Podcast appearances and mentions of Glen Canyon

On this week's episode of the Take 2 Podcast, Heidi Hatch is joined by Maura Carabello of the Exoro Group and KNRS host and former House Speaker Greg Hughes to break down a busy week in politics, from national feuds to shifting Utah leadership.The Trump–Musk Bromance EndsWhat began as a mutual admiration between Donald Trump and Elon Musk has unraveled in public view. Musk recently criticized the federal deficit, saying, “We have a $2 trillion deficit. It keeps growing. Our interest payments are higher than our defense department budget.” That didn't sit well with Trump. While the split has sparked national chatter, Utah Sen. Mike Lee tried to play peacemaker, saying simply, “But I really like both of them.”New Leadership in Utah's House GOPFollowing a special election, Utah House Republicans selected a new leadership team:Speaker: Mike SchultzMajority Leader: Casey SniderMajority Whip: Candice PierucciAssistant Whip: Bridger BolinderUtah Democrats Elect New Party LeadersRoughly 1,400 delegates, both in person and remote, participated in the Utah Democratic Party's convention over the weekend. Former lawmaker and 2024 gubernatorial candidate Brian King was elected party chair. Other leadership includes:Vice Chair: Susan MerrillSecretary: Brad DickterTreasurer: Catherine VoutazKing, who spent 16 years in the Utah Legislature, will now steer the party into 2026 and beyond.GOP Lawmakers Threaten Legislation Over Pride MonthUtah Jazz and the Utah Mammoth celebrating Pride Month sparked pushback from some Republican lawmakers. Rep. Trevor Lee posted on X, “Nothing makes Utahns more mad when political ideologies get pushed into their lives Watch for some significant legislation this next session that pushes back onto these woke groups!” The debate centers on whether tax dollars should support private entities that publicly support LGBTQ+ causes.Cox Appoints Former Reyes Aide to Lead Records OfficeGov. Spencer Cox named Lonny Pehrson to lead Utah's new Government Records Office. Pehrson previously served in the Attorney General's Office and was involved in efforts to keep AG Sean Reyes' calendar from public disclosure, raising concerns from transparency advocates.Utah Supreme Court Justice to Step DownJustice John Pearce will leave the bench in December after a decade on the state's high court. In his resignation, Pearce said he plans to return to private practice and continue teaching at the University of Utah's S.J. Quinney College of Law. Cox will appoint a replacement from a list of seven candidates provided by the Appellate Nominating Commission. Senate confirmation is required.ATVs Return to Glen CanyonOff-road vehicles are officially back at Glen Canyon after former President Trump signed a resolution overturning a National Park Service rule. The legislation, sponsored by Rep. Celeste Maloy and Sens. John Curtis and Mike Lee, restores ATV access to 24 miles of park roads.Phil Lyman Teases 'Major Announcement'Utah Rep. Phil Lyman hinted at a big development as a public interest group from the East Coast plans to file a lawsuit in the state.Listen to the full episode of the Take 2 Podcast for in-depth commentary from Heidi, Maura, and Greg.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this video, we dive into the EPA's deregulation plans under Lee Zeldin, exploring how they could impact Jeep Wrangler, Gladiator, and Grand Cherokee owners. Learn about the potential removal of Start-Stop incentives, consumer feedback on its inconvenience, and the future of diesel models like the 3.0 EcoDiesel. We also cover the Trump administration's push to roll back Biden-era emission standards, including the GHG Phase 3 rule for heavy-duty trucks, and what it means for costs and compliance. Plus, a bonus Jeep Gladiator update featuring the Ancel BM200 battery tester for easy 12V battery monitoring!

This week we talk with photographer Dawn Kish and Richard Jackson about a new exhibit and film event at the John Wesley Powell River Museum in Green River UT and with Living Rivers' John Weisheit about opportunities to support our region's rivers.

Join us for a milestone episode—our 100th—where JD talks again with Ben Burr, Executive Director of the BlueRibbon Coalition, to break down the first 100 days of the new administration. They discuss crucial updates on monument designations, ongoing legal challenges, and critical policy shifts impacting public land access. Ben gives updates from the front lines, including insights on the newly established Chuckwalla National Monument and ongoing battles in Glen Canyon. Get the latest on litigation efforts, advocacy wins, and what's coming next in the fight for public lands.

On today's newscast: Flagstaff police arrested two people in connection with a drive-by shooting, more prescribed burns throughout the region this week, National Park Service officials are working to eliminate a spawning ground for harmful nonnative fish in Glen Canyon, and more.

Elliot Ross is a photographer and writer whose work focuses on the intersection of landscape, identity, and justice in the American West. His images have appeared in Time, National Geographic, and The New York Times, and he's known for deeply researched, long-term projects that combine striking visual storytelling with a journalist's rigor. Whether he's documenting water access on the Navajo Nation or tracing the contours of Glen Canyon as it reemerges, Elliot brings a rare mix of artistry, empathy, and precision to every assignment. Born in Taiwan and raised on the eastern plains of Colorado, Elliot grew up between cultures and landscapes—an experience that shaped both his worldview and his creative path. He picked up a camera early, inspired by his grandmother's family albums, and later earned a full-ride to the Savannah College of Art and Design. After college, he cut his teeth in New York City, assisting some of the most high-profile portrait and fashion photographers in the industry. All the while, he was quietly dreaming about building a career on his own terms—one rooted in storytelling, purpose, and the landscapes he still called home. In this episode, we talk about the early experiences that shaped his artistic voice, the evolution of his career, and how he's learned to navigate the demands of both commercial and documentary work. Elliot shares the backstory of his recent Time magazine cover story on water equity in the West, a project that involved years of reporting, deep community ties, and even a return to the classroom. We also discuss his thoughts on creative endurance, working across political divides, and the role of photography in fostering empathy and connection. I'd encourage you to visit Elliot's website and dig deeper into all of his work, especially his project A Question of Balance, which became the Time magazine feature. You can find links to everything in the episode notes. Thanks to Elliot for the inspiring and timely conversation, and thank you for listening. --- Elliot Ross Time magazine piece A Question of Balance Full episode notes and links: https://mountainandprairie.com/elliot-ross/ --- This episode is brought to you in partnership with the Mighty Arrow Family Foundation. To whom much is given, much is expected. This value guides the philosophy behind the Mighty Arrow Family Foundation today. Committed to its cause and infused with an entrepreneurial spirit, Mighty Arrow aims to invest in solutions that take action on climate change to build a more vibrant future, repair relationships from farm to market to table, heal our connection to the lands and waters we call home, and demand a more just and equitable society. To learn more about Mighty Arrow's forward-thinking, optimistic, and visionary work here in the American West and beyond, please visit www.mightyarrow.org. --- TOPICS DISCUSSED: 3:05 – Elliot growing up in Taipei and how his parents met 6:00 – Few but vivid memories of Taipei 7:09 – The culture shock of moving to eastern Colorado 8:25 – How photography came into Elliot's life 10:29 – Reading influences 13:16 – Travel bug 16:22 – Savannah College of Art and Design 18:07 – Parental pressure 19:49 – Credit to high school art teachers 20:54 – Figuring out photography 27:47 – No wavering 29:54 – Moving into independent business 33:29 – Pitching Carhartt 37:03 – Nat Geo ups and downs 42:10 – Near-death experiences 45:44 – Approaching long-term projects 49:35 – Pulling on threads 51:45 – Humans and landscapes 56:35 – Curiosity as the most authentic de-escalator 58:05 – Writing and shooting and doing it all 1:02:45 – Response to the Time story 1:07:35 – A tale of two places 1:13:45 – Using water in the West 1:16:35 – The Desiderata creed 1:17:05 – Book recs 1:23:05 – Parting words --- ABOUT MOUNTAIN & PRAIRIE: Mountain & Prairie - All Episodes Mountain & Prairie Shop Mountain & Prairie on Instagram Upcoming Events About Ed Roberson Support Mountain & Prairie Leave a Review on Apple Podcasts

On today's newscast: Hundreds of people protested the layoffs of federal workers in Flagstaff, Arizona's senators are urging the Trump administration not to undo the state's newest national monument, study shows wildfires are less frequent but more destructive, a rule limiting off-road vehicles at Glen Canyon is on hold, and more.

 Think today's news is wild? The Old West's untamed headlines—persistent satire blurred the lines between truth and tall tale!

These days, Glen Canyon Park is a tranquil urban park with hiking trails, soccer fields and a playground, which makes it all that more difficult to imagine that it was once home to the first dynamite factory in the United States. Today we'll join reporter Gabriela Glueck to learn how dynamite made its way to San Francisco and why it was such a transformative product in this state. Plus, we'll explore the stories of Chinese laborers who often had the most dangerous jobs of all in the high explosives industry. Additional Reading: The Explosive History Hidden in Glen Canyon Park Read a transcript of this episode Listen to our kid-friendly playlist on Spotify Sign up for our newsletter Enter our Sierra Nevada Brewing Company monthly trivia contest Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by going to https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts This story was reported and produced by Gabriela Glueck. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Amanda Font, Ana De Almedia Amaral and Christopher Beale. Additional support from Jen Chien, Katie Sprenger, Holly Kernan and the whole KQED family.

The second-largest reservoir in the United States is called Lake Powell on the Colorado River. It has not been filled since 1999, and in 2022 reached a record low of about 23 percent full--nearly the point of "dead pool," where the lake would be below the outlet pipes. The reason is that with climate change and reservoir overcapacity (the largest reservoir of all, Lake Mead, is downstream of Powell), there is too much storage on the river relative to demand for agriculture, cities, and water lost from reservoir evaporation. What to do? Science writer Zak Podmore examines the question in his book Life After Dead Pool: Lake Powell's Last Days and the Rebirth of the Colorado River, where he argues it's time to drain the lake, save a lot of water, and restore the wondrous beauty of flooded Glen Canyon. Zak and University of Utah economist Marshall Steinbaum join us to talk about the political economy behind the construction of Glen Canyon Dam, how environmentalists went wrong attacking it with conservative arguments, and how the Colorado can be better managed as a resource for both people and nature. Subscribe now to hear the whole thing!

Join us for the latest updates in National Park news. This episode covers the collapse of a popular double arch in Glen Canyon, the establishment of the Springfield 1908 Race Riot National Monument, and new features on Recreation.gov for park entry bookings. You'll also hear about recent lightning strike incidents at Horseshoe Bend, prohibited base jumping in the Grand Canyon, vandalism at Joshua Tree, elk poaching in Redwood National Park, and the partial reopening of Lassen Volcanic National Park following fire evacuations. Stay informed and plan your next adventure with this week's National Parks news roundup. Use code PARKS30 for $30 off of a $500 or more booking at www.rvshare.com. Become a Mile Marker Member and support this content. Learn more at https://RVMiles.com/milemarkers 

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, along with the U.S. Department of Commerce, are calling on citizens to submit science projects to prepare fisheries and fishing communities for changing environmental conditions; also, a frequently visited arch collapsed in Rock Creek Bay in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area in Utah, the National Park Service reported Friday in a news release. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

environmentalism, Green Peace, Sierra Club, Findhorn Fellowship, Scotland, ecovillages, Edward Abbey, The Monkey Wrench Gang, Glen Canyon, Earth First, Abbey's links to Earth First, Black Mesa Society, David Foreman, Foreman's views on humanity, Foreman's relationship with Earth First, Earth First's appropriation of Native American themes, Earth First's interactions with the labor movement, the Wobbleys, Starhawk, neo-paganism, Starhawk's links to Earth First, Starhawk's role in politicalizing the modern neo-pagan movement, Paul Watson, Sea Shepherds, green anarchism, green theater, Invisible Committee and Tarnac Nine, Pentti Linkola, eco-fascism, Individualists Tending to the Wild, Unabomber, Ted Kaczynski, Kaczysnki's criticism of militant environmental movement, the 1985 Rainbow Warrior ship incident, French intelligence, Judi Bari, FBI, "Green Scare," Operation BackfireMusic by: Keith Allen Dennishttps://keithallendennis.bandcamp.com/Additional Music: J Money Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today we'll talk with Zak Podmore, an environmental journalist and writer based in Bluff, Utah. He is author of two books, including the forthcoming Life after Deadpool. We'll also be joined by Eric Balken, Executive Director of Glen Canyon Institute.

