It was the kind of year that got us thinking about the past — its failings and its lessons. From the first-known female Native American photographer to a rediscovered map that gives a damning impression of the Lewis and Clark expedition, we discovered that there was a lot to learn from the lives and decisions of those who preceded us.
Many of the stories that attracted interest this year dealt with things that happened decades or centuries ago. But that’s not to say there weren’t big news stories as well: Floods ripped through the Yellowstone region, for example, and reporter Nick Mott spent several months reporting on their aftermath. Wildfires and storms left the Klamath River choked with debris, ironically just before the feds finally greenlighted the removal of the dams that strangle it. And in what may prove to be a huge story — stay tuned — a U.S. Forest Service employee who was in charge of overseeing a prescribed burn was arrested and charged with “reckless burning.” The first arrest of its kind, it may signal an even more contentious atmosphere around intentional burning.
As 2022 winds down, we’re looking back to see what stories our readers were most intrigued by; this is something we do every year, so we’ve decided to share our findings. Below is a list of the most-read stories we published this year. Still, these pieces offer just a slim view into our vast region and are a testament to the unique character of the West. Click around on our site or flip through our magazine to get the full story.
10. Salmon are nosing at the riverbanks trying to escape the Klamath River
As dam removal inches into view, fish have to survive increasingly compounding calamities.
9. Why can’t the public access the West’s biggest waterfall?
Willamette Falls used to be a public place of laughter and sharing. It could be again, if painful politics don’t eclipse revitalization efforts.
8. Idaho cobalt mine is a harbinger of what’s to come
A new venture near Salmon signals an uptick in hardrock mining across the West.
7. What’s wrong with the Manitou Cliff Dwellings Museum and Preserve?
Archival documents reveal the true origins of a popular Colorado tourist attraction.
6. Images from the first-known Native American female photographer
Jennie Ross Cobb put her subjects at ease for uniquely candid photos from early 1900s Indian Territory.
5. Missing map by William Clark turns up with an unflattering revelation
The historian who found the map says it exposes an ‘aggressive’ colonizer.
4. What’s it like to live in a tourist town with no tourists?
After the floods, Yellowstone gateway communities are grappling with what comes next.
3. Why 4 hunters in Wyoming were charged with trespassing on land they never touched
A checkerboard pattern of parcel ownership complicates public land access in the West.
2. USFS burn boss arrested after prescribed fire burns private land
Practitioners fear a chilling effect on future operations.
1. How a salmon farm disaster changed Northwest aquaculture forever
Thousands of salmon escaped into the Puget Sound. Then the controversy began.
We welcome reader letters. Email High Country News at editor@hcn.org or submit a letter to the editor. See our letters to the editor policy.
Republish our articles for free, online or in print, under a Creative Commons license.
