Hillary Rosner’s excellent article “When Water Turns to Dust” in the June 13, 2016, issue became a surprise travel guide of sorts on our recent trip across the Great Desert. On our return from Tahoe and Yosemite, we made a point to stop at Mono Lake, in part because in was mentioned in Hillary’s article. Plus, it’s a cool place.
We stopped at Lassen Volcanic National Park, perhaps one of the National Park Service’s best-kept secrets. Then we chose to meander north and rim the Great Desert before turning back to Denver, in part because we could then put a “face” to the places named in her article. At every point along the way north — Goose Lake (and its surprisingly pleasant campground), the endless miles of hay and alfalfa fields (the bales are “bigger than a man!”), then the Abert Rim — we were exclaiming, “Hey, that was in the HCN article!”
But not even the distant glisten of a receded Goose Lake could prepare us for the mile after dusty, salty mile of shoreline as we passed Lake Abert. But thanks to Rosner’s detailed reporting, we understood the issues behind the lakes’ dwindling water levels, and it added a surprising and enjoyable context to our trip home.
So thank you, High Country News, for your excellent reporting of the West and this surprise “travel issue.”
Jim and Marsha Miller
Denver, Colorado
This article appeared in the print edition of the magazine with the headline HCN as travel guide.
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