Today we discuss an event celebrating the return of Glen Canyon as Lake Powell falls. We also talk about a determination related to allegations of illegal mining brought against the Kane Creek Developers. We also discuss the state legislature funding a new nonprofit with a tie to that same development. And we finish off with an update on the Moab to Monument Valley Film Commission celebrating their 75th anniversary. // Show Notes: https://www.kzmu.org/weekly-news-reel-new-nonprofit-with-tie-to-kane-creek-development-receives-1m-in-state-funding/

Mike DeHoff is the Principal Investigator at Returning Rapids Project, a one-of-a-kind project that is documenting the recovery of the Colorado River in Cataract Canyon, upper Glen Canyon, and along the San Juan. Back in 1963, the construction of Glen Canyon Dam created Lake Powell, which submerged many of the area's canyons– turning what were once wild stretches of the Colorado into flat water. Today, the southwest's ongoing historic drought has caused Lake Powell's water levels to drop significantly, revealing historic rapids, recently hidden geologic features, and riparian ecosystems that had been deep underwater for nearly fifty years. - Returning Rapids began as a personal project for Mike and three of his river-loving friends– Meg Flynn, Peter Lefebvre, and Chris Benson. They began to notice changes in the river created by Lake Powell's receding waters and started documenting those changes and using historic photographs and documents to better understand the reemerging landscape. Over the years, their work caught the attention of universities, academics, scientists, and government agencies, all of whom were fascinated by what was being discovered deep in those canyons. Fast forward to today, and their work is not only enabling cutting-edge research, but it's capturing the attention of bigtime media outlets, including a recent feature in Rolling Stone. - Mike connected with me virtually from his home base in Moab, Utah, and we had a fascinating discussion about the Colorado River, Lake Powell, and the history of the Returning Rapids project. We started out with a brief history lesson on the drought's effect on the Colorado River, then we dug into issues such as the mind-blowing amount of sediment created by Glen Canyon Dam. We discussed when Mike and his partners realized that their personal project was capturing the attention of the public, the challenges of garnering attention for lesser-known places like Cataract Canyon, and the idea of combining Lake Powell and Lake Mead. We also talk a lot about Mike's personal journey with this project, and how his willingness to follow his curiosity, partner with very smart people, take risks, and work extremely hard has had a significant scientific impact. We also discuss books, his mentors, his desire to learn from everyone he meets, and much more. - A huge thanks to Mike, Meg, Peter, and Chris for their important work, and for providing such a solid example for all of us who feel drawn to make a difference here in the American West. --- Returning Rapids Project Rolling Stone article on Returning Rapids Full episode notes and links: https://mountainandprairie.com/mike-dehoff/ --- This episode is brought to you in partnership with the Mighty Arrow Family Foundation. To whom much is given, much is expected. This value guides the philosophy behind the Mighty Arrow Family Foundation today. Committed to its cause and infused with an entrepreneurial spirit, Mighty Arrow aims to invest in solutions that take action on climate change to build a more vibrant future, repair relationships from farm to market to table, heal our connection to the lands and waters we call home, and demand a more just and equitable society. To learn more about Mighty Arrow's forward-thinking, optimistic, and visionary work here in the American West and beyond, please visit www.mightyarrow.org. --- TOPICS DISCUSSED: 3:30 - The drought of the early 2000s and how it started a 20+ year journey for Mike 16:30 - How an entire land mass of Colorado River sediment can be created with no one claiming management or responsibility of it 21:30 - When Mike's project shifted from a personal interest to an interest of the public 26:15 - The surprising rate that Lake Powell and Cataract Canyon are capable of recovering 34:30 - How Mike garners attention for lesser-known but important places like Cataract Canyon 37:15 - Discussing the idea of combining Lake Powell and Lake Meade 44:15 - Mike's advice for people wanting to do something similar to he and his team 47:30 - Mike's powerful appreciation for the people he meets, and his mentors and heroes 50:30 - Mike's book recommendations 53:45 - Mike's parting words of wisdom --- ABOUT MOUNTAIN & PRAIRIE: Mountain & Prairie - All Episodes Mountain & Prairie Shop Mountain & Prairie on Instagram Upcoming Events About Ed Roberson Support Mountain & Prairie Leave a Review on Apple Podcasts

In our second episode of the all-new Arizona Highways podcast, host Steve Goldstein and Arizona Highways editor Robert Stieve talk with contributor Dawn Kish, who took the camera of a legendary photographer into Glen Canyon when Lake Powell was at its lowest level in decades.

With all of the attention on water supplies in the West, more conversation has centered on the future of dams. We'll hear why one observer thinks dams will start to come down across the region. Plus, our Staying Power series continues with an artist who has been instrumental in the Phoenix scene for decades. That and more on The Show.

On this month's national park news round-up, a big change is coming to national park passes — beginning in January, the Annual Pass will only have one signature line. We have all the details, plus, a terrible grizzly bear attack in Banff, a missing hiker in the Rockies, and a Fossil Find in Glen Canyon that is truly one of a kind.  Our guide to National Park Passes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4u3sQVr_7zo&t=14s Hosted by Jason Epperson Visit LLBean.com to find great gear for exploring the national parks.  Use promo code PARKS20 to get $20 off your next purchase of $200 or more at solostove.com.

