Selected clips
Rising from the Ashes
5280 April 2025 Today's megafires are annihilating forests across the West. Can Coloradans give these devastated landscapes new life? Read it. |
Do Not Disturb
Trails Spring 2025 More and more hikers are visiting alpine sites where grizzlies gather by the dozens. But should they? Read it. |
Take It Outside
5280 December 2024 A new law aims to make nature preschools more affordable. Will it also help make them more diverse? Read it. Best of the Mountain West From a Colorado outfitter devoted to diversifying recreation to monumental art on a Montana sheep ranch, these are the region's most exciting people, places, and experiences. (I wrote the mini-profile of Autumn Harry, the fishing guide on the cover, and the bit on LOGE Glacier.) Read it. |
When the River Runs Dry
Mountain Outlaw Winter 2025 After a catastrophic failure of the St. Mary Siphon dried up northern Montana's Milk River, the 18,000 people and 700 farms that rely on the critical waterway face down the devastating impacts of another season without the region's lifeline. Read it. |
50 Best Hikes in Colorado
5280 September 2024 We tapped seasoned hikers, consulted guidebooks, pored over topo maps, and scrutinized our trail photos to bring you this manual to our home's most impressive footpaths. We've got all the purple mountain majesties you could want--plus a lot more. Read it. |
Do or Die?
National Parks Summer 2024 As climate change threatens some of the national parks' most treasured species, scientists ponder a drastic strategy: moving plants and animals into new habitats to save them. Read it. |
A Seamless Transition?
5280 April 2024 Residents of the formerly mining-dependent West End region of Colorado need visitors to help revive their struggling economy. They're just not sure they want them. Read it. |
A Tale of Two Coal States
Sierra Spring 2024 What happens to coal-dependent communities when the coal goes away? A lot depends on whether their state government is reality-based. Read it. |
The OTO Rides Again
Mountain Outlaw Winter 2023/24 Montana's oldest dude ranch temporarily came back to life. Now its fate hangs in the balance. Read it. |
Best of the Mountain West
5280 December 2023 From a desert-dwelling sake brewer in Arizona to an independence-loving micronation in Nevada to a purpose-driven pizza place in New Mexico, here are the people, places, and things that make living in our region so sweet. Read it. |
This Land Is My Land
Trails Fall 2023 A Montana wilderness lodge sets off a firestorm of controversy about the meaning of public land. Read it. |
Power to the People
5280 July 2023 How a small group of environmentalists took western Colorado's Holy Cross Energy from fossil fuels to the cutting edge of clean energy. Read it. Best of the Colorado Trail 5280 July 2023 May we present the greatest distance-hiking route in the country. Read it. |
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Is a Clean Environment a Constitutional Right? This Lawsuit in Montana May Set a Precedent Outside April 19, 2023 Grace Gibson-Snyder is one of 16 young people suing the state of Montana over climate change. Read it. |
Untangling the New National Park Reservation System
National Geographic March 27, 2023 Timed entry passes have helped with overcrowding, but the new system has created winners and losers. Read it. |
Power Surge
5280 February 2023 The future of energy is electrified homes and cars. Here's how Coloradans can help save the planet--and a pile of money while they're at it. Read it. |
Electrifying Parks
National Parks Winter 2023 Will national parks build enough electric-vehicle charging stations to meet the growing demand? An EV devotee sets out for Yellowstone to get some answers. Read it. |
The 2023 Colorado Almanac
5280 January 2023 From winter's legendary skiing to fall's epic hiking--and all the rafting, music festivaling, fishing, quaffing, and wildlife-watching in between--there's truly no downtime in a Colorado year. Grab your calendar: We have your 2023 plans right here. Read it. |
As Good As it Gets
5280 August 2022 Environmentalists blast Governor Jared Polis for not doing enough to address the climate crisis. But could anyone else do more? Read it. And in the same issue: The Goat Whisperer What has 6,000 legs and 3,000 horns and might be the next great tool for battling megafires in the West? Lani Malmberg's voracious ruminants. Read it. |
Was Supposed to Want a VBAC--So Why Didn't I?
Romper March 2022 I don't regret my C-section, but I do still feel the need to justify it. Read it. |
The Climate Issue
Outside Business Journal
Winter 2022
Code Red special report (as writer and editor)
The time for urgent climate action is now. Here's how to make your company a force for good. Read it.
Climate Grief is a Good Thing
How last summer's environmental disasters flipped me from despair to action. Read it.
