An introduction to deep time in the West
Step away from the churn of day-to-day, season-to-season, election-to-election urgencies.
Winter solstice is a time for planting seeds
At the turning of a season, a writer finds a sense of possibility.
Western Washington faces a long recovery after record-breaking flooding
An unusually swift series of atmospheric rivers hit the region, worsened by warm temperatures.
Inside California’s wild Christmas tree harvest
Each winter, migrant crews climb into the Sierra to cut wild silvertip firs, a fragile tradition now imperiled by wildfire, climate change, and tightening immigration laws.
Colorado cannot heal until it confronts Sand Creek honestly
To move forward, Coloradans must face the massacre’s trauma and begin to repair trust.
‘It is quite difficult to maintain a Colorado Christmas tree farm’
#iamthewest: Giving voice to the people that make up communities in the region.
Mexican wolves are rebounding, but are they ready for delisting?
A new bill from Arizona Rep. Paul Gosar looks to remove endangered species protections.
Going bananas in Portland, any portabella in a storm, and squirrels gone wild in California
Mishaps and mayhem from around the region.
Washington approves over 99% of archaeological permits, records show
As tribes struggle to protect their heritage, the nation’s leading state archaeologist says she lacks the authority to stop development projects.
‘We’re basically slitting our own throat’: Montana rolls back water-quality standards
The EPA approved Montana’s weaker standards for nutrient pollution during the government shutdown.
Colorado wolves are on the move
Almost two years after reintroduction began, wolves are nearing the state’s southern and western borders.
Skimpy snow makes life worse for skiers — and everyone else
The sport may seem selfish, but it reminds us why good snowpack matters.
Top Interior Department official has ties to Thacker Pass lithium mine
Karen Budd-Falen’s family ranching operation agreed to sell water rights to the company developing the controversial Nevada lithium project.
Water across the West at risk as Trump targets national monuments
A new study found that about 83% of water passing through public lands uses monument designation for its only protection.
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In This Issue
January 2026: Deep Time in the West
We begin the new year by taking a deep dive into an even deeper subject: the mysteries of geologic time. We leave the turbulent present to visit the past, exploring the West long before it became the West. What stories would you hear if you…
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Water
The big data center buildup
Will this threatened frog stop drilling near Denver?
Why Colorado River negotiations are so difficult
Wildlife
Get to know the western spotted skunk
National parks aren’t just for tourists. They’re an essential home for wildlife.
Congress made it easier to ignore grazing’s harm to public lands
Public Lands
How ranchers accused of breaking the rules dodge oversight
The wealthy profit from public lands, and taxpayers pick up the tab
How we reported Free Range, our grazing investigation
Indigenous Affairs
How the gaming economy helps tribes navigate shifting policies
Western climate litigants keep fighting
The West’s vanishing porcupines
Communities
‘Our mission is to change the world through eco-cultural tourism’
Can AI translate Native languages in times of disaster?
Aspen ‘eyes’ keep us accountable to the natural world
Books
The fallout from Ruby Ridge
‘It’s a story of hope’: Reflections on undamming the Klamath
Denver’s storied tradition of sex work, then and now
In the News
Ben Nighthorse Campbell: A U.S. senator who shoots from the hip
He improvises more than he calculates.