High Country News

DOUBLE YOUR IMPACT!

Now more than ever, the West needs High Country News. That’s why one generous donor is stepping up to offer a $100,000 matching challenge — now through the end of the year. Donate during Colorado Gives, and your gift will go twice as far toward supporting stories about the West, written by reporters who understand and love the communities they write about.

Why Fund Independent Journalism for the West?

This is a tumultuous time in America — especially here in the West. The very things that make so many of us glad to call this place home — abundant public lands, diverse wildlife and our shared sense of community — are under threat. 

But while politicians and pundits might try to divide us, at High Country News, we know that Westerners share a lot in common. HCN’s journalists have always been rooted in the West, producing stories by, about and for the communities we serve. And our decades of reporting demonstrates time and again that despite cultural and political divides, there is also a real willingness to step up and help when others are in need, a desire to connect across differences, and a deep-seated love of the land.

HCN is a vital source of coverage for the growing number of Western communities that no longer have a local news outlet. We dig deep into issues that matter to this region and provide our readers with reliable reporting to inform and enrich their daily lives. And we give our diverse and far-flung communities a voice in the national conversation.

High Country News was built on a foundation of community, and it’s that same community that holds us up today. Over 75% of our budget is provided by our subscribers and donors. You are a critical partner in our work. Please give generously — your donation today fuels tomorrow's stories and keeps our Western communities connected. 

Thank you for supporting journalism with impact!

Testimonials

"Born and raised in the Intermountain West, education and career have held me in unfortunate diaspora for the last 50 years. Worth its weight in platinum, HCN has provided throughout a vital and vibrant connection for important issues, developments, and people in my homeland. I'd have been well and truly lost without it. Keep up the great work, and thanks!"  — L.V. Giddings | Silver Spring, Maryland

"The work of your magazine and all who contribute are providing a vital service to the transformation that is ongoing in today’s world. No other magazine could replace the work you all do, and the unique niche that you are providing to serve the evolutionary shift to a new, more balanced, enlightened culture.”  — Scott Chausse | Paonia, Colorado

“I look forward to each issue. Even though the west is vast there is always an article that is related to where I live in the Eastern Sierra. We need more hard hitting journalism like yours to keep us informed and to open our minds. Thank you for your courage to cover things that most will not.” — Marc Bir | Bishop, California

2025 Awards & Recognition

HCN picked up 10 awards from the Indigenous Journalists Association, including:

• HCN Associate Editor Anna V. Smith and Maria Parazo Rose, a reporter and spatial data analyst, won first place for "best coverage of Indigenous communities" for an investigation into state trust lands on reservations. It was part of a larger collaboration with Grist that also won this year’s Richard La Course Award — a high honor.
• Staff Writer B. “Toastie” Oaster won third place in the “Best environmental coverage” category for their reporting on climate and environmental obstacles faced by Indigenous communities in the Northwest, and second place for best editorial for a thoughtful piece about the challenges of describing a sacred site without sharing sensitive information.
• Paul Robert Wolf Wilson’s images of tree sitters in Oregon earned him the Best News Photo prize. Other photography awards included an Indigenous celebration of Hanford, fish camps on the Yukon River, a Native-led native plants movement, and a group that is creating a gathering place for Alaska. 
• HCN contributors won top honors for longform magazine writing — one for a piece about a new DNA technique that could bring closure for families of missing and murdered Indigenous people, and the other for a story about tribes' role in decommissioning dams on the Klamath River.
• Plus, HCN's Indigenous Affairs Editor Sunnie Clahchischiligi was elected incoming board president of the Indigenous Journalists Association this year.