may attend Thunder for the first time. We make or break our national leather events by the way we act as individuals, and we hope to prove ourselves capable of being part of a great continuing event. This year we hope to have another GREAT gathering with the best presenters in the country coming together with the best players in the country, and we hope to see you here.

Airline Information

As per TSA regulations, no sharp or cutting instruments of any kind (knives, scissors, razors, needles, fingernail files, etc.) can be brought on board airlines in your carry-on luggage. However, wide latitude is given with your checked baggage. At this time there are no rules against toys and such being included in your checked luggage. But be sure that they are all clean and sealed in plastic bags as much as possible in case your luggage happens to be randomly searched. In most airports, the traveler will be present when the luggage is searched, and we would advise you that if this happens to you, you should be as up front and honest as possible about the contents of your bags. Some airlines do require you to notify them about weapons, and because swords, knives, daggers, and some whips are classified as weapons, these should be identified as collectors pieces and part of a special demonstration seminar. The bottom line is to simply be honest and tell the inspectors where you are going and what you are doing.

Membership Costs

$99 until May 15, 2008
$130 after May 15, 2008

You may register for membership online using your credit card (click on REGISTRATION and follow specific directions).

You may also register by copying the registration form from our website, signing it, attaching a check in the proper amount, and mailing it to:

Thunder in the Mountains, LLC
c/o Rich Dockter, Director
258 Acoma St.
Denver, CO. 80223-1339

We are including a Free Lapel Pin in every packet this year. If you want to buy extras they are on the registration form for $4.00. Otherwise everyone gets one free.

Membership Cancellation & Refund Policy

Notification before May 1, 2008…………………………………..100% refund
Notification between May 1--July 1, 2008…………………………50% refund
Notification after July 1, 2008…………………………………………no refund

Once again, membership in Thunder in the Mountains includes entry into the event, entry into all yearly organizational planning and meetings, and invitations to any other social events which may be sponsored during the year.. Once you purchase a membership in your name, it cannot be transferred to another person.

Anyone wishing to register for Thunder 2008, or volunteer, or make a reservation at the Holiday Inn, or apply as a vendor, or enter the talent show should do so now. All portions of the website are fully functional. I’d like to add that in our huge play space for 2008, we will still maintain our men’s, women’s, and pan areas like we did last year. We are very excited to be back at our old stomping grounds at the Holiday Inn DIA. If anyone has any questions about the website or the event, you can email me at MrLthrCO@aol.com.
Thanks and take care,

Rich Dockter, Director