Mississippi Reckoning
Emmett Till was murdered 64 years ago. Is it time for a national park that recognizes him and tells the story of the civil rights struggle in Mississippi?
Articles
I write features and essays for magazines, newspapers and websites. Here is a selection of some of my favorite work. For my most recent stories, please check out my blog.
How to Be a True Anti-Racist
University of Colorado Denver education professor Cheryl Matias built her career helping prospective urban teachers fight racism. Now she wants to bring her ideas to the mainstream.
The Suicide Clusters Threatening Mountain Towns
In 2017, the suicide rate in Durango, Colorado, was three times the national average. After 32 deaths in two years, the town’s leaders banded together and instituted changes with the goal of stopping the contagion. Their efforts may also help other mountain towns.
“You are a Joke” “She’s a pretty face, that’s her paycheck” “No one really cares”
Caroline Gleich has skied some of the hardest lines in the country but also secretly suffered from abuse from online bullies. When she finally spoke out, she realized she wasn't the only professional athlete being harassed.
An Uncertain Future
As climate change shapes the Southwest, Mesa Verde National Park strives to protect both ancient forests and vulnerable cliff dwellings.
Instant Karma
Upscale meditation studios are bringing mindfulness to the masses. Are they also diluting the practice?
The Space Between Things
A writer returns to the Grand Canyon again and again. And again.
This Is How You Do It
That mental list you keep of all the fun things you want to experience before it's too late? We wrote it down. Then we came up with a plan for making it all happen—in the next 365 days.
Can human judgment handle avalanches?
We’re better than ever at understanding the dangers of avalanches. So why can’t we avoid them?
Adventures in Wonderlands
Don't let Alice have all the fun. Get moving at these places high, low, far, or plain thrilling.
Ghost of a Chance
How the residents of Silverton, Colorado beat the odds to rescue a long-abandoned mining town
The Water Czar
As director of the Colorado Water Conservation Board, James Eklund has the unenviable task of overseeing the first comprehensive water plan in the state’s history. But in a place where water is scarce—and is a private property right that sometimes goes back generations—can a blueprint for how to use this resource actually work?
Canada’s Prime Minister Wants to Save This Place From Oil Tankers
The plan to bring tar sands oil through the Great Bear Rainforest isn’t dead yet. TakePart Journeys explores an alternative source of local development: tourism.
Alpine Enlightenment
One summer, I braved the Wanderlust Festival, which celebrates yoga, outdoor sports, music, and spiritual pursuits with unbridled positivity.
The Mushroom Whisperers
Meet Graham Steinruck and Nick Martinez—two men on a mission to bring the wild foods of the Front Range to Denver kitchens.
South Georgia Island: The Last Godforsaken Place
On the 100th anniversary of Ernest Shackleton's legendary expedition, a writer retraces the explorer's steps to one of the cruelest, most gorgeous wildernesses on earth.
Blame It on Rio
Between the 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Summer Olympics, Brazil is having a moment. But with sprawling rainforest, isolated mountain ranges, and thousands of miles of beaches, it’s also one of the world’s great adventure hubs. To help you get far beyond the capital, we tapped a team of local experts for this insider’s guide.
Why is the U.S. Government Crushing Six Tons of Valuable Ivory?
In November, the Fish and Wildlife Service crushed six tons of ivory seized from illegal wildlife traffickers. Why? To slow the skyrocketing slaughter of elephants across Africa.
Detour Ahead
Is the print guidebook going the way of the triceratops? Not just yet. I investigate the guidebook industry in a short news story.
On Utah’s Cedar Mesa, Solitude and the Thrill of Discovery
For years, I've visited a remote, little-known mesa in southeastern Utah to look for ruins and contemplate the beauty of the desert. I keep returning because the solitude offers something rare: the challenge and thrill of discovery.