Hi, everyone!

I’m sending this out 24 hours later than usual because I was up in the mountains recording some really amazing new podcast episodes... with limited internet and even less spare time. The new episodes will be coming out over the next few weeks, and I think you’ll really enjoy them.

But in the meantime, here’s your weekly dose of Good News from the American West:

⚡ Colorado Front Range folks: The 2026 Sun, Soil, Water Summit is happening March 21st, in Pueblo, bringing together farmers, conservationists, and community leaders to talk about healthy soil, resilient water systems, and good food. I used to do quite a bit of conservation work down in Pueblo and have heard great things about this gathering.

⚡ Though not strictly focused on the West, this new documentary produced by Nick Offerman, with voiceovers from Wendell Berry and other legends, will make you think hard about the land, agriculture, and the choices behind every meal.

⚡ Here’s an incredible opportunity from my friends at NOLS: The Black Diamond Elevate Scholarship covers a full NOLS course in Summer 2026—tuition, travel, and gear included. If you know a young person who’d benefit from a life-changing wilderness experience, send this their way. But act fast, applications close tomorrow.

⚡ A great story from High Country News about legendary Iditarod musher Susan Butcher. Her success came from trust and care for her dogs—proof that compassion and partnership can win races.

⚡ And speaking of HCN, this article looks at how Montana tribes are using sovereignty to restore waterways across their homelands. It’s an inspiring and instructive story about leadership, stewardship, and the places where rivers begin.

⚡ The all-star team at the Bears Ears Partnership is hiring a Partnerships & Tribal Engagement Coordinator to help strengthen collaboration among Tribes, agencies, and conservation groups working to restore the Bears Ears region.

⚡ In case you missed it, last week I released another book-focused podcast episode with MeatEater’s new Director of Conservation, Mark Kenyon, where we discuss 10 of our favorite adventure books. Mark is one of the most voracious readers I know, and a perpetual source of really great books.

Mountain & Prairie is reader- and listener-supported via Patreon, with additional generous support from these top-notch, purpose-driven organizations:

Howdy friends!

Here’s your weekly dose of Good News from the American West:

⚡ My friend, artist-extraordinaire Perri Lynch Howard, has a packed slate of events popping up all over the country. If you’re into sound, visual storytelling, and generally being around thoughtful, creative humans, her work is worth your time. Here’s her latest email with all the updates.

⚡ Dream job alert, Pacific Northwest edition: The Jefferson Land Trust is hiring its next Executive Director. It’s one of those rare, high-functioning, deeply community-rooted land trusts doing excellent work on the Olympic Peninsula. Apply and/or spread the word.

⚡ Five Valleys Land Trust just helped protect Case Ranch–2,330 acres of working lands, wildlife habitat, and local history in Potomac, Montana. Once again, this is the kind of project that checks all the boxes for meaningful, community-driven conservation.

⚡ Here in Colorado, The Conservation Fund and an all-star team of partners just protected the 3,314-acre Tolland Ranch, located at the base of the Continental Divide and less than an hour from Denver. This iconic ranch will become a new State Wildlife Area, locking in habitat, water, and access along the Front Range. A rare and meaningful win close to (my) home.

⚡ If your brain needs a break from pretty much everything the internet has to offer, this Nat Geo film about the Tetons will do the trick. Pikas, grizzlies, big landscapes… a brain cleanse, if you will.

Mountain & Prairie is reader- and listener-supported via Patreon, with additional generous support from these top-notch, purpose-driven organizations:

Hello everyone!

Here’s your weekly dose of Good News from the American West:

⚡ From my friend and off-the-charts prolific writer David Gessner: this essay uses Jeremiah Johnson as a jumping-off point to explore Robert Redford, the mythology of the West, and the deeper urge to step away from modern life. A thoughtful essay written by one of my all-time favorite authors.

⚡ For anyone who’s spent time huffing and puffing on the DeCaLiBron Loop near Fairplay, the Conservation Fund continues to do important work solving the access issues that have long plagued this classic 14er adventure.

⚡ Tickets for Portland’s 8 Seconds Rodeo go on sale March 30th. And if you’ve listened to my episodes with Ivan McClellan, then you know it’s not your standard rodeo. It’s more of a modern take that brings together Western sports, music, and culture in a way that’s aimed at expanding who shows up and how these traditions evolve.

⚡ I really appreciated (and needed) this essay from alpinist-extraordinaire Graham Zimmerman on staying grounded in turbulent times. Drawing from years in high-risk environments, he makes a strong case for focusing on what’s within your control, staying engaged without burning out, and resisting the pull of constant outrage and information overwhelm.

⚡ I’m a huge fan of the Texas Agricultural Land Trust, and I found this candid conversation on conservation easements especially informative and useful. It gets into the practical side of how land is actually protected—legal structures, landowner incentives, and the long-term thinking required to keep working lands intact.

Mountain & Prairie is reader- and listener-supported via Patreon, with additional generous support from these top-notch, purpose-driven organizations:

Happy April 1st!

No corny jokes here, just your weekly dose of Good News from the American West:

⚡ I loved this interview with Kim Jordan, co-founder of New Belgium Brewing and the driving force behind Mighty Arrow Family Foundation. It’s a thoughtful look at leadership, risk-taking, and how to align business success with doing some real good in the world.

⚡ If you’ve ever wanted to better understand horses (or yourself, really), this Wyoming-based retreat from The Reflective Horse looks like a pretty cool experience. Equal parts horsemanship, mindfulness, and wide-open spaces.

⚡ If bikes are more your style, Bicycle Colorado just announced a new gravel race, Shrikes and Bikes, which feels like a strong addition to Colorado’s already stacked calendar of “Type 2 Fun” endurance events.

⚡ Two marketing roles just opened up with my friends at Howler Brothers down in Austin. If you’ve ever wanted to blend creative work with a brand that actually lives the lifestyle it promotes, all while working with great people, check them out.

⚡ And speaking of jobs, High Country News is hiring a Partnerships Editor to help expand collaborations across the West, including their Western Environmental Reporting Collaborative. Big opportunity to shape how important stories get told in this region.

⚡ Hard to believe it’s been 10 years since Jim Harrison passed away. Not “good news” by any stretch, but this decade-old piece from Ben Polley is a great reminder of why Harrison’s work and his appetite for life still matter.

⚡ And finally, Pete McBride returns to the podcast for round four, this time diving into his new book Witness to Water. As you’ve come to expect, it’s part Colorado River deep dive, part personal reflection, and an all-around-fun hour of conversation.

Mountain & Prairie is reader- and listener-supported via Patreon, with additional generous support from these top-notch, purpose-driven organizations: