High Country News https://www.hcn.org/ A nonprofit independent magazine of unblinking journalism that shines a light on all of the complexities of the West. Tue, 09 Jun 2026 17:46:14 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://www.hcn.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/cropped-HCN_Logo-Monogram_White_Sq-2-32x32.png High Country News https://www.hcn.org/ 32 32 229054741 Billions in border wall contracts are going to a Montana firm run by a Trump donor https://www.hcn.org/articles/the-montana-company-getting-billions-to-build-the-border-wall/ Tue, 09 Jun 2026 17:30:00 +0000 https://www.hcn.org/?p=344369

Barnard Construction’s leadership donated over $1 million to the president’s campaign. They’re among the administration’s top wall contractors.

The post Billions in border wall contracts are going to a Montana firm run by a Trump donor appeared first on High Country News.

]]> 344369 On Oregon’s McKenzie River, an unprecedented approach to restoration takes shape https://www.hcn.org/issues/58-6/on-oregons-mckenzie-river-an-unprecedented-approach-to-restoration-takes-shape/ Mon, 08 Jun 2026 08:00:00 +0000 https://www.hcn.org/?p=344063 A section of the South Fork tributary of the McKenzie, which was restored to Stage 0 conditions beginning in 2018.

A bold process aims to repair the damaged watershed.

The post On Oregon’s McKenzie River, an unprecedented approach to restoration takes shape appeared first on High Country News.

]]> 344063 Managed retreat in Ruidoso could mean more public lands https://www.hcn.org/issues/58-6/lincoln-county-new-mexico-wants-to-turn-flood-prone-properties-into-public-land/ Fri, 05 Jun 2026 08:00:00 +0000 https://www.hcn.org/?p=343991 Manufactured homes are still in disarray in a part of Ruidoso that experienced extensive damage during flash flooding last year.

Facing fires and floods, homeowners in Lincoln County, New Mexico, are considering buyouts designed to move them out of harm's way.

The post Managed retreat in Ruidoso could mean more public lands appeared first on High Country News.

]]> 343991 Can resistance stop a massive data center next to the Great Salt Lake? https://www.hcn.org/articles/can-resistance-stop-a-massive-data-center-next-to-the-great-salt-lake/ Thu, 04 Jun 2026 08:00:00 +0000 https://www.hcn.org/?p=344332

Utah has become the latest front in a high-stakes fight to build the infrastructure powering the A.I. boom.

The post Can resistance stop a massive data center next to the Great Salt Lake? appeared first on High Country News.

]]> 344332 Elk herd habitat near Dinosaur National Monument to open for drilling https://www.hcn.org/articles/elk-herd-habitat-near-dinosaur-national-monument-to-open-for-drilling/ Tue, 02 Jun 2026 08:00:00 +0000 https://www.hcn.org/?p=344295

On June 16, the feds will open Colorado’s biggest public land sale in modern history, threatening wildlife and recreation.

The post Elk herd habitat near Dinosaur National Monument to open for drilling appeared first on High Country News.

]]> 344295 Dredging the Columbia River at the expense of tribal and aquatic communities https://www.hcn.org/issues/58-6/dredging-the-columbia-river-at-the-expense-of-tribal-and-aquatic-communities/ Mon, 01 Jun 2026 08:00:00 +0000 https://www.hcn.org/?p=344043 A barge moves equipment off Rice Island, which was created by sand dredged from the Columbia River Shipping Channel near Astoria, Oregon. The island is one of many locations the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers uses to deposit dredged sand.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has transformed the estuary and robbed the river of sediment over the last century.

The post Dredging the Columbia River at the expense of tribal and aquatic communities appeared first on High Country News.

]]> 344043 On walking away from it all https://www.hcn.org/issues/58-6/on-walking-away-from-it-all/ Mon, 01 Jun 2026 07:55:00 +0000 https://www.hcn.org/?p=343984

The best things in life are not things but places.

The post On walking away from it all appeared first on High Country News.

]]> 343984 The climbers of HCN https://www.hcn.org/issues/58-6/the-climbers-of-hcn/ Mon, 01 Jun 2026 07:45:00 +0000 https://www.hcn.org/?p=344014

Two staffers show tenacity on the wall and for our readers.

The post The climbers of HCN appeared first on High Country News.

]]> 344014 O’Keeffe Country was never O’Keeffe’s to begin with https://www.hcn.org/articles/okeeffe-country-was-never-okeeffes-to-begin-with/ Fri, 29 May 2026 08:00:00 +0000 https://www.hcn.org/?p=344245

Indigenous Tewa artists reassert their relationship with the land in a new exhibition at the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum.

The post O’Keeffe Country was never O’Keeffe’s to begin with appeared first on High Country News.

]]> 344245 Making grazing great again? https://www.hcn.org/articles/making-grazing-great-again/ Thu, 28 May 2026 08:01:00 +0000 https://www.hcn.org/?p=344219

The Trump administration looks to preserve ranching heritage, but it’s not clear it will work.

The post Making grazing great again? appeared first on High Country News.

]]> 344219