Episode Summary This week on Live Like the World is Dying, Inmn is joined by Blix, a river guide. They talk about the utility of packrafting, the joys and travails of river travel, the state of waterways in the western United States, and how river guides might have the best names for the worst things. Host Info Inmn can be found on Instagram @shadowtail.artificery. Publisher Info This show is published by Strangers in A Tangled Wilderness. We can be found at www.tangledwilderness.org, or on Twitter @TangledWild and Instagram @Tangled_Wilderness. You can support the show on Patreon at www.patreon.com/strangersinatangledwilderness. Transcript Live Like the World is Dying: Blix on Packrafting **Inmn ** 00:16 Hello, and welcome to Live Like The World is Dying, your podcast for what feels like the end times. I'm Inmn, and I'm your host for today. Today I'm being joined by my friend Blix, who is a river guide, and we're going to talk about something that I've been really entranced by but know nothing about and I'm a little terrified by. And that is, traveling on rivers with boats and why it might be a good or bad idea during different emergent disasters. But first, we are a proud member of the Channel Zero Net of anarchist podcasts and here's a jingle from another show on that network. Doo doo doo doo doo doo [Singing the words like an upbeat melody] **Dissident Island Radio ** 01:08 Listen in to Dissident Island Radio live every first and third Friday of the month at 9pm GMT. Check out www.dissidentireland.org for downloads and more. **Inmn ** 01:58 And we're back. Thank you so much for coming on the show today. Could you introduce yourself with your name, pronouns, and what you do in the world? You know, not in an existential sort of way, but what is your connection to packrafting. **Blix ** 02:19 My name is Blix. I use she/they pronouns. I am a river guide in Dinosaur National Monument on the Green River. I like to do more things than just river stuff. I'm really into cycling, and gaming, and anything that gets me outside, but river stuff recently has been my main hobby and passion at the moment. Yeah, what was the last one? What is my "what?" **Inmn ** 02:49 What do you...What is your existential purpose in the world [laughing/joking] **Blix ** 03:02 [Stammers while laughing] I'd like to survive. Yeah. The last one was my connection to packrafting. So initially, I got into river...I mean, I've been doing river stuff since I was a kid. I grew up in northeast Iowa, which is not known for anything river related. Or I mean, there are rivers there, but not in the sense that...not the big water and rapid stuff that you typically hear about with river travel or river hobbies, but I grew up kayaking and canoeing. And then I got a packraft four years ago and I've done a couple pack rafting trips since then. Overnighters. And yeah, I think that was kind of the gateway craft that led me to wanting to be a guide. **Inmn ** 04:02 Yeah, it's funny. I can tell if you were being sarcastic about Idaho rivers **Blix ** 04:08 No, Iowa, Iowa.  **Inmn ** 04:10 Ohhh.  **Blix ** 04:11 Yeah, no. Idaho is very well known for rivers. Yeah, no, Iowa is not...You don't think, "Whoa the rivers in Iowa are amazing." But Idaho, definitely. **Inmn ** 04:25 Yeah, there is--maybe it's not Iowa that I'm thinking of--that it's bordered on each side by rivers. Is that true? **Blix ** 04:35 There's the Mississippi on the east and then on the west I think there is a river but I can't remember... Maybe the Sioux River. **Inmn ** 04:45 Yeah or something. Because there's the...I only know this because of going on bike tour and encountering this bike bro who let us sleep at his house. He just saw us on bikes and was like, "Come over, fellow bike tourists." And we're like, "You know, we need showers." And he told us about something called like, Ragbra... **Blix ** 05:05 Ragbrai. I like Ragbra better. Yeah, yeah. RagBrai is riding from the west side of Iowa to the east, and it changes...the route changes every year. But, I've actually never done it.  **Inmn ** 05:23 It did not really sound fun. Very drunken. **Blix ** 05:25 No, I think it...Yeah. As someone who does not drink, it sounds like my worst nightmare. So, **Inmn ** 05:32 Yeah. But anyways, what...So what is packrafting? **Blix ** 05:38 Yeah, packrafting...So, it's a very specific type of craft where you can deflate it and it's pretty much...the way that I've used it, I've strapped it to the front of my bike. You can shove it in backpacks. It can be made very small, and then when you inflate it, some models of pack rafts, you can take your gear and shove them inside the tubes of the craft so you don't have like a pile of gear on your boat.  **Inmn ** 05:51 Like inside the inflatable part of it?  **Blix ** 06:15 Yes, yep. So I've had friends who've done the Grand Canyon in packrafts--which is nuts and also very impressive to me--but yeah, you can put stuff in the tubes. When you want to get it out, you have to deflate it, obviously. But, you put it all in there, inflate it, you can take it downriver. I know people who've carried a ton of gear, like 50 pounds. I know people who've gone hunting with them. You can obviously, I'm sure you've seen, you can strap your bikes to the front of them as well. **Inmn ** 06:50 This was actually my first question is if you can strap it to your bike, can you also somehow take your bike down river? **Blix ** 06:58 Yeah, yeah, it's...I have a lot of opinions about taking bikes--I think it depends on the river and also your bike. The thing with attaching a bike to a water vessel and then floating down a river is it's really exposed to all the elements. And, bikes and water don't...Like, you don't want to submerge your bike in water. There's a lot of issues that can arise from that. So, it's really hard on your bike. And also it makes the packraft hard to maneuver--obviously because you have this big heavy weight in the front--but you can take the front wheel off your bike, put it on top of the frame, and then you can use straps, and they have strap loops, and--trying to think the word of it--they have places where you can take straps and like loop your bike around so it is fully attached to your packraft. **Inmn ** 07:51 Cool. My first impression from hearing about packrafting is, one, that is exactly what I was hoping it would be. But, I guess some questions within that are that it seems highly versatile or mobile. Which, the the thing about boats that I've always thought is boats are really cool and they're really big and you're kind of tied to a boat, and you're stuck on that body of water where the boat is. But, with this, it seems like you can pretty easily be on the river and then decide to leave the river and take the boat with you? **Blix ** 08:35 Yes, yep. And I think that's why they're so popular. I think they're also more affordable. But, it's a multimodal way to navigate places. And yeah, they've exploded in popularity. And it's kind of funny because packrafts themselves--like there's always been smaller crafts like kayaks and inflatable kayaks--but the packraft is kind of this new concept that's come about where you can pack your gear in the tubes and it packs up super small. Whereas kayaks are this big hard thing of plastic that you have to lug around. You know, same with canoes or even inflatable kayaks. Like, those don't deflate to a point where you'd want to carry them in anything. They're so heavy. So packrafts are kind of this ultralight thing that's come on to the river scene and a lot of parks and monuments--at least the monument I work in, they're not sure what to do with them. They're very particular about...like if you go pack rafting down the river, you have to have a bigger support boat. Like you can't just take your pack raft down the river because it's a single chamber. So, it's just like one...When you inflate it, the whole thing inflates. Whereas, normal rafts...I have another bigger raft. It has four different...or excuse me, mine has two chambers. Giant rafts, like 18 foot rafts, have four chambers and then the floor that inflates. So, the thing with packrafts is if you like pop it or tear it, it's going to be a bad day. And that's, I guess, my only issue with them. But, everything else is great, like how light they are. The trips I've done with packrafts and bikes and anything else, it's really nice to not be lugging around a gigantic raft and all this gear. And, it keeps you from overpacking. **Inmn ** 10:26 Yeah, how small is, "small?" and how light is, "light?" Like, does this fit in your hiking pack? **Blix ** 10:34 Yes, yeah, it could fit in a backpack. Like my handlebars on my bike, it fits in between the grips. Like that's how small it is. I think it packs down to like 8-10 pounds. Like it's, it's still a heavy piece of gear but nothing like a huge 2000 pound raft. You know, to me, I'm like, "Wow, this is very light and small." And then as far as like when you're sitting in it, they make different lengths. But, when I'm sitting in my packraft my feet go all the way to the front of it. And I can't think of how...They would probably be like four feet? Three feet? I don't know. I guess I've never measured mine. I just know that I fit in it. I'm not really a dimensions person. I just know that it's light and it's small. So like really specific stuff--I guess I do know how long my big raft is...But, yeah, with packrafts it's just you in the...Like, there's no room really to put other gear. You can shove stuff up by your feet and behind you, but the main idea is you're putting all of it in the tubes. **Inmn ** 11:40 Yeah, okay. Yeah, I guess hearing that their downfall, I guess, or thing that makes them maybe not a great idea is that they can get punctured. Is that something that's likely to happen. Like, can they get punctured easily? Like, how durable are they? **Blix ** 12:00 I guess the story that comes up is that I went on the Salt River this past spring. That's a river in northeast Arizona. There's like a--It's not the tubing section that everyone thinks about. It's like--whenever I tell people that, they're like, "What? You went whitewater on..." And I'm like, "No." There's an upper section that's a solid class 4 river--which, I suppose I should explain classes maybe after...If you're curious. But yeah, okay. But, basically, the story is we were portaging around this big rapid because I didn't feel comfortable running it. It was the end of the day. And portaging is just finding a route that we're able to walk and carry all our gear. Which, wasn't easy because we were in a very steep narrow canyon. But yeah. Someone dropped their packraft on a cactus, which, you know, you'd think--they popped bike tubes--but, their packraft had multiple holes that needed to be patched. Whereas my...I think the rafts are made of different materials...Like, my raft compared to a packraft...Because the packraft is so light, I don't think they can use as heavy duty material. I know people--and from my own experience--one of our packrafts has like gotten rubbed from paddling. Like the paddle rubbed the side and the side could get rubbed raw and then start to leak air. And I do know a lot of folks with packrafts that have a lot of patches. But, I also know...like this is where it comes into play that you need to be good at not just knowing how to paddle a raft but how to like read a river and know how to navigate water and know what hazards are, because, especially in a packraft, it's such...Like you don't want to tear it. Like even in my raft, I don't want to have a tear, but if you puncture your packraft in a significant way it's gonna sink or just be in a really bad spot. And you're going to be...because it is a single chamber and all your gear is in it...Like, that's a huge risk.  **Inmn ** 14:11 So you might just lose every...  **Blix ** 14:13 You might lose everything. And, I think you would have to mess up significantly for that to happen. But, just knowing certain hazards that I've encountered on rivers and things I've heard from other people...The material my boat's made of is this hypalon. It's really thick. Like. I've rammed it into rocks and like, it's been fine, but I also know if you hit things a certain way the like...like it's almost like a knife has cut through your boat. And I just think yeah, it would just be really...I would be really nervous and a packraft because of the single chamber aspect where if it pops, the whole thing is deflating. Whereas with my boat, if one of my tubes pops, I still have another tube that will stay inflated and I could maybe keep getting down the river...and not lose all my gear. **Inmn ** 15:03 Yeah, yeah. And so I guess with inflatable kayaks, are those usually more durable? Or like have more chambers? **Blix ** 15:13 They have...Each side is a chamber and then the floor is a chamber. The packraft floor is also...Wow, sorry, I usually take my big boat out, so I'm trying...I haven't taken my packraft out in a minute, but, yeah, it's just a big single chamber. But, I know that they're making very sturdy packrafts that can go down class five, like really intense whitewater, that are super durable and capable boats. And I think the technology is getting better because it's becoming so popular. **Inmn ** 15:16 That makes sense. Yeah, I imagine in most things, there's the really dinky one that for maybe nothing more than casual water. **Blix ** 16:02 Yep. No. And it definitely depends. Like, even different companies within the packrafting world use different material. And you can tell just by quality, what's going to be more durable than others. But, inflatable kayaks they are...like you can...We call them duckies. I'm not actually sure why we call them duckies. I've never actually thought about that. Inflatable kayak duckies. But they're very--you can't pack anything in them. So it would just all be shoved at the front of this massive pile. So I think--and also duckies, I don't...They just don't navigate the water as well because they're so long. They just are very awkward to sit on. **Inmn ** 16:46 So, what is involved in planning a river trip, whether that's--I guess specifically in a packraft--but in any kind of river transit with camping situation? **Blix ** 17:01 Yeah, I think it's very similar to backpacking and bike packing in the gear you would take. You can't bring anything super bulky. You have to think about what you can fit in your tubes. A big thing that I look at when I'm planning a river trip are rapids, if there are any, what classes they are. I look at predicted flows of the river, and at what point is it flood stage, and at what point is it too low for me to run it. And this is, I think, more specific for rivers out in the West that are very susceptible to flooding and flash flooding and drying up. And then, I mean, I'm looking at the weather too. Like, do I need to bring rain jackets or food. I don't know. It's really similar to backpacking is the only way I can think about it, where I'm bringing sleeping bags and normal things that I would bring on a trip like that. I think the only difference is water. Like, you're on it so you can just bring some type of treatment to treat it. And then, figuring out where to camp along the river can be complex and complicated as well if there's like private land or, I think again,  this is river dependent, if you're in a canyon there's only certain spots you can stop. So, you have to be aware of like, "I have to go this many miles today. I have to," because there are no other places to stop. And, also paying attention to water temperature and how that'll dictate if I'm wearing normal just active clothes or if I'm wearing a dry suit or a wet suit. And then, if it's a multimodal trip, which is if I'm bringing my bike or if it's just solely a river trip to be a river trip. I think also, I mean, you have to bring poop tubes. Like, you're not really allowed to... **Inmn ** 17:10 Poop tubes? [Confused] **Blix ** 19:00 Poop tubes. Like a PVC...You can do it yourself, but you can make one out of PVC pipe. Have one enclosed so you can pack out your poop.  **Inmn ** 19:15 Okay. [Realizing what a poop tube is] **Blix ** 19:16 Yeah, sorry. You have to poop through a tube. [Joking] No, that's not what's going on. But, with bigger rafts and bigger trips we bring something called a Groover, which is this big, basically, toilet so you're packing all that out. Because, if you're all going to the bathroom on like the same beaches and campgrounds and there's not many of them, it turns into a litter box and it's really gross.  **Inmn ** 19:41 I see. I've heard of this on--and maybe it seems like more...Curious on your perspective. So, I've heard of this on especially popular hiking trails and especially multi-day hiking trails that there are spaces where they've literally just become large toilets. And there's so much human shit around buried. It's a big problem ecologically.  **Blix ** 20:12 No, I think I've read a study where I feel like in a lot of national forest and parks the ground is just...they test soil and it always includes human feces, which is deeply disturbing to me. But, I honestly think--and maybe this is a hot take--I think river folks and people who are on the river are really good at packing out feces. And with...Only because--especially in canyons--and maybe this is different out east--but again, there are only these small little spaces that can be used for camping. So again, if somebody shits everywhere, for some reason, people are going to know. And also the National Monument, at least where I work, keeps track of who's camping--because they assigned campsites to people where they can go--so they would probably know the party that like pooped everywhere. And also, they won't let you on the river unless you have a Groover or a way to pack out your feces. Like, they won't let you. They check your gear list. So, it's a highly regulated and permitted activity. For now. That could change. But even then...I...Yeah, you just have to pack out your poop. And then we all pee in the river. That's just what you do. But yeah, I think typically river folks are better than hiking and yeah...There's emergencies, but we're always carrying Wag Bags too.  **Inmn ** 21:49 Wag Bags?  **Blix ** 21:50 It's basically like a dog bag for your own poop, right? Yeah. Yep. **Inmn ** 22:00 Wow. The river community is certainly, I feel like, better than a lot of other niche sub groups at naming things. **Blix ** 22:09 Oh, yeah. I think it...Even like rapids where I'm like, "Really? This is...this is what this rapid is called?" Like...  **Inmn ** 22:19 Like what?  **Blix ** 22:22 I think a lot of them are just intense names. But, like one of them's called Schoolboy or like Fluffy Bunny Rapid or whatever the hell. And, it's like this is...Yeah, I don't know. We have, I feel like, nicknames for a lot of stuff, but...I guess it separates us from the other people? [Said unconvincingly] But, I think guides and river folk also get a bad rap for being adrenaline junkie, like really intense, obnoxious people. So, I won't say that it's a perfect community by any means because it's not, but it's definitely creative. **Inmn ** 23:03 What are some of the dangers of river travel in general, but I guess, you know, specifically we're talking about packrafting or camping as you raft. **Blix ** 23:13 Oh, man. Yeah, there's a lot. I'm trying to think of what I talk about in my safety talk of things we need to be aware of as people on rivers. I think, in general, with any outdoor activity there's the risks of cuts and bruises and broken bones and infections and just things that can happen day to day even if you're not on a river. So, like camp dangers. Which, I think a big thing with rivers that I see are like injured feet with people taking their shoes off on beaches and then running around and running into the water and getting a stick up their foot. [Inmn makes a horrified reaction noise] Yeah, or cutting their foot on a rock. But, river specific dangers, my own standard is I never want to be in the water. Like, out of my boat in the water. I don't enjoy swimming whitewater. It's a personal project I've tried to work on this past summer by forcing myself to swim in rapids. But, hazards that I think of for packrafting is the same with any other--like even if I was in a big raft I'd be thinking about the same thing--but, Keeper Holes, which is a funny...So think about a huge boulder or rock in a river and there's water pouring over it. There's certain...We call them holes because it creates this like giant space behind the rock where the water is kind of...it can recirculate. And if you fall in, or not fall, but float or are getting carried downstream into one of these, there is a risk that you will not be able to swim out of it where you're just getting recirculated underwater.   **Inmn ** 24:59 I see, yeah.  **Blix ** 25:00 Eternally.  **Inmn ** 25:01 Eternally.  **Blix ** 25:02 Yeah. And, I know you said you have fears about rivers. I don't want to freak you out, but... **Inmn ** 25:11 No, please.  **Blix ** 25:13 Okay.  **Inmn ** 25:14 Yeah, I have an utter fascination with water and water travel and also a, you know, horrifying fear of water, which is weird because I'm a triple water sign, but moderately terrified. **Blix ** 25:28 I think it's okay to be afraid of rivers, because when things go wrong, they go wrong very quickly. And you also are on a timeline if someone is in the water, if that makes sense. But, another thing that I think about for hazards is something called a Strainer. So that's when... **Inmn ** 25:29 Y'all are really good at naming things. **Blix ** 25:29 I know, I know. It's terrifying. So, it's when a tree or log falls into the river. And, the way I describe it in my safety talk is when you use strainers at home and you dump the water through, the water goes through, but the noodles get stuck, right?  **Inmn ** 26:10 Yeah.  **Blix ** 26:10 We are human noodles.  **Inmn ** 26:12 Oh God.  **Blix ** 26:12 So, when there's logs or sticks, they tend to pile up in the river and create this huge entrapment hazard. So, if you get flushed into one of those, it's pretty difficult to get out. Like, you will probably get trapped. Another thing is something called foot entrapment, which happens when rivers are shallower. And this is when you're in the water and you can feel the bottom of the river and you're thinking, "Oh, I'm gonna stand up to stop myself." So, you stand up. There's tons of rocks and sticks under the water. Your foot can get stuck under them and push you underwater because you're still...like the pressure of the water is still coming on to you. Does that makes sense? [Inmn makes an affirmative sound] So, you don't ever want to stop yourself with your feet. **Inmn ** 27:01 Okay, that would be my first instinct. **Blix ** 27:04 Yeah, don't do that. Yeah, that's a huge hazard. It's super easy to avoid. For me, that would be the scariest thing that could happen hazard-wise on a river, as my own person. And...because your instinct is "I'm gonna put my feet down to stand up." Yeah, but I've had close calls with foot entrapment. And, if you have even one of them, you will never do it again, just because of how quick the water will push you under. Super scary. Another hazard...[Laughing. Overwhelmed] I'll just keep going? **Inmn ** 27:41 Please tell me all of the ways that I can perish on the river. Which will definitely mean that I will try packrafting. [Dry and sarcastic] **Blix ** 27:49 Yeah. I think you should. It's super fun. I think, again, being aware of these hazards and knowing what to do in situations or read the river. Reading rivers is going to empower you. And I think fear is just a lot of what we don't understand or know, right? And on rivers like--I mean, there's also very legitimate fears of like, "This is fucked."--but, rivers, usually if I can see a log in the river, I know to not go near it. If I'm in the water, I know not to stand up and put my feet down to stop myself. But... **Inmn ** 28:31 No, that makes sense. That is the line that we keep saying on this podcast is preparedness is all about preparing for things that you're afraid of so that you don't have to think about them anymore because you have a plan. And this seems to just be that.  **Blix ** 28:48 Yeah. No, and I'm terrified of all these things, but I should know what to do if that happens. Yeah, there's... I'm trying to think. Other hazards are like Sieves where it's like rock fall and it funnels you through a really tight space and you can get jammed in there. Undercut walls or rocks is when the water erodes away the space underneath it and creates a pocket for you to get sucked under and into. [Inmn makes noises of terror] I'm so sorry. **Inmn ** 29:24 You all can't see me obviously. But, I assume I have this look of just visceral terror.  **Blix ** 29:31 Yeah, that's all right. That's...Usually when I give a safety talk, everyone's faces turn from excitement to complete terror. Or, sometimes kids start crying and I'm like, "Okay, let's go have fun on the river today!" Those are kind of the big ones that I can think of off the top of my head besides drowning. Drowning is...You know, cold water is a huge one where if you're In the water and it's freezing, your body is gonna start shutting down. I think you have 10 minutes to like figure it out.  **Inmn ** 30:07 Ten minutes!?   **Blix ** 30:07 Yeah. I think sometimes even less time. **Inmn ** 30:10 In like what temperature water? **Blix ** 30:14 Um. Oh geez. I feel like 50 degrees, maybe 60? I think it also is body dependent and how well your body is insulated or able to keep warm. Yeah, there's definitely...Like, the start of my season, I'm wearing a dry suit. Which is...Are you? I guess I could explain?  **Inmn ** 30:38 Yeah, a dry suit keeps you dry. Wetsuit keeps you a little bit wet but in a way that is insulative and warm? **Blix ** 30:45 Yeah, so like wetsuits work by, you get wet, but the water close to your body, that's contained in the wetsuit, warms up to your body temperature. So, it's keeping you--at least that's how I understand it--so, it's keeping you somewhat warm. Dry suit is a suit you wear that has gaskets over your wrists and neck and your feet. You're completely enclosed in this goretex super suit. You look super cool. But nothing...You could wear street clothes underneath and they would stay perfectly dry. **Inmn ** 31:17 So you can go LARP [Live Action Role Play] in your like "Dune" LARP?  **Blix ** 31:22 Yeah,basically, it's like a...What is it, still suit? But the opposite. It's not keeping moisture in. Just keeping you dry and warm, hopefully. But yeah. Those are like the hazards I can think of off the top of my head. **Inmn ** 31:39 And then there's the obvious ones, like anything related to camping or being outdoors? **Blix ** 31:43 Yeah. And, you know, you probably want to wear a helmet when you're rafting because of impacts with rocks or...You know, like, there's a lot of things that can go wrong once you're in the water, depending on what kind of rapid you're in or anything like that. **Inmn ** 32:03 Yeah. And there's a thing called swiftwater rescue? **Blix ** 32:11 Yep, um, I am swiftwater rescue certified. And I think if anyone is doing any type of river activity that you should definitely take the class. I don't know. It's expensive, but the knowledge you gained from it, I think, just keeps not only yourself safe as you can be on the river but everybody else around you. And it teaches you things like wading correctly, you know, throw bag techniques, if you wrap a boat, or how to unpin a raft that's wrapped around a rock potentially, techniques for helping people who are like in a foot entrapment situation, which isn't great, swimming out to people, how to swim in whitewater, or try to swim in Whitewater, how to, if you can't get away from a strainer, what to do if you are coming upon logs and sticks in the water. I will say my swiftwater class kind of terrified me because it just made me hyper aware of everything that could go wrong and then what I would possibly have to do to help somebody. But yeah, super intense class physically and mentally. And, yeah, it taught me a lot. But I do feel like I would be able to help in a rescue situation instead of just being some random person who's like just panicking and being like, "I don't know what to do!" So, that feels good. But I would probably still panic to a certain degree. **Inmn ** 33:52 That makes sense, because the principle of any kind of first aid or rescue is, "Don't become another patient."  **Blix ** 34:02 Right?  **Inmn ** 34:03 And so, if you're not trained to rescue someone from one of those situations,  it might be just more dangerous to try to rescue them. **Blix ** 34:13 Yeah. And it's frustrating. It makes me think, like, I take a lot of families down the river and there's, you know, small kids. And, parents always make the comment, "Well, if my kid goes in, I'm gonna jump in after them," which is, you know, then me as a guide, I have to figure out in that scenario, possibly, "Am I saving the parent or the kid?"  **Inmn ** 34:14 Yeah.  **Blix ** 34:14 If I can. Obviously, I want to try to save both but...and I always tell parents, "Hey, if you're not trained in swiftwater rescue, I would not recommend jumping out of my raft to help your kid. You're more help to me in this raft than you are in the water trying to help your child." **Inmn ** 35:02 Yeah. Do you ever just tell them bluntly, "If you do that, then I will be in a situation where I have to choose between which one of you to save." **Blix ** 35:11 Yeah, no. Yeah, I do tell them that if they're being very serious about it and I also try to remind folks that untrained first responders have a very high mortality rate. Which, it's like, you know, I don't understand because I don't have children, but I've seen people I care about swimming in rapids and of course I want to help them but jumping into whitewater is never a good solution. But yeah, I do tell them, "You're gonna make me have a really hard decision to save you or your child, possibly." So. Yeah, it just makes it more complicated. **Inmn ** 36:02 To switch gears a little bit, you know, away from all the grim horror...  **Blix ** 36:07 Yeah.  **Inmn ** 36:08 ...And into some more but differently contextualized grim horror. So, one of the big reasons I wanted to have someone on to talk about packrafting is that we have a lot of...I think knowing different ways to travel is incredibly important and, you know, coupled with my fear of water but also my fascination with water and boat travel, is when I saw "Fellowship of the Ring" when I was ten all I could think about was boat travel, boat travel, boat travel. **Blix ** 36:49 As one does when they watch that movie, more so than anything else in that movie. [Laughing] **Inmn ** 36:53 Yeah, they really...They really made a fun choice...or Tolkein when writing that and they're like, "And then they got on boats," and it's like holy crap. Incredible. How do I get a boat? **Blix ** 37:05 How do I get a boat that looks that cool?  **Inmn ** 37:09 How do I get a boat that looks that cool? And, you know, I feel like the boats that they have in that book are, they're made by elves, and so they're kind of packraftish in that they're abnormally light.  **Blix ** 37:24 Yes.  **Inmn ** 37:25 And so they like do--I'm going to use a fun word that I just learned, I think--portage.  **Blix ** 37:30 Yes.  **Inmn ** 37:31 They get the points where they're like, "Yeah, that's a waterfall. I guess we're gonna pick up the boat and carry it around." **Blix ** 37:37 Yeah. And it's a super light elf boat, so it weighs nothing. I'm sure that one person could carry it, knowing the elves. **Inmn ** 37:43 Yeah. But, the part that was really interesting to me, too, is the reasons why they took to the river and why I'm interested in learning about packrafting, which is, you know, the big reason that they did that was to sneak past the orcs ,which...or the enemy who had all the roads watched, they had the woods patrolled, and they were suddenly in the situation where they were like, "Well, we got to get there somehow."  And so, they took to the river. And so, the thing that I...The piece that I want to bring into the context now is from a situation of preparedness, whether that's preparing for road closures due to the malicious setting of checkpoints or the road is destroyed due to some other kind of disaster...You know, these disasters could be that a right-wing militia has taken over your state, and you're trying to leave that state right, to a more environmentally related disaster has destroyed some kind of key infrastructure, and you are looking for an alternative means to get somewhere. And yeah, I'm curious...I'm wondering if you have ever thought about this and if you have any opinions if...would packrafting help you? Could packrafting be a useful thing in your preparedness kit? **Blix ** 39:18 Yeah, I've definitely thought about this. I think it...Well, it depends. I think in Arizona, we don't have a ton of rivers that we could--and they all for the most part are like...you know, there is an endpoint. And they are going literally...Like, once you're on the river, you are stuck going that way. I do think because of...Getting to the entry point--I'm just thinking of the Salt river because it's the river that we have here. Also, you could do the Grand Canyon, but that's really intense... **Inmn ** 39:59 And like maybe our context out here in the west in Arizona is like...It's not specifically what I'm thinking of. **Blix ** 40:06 Yeah, just in general. **Inmn ** 40:07 Where, there's obviously other places with much more dense and spread out waterways.  **Blix ** 40:13 Yeah. I think it would be a very quick and efficient way to travel if you had a specific place you're going to along that route because you're not encumbered by like...Like, if people are backpacking or biking, you can't just start cutting...Like, backpacking you could cut right into a forest. But, if I was on a bike, I couldn't just turn my bike off the road and just start riding through a forest. Like, that would be super slow. I'd probably be walking my bike a lot. Whereas with river travel, you can go--I think it's, again, river dependent on the speed of the water and a lot of that stuff...But, I don't imagine that people would be patrolling waterways the way they would do with roads. The only thing I think about is if you're on a river anywhere, you'd have to think about when I need to exit before I get to go past a town or go under a bridge, because I think bridges would be huge points where people would post up at, or entry points into a certain area. So, you'd have to think about when I would need to get off to avoid those places. And then how would I get back onto the river? Can I get back onto it? Is there an access point? I'd be thinking about, you know, are their dams on the way? But yeah, honestly, if I could find a way to get onto the Salt River, I would try to post up in there for a while. Especially during the initial fallout. Because I think, if I can anticipate that and get to the river, I could stay in there with enough food in my packraft to be there for maybe two or three weeks because I have unlimited water for the most part, if the Salt's flowing, but it's a very steep narrow canyon that people can't access very well. But, I do wonder if other people would have the same idea with like, "There's water there. And it's hard to get to." **Inmn ** 40:14 Yeah, like, that's the interesting thing about it is it provides these weird little--not like short cuts--but these fairly easy routes through a lot of places that could otherwise be hard to access, but you're also then stuck on it. So yeah, it seems like a double-edge sword. **Blix ** 42:16 It is. And I think, especially with really remote rivers, like even the rivers that I guide on, there's pretty much one way to get in, and then you're in a canyon for a really long time, and there's one way to get out. And like there's a few evacuation points here and there that we've used--they're not great to hike out of--but, I would worry that those sites would also be...Like, would people think to have guards there or set up there to catch people coming down the river? You know? Like, possibly. You know, who knows? I also just...I don't think like...Like, when I think right-wing militia, I feel like they all have jet boats. So, they're not going to be thinking about these little streams and stuff that you can take a packraft on. **Inmn ** 43:37 Yeah, and there's so many weird small water arrays. You know, not here in Arizona, but... **Blix ** 43:41 Right. Well, I'm just thinking like Minnesota, there's tons of creeks and rivers and lakes and there's islands in the lakes that are...Like, think places you can get to that you could like...If it's only accessible via water, you could have stashes there that other people couldn't get to. **Inmn ** 44:02 Yeah. So, a weird dream that I had as a 20 year old oogle.  **Blix ** 44:10 Yes. Perfect. [Laughing] **Inmn ** 44:15 Was to set up funny little like--I didn't realize that I was thinking about this like being a prepper--I was like, "I want to set up all these like little caches. Like, I want to build these weird sheds with bikes and little like inflatable rafts and food stores underneath them. And so you could just, you know, ride trains or whatever and just end up at the weird little safe house, bunker ,like whatever, cache. I got weirdly obsessed with it. I wish that I had been cool enough to have actually done it, but I absolutely did not. Only fantasized about it.  **Blix ** 44:54 No, I think...I do think it's a great option. I don't think it's the end-all thing that you should completely stick to. I think it should be like a multimodal thing. I think, honestly, backpacking and packrafting is like the best combination. Because, I think about with just backpacking, like what if there is a river you need to cross? Or, a body of water that you have to cross and you don't want to swim with a huge backpack? I don't know. I just...And I don't think people...Like, they're gonna be traveling by road, bikes, cars, like I don't think packrafts are well known enough, currently, that people would be looking for crafts in water, especially in smaller waterways. **Inmn ** 44:54 Yeah, yeah. And I feel like that is exactly what the Fellowship of the Ring thought. **Blix ** 45:50 Yes. Yes. I also think...One thing is like, what if the orcs just went to the river edge? They could just pick them off. Like they're moving fast, but I also think you could shoot arrows at them? **Inmn ** 46:09 So, they did at some point. They only traveled at night to make it harder for them to shoot at them. **Blix ** 46:14 Yeah, Right. Right. No, it's okay. **Inmn ** 46:17 But, you know, we do have this dissimilar...We're not on an equal playing field with like bows and arrows in the dark vs the kind of technology that people have access to now with guns and things like that. That would be my first thing is like, if I was going down a major waterway in a canyon, like I would probably not choose this as a way to escape a militia. Like, you're on a canyon wall with a long range gun... **Blix ** 46:47 Yeah, for sure. **Inmn ** 46:48 ...And I'm a tiny slow moving object out in the open... **Blix ** 46:51 Right. No, It's something that I also think about where it would be so easy to just put yourself in a really bad spot if you chose the wrong waterway to go on. Like, I would never be like, "I would use a packraft to travel the Mississippi in those types of times," because I think people would just be near them. I do think though, like, hard to access canyons are still...Like, if you needed to just lay low for a while, would be the place to go. Because, I think the amount of effort it would take to post up on a canyon edge in some of those places is astronomical. Like, no one, I feel like, is going to go--unless you're someone who was really important for people to get to or--like, no one's going to put in that effort, especially in the desert with water being so scarce and like...Yeah. **Inmn ** 46:52 Yeah, Always fun to think about these, you know...Like, "fun." ["Fun," said in a dry sarcastic and questioning way] These terror fantasies that we might be encountered with in the next decade or...currently of far-right violence and having to figure out creative ways to escape it. But, also always want to think about more environmentally related disasters. Like I think...It's like there's things that I...I get really scared here in the desert. Like, one of the big things that I am scared of is getting physically trapped here if there's like gas and energy crisis. **Blix ** 48:33 Oh, right. Yes. Yeah. **Inmn ** 48:34 Figuring out alternative ways to leave--which like, packrafting is not the solution to do that--but thinking about in other places, like, you know, if we're not expecting...like, if our main threat model isn't far-right violence, could packrafting or river travel in general--and maybe we're graduating to the larger raft at this point--could river travel be a helpful thing during other kinds of disasters? **Blix ** 49:06 I think, well, I think of forest fires, like escaping to a body of water or a canyon is a great way to try to mitigate being trapped in a forest that's literally on fire. Because a lot...hopefully nothing's going to catch on fire in the water. That'd be wild.  **Inmn ** 49:06 Stranger things have happened. **Blix ** 49:06 Yeah, I know. So yeah, I think as a means to escape forest fires is great. I think the one thing I think about, especially here in the West, is where our water is going to go. And as someone who guides on a tributary to the Grand Canyon, and the Grand Canyon obviously feeding into Lake Powell and Glenn Canyon and all that stuff, people are constantly talking about water and water rights. And, you know, my fear is that we're...People are going to start hoarding. And by people, I mean, companies and government, they're going to hoard water in these giant reservoirs. And, they're not going to release any to fill up canyons and river beds because it's just going to be such a critical resource. And my thought is that when it gets to that point, they are going to shut off the reservoirs from releasing water and they are just going to keep all of it.  **Inmn ** 49:44 Oh no. **Blix ** 50:18 And, I don't know that river travel will be feasible in the West, except if it's on an undammed river, which there's only...I think the Yampa River, which is a river I guide on, is the last undammed tributary to the Grand Canyon. It is like one of the last wild rivers, which is super susceptible to floods. So, that's another disaster. Whereas with climate change, we're getting these more extreme...Like, they had almost record breaking snowfall in Colorado in the area that feeds into this river. So, the river was flowing at this...It was fine at like 22,000 CFS, which is cubic feet per second. And the way I describe this to people, it's like if I threw a rope from one riverbank to the other, and every second 22,000 basketball sized amounts of water is flowing by.  **Inmn ** 51:35 Wow.   **Blix ** 51:35 Or you could say baby-sized. 22,000 babies are floating by every second. So, it's a ton of water, which being on a river that has that...And so it can be up to, you know, I think the highest flow the Yampa has ever been is like 30,000, which is...I can't even fathom how scary that river would be. But, it can go all the way down to no flow at all. So like, if you can't...if people take out river gauges there's no way of knowing what the flows are going to be for rivers. You would have to show up there with your watercraft and be like, "Well, I hope there's water for me to escape," which I think river travel in the east or a place where there's more water is a better solution than river travel out here in the West. But, as far as natural disasters go and things that could happen, like, if you're trying to escape somewhere due to that, I think we're in a pretty not great place here. Like, the only river I can think of would be going down the Grand. Which is really big water. It ends in...you know, like...You know, like, it's so dependent on...and especially like what if they blow up dams? What if they blow up the reservoirs? Which, what if you're camped along that canyon and someone upstream blows up the reservoir? This is again, all things I've thought about, where it's like, you're gonna get washed away. **Inmn ** 53:11 Yeah, very true. They did just do that in Ukraine. Russia blew up the largest reservoir in Europe. **Blix ** 53:20 Oh, wait. Yes. Yeah, I did see that. Yep. So that's something...I mean, it's something I think about where I think people would blow that up, especially if people downstream needed water. **Inmn ** 53:34 Yeah. Yeah. **Blix ** 53:38 Sorry this is...[Both making sounds about how grim this all is] But...I know...But, I also think the river lends itself to...You know, like, there's fish. You can eat fish, you can...There's lots of food and really fertile soil that can grow along rivers. So, if you had to post up and figure it out, like, I would want to be close to a body of water. **Inmn ** 54:03 Thank you for bringing it back to hope and why this could be helpful. **Blix ** 54:05 Yeah, right. And I think a thing with river stuff as well, and why I love it so much, is it's not an activity that you necessarily want to do alone. In fact, I would like recommend that no one do any river activity alone. But like, you want to be with a community of people on the water, like setting up safety, and sending someone downstream to check that there's no river hazards, and then like having people come through, and you're working as a team constantly. And, you can have people...Like, if someone is injured, someone else could take more gear and like it's...You can carry more things in a pack raft than you could on your back because like--I mean, eventually I think you'd have to carry them on your back--but the water is going to help you with that weight. Or, you can even pull another empty packraft behind you with more gear. Yeah, I think I would very much want to be close to a body or water or a river of some kind. **Inmn ** 54:07 Cool. Um, I think I...One of my last questions is--I'm expecting the answer to be grim again [Blix makes a disappointing groan]--but I'm curious as someone who like works on waterways in the West, how are they? What are they like with climate change? **Blix ** 55:26 Oh, yeah. River or the canyons or the water itself? **Inmn ** 55:33 Everything. Yeah, water and canyons in the West. Yeah, I'm terrified to hear the answer. **Blix ** 55:42 So, I think I notice...Like, when they had to fill up Glen Canyon, I think it was last year, they did a big dam release from the Flaming Gorge dam, which is up river where I guide. So, I'm kind of hyper aware of when shit is bad downstream because they have to do these big releases. But I know this year was a really good year for rivers, especially the ones I guide on, because of the large snowfall that they got in Colorado. Like, we had really high nice water forever. The rivers were all really healthy. But, I think I've...Two years ago I took a group of politicians from Utah down the river. They were like Congress people. Because my company did it. I wasn't like, "I want to take these people..." No, I would never be like, "I want to take these people down the river." But< the point of it was to show these--they were all men--to show these men that the rivers were worth saving, and not like damming up, not drilling for oil and everything in this area. And the moment we got back in the vans to shuttle back, they started talking about canyons they had seen to dam up along the route we had gone on.  **Inmn ** 57:04 Oh my god.  **Blix ** 57:07 But, I think it's because all the water that I guide on is already owned by somebody downstream. **Inmn ** 57:18 Okay, like, “owned by” because it gets used? **Blix ** 57:21 Yes. Like, the Green River gives water to 33 million people. But, it's bizarre to think about water as being something that's owned? **Inmn ** 57:40 I thought it was like that one thing that wasn't for a while. **Blix ** 57:43 Same. No, it's coming to light that it has been. Yeah. But, we mention that to a lot of people we take down the river that all this water belongs to somebody else. Like, this is not ours. This is not like our collective water. **Inmn ** 58:00 Yeah. It's not here for our collective survival. **Blix ** 58:03 Yeah, no, it's for somebody downstream. Which, I mean, they need water too. But I think it's...honestly the rivers I guide on--and maybe this is again is a hot take--but I am not hopeful that they will flow within the next 10 years. I think as water rights and like water wars become more prevalent, I think states are going to start withholding. Like, I think Flaming Gorge is mostly in Wyoming and they could decide to just not--I think it would have a chain reaction if they decided to not leave water let water out. Because all the farms downstream would die. Blah, blah, blah. People would be without that. But um, yeah. But, I'm also, with climate change, it was odd. Like, the first year I worked there, there was no water, there was hardly any water coming down the river. It was super low. Our boats were getting stuck. And I just became hyper aware of how fucked stuff was for some reason. But then this year was so good for water that I was like, "Oh, maybe it won't be so bad." But then I keep...You know, like I think it really...Who's to say? If they dam up more rivers, which I think they might start, then I think that's going to change the game a lot for river travel and it's going to be really dependent on how much water we have access to. **Inmn ** 58:03 Yeah, yeah. Which, that's one of the big key problems is not necessarily there being lack of water, but rather that water is being mismanaged or hoarded. **Blix ** 59:46 Yeah, I think it's a combination of all of that. And where I guide it's desert, but then the valley after the canyon is all alfalfa fields, which is a really water intensive crop.  So then and I...Like, they flood their fields. And it's just like this disconnect of this is not like an infinite resource. And, it's interesting to me that that is this...Yeah, there's a whole lot to unpack with water rights and water usage. And, I think that could even trickle to out East. You know, because who's to say that they won't suffer droughts and experience creeks and rivers drying up? But...I know that is kind of a grim answer. But... **Inmn ** 59:47 The name of the show is Live Like the World is Dying.  **Blix ** 1:00:46 True.  **Inmn ** 1:00:47 Okay. Well, that's about all the time that we have for today. Is there? Is there anything else? Is there anything that I didn't ask you that I should have asked you or that you would really love to bring into the conversation? Or have any last words of hope for the river? Or just like why...Is packrafting fun? Is it just fun? **Blix ** 1:01:13 It is fun. Yeah, I really want to encourage anyone who's curious about going on rivers or river travel, I love it. Because, I think I mentioned, it's such a community oriented activity versus backpacking and bike packing and other stuff I do that's very, "You're the individual out there fending for yourself," for river stuff I really love because you're always working as a team. You're always trying to keep everybody safe. You learn a lot about yourself. Learning to read rivers, I think, is like a superhero skill. Like, I feel like a tracker. Like, I feel like Aragorn, like, "Oh, I can read this like little miniscule thing that maybe other people missed. And I know..." Like, it's a really cool thing to look at a river and being able to tell what is causing certain waves or currents. Understanding that, I think is...Even if you're just someone who has to cross a river every now then, whether you're backpacking or bikepacking, like being able to figure out the safest place to cross is an important skill to have. But, river river travel and rafting and all that is super fun. Yeah, I would love to have more friends who do river stuff. So yeah. **Inmn ** 1:01:22 Cool. Well, thanks so much for coming on. And good luck on the river. **Blix ** 1:02:38 Thank you so much. **Inmn ** 1:02:43 Thanks so much for listening. If you enjoyed the show then go packrafting with your bike and then please tell me about it or invite me along to live out my "Lord of the Rings" fantasies. Or, you can just tell people about the show. You can support this podcast by telling people about it. You can support the show by talking about it on social media, by rating, and reviewing, and doing whatever the nameless algorithm calls for. And, you can support us on Patreon at patreon.com/strangersinatangledwilderness. Our Patreon helps pay for things like transcriptions or our lovely audio editor, Bursts, as well as going to support our publisher, Strangers in a Tangled Wilderness. Strangers in a Tangled Wilderness is the publisher of this podcast and a few other podcasts, including my other show Strangers in a Tangled Wilderness. I'm trying to see how many times I can say the name of the project at one time. But, that is a monthly podcast of anarchists literature. And then there's the Anarcho Geek Power Hour, which is a good podcast for people who love movies and hate cops. And, we would like to shout out some of our patrons in particular. Thank you so much. Perceval, Buck, Jacob, Catgut, Marm, Carson, Lord Harken, Trixter, Princess Miranda, BenBen, anonymous, Funder, Janice & Odell, Aly, paparouna, Milica, Boise Mutual Aid, theo, Hunter, S.J., Paige, Nicole, David, Dana, Chelsea, Staro, Jenipher, Kirk, Chris, Michaiah, and Hoss the Dog. Thank you so much. We could seriously not do any of this without y'all. And I hope that everyone is doing as well as they can with everything that's going on and we will talk to you soon. Find out more at https://live-like-the-world-is-dying.pinecast.co

