The past year and a half has not been easy for any of us. In managing the shocks and surprises brought upon us by COVID-19, we have all had to

Submerged in the teal kelpy coolness, I revel in the presence of my dear friend once more. This summer, the Pacific Ocean has not only been a friend, but a

As eleven of my classmates and I descended into a slot canyon in the Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument, a nearby hiker stopped and asked, “How come you aren’t

The Missouri River Breaks is a landscape dominated by striking sedimentary landforms, endless sagebrush flats, placid green water, acres of cattle, and men. While the latter two elements may seem

Sitting in the Great Falls doctor’s office with a sling on my right arm, I sighed, replaying the moment I dislocated my shoulder in the Bob Marshall Wilderness over and

Our human civilization often seems far and disconnected from the natural world. Many of us now live in cities and get our food from the grocery store, not the land

On a gusty day in Half Moon Basin, a meadow surrounded by towering mountains where we were camping, I participated in my favorite school assignment of all time. Every student

Last September, we were all beginning our first full semesters of online school. Lab reports, essays, and even exams would be completed from our couches, kitchen tables, and bedrooms. We

Overlooking the valley that shows open wounds and old scars induced by 100 years of various mining operations, a wave of grief surges through me. Two black rectangular “portals” to

I have seen where stars come from. They rise, tiny specks of light born from an equally illuminated world. Festering underneath furled logs, laying in wait until their home is