Magazine
Down the Dark Mountain
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July 24, 2017

This issue delves into the choices we must make as we begin to face the consequences of the Anthropocene. Reckoning with the grinding anxiety of climate change and the grief of losing our most precious species, how we cope with these fears will define us. Also, how Trump could reshape important courts, what's caused California's white shark boom, and tribal nations fight grizzly bear delisting.

Feature

So what if we’re doomed?
So what if we’re doomed?
Climate chaos, mass extinction, the collapse of civilization: A guide to facing the ecocide.
The teenage whaler’s tale
The teenage whaler’s tale
Internet death threats hound a young Alaskan after a successful hunt.

Editor's Note

The Anthropocene: Our self-inflicted wound
The Anthropocene: Our self-inflicted wound
On getting past fear and toward a philosophy more useful.

Essays

Welcome to the irrigator’s club
Welcome to the irrigator’s club
An encounter with the wild during the hours of a thankless job.

Book Reviews

Why we should celebrate unlovely fish
Why we should celebrate unlovely fish
An angler documents his pursuit of the uglier species.
The meaning behind the stones of Big Sur
The meaning behind the stones of Big Sur
Spanning eras, coastal rocks inspire a poet and photographer.

Writers on the Range

Life between one wildfire and the next
Life between one wildfire and the next
The climate-change train is out of control. What’s a fire-prone small town to do?

Heard Around the West

Crime-fighting squirrels; an undead columnist; voracious jackrabbits
Crime-fighting squirrels; an undead columnist; voracious jackrabbits
Mishaps and mayhem from around the region.

Dear Friends

Paonia parades and more additions to staff
Paonia parades and more additions to staff
We’ve fooled them! Our interns and fellow decided to stick around.

Letters

Multimedia

A young hunter moves past death threats from afar
A young hunter moves past death threats from afar
The Apassingok family reflects on a formative kill of a whale and the social-media backlash.

Current

What the anti-Shariah rallies point to
What the anti-Shariah rallies point to
Islamophobia and Trumpism are bringing disparate right-wing groups together.
Tribal nations fight removal of grizzly protections
Tribal nations fight removal of grizzly protections
Leaders worry delisting could invite energy exploration in historic areas.
White sharks rebound in California
White sharks rebound in California
The long arc of environmental regulation is rebuilding a damaged ecosystem.
Latest: Delta tunnels plan challenged in court
Latest: Delta tunnels plan challenged in court
Agencies weigh in on threatened fish — and get smacked with their first lawsuit.
Latest: Former Oregon Gov. avoids corruption charges
Latest: Former Oregon Gov. avoids corruption charges
Federal charges against John Kitzhaber have been dropped.
Democrats can’t block even controversial judicial nominees
Democrats can’t block even controversial judicial nominees
Trump has an opportunity to reshape the judiciary branch for a generation.
Mapping the solar eclipse; ‘America first’ energy; Underground drought
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