This month, HCN heats up with two very different fires: A genuine backcountry inferno, and the kind of political blaze that smolders and periodically threatens to blow up. Kylie Mohr follows two hikers who were caught in a Northern Cascades wildfire, while Leah Sottile looks at the “Greater Idaho” movement. Can outdoor recreation adapt to our changing climate, and why do so many white supremacists want to secede from Oregon? Elsewhere, we examine the 1872 law that governs hardrock mining, study the “forever chemicals” polluting our water, and learn how captive-born Mexican wolves are fostered in the wild. Can golf survive in the desert? Indian law experts discuss the Supreme Court’s ruling upholding the Indian Child Welfare Act. Denver once bragged about being a “sanctuary city”; what happened? The Japanese American National Museum honors those who were incarcerated during World War II, and historians remember the hardworking children of Southern California’s Filipino immigrant farmers. Finally, we share the joy of late-summer salmon fishing in Alaska.
Orcas, insects and other roadside attractions
Mishaps and mayhem from around the region.
‘It’s really about unconditional love’
#iamthewest: Giving voice to the people that make up communities in the region.
An antiquated law rules mining in the West
Can the U.S. finally vanquish one of the most enduring Lords of Yesterday?
Letters to the editor, August 2023
Comments from readers.
Oregon’s Greater Idaho movement echoes a long history of racism in the region
Instead of fixing Oregon, the Greater Idaho movement seeks to leave it. White supremacists are on board.
The abundance of subsistence
Losing salmon means losing more than just food.
‘We have fire all around us and we can’t get out’
What happened when two experienced hikers got caught in the Bolt Creek Fire.
Things We Were Told About the Moon in School
A poem by Dara Yen Elerath.
Consoling spirits
A visit to the sacred Ireichō at the Japanese American National Museum.
HCN in ABQ
Our board meeting and an event about oil-and-gas permitting highlighted a commitment to do the work.
Practice vigilance
What recreation looks like in the age of wildfire.
The Tractor Princess
Memories from California’s Pajaro Valley.
In the Utah desert, can golf justify itself?
The struggle for water is straining St. George, Utah, where golf – and grass – are sacred cows.
Finding a fix for ‘forever chemicals’
Tests found PFAS in nearly all the public drinking water in Vancouver, Washington. The city is testing a solution that could take years — and more than $170 million — to build.
Mexican wolf recovery hinges on maternal instincts
Fifty years after the passage of the Endangered Species Act, the Mexican wolf recovery plan walks a fine line between human meddling and trusting mother nature.
The Supreme Court upheld ICWA. Now what?
ICWA policy and federal Indian Law experts break down the court’s Brackeen v. Haaland ruling — and what it means for families.
Can Denver live up to its reputation of being a ‘sanctuary city’?
The city’s response to migrant ‘surges’ endangers both newcomers and its long-standing unhoused population.