A tribal attempt to protect New Mexico’s Mount Taylor spawns a bitter struggle over uranium mining, religious differences and dueling historical claims to an ancient landscape.
Erratic behavior
Giant Rock has inspired extremes of human reverence and abuse
When the sacred becomes toxic
In 1680, the Pueblos of New Mexico organized a revolt against the Spaniards who had colonized the region. The uprising, which involved Pueblos from Taos to Zuni, successfully chased the Spaniards back to El Paso, where they would stay and sulk for the next 12 years. The Puebloans had plenty of grievances: The invaders had…
The ghost of Tulare
Reviving an ancient lake may help solve California’s water woes
My brother, the bear
A beloved brother’s schizophrenia
How about a nostalgic piece on hunters shooting at bagels?
I am beginning to wonder if the “Essay” section at the end of each issue shouldn’t be re-named “My goodness! As a yuppie I had no idea!” There must be more interesting topics available for essays than just gushy nostalgia for country grandmothers, bagel lovers displaced east of the Mississippi, or unprepared hikers who think…
Keep it legal
While I am all for keeping roads out of our national forests to the extent practicable, I found former Forest Service Chief Mike Dombeck’s view of the process disturbing (HCN, 11/9/09). Mr. Dombeck says in your story “Roadless-less” that “(t)he bottom line is that the mechanism of how we keep wild places wild is less…
Roadless: The prologue
I agree that tactics on both sides of the roadless issue have fouled the process and the intent of law (HCN, 11/9/09). To fully understand this matter, though, I think it’s important to go back to the RARE1 and RARE2 (Roadless Area Review) processes of the 1970s and 1980s, meant to identify potential wilderness areas…
Taking the high road(less)
The political campaign that was used to accomplish the Clinton roadless rule seemed open to serious criticism on the grounds that it was intentionally insensitive to the voice of many Western constituencies that would have (and subsequently have) objected (HCN, 11/9/09). A narrowly targeted minority of activists was mobilized to win the day while most…
The intolerant West
In the “Editor’s Note” in the Oct. 26 issue, Jonathan Thompson states that “many (refugees) face racism and xenophobia…” in Western cities and towns. One doesn’t need to be a refugee or from another country to face these same issues. Despite being born a U.S. citizen and having 15 years of community service in the…
The unkindness of essays
As a hunter and conservationist, I found your essay “The Kindness of Hunters” insulting, naive and decidedly inappropriate for a publication trying to advance the case of conservation in the West (HCN, 11/9/09). Hunters are somewhat used to being caricatured as a bunch of bloodthirsty bubbas, but this is the first time I recall us…
A return to the West
Name Mary Jane SkalaHometown Cleveland, OhioVocation former journalistHCN subscriber since 2005 Mary Jane Skala took some time to visit HCN a few weeks ago while cruising cross-country on a two-month-long road trip. After 40 years in journalism, she “saw the writing on the wall” and accepted a buy-out, leaving her post as senior editor at…
The wreck
Scientists seek clues in seabird die-offs
Birders without borders
Border SongsJim Lynch291 pages, hardcover: $25.95.Knopf, 2009. “In war, truth is the first casualty.” It’s a quote attributed to the Greek playwright Aeschylus from the fifth century B.C., back when wars were wars, fought on actual battlefields by men in helmets who wielded swords and spears. Novelist Jim Lynch understands this adage, and he also…
Forever roadless
Ray Ring’s article “Roadless-less” was misleading to suggest that the roadless rule was created with inadequate public process and without the support of the American people (HCN, 11/9/09). The roadless rule represents the most extensive public rule-making process ever undertaken by the U.S. Forest Service. During more than three years of review and public participation,…
Holiday open house
The staff of High Country News cordially invites all readers and friends to our holiday open house. It will be at our Paonia, Colo., office (119 Grand Ave.) on Wednesday, Dec. 9, from 5 to 7:30 p.m. We’ll provide refreshments. Hope to see you there! READERS ON ROAD TRIPSThe warm Indian summer days brought traveling…
Betting on the rails
Buffett buys BNSF as Congress considers reform legislation
Dueling Claims
A tribal attempt to protect Mount Taylor sparks a battle over ancient claims to the land
‘The West’s Biggest Bully’ gets his
“Shock jock” John Stokes loses his radio station in a battle over bankruptcy