Randy and Caly welcome back travel blogger Gwendolyn Call to talk about the top things to do in Page Arizona--home to the sun-kissed red rocks of Glen Canyon and the crystal blue waters of Lake Powell. Download the top ten things to do in Page, AZ for FREE at  https://rvdestinationsmagazine.com/top10.Subscribe to RV Destinations Magazine at www.RVDestinationsmagazine.com .Learn more about Gwendolyn Call at www.chaoskiddosandharmony.com.

The Glen Canyon Dam on the Colorado River provides electricity for some forty million people, and is one of the largest sources of water in the American West. It is also a testament to American settler colonialism, writes UT Austin history professor Erika Bsumek in The Foundations of Glen Canyon Dam: Infrastructures of Dispossession on the Colorado Plateau (U Texas Press, 2023). This region of the Southwest has been inhabited and irrigated by Indigenous societies since time immemorial, groups which were only recently (and partially) dispossessed by LDS Church settlers and by the US government. Bsumek argues that the structures, both physical and social, which form the foundation of Glen Canyon Dam - including science, law, and religion - make it a blueprint for structural dispossession, and a model which the United States would use to claim valuable Native lands. Yet, a mammoth undertaking such as this cannot be built without massive environmental change, and from the very beginning, both Indigenous and non-Indigenous people alike have questioned whether the dam was even necessary at all. In an era of warming climates and increasing droughts, Foundations of Glen Canyon Dam explains how we arrived at this moment of water crisis, and points to a path into an as-yet untapped future. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

