Getting air, losing a ski. Photo taken at the opening of Sun Valley's new terrain park by Nils Ribi. Read more about the terrain park on Ribi's blog.

See more photos on the New West Images photoblog.

Wolf Hunts Morally Corrupt

The resumption of wolf-hunts in Idaho, Montana and Wyoming illustrates why citizens must continue to oppose such unnecessary and senseless slaughters.

The wolf-hunts are predicated upon morally corrupt and inaccurate assumptions about wolf behavior and impacts that is not supported by recent scientific research.  State wildlife agencies pander to the lowest common denominator in the hunting community—men who need to booster their own self esteem and release misdirected anger by killing. 

Guest Opinion

Colorado Anglers Riled By Christo’s Art Proposal

The industrial-scale art project proposed by the artist Christo Javacheff and his Over the River Corporation (OTR) will significantly impact the Arkansas River corridor from Salida, Colo., downstream to Canon City.

The artist proposes to suspend 5.9 miles of fabric panels over several segments of a 45-mile reach of the river, eight to 20 feet off the surface in areas of prized public fishing access.
In order to anchor the cables that will support the fabric, OTR must drill 9,100 anchor holes within and adjacent to the riparian zone. These holes must be drilled by large industrial machines that require hazardous and toxic fluids to operate and maintain. 

Rafting

Twilight on the Middle Fork

Impromptu adventures tend to be the finest. Case in point, last Friday afternoon I called a girlfriend to see if she’d like a reprieve from the August heat by taking a dip in Whitefish Lake. She upped the ante and offered me a spot on a raft for a twilight float on the Middle Fork of the Flathead River.

Already dressed for playtime on the water, I added my lifejacket to my bag and made my way to my girlfriend’s to load dogs, coolers, and prep for our whitewater float.

New West Feature

Work Begins to Tap Huge Mineral Deposits in Idaho

Yesterday’s announcement by the Canadian company, Mosquito Consolidated Gold Mines Ltd., that it had received final approval from the U.S. Forest Service to begin exploring for molybdenum in Idaho’s Boise National Forest is bound to refocus attention on an old federal law that plays a central role in mining decisions.

The 1872 National Mining Act, which still governs how mining occurs on federal lands, has been a bone of contention between environmental groups and mining companies for decades. 

Hiking

Squeezing through the Joint Trail at Canyonlands

I think the first time I heard anything about Chesler Park, I was being a non-productive REI employee and flipping through a copy of Peter Potterfield’s Classic Hikes of the World at the Paradise Valley store in Phoenix.

A couple months later, I would move from Phoenix to Denver, on the way stopping at four of Utah’s five national parks, and hike through this incredible area for the first time. I’ve been back four times, and it’s a good seven-hour drive from my house in Denver. 

Guest Opinion

In Indian Country, a Federal Spending Cap Will Hurt

It sounds reasonable: Why not just cap federal spending? Make every agency operate with the money that’s already there. This notion has commonsense, yet it is impossible in practice.

A few years ago, the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights looked at federal funding needs for American Indians and Alaska Natives. The report concluded that “federal funding for Native American programs has increased significantly. However, this has not been nearly enough to compensate for a decline in spending power, which had been evident for decades before that, nor to overcome a long and sad history of neglect and discrimination.”

New West Feature

If Denver Wants Winter Olympics, It Will Have to Show the Money

Informal talks this week between Denver’s mayor and Colorado’s governor about the 2022 Winter Olympics would be the start of a long process full of hurdles, should Denver make a serious bid for the Games.

On Sunday, Denver Mayor Michael Hancock and Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper confirmed to the Denver Post that the idea interests them, but both expressed awareness of how long and winding any road to the Olympics would be.

New West Feature

Wildfires Trouble New Mexico, Idaho and Montana

New Mexico, Idaho and Montana have had their wildfire troubles this season, while Utah, Wyoming and Colorado have been relatively fortunate.

In Montana, almost 100,000 acres have been burned this summer in 19 areas. A meeting will be held tonight concerning one of the latest incidents, the West Riverside fire, which has consumed 3,400 acres and is about 20 percent contained.

New West Feature

Montana Deer Hunting Hit Hard by Disease

White-tailed deer hunters in eastern Montana will have to scramble for licenses this season.

The number of “B” licenses for antlerless white-tailed deer in the region has been reduced for the 2011 hunting seasons from 5,000 to 2,000, because of a tough winter on the animals, followed by a disease outbreak.