Many of us are attracted to nature, expansive views and wild settings, so it’s not surprising that this year millions will come West to visit our spectacular national parks. Almost all will go back home to talk of the wonders of the mountains and the brilliant stars at night. But a tragic few will never […]
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Time to let go of the “Redskins” mascot
“Stupid political correctness is killing us!” was one longtime local’s response after the school superintendent of Teton County, Idaho, sacked the “Redskins” as the school’s mascot. As a fifth-generation resident and Teton High graduate himself, Superintendent Monte Woolstenhulme said he figured that the move would distress some people. Yet nothing could have prepared him for […]
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When young falcons take their cliff jump
People who study peregrine falcons wake up early. It’s hard to roll out of the sack at 4 a.m., well before the summer sun comes up, but over the years I’ve done so gladly, privileged to join several early-bird researchers in western Colorado’s Black Canyon National Park. In July, the eggs have long since hatched […]
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An Idaho land trade that should go nowhere
When I started monitoring federal land exchanges in 1996, some of the biggest projects involved so-called “checkerboard” lands. Created by the railroad land grants during the 19th century, they made for a confusing array of public land mixed with private land. Often, the exchanges that the Forest Service proposed to consolidate checkerboard ownership seemed logical […]
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Pioneer league baseball is a slice of heaven
One of the best things about summer is watching these teams strive for major league.
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Wolves still need our protection
As a society, how far are we willing to go and what are we willing to sacrifice to preserve the wild?
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Thank you, James Watt, for all you did for Greater Yellowstone
An eccentric secretary of Interior remembered for his unlikely conservation legacy.
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Some states recognize that corn ethanol is a bum deal
As ethanol content in gasoline continues to rise, some communities are resisting.
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My life without a dog
A newspaperman wonders if he’s the only person around without a canine friend.
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I will fight fire no more
A wildland firefighter reflects on joys and sorrows of her fighting career, and on why she’s leaving the field.
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Durango life requires a hefty commute
Could this Colorado town benefit from high-density development?
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Let us be worthy of their sacrifice
A modest metal building huddles behind a chain-link fence in the industrial quarter of Prescott, Ariz., with only a small sign to identify it: Granite Mountain Interagency Hotshot Crew. Hundreds of Prescott residents drive by it every day, and until June 30, it was the home base of 19 members of our community. But that Sunday, […]
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Why do you live in a flood zone?
How to empathize with people who experience devastating loss after fires and floods
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Finding solace in the river
This is what I have learned: If you have a broken heart, go to the river. But even if you do, eventually you have to come back. As soon as I ease my borrowed kayak into the snowmelt-fed Grande Ronde River, there is no time to think about anything except making it through the next […]
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Another highway will only worsen Utah’s air pollution issues
It’s no secret: The Wasatch Front in northern Utah, depending on the time of year, suffers from some of the worst air quality in the nation — and even the world. When the winter inversion sets in, those of us living between Ogden and Provo can barely see the mountains a few miles away, thanks […]
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Con: Colorado National Monument should not become a national park
As a close neighbor and regular user of Colorado National Monument in western Colorado close to Grand Junction, I suffered a sharp attack of NIMBYism when I heard of a 2011 proposal to turn one of the nation’s oldest national monuments into one of its smallest, newest national parks. I blanched at the prospects of […]
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Pro: Colorado National Monument should become a national park
There’s been a lot of hoopla and public meetings here in Grand Junction, Colo., about turning the nearby Colorado National Monument into a national park. My opinion is simply: Why not? I know this is not a passionate position, but this isn’t a passionate subject. As a former national park ranger, I know that the […]
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Learning to live with wildfire
The enormous column of black smoke towered before me. As the Hammer Fire closed in on the backcountry workstation that I call home in the summer, fear spread from my hard hat to the soles of my fire boots. I was on a trail-crew turned fire-crew, suited up to help protect the historic Forest Service […]
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River access in Montana is worth fighting for
For people who think heaven must be a lot like fishing and floating Montana’s beautiful rivers, access to them is once again at the top of our agenda. For many of us, it’s always been our first concern. Montana has probably the best and most egalitarian access laws in the country — at least when […]