The Glen Canyon Dam on the Colorado River provides electricity for some forty million people, and is one of the largest sources of water in the American West. It is also a testament to American settler colonialism, writes UT Austin history professor Erika Bsumek in The Foundations of Glen Canyon Dam: Infrastructures of Dispossession on the Colorado Plateau (U Texas Press, 2023). This region of the Southwest has been inhabited and irrigated by Indigenous societies since time immemorial, groups which were only recently (and partially) dispossessed by LDS Church settlers and by the US government. Bsumek argues that the structures, both physical and social, which form the foundation of Glen Canyon Dam - including science, law, and religion - make it a blueprint for structural dispossession, and a model which the United States would use to claim valuable Native lands. Yet, a mammoth undertaking such as this cannot be built without massive environmental change, and from the very beginning, both Indigenous and non-Indigenous people alike have questioned whether the dam was even necessary at all. In an era of warming climates and increasing droughts, Foundations of Glen Canyon Dam explains how we arrived at this moment of water crisis, and points to a path into an as-yet untapped future. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/history

The Glen Canyon Dam on the Colorado River provides electricity for some forty million people, and is one of the largest sources of water in the American West. It is also a testament to American settler colonialism, writes UT Austin history professor Erika Bsumek in The Foundations of Glen Canyon Dam: Infrastructures of Dispossession on the Colorado Plateau (U Texas Press, 2023). This region of the Southwest has been inhabited and irrigated by Indigenous societies since time immemorial, groups which were only recently (and partially) dispossessed by LDS Church settlers and by the US government. Bsumek argues that the structures, both physical and social, which form the foundation of Glen Canyon Dam - including science, law, and religion - make it a blueprint for structural dispossession, and a model which the United States would use to claim valuable Native lands. Yet, a mammoth undertaking such as this cannot be built without massive environmental change, and from the very beginning, both Indigenous and non-Indigenous people alike have questioned whether the dam was even necessary at all. In an era of warming climates and increasing droughts, Foundations of Glen Canyon Dam explains how we arrived at this moment of water crisis, and points to a path into an as-yet untapped future. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/native-american-studies

The Glen Canyon Dam on the Colorado River provides electricity for some forty million people, and is one of the largest sources of water in the American West. It is also a testament to American settler colonialism, writes UT Austin history professor Erika Bsumek in The Foundations of Glen Canyon Dam: Infrastructures of Dispossession on the Colorado Plateau (U Texas Press, 2023). This region of the Southwest has been inhabited and irrigated by Indigenous societies since time immemorial, groups which were only recently (and partially) dispossessed by LDS Church settlers and by the US government. Bsumek argues that the structures, both physical and social, which form the foundation of Glen Canyon Dam - including science, law, and religion - make it a blueprint for structural dispossession, and a model which the United States would use to claim valuable Native lands. Yet, a mammoth undertaking such as this cannot be built without massive environmental change, and from the very beginning, both Indigenous and non-Indigenous people alike have questioned whether the dam was even necessary at all. In an era of warming climates and increasing droughts, Foundations of Glen Canyon Dam explains how we arrived at this moment of water crisis, and points to a path into an as-yet untapped future. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/environmental-studies

The Glen Canyon Dam on the Colorado River provides electricity for some forty million people, and is one of the largest sources of water in the American West. It is also a testament to American settler colonialism, writes UT Austin history professor Erika Bsumek in The Foundations of Glen Canyon Dam: Infrastructures of Dispossession on the Colorado Plateau (U Texas Press, 2023). This region of the Southwest has been inhabited and irrigated by Indigenous societies since time immemorial, groups which were only recently (and partially) dispossessed by LDS Church settlers and by the US government. Bsumek argues that the structures, both physical and social, which form the foundation of Glen Canyon Dam - including science, law, and religion - make it a blueprint for structural dispossession, and a model which the United States would use to claim valuable Native lands. Yet, a mammoth undertaking such as this cannot be built without massive environmental change, and from the very beginning, both Indigenous and non-Indigenous people alike have questioned whether the dam was even necessary at all. In an era of warming climates and increasing droughts, Foundations of Glen Canyon Dam explains how we arrived at this moment of water crisis, and points to a path into an as-yet untapped future. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/american-studies

The Glen Canyon Dam on the Colorado River provides electricity for some forty million people, and is one of the largest sources of water in the American West. It is also a testament to American settler colonialism, writes UT Austin history professor Erika Bsumek in The Foundations of Glen Canyon Dam: Infrastructures of Dispossession on the Colorado Plateau (U Texas Press, 2023). This region of the Southwest has been inhabited and irrigated by Indigenous societies since time immemorial, groups which were only recently (and partially) dispossessed by LDS Church settlers and by the US government. Bsumek argues that the structures, both physical and social, which form the foundation of Glen Canyon Dam - including science, law, and religion - make it a blueprint for structural dispossession, and a model which the United States would use to claim valuable Native lands. Yet, a mammoth undertaking such as this cannot be built without massive environmental change, and from the very beginning, both Indigenous and non-Indigenous people alike have questioned whether the dam was even necessary at all. In an era of warming climates and increasing droughts, Foundations of Glen Canyon Dam explains how we arrived at this moment of water crisis, and points to a path into an as-yet untapped future. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/american-west