Outside Business Journal
Winter 2022
Code Red special report (as writer and editor)
The time for urgent climate action is now. Here's how to make your company a force for good. Read it.
Climate Grief is a Good Thing
How last summer's environmental disasters flipped me from despair to action. Read it.
Megan Patterson's Outdoor Preschool Blends Nature and Education
Coloradan Fall 2021 Worldmind in Denver is Colorado's first licensed outdoor preschool. Read it. |
Best of the Mountain West
5280 December 2021 I once again contributed some Montana and Idaho gems to this package of "23 people, places, and things [that] exemplify the spirit and lifestyle of the Rocky Mountains." Read it. |
How to Have the Hard Vaccination Conversations
The New York Times
June 22, 2021
Asking someone if they've had the Covid shot can be tricky. Here's how to navigate the new norms of health disclosure. Read it.
The New York Times
June 22, 2021
Asking someone if they've had the Covid shot can be tricky. Here's how to navigate the new norms of health disclosure. Read it.
Best of the Mountain West
5280 December 2020 I wrote most of the Montana pieces in this excellent package of "26 captivating people, beautiful places, and irresistible things endemic to our special slice of America in 2020." Read it. |
Fever Pitch
5280 May 2021 How the Covid-19 pandemic turned Colorado into the place everybody wants to live--supercharging the real estate market and making it harder than ever to buy a home. Read it. |
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There's No Better Time to Clear the Air
The New York Times November 28, 2020 It's discomforting to realize that air pollution can be coming from inside your home. Here's how to identify and rid yourselves of the risks. Read it. 
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Yes, Your Kids Can Play Outside All Winter
The New York Times November 4, 2020 Hardened athletes and explorers weigh in on how to keep your kids warm. Read it. 
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It's Easier to Parent with a Partner in Many Ways, Except This One
The New York Times
October 28, 2020
I was my son's only parent and our bond was strong. Now, I'm worried my daughter and I won't have that connection. Read it.
The New York Times
October 28, 2020
I was my son's only parent and our bond was strong. Now, I'm worried my daughter and I won't have that connection. Read it.
Crowd Control 5280 September 2020 Rocky Mountain National Park has been overrun with visitors for years. Throw social distancing measures into the mix and thinning the herd becomes even more complicated--and necessary. Read it.
Rock Stars
5280 December 2019 The Never Not Collective set out to make a movie about women climbers--not to navigate gender politics. But as the trio of Western producers has discovered with its new film, Pretty Strong, you can't do one without the other. Read it. |
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No Man's Land
Backpacker Fall 2020 In a remote corner of Montana, hikers and activists clash over the future of a grizzly bear population hanging on for dear life. Read it. The Ultimate Insider's Guide to Fort Collins 5280 August 2019 From destination-worthy dining to superb outdoor adventures to sexy nights out on the town, consider this your locals-approved plan for a perfect visit to Denver's favorite northern neighbor. Read it. Pass/Fail: Backpack with a Baby
Backpacker May/June 2019 Are mother and son ready to trade a crib for a tent? Read it. |
Lockdown Nation
5280 April 2019 Across the country, students are regularly practicing active-shooter drills. But are the exercises making kids safer? And at what cost? Read it. |
Baby Steps
5280 Health January 2019 I expected childbirth to change my body. What I didn't expect was how long it would take, or how hard it would be, to get back to normal. Read it. |
Badges of Honor
Backpacker August 2018 For more than 100 years, our parks have provided life-list experiences, adventures, and stop-in-your-tracks views. But not all parks--or hikes--are equal. So what's a trekker to do? Start with these 25 trips, the new classics of the system. Consider them the merit badges of a very well-traveled backpacker. 
Adventure Elevated
5280 December 2017 If you're looking for outrageous adventure, these mountain ranges deliver the goods. Read it. 
Powder to the People
Sunset December/January 2018 In the Colorado Rockies, epic snows transform the mountains into idyllic winter wonderlands. Read it. 
Perfect Day: Whitefish
Sunset August 2017 A glacial lake and cool microbrews are just two reasons to head for the mountains this month. Read it. 
The Long Way 'Round
Backpacker May 2017 Sacred trails the world over help hikers discover deeper truths about the world and themselves. But what truly makes a path transformative? Read it. 
Get Outside
Sunset May 2017 Campfire meals in the Redwoods. Kayaking under the moon. Yosemite's sheer awesomeness. Here's everything you need to make the most of it all. Read it. 
