Things aren’t like they used to be in Montana’s iconic mountain town.
Big Ideas Special Issue
The mysterious cow murders at Missouri Breaks
In 2068, a West Obsessed investigation.
Will a thirsty Southwest put the Midwest underwater?
In 2068, tensions remain over the Great American Connector pipeline and a weather meddling program isn’t helping.
Heard Around the West in 2068
Mishaps and mayhem from around the region.
The latest from our hologram portal
We speculate updates to stories and the readers who speak out in 2068.
Climate criminals
In 2068, as the world’s last climate change deniers are brought to justice, those tasked with going after them face a final challenge: retirement.
Last Resort West experiences mayhem on the mountain
In 2068, the Lower 48’s last ski resort deputized soldier flies to manage human feces. The plan backfired.
Montana’s ‘Argus’ prototype projects glaciers where they once were
In 2068, an augmented reality program takes hold of its designer.
Q & A: Why a whistleblower went AWOL from the Fire Service
In 2068, the U.S. faces year-round wildfires across the West with drafting wildland firefighters.
Farmworkers face illness and death in the fields
‘The reality is that the machinery of growers is taken better care of than the lives of farmworkers.’
Conservationists give assisted migration a second look
The West’s climate is changing too quickly for some species to keep up. Should people intervene?
Truckers take on human trafficking
‘Our idea was to turn a passive audience into a disruptive force.’
In southwestern Utah, unceasing growth means increased tension
Access to public lands has caused St. George to become one of the fastest-growing metro areas in the country.
Estranged in America
What happens to a community when its sense of belonging begins to unravel?
Immigrants aren’t the real threat to public lands
Population growth isn’t the problem. Look to the American lifestyle and economy instead.
Behind the iconic, dystopian images of the New Deal
A short-lived photography project captured rural poverty during the Great Depression.
Laughter to cope with daily tragedies at the border
Luis Alberto Urrea’s new novel reflects on the family relationships that challenge and transcend the U.S.-Mexico border.
The long, strange trip of Deer 255
The 242-mile migration underscores the need to protect wide tracts of land that sustain migrating wildlife.
Tribes commit to uphold Paris climate agreement
Western nations take action on climate change — and push for self-governance.
The Seri adapt to climate change in the desert
Researchers are working to document traditional ecological knowledge.