The Glen Canyon Dam on the Colorado River provides electricity for some forty million people, and is one of the largest sources of water in the American West. It is also a testament to American settler colonialism, writes UT Austin history professor Erika Bsumek in The Foundations of Glen Canyon Dam: Infrastructures of Dispossession on the Colorado Plateau (U Texas Press, 2023). This region of the Southwest has been inhabited and irrigated by Indigenous societies since time immemorial, groups which were only recently (and partially) dispossessed by LDS Church settlers and by the US government. Bsumek argues that the structures, both physical and social, which form the foundation of Glen Canyon Dam - including science, law, and religion - make it a blueprint for structural dispossession, and a model which the United States would use to claim valuable Native lands. Yet, a mammoth undertaking such as this cannot be built without massive environmental change, and from the very beginning, both Indigenous and non-Indigenous people alike have questioned whether the dam was even necessary at all. In an era of warming climates and increasing droughts, Foundations of Glen Canyon Dam explains how we arrived at this moment of water crisis, and points to a path into an as-yet untapped future. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

John Wesley Powell was a pioneer American explorer, ethnologist, and geologist in the 19th Century. In 1869 he set out to explore the Colorado and the Grand Canyon. He gathered nine men, four boats and food for ten months and set out from Green River, Wyoming, on May 24. Passing through dangerous rapids, the group passed down the Green River to its confluence with the Colorado River (then also known as the Grand River upriver from the junction), near present-day Moab, Utah.The expedition's route traveled through the Utah canyons of the Colorado River, which Powell described in his published diary as having …wonderful features—carved walls, royal arches, glens, alcove gulches, mounds and monuments. From which of these features shall we select a name? We decide to call it Glen Canyon. (Ironically, now almost completely submerged by Lake Powell, behind the Glen Canyon Dam.)One man (Goodman) quit after the first month and another three (Dunn and the Howland brothers) left at Separation Rapid in the third, only two days before the group reached the mouth of the Virgin River on August 30 after traversing almost 1,500 km. The three who left the group late in the trip were later killed—probably by Indians.Powell retraced the route in 1871-1872 with another expedition, producing photographs, an accurate map, and various papers, including ethnographic reports of the area's Native Americans and a monograph on their languages.  --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/librivox1/support

While many river runners see Lake Powell and Glen Canyon Dam as the leading threat to the Colorado River overall and to the Grand Canyon, there is a voice that wants to keep Lake Powell in place and full of water. To understand this viewpoint and reasoning, this episode explores this topic with the BlueRibbon Coalition and Powellheadz. This episode is the companion to our recent publication of “Glen Canyon is Again Being Submerged Under Lake Powell.” EPISODE SPONSORSDenver Area Nissan DealersWholesumPromo code:  RIVERRADIUS EPISODE GUESTSBlueRibbon CoalitionWebsiteInstagramFill Lake Powell and Path to 3588'PowellheadzInstagramTikTok EXTRA CONTENT FROM THIS EPISODEHigh Flow Experiment National Park ServiceComments for 2023 Bureau of Reclamation High Flow Experiment (scroll down into the letters and look for BlueRibbon Coalition letterheadMandalorian / Star Wars at Lake PowellNavajo Generating StationClosure ArticleVideo of Smokestack Demolition

Glen Canyon was home to the flowing Colorado River until 1963 when Glen Canyon Dam closed its gates creating Lake Powell.  Over the past few years, water in Powell has dropped to levels not seen since the 1960s.  The River Radius went onto Lake Powell and up into the canyons to see what has returned in these canyons as they restore to their pre Powell eco-systems and to ask the questions of what is next for Powell and Glen Canyon.  Guests are the Glen Canyon Institute and Eric Balken.      SPONSORSDenver Area Nissan DealersWholesum GUESTSGlen Canyon InstituteInstagramFacebookFURTHER READINGEcon Report for Glen Canyon National Recreation AreaGlen Canyon National Recreation AreaGlen Canyon DamLake PowellLake Powell LevelsLake Powell Real Time and Historical DataColorado RiverColorado Compact 

This week, Clay Jenkinson speaks with the director of the Glen Canyon Institute Eric Balken for our initiative Water and the West: The West Runs Dry. Balken believes Glen Canyon Dam should be re-engineered to pass the water of the Colorado River, including its immense silt load, around Glen Canyon Dam. Given the over-allocation of the Colorado River and global climate change, it will be impossible, Balken says, to keep both Lake Powell and Lake Mead full. He believes the water crisis is actually a great opportunity to undo one of the greatest industrial mistakes in American history. What if we emptied Lake Powell and created Glen Canyon National Park in one of the most beautiful canyons in the world?  

It's Regional Roundup Monday! Today we feature a new, biweekly production of the Rocky Mountain Community Radio Coalition, of which KZMU is a proud member. This show features authors who write about the American West. We'll hear from author Oscar Hokeah on Calling For a Blanket Dance, author Shelley Read on Go As a River, author Teow Lim Goh on Western Journeys and author Morgan Sjogren on Path of Light, A Walk Through Colliding Legacies of Glen Canyon.

Moab received a lot of water this year. You might assume that would make for a bad mosquito season this summer. Shanon Amsberry of the Moab Mosquito Abatement District gives us the run-down on what to expect from these bugs in the coming months. We also hear from Maggie McGuire, editor of the Moab Sun News, who gives us a summary of what happened at this week's Moab City Council meeting. // Plus, the Weekly News Reel! Doug McMurdo of The Times-Independent discusses a ‘bumper crop' of fire fuels, two critical vacancies at the Grand County Attorney's Office and the graduating class of 2023. Alison Harford of the Moab Sun News talks about running ephemeral rivers, a returning exhibit about Glen Canyon and the upcoming ‘High Water' series at the Moab Music Festival. //Show Notes: //Photo: Shanon Amsberry checks for mosquito larvae in a swamp in Moab. //Moab Mosquito Abatement District https://www.moabmad.org/ //Recording of the Moab City Council Meeting for 5.23.23 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NbFYQvz5Ks8 //Weekly News Reel Mentions: // The Times-Independent: Another result of high water? https://www.moabtimes.com/articles/another-result-of-high-water-high-fire-danger/ // The Times-Independent: Stocks loses two attorneys on same day https://www.moabtimes.com/articles/stocks-loses-two-attorneys-on-same-day/ // The Times-Independent: Lillian Scott, valedictorian and Salutatorian Maggie Groene reflect on their years long friendship https://www.moabtimes.com/articles/lillian-scott-valedictorian-and-salutatorian-maggie-groene-reflect-on-their-years-long-friendship/ // Moab Sun News: Moab's river community heads to short lived waterways https://moabsunnews.com/2023/05/25/moabs-river-community-heads-to-short-lived-waterways/ // Moab Sun News: New exhibit follows Ken Sleight's trips down Glen Canyon https://moabsunnews.com/2023/05/25/glen-canyon-exhibit/ // Moab Sun News: Moab Music Festival brings back “High Water” series https://moabsunnews.com/2023/05/25/mmf-high-water-2023/

This week we have three interesting archaeology news stories. First up is the recent (re)discovery of a Roman era fortlet in Scotland. Then we head over to the Grand Canyon where the Glen Canyon dam is having an unanticipated effect on downstream cultural resources. And finally we discus how digesta, or the partially digested vegetation in a large mammal's digestive tract may have been a food source to prehistoric groups.Links Archaeologists Discover Lost Roman Fort in Scotland Archaeologists found a lost Roman fortlet in Scotland Grand Canyon's Archaeological Sites Degrading Due To Glen Canyon Dam DID EARLY FORAGERS EAT PARTIALLY DIGESTED FOOD FROM LARGE ANIMALS? Human consumption of large herbivore digesta and its implications for foraging theory - Evolutionary Anthropology Book: Don't Sleep, There Are Snakes - Daniel EverettContact Chris Webster chris@archaeologypodcastnetwork.com Rachel Roden rachel@unraveleddesigns.com RachelUnraveled (Instagram)ArchPodNet APN Website: https://www.archpodnet.com APN on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/archpodnet APN on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/archpodnet APN on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/archpodnet Tee Public StoreAffiliates Motion Motley Fool Save $110 off the full list price of Stock Advisor for your first year, go to https://zen.ai/apnfool and start your investing journey today! *$110 discount off of $199 per year list price. Membership will renew annually at the then current list price.

This week we have three interesting archaeology news stories. First up is the recent (re)discovery of a Roman era fortlet in Scotland. Then we head over to the Grand Canyon where the Glen Canyon dam is having an unanticipated effect on downstream cultural resources. And finally we discus how digesta, or the partially digested vegetation in a large mammal's digestive tract may have been a food source to prehistoric groups.Links Archaeologists Discover Lost Roman Fort in Scotland Archaeologists found a lost Roman fortlet in Scotland Grand Canyon's Archaeological Sites Degrading Due To Glen Canyon Dam DID EARLY FORAGERS EAT PARTIALLY DIGESTED FOOD FROM LARGE ANIMALS? Human consumption of large herbivore digesta and its implications for foraging theory - Evolutionary Anthropology Book: Don't Sleep, There Are Snakes - Daniel EverettContact Chris Websterchris@archaeologypodcastnetwork.com Rachel Rodenrachel@unraveleddesigns.comRachelUnraveled (Instagram)ArchPodNet APN Website: https://www.archpodnet.com APN on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/archpodnet APN on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/archpodnet APN on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/archpodnet Tee Public StoreAffiliates Motion Motley FoolSave $110 off the full list price of Stock Advisor for your first year, go to https://zen.ai/archaeologyshowfool and start your investing journey today!*$110 discount off of $199 per year list price. Membership will renew annually at the then current list price.

For our latest podcast, we interview Erika Bsumek, Professor of History at the University of Texas, about her brand new book The Foundations of Glen Canyon Dam: Infrastructures of Dispossession on the Colorado Plateau. In the conversation, we discuss the ways that Glen Canyon Dam was the culmination of a century of dispossession of the […]

For our latest podcast, we interview Erika Bsumek, Professor of History at the University of Texas, about her brand new book The Foundations of Glen Canyon Dam: Infrastructures of Dispossession on the Colorado Plateau. In the conversation, we discuss the ways that Glen Canyon Dam was the culmination of a century of dispossession of the […]

The Bay Area's fascination with technology didn't start with Silicon Valley. In the late 19th century, San Franciscan Eadweard Muybridge, an eccentric, misanthropic murderer became the first person to capture motion on film. At the time, Muybridge was a well-known photographer whose moody images of Yosemite Valley stood out from the conventional landscape photographs of the time. Because Muybridge was known as an inventor and innovator, Leland Stanford approached him about trying to photograph his horse in motion. Those images of a horse galloping at speed revolutionized photography. We'll talk about Muybridge and how his inventiveness with camera and film laid the groundwork for how we see and record the world today. Guests: Rebecca Solnit, author & essayist - Solnit is the author of "River of Shadows: Eadweard Muybridge and the Technological Wild West" as well as "Orwell's Roses," "Recollection of My Nonexistence," "Whose Story is This: Old Conflicts, New Chapters," and "Drowned River: The Death and Rebirth of Glen Canyon on the Colorado," among other works. Marc A. Shaffer, Director, "Exposing Muybridge" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Glen Canyon Dam: New forecasts for the Colorado River paint a grim picture. Climate change and steady demand are shrinking the water supply for 40 million people.At the nation's largest dams, that means the ability to generate hydropower could soon be under threat. KUNC's Alex Hager introduces us to the Glen Canyon Dam. What was once a mighty piece of Western infrastructure is now possibly unable to function.This story is part of ongoing coverage of the Colorado River, produced by KUNC and supported by the Walton Family Foundation.Holiday grief: The holiday season is here. It's a festive time for many, with families getting together to celebrate — but the holidays can be especially hard for some.Many are mourning the loss of a loved one and dealing with profound grief. University of Colorado College of Nursing Nurse Practitioners Heather Coats and Kerry Peterson gave some insight into how to manage grief and depression over the holidays.If you or anyone you know is struggling during the holidays, you can connect with these sources:Crisis and Emergency information, CU DenverGrief and Loss, CDCGrief & The Holidays, Caring InfoGrief, APACreditsColorado Edition is hosted by Yoselin Meza Miranda and produced by the KUNC newsroom, led by news director Sean Corcoran. Web was edited by digital editor Megan Manata. The mission of Colorado Edition is to deepen understanding of life in Northern Colorado through authentic conversation and storytelling. It's available as a podcast on iTunes, Spotify, Google Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.Colorado Edition is made possible with support from our KUNC members. Thank you!Our theme music was composed by Colorado musicians Briana Harris and Johnny Burroughs. Other music in the show by Blue Dot Sessions.

