High Country News

High Country News is the nation's leading source of reporting on the Western United States. Through in-depth reporting, High Country News covers the West’s social, political and ecological issues.

High Country New

Know the West.

The long journey ahead

LETTERS

The Apache trout swims off the threatened species list • Arizona’s state fish is doing better but faces a daunting future.

Where does the horse come from?

What makes a farm a farm? • Agritourism divides a rural Washington county.

How climate change affects your energy bill • Wildfires and winter storms are complicating the picture.

The dam that cried wolf • After multiple false alarms, the residents of Carnation, Washington, have lost trust in the Tolt Dam’s early warning system.

A walk in the woods • Time spent among trees can help heal the trauma experienced by wildfire survivors.

A riverside oasis heats up • New Mexicans prepare their beloved bosque for a changing climate.

Thank you, readers! • Your generous and dedicated support makes these pages possible.

Remembering a remarkable environmental journalist

When There Were Fish • As a seven-year pause on Yukon River chinook fishing takes effect, Alaska Natives fight to hold onto the culture and flavors of fish camp.

PRAIRIE REVIVAL • In a sea of wheat, every acre restored in eastern Washington is worth celebrating.

Stepping out in high-tops • The evolution of the quinceañera in central Washington.

How to write about abortion • Pam Houston’s unflinching treatise on Roe v. Wade and life post-Dobbs.

Hunting for blueberries • The search for a taste of home in a new place.

Heard Around the West • Tips about Western oddities are appreciated and often shared in this column. Write heard@hcn.org.

#IAM THE WEST