With the dawning of a new year comes a new source of news, insight, and commentary: the Land Desk. It … More
Author: Jonathan P. Thompson
Riding out the pandemic with the strays of Sofia
I’m not even a dog person, I thought, as I stared into the murk on a cold, late-autumn night. But … More
The Silverton Depot bombing, the 416 Fire, and the symbolism of the Train
On a pleasant, late summer’s day in Silverton, Colorado, San Juan County Sheriff Virgil Mason and local business owner Otto … More
Behind the Slickrock Curtain is here!
In the not so distant future, as the planet burns, the nation reels from the effects of a pandemic, Truth … More
“Power Madness” in America, the Big Buildup of coal, and a Senate hearing from five decades ago
Five decades ago, the US Senate Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs held a remarkable hearing. It was notable because … More
Charting COVID’s effect on the energy sector
Nine months ago, as the coronavirus-related lockdowns and slowdowns were reaching their peak, we made some predictions (for High Country … More
May 2020 SW Colorado Snowpack update
Snowpack levels in the San Juan Mountains of southwestern Colorado typically peak in April or early May, before starting a … More
The Blackest Week: When the Spanish Influenza brought death to Silverton
James Edward Cole was thirty-six years old when he died. You might say he was in the prime of his … More
Images from the Extreme Social Distance
I went back to the Home-country — i.e. the Four Corners — in February and March, and headed out to … More
Meditation on trans-Atlantic travel in the time of COVID-19
I flew internationally yesterday. I got into a tube with a bunch of other people against all of my self-preservation … More