The Colorado city’s unwieldy expansion offers a cautionary tale for similar Western locales.
Mountain West
Posted inApril 16, 2018: Cashing in on Standing Rock
A flurry of research illuminates snow’s foes
New studies detail how hotter temperatures, humid air and wind-blown dust can pummel the Western snowpack.
Posted inMarch 19, 2018: Desert, Divided
Video: The end of snow
A film explores how people will adapt to a future with less snow.
Posted inFebruary 5, 2018: Caught Between Crises
The uncompromising environmentalist behind the Sierra Club
A new book details the rise of the Sierra Club from hiking group to political force.
Posted inFebruary 5, 2018: Caught Between Crises
When elk get iced; Raw water craze; Nudes in Utah
Mishaps and mayhem from around the region.
Posted inJanuary 22, 2018: A Separatist State of Mind
Traversing the mighty Colorado River
A writer sets out on a geographic journey to understand the imperiled water source.
Posted inJanuary 22, 2018: A Separatist State of Mind
The ski resorts of the West
From Alaska to New Mexico, a new map offers a comprehensive look at where to shred.
Posted inDecember 25, 2017: Bear Essentials
The iconic bird of the ‘Sagebrush Sea’
A new book shows the life cycle of sage grouse in their natural habitat.
Posted inDecember 11, 2017: Scorched Earth
Why Western wildfires are getting more expensive
This year’s fire season was the costliest on record, burning more than 9 million acres.
Posted inNovember 27, 2017: Profit and Politics
Photos that trace migrations through Yellowstone
Ungulates overcome highways, rivers and other barriers while roaming the region.
Posted inNovember 13, 2017: Solace and Perspective
A nearly forgotten poet’s view from above timberline
Belle Turnbull found transcendence in the Colorado Rockies.
Posted inNovember 13, 2017: Solace and Perspective
Deer at recess; Stranded in Kanab; A brain-eating mantis
Mishaps and mayhem around the region.
Posted inOctober 30, 2017: The Changing Face of Woods Work
The changing politics of woods work
Cash-strapped agencies use private contractors to the detriment of local communities.
Posted inArticles
‘Diabolical’ mussels begin their march into Montana
Divisions between state and tribal agencies could keep the door open for a most unwelcome visitor.
Posted inSeptember 4, 2017: The Elwha, Unleashed
Will Utah dam the Bear River?
The Wasatch Front faces drier times and a growing population, threatening the Great Salt Lake.
Posted inArticles
The fire season by the numbers
Fire agencies are preparing for the eclipse hordes, in the midst of a large fire season.
Posted inArticles
What I learned from Iraqi and Kurdish students in Montana
Seeing encounters between foreign students and rural Westerners was eye opening.
Posted inArticles
The political right and left are stuck in polarizing myths
Neighbors in a small Colorado town are splintered, but neither are correct.
Posted inJune 26, 2017: Personal Pilgrimage
A network of trails that spans the country
The National Trails System, by the numbers.
Posted inJune 26, 2017: Personal Pilgrimage
Meet the woman behind Colorado’s highest trails
How trail designer Loretta McEllhiney protects mountains from people.