How to Spend a Weekend in Missoula 5280 August 2016 Discover the magic formula for fun in Big Sky Country. Read it. 
Planet-Friendly Gear
Backpacker April 2016 From recycled down to PFC-free jackets, manufacturers are bringing sustainability to you. Read it. 
Almanac
Rodale's Organic Life March/April 2016 Natural chair cleaning, DIY sundials, the best way to weed your garden, and more (wrote some, edited some). Read it. 
Get Unlost
Backpacker March 2016 That time I got a little lost at Canyonlands National Park, and how you can avoid the same fate. Read it. 
Endless Summer Backpacker January 2016
Call it the snowbird's guide to the national parks: Beaches, palm trees, sand dunes, and the occasional giant fruit bat. 
The Quiet Season
Backpacker November 2015 Winter brings a new sensory experience to the national parks, with scenery so fleeting you have to know where to find it. Here are our top picks for the best of the fourth season. Read it. 
Anything Can Happen at Yellowstone
Yellowstone Journal 2015 Can a vacation ever truly change your life? When one family finally comes together for a long-awaited trip to Yellowstone, they find much more than geyser shows and wildlife sightings waiting for them. Read it. |
The Outdoor Brand Playbook series
SNEWS April 16 & ongoing Successfully producing outdoor gear used to be such a simple endeavor: Make great product, then sell it through retail partners, or directly through a catalog or your own store. These days, the formula has become a lot more complicated. This 5-part series zeroes in on best practices for outdoor brands. Read it. 
The Outdoor Retailer Playbook series
SNEWS November 8 & ongoing Everyone in the outdoor industry knows the problem by now: The rise of online shopping has turned the marketplace on its head. This 5-part series examines innovative ways brands and retailers can work together to everyone's benefit. Read it. 
Travel Stars: Camp Provisions
Sunset August 2017 Sleeping under the stars in style in comfort. Read it. 
Trail Town USA
Backpacker September 2016 These places are more than gateways to the good stuff. They're the home bases of the tribe, where backpacker culture carries from the nearby mountaintops all the way downtown. Stop, stay awhile, and say hello to the best hiker towns in the country. Read it. 
Almanac
Rodale's Organic Life Jan/Feb 2016 Cure your hangover with pear juice, cool science of wool, make your own red wine vinegar, and more (wrote some, edited some). Read it. 
The Seven Rules of Solitude
Backpacker September 2015 Crowded campsites and lines for the outhouse? Save it for Bonnaroo. We'll take our wilderness quiet, raw, and lonely, thank you very much. Find your own patch of paradise when you follow these simple rules for escaping the hordes. Read it. 
We Have a Lot of Myths to Bust (Curves Ahead)
Backpacker October 2015 Myth: It's riskier for women to hike and backpack alone than for men. We combed through crime statistics, consulted experts, and talked to veteran solo hikers to find out if there's anything to that common fear. Read it. 
The Best 100 Miles
Backpacker June 2015 The parks boast thousands of stunning trail miles, but some are just a hair more amazing. Find the top 100 miles in the entire system on these 13 hikes. Read it. 
Bad News Bears
Yosemite Journal 2015 Every night, while campers sleep peacefully nearby, a high-stakes battle takes place in Yosemite Valley. One one side, the park's team of wildlife biologists. On the other, Yosemite's population of smart, sneaky black bears. Read it. 
The Local: Seattle
Backpacker May 2015 Like your favorite neighborhood watering hole, you can count on these hikes to deliver exactly what you need, exactly where you need it. Read it. |
Hike Hard, Eat Well
Backpacker August 2014 From trail mix to trout, upgrade every meal with this complete guide to recipes, cooking skills, and backcountry nutrition. Read it. 
Hiking Makes You Smarter
Backpacker May 2012 Yes, the views and exercise and fresh air make every backpacking trip worthwhile. But now, new research shows, staying home is just plain dumb. Learn how backpacking boosts brain power in this exclusive report from the frontiers of environmental neuroscience. Read it. |
Aftershock
5280 Health 2013 Colorado and Wyoming rank at the top of the list for lightning-strike fatalities in the United States. It's scary stuff. But dying from a bolt of electricity may not be nearly as frightening as surviving one. Read it. 
Head Case
5280 February 2012 Ski helmets? How I finally broke through a thick skull--to make sure it remains in one piece. Read it. |