This week Olivia tells the story of the unexpected place where the environmental justice movement cut its teeth: Warren County, North Carolina. What started as a small town fighting against a dangerous landfill became national news and seven weeks of continued protests, led together by civil rights leaders and local activists. Then Elise tells us about the cowgirl-actress-turned-canyon-advocate Katie Lee, who dedicated her free-spirited life (and her music) to the preservation of Glen Canyon. Other topics include Simpsons villains, mediums with dark family histories, and swearing in board meetings. Subscribe/follow/press the button to keep up with new episodes every Wednesday! You can also follow us @worldisburnin on Instagram and Twitter, and check out our website worldisburning.com for extended show notes including sources and photos. World Is Burning is hosted by Olivia Hamilton and Elise Nye. Our theme music is by Kaycie Satterfield, and our logo was made by Sonja Katanic. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/worldisburning/message

Glen Canyon is one of the most underrated parks in San Francisco, with a dramatic history that's mostly unknown beyond the Glen Park neighborhood. Glen Park Neighborhood History Project founder Evelyn Rose joins Total SF hosts Peter Hartlaub and Heather Knight to talk about the canyon's history, including the dynamite factory (and a huge explosion), the zoo and plans for a freeway that were successfully fought by three women called the "Gumtree Girls." Also in this episode, Hartlaub and Knight get another called on the Total SF Party Line (415-777-7413), this time asking about Heather's open dislike for "Star Trek" movies. Produced by Peter Hartlaub. Music from the Sunset Shipwrecks off their album "Community," Castro Theatre organist David Hegarty and cable car bell-ringing by 8-time champion Byron Cobb. Follow Total SF adventures at www.sfchronicle.com/totalsf Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We've podcasted about the Lake Powell Pipeline, so we thought, as the drought continues and water levels continue to drop, let's go have a look. We told our board about the idea and it turns out that board member Catherine Smith rafted the Colorado River through Glen Canyon as a teenager in 1955. We were so pleased that she insisted on coming along. We included David Petitt, a well-known photographer now painter, and of course, our producer and host Logan, his wife Angie, and our assistant producer Ben.The level when we took our trip in May was only 1/4 full at 3523 feet – just 33 feet above the minimum power pool of 3,490 feet, or where there's not enough water to run the power generators. Dead pool is 120 feet lower, at 3,370 feet. Because the lake dropped about 40 feet in 2021 they have been releasing 500,000 acre-feet from Flaming Gorge to delay that moment of truth.But the big picture is that Lake Powell is really only of value to generate power, tourist economy aside. So if it drops below minimum power pool, then evaporation and rock-saturation coefficients start to play in. If preserving water is the sole priority, why expose all this surface area and let it seep into the sandstone? It starts to look like better water sense to send as much water as possible to Lake Mead. It's an immense, critical set of decisions the water lords have to make in the face of the harshest drought in 1200 years, and due to climate change, looking like the new normal.Now suddenly the Glen Canyon Institute — premised on draining the lake and revitalizing the river and deemed “looney” by Utah Senator Orrin Hatch — is gaining prominence, with Director Eric Balken finding himself in interviews in the New Yorker. At the end of the episode, we interview him too so he can help us make sense of our observations of both beauty and tragedy inherent in Glen Canyon's re-emergence.As we explored the re-emerging canyon, we also looked for Ancestral Puebloan evidence. Having found little, we reached out to Erik Stanfield, an archaeologist with Navajo Nation. You'll his voice about halfway through the episode. Our trip begins with a long walk down temporary ramps as Bullfrog Marina continues to have to move deeper and deeper into the canyon as water vanishes.

Environment reporter Zak Podmore joins host and managing editor Grant Burningham on the podcast to discuss the most recent news with the Colorado River and why the federal government wants to study modification to the Glen Canyon Dam.

As the West grows increasingly arid, Lake Powell, the nation's second-largest reservoir, is dwindling. Its retreat has revealed glimpses of the storied red rock canyon submerged for decades under hundreds of feet of water. Environmental advocate Eric Balken says the facts of Lake Powell's retreat and Glen Canyon's return pose significant challenges, as well as exciting opportunities.

Sports are often divided by gender: women or girls on one team, men or boys on another. Trans people face barriers to joining the team that matches their gender, and there are few options for people that aren't one of the binary genders. This year, the FireKracker 5K in Fort Collins decided to do things differently. They offered participants the options to sign up as male, female, or nonbinary. KUNC's Yoselin Meza Miranda spoke with FireKracker 5K's first nonbinary winner, Steph Campbell. For decades the Colorado River filled Glen Canyon to the brim. That's where Lake Powell is, the second-largest reservoir in the country. But climate change and overuse are causing the reservoir to decline to a new record low, leaving the water supply for tens of millions in the Southwest uncertain. To show us what Lake Powell looks like at this historic moment, KUNC's Luke Runyon took a boat trip with longtime river runners. This story is part of ongoing coverage of the Colorado River, produced by KUNC and supported by the Walton Family Foundation.  Last fall, Colorado farmers planted more than 2 million acres of winter wheat for the 2022 harvest. But persistent drought is hurting Colorado's crop. As KUNC's Rae Solomon reports, a small, native bug has found a new home for its larva in that wheat, and that has become a huge problem for local growers.  A few years ago, as anti-immigrant rhetoric was rising across much of the country, the community of Aurora decided to go the other way. Officials there decided to do whatever they could to attract new immigrants to the city — and to support immigrants once they arrived. That effort began in 2015. Now we want to know: Is it working? What's been the result? KUNC reporter and editor Stephanie Daniel has talked with immigrants about their experiences in Aurora — looking at what kinds of support community leaders put in place. And it's all in the second season of her podcast, The Colorado Dream. KUNC's Christina Shockley spoke to  Stephanie, to learn more. Colorado Edition is hosted by Yoselin Meza Miranda and produced by the KUNC newsroom, led by news director Sean Corcoran. Web was edited by digital operations manager Ashley Jefcoat.  The mission of Colorado Edition is to deepen understanding of life in Northern Colorado through authentic conversation and storytelling. Colorado Edition is made possible with support from our KUNC members. Thank you! Our theme music was composed by Colorado musicians Briana Harris and Johnny Burroughs. Other music in the show by Blue Dot Sessions.

In today's political climate, it could be risky to encourage extemporaneous speech in a public setting. But local Marc Horwitz says soapboxing has an important place in the protection of free speech. “It's not just about speaking your mind; it's about respecting the other guy speaking his mind – even if you differ completely.” Today on the news, we report on the ‘citizen soapbox' popping up at the Moab market, available for poem recitation, amusing anecdotes and even community announcements. Plus, Colorado River activists are calling on the federal government to make upgrades at the Glen Canyon dam. And later, our radio partners take a boat trip with longtime river runners to show us Lake Powell at historic lows. // Plus, the Weekly News Reel! Doug McMurdo of The Times Independent discusses Moab City's workforce housing ordinance, flight cancellations at the Moab airport, speculations on lithium in Grand County and an open casting call for an upcoming western. Alison Harford of the Moab Sun News talks about the return of the aedes aegypti mosquito, improv meet-ups in Moab and the Full Circle Intertribal Center finding a permanent office space. // Show Notes: // Photo: Theresa King relates a personal story on the ‘citizen soapbox' in Swanny City Park as Marc Horwitz adjusts the sound levels. The pop-up free speech platform occurs every first and third Thursday of the month during the Moab Arts & Ag market. KZMU/Molly Marcello // Arts & Ag: A Moab Market https://www.moabarts.org/arts-and-ag // KUNC: One of the Colorado River's most important dams could need upgrades to keep water flowing https://www.kunc.org/environment/2022-08-03/one-of-the-colorado-rivers-most-important-dams-could-need-upgrades-to-keep-water-flowing // KUNC: A mud-caked ‘terra incognita' emerges in Glen Canyon as Lake Powell declines to historic low https://www.kunc.org/environment/2022-08-04/a-mud-caked-terra-incognita-emerges-in-glen-canyon-as-lake-powell-declines-to-historic-low // Weekly News Reel Mentions: // The Times-Independent: City passes workforce housing ordinance https://www.moabtimes.com/articles/city-passes-workforce-housing-ordinance/ // The Times-Independent: Moab airport records 16 SkyWest flights canceled so far in 2022 https://www.moabtimes.com/articles/moab-airport-records-16-skywest-flights-canceled-so-far-in-2022/ // The Times-Independent: Lithium – Moab's next extractive industry? https://www.moabtimes.com/articles/lithium-moabs-next-extractive-industry/ // The Times-Independent: ‘How exciting to have the movie industry in Moab' https://www.moabtimes.com/articles/how-exciting-to-have-the-movie-industry-in-moab/ // Moab Sun News: Aedes aegypti is back https://moabsunnews.com/2022/08/04/aedes-aegypti-is-back/ // Moab Sun News: ‘Wannabe Players' bring improv to Moab https://moabsunnews.com/2022/08/04/wannabe-players-bring-improv-to-moab/ // Moab Sun News: Full Circle Intertribal Center finds new home https://moabsunnews.com/2022/08/04/full-circle-intertribal-center-finds-new-home/

Join Harry Potter and Ron Weasley as they go #beyondFLG with Dawn Kish, photographer, conservationist, and documentary filmmaker. The subject of Dawn's work includes documenting stories of indigenous folks in the Southwest, hanging off walls in Yosemite, and other various adventure activities. Some of her clients include Arizona Highways, Grand Canyon Trust, National Geographic, Patagonia, and Sports Illustrated. She also worked as a river guide for the USGS and describes the “river as being a part of her, it is in her heart and soul.” As a film director, Dawn directed the short film, “Can't Beat This Place for Fun” which was shown at the Mountain Film Fest in 2021. This film was an ode to a local boat shop that keeps the tradition of wooden boat building alive while honoring the story of Martin Litton's Grand Canyon Dory. Currently, Dawn is in the process of shooting a new film titled, “Tad's Emerging World.” A super compelling idea in which Dawn is documenting the epic landscape of Glen Canyon using an old Crown Graphic 4x5 camera, which was used by Tad Nichols to document Glen Canyon in his book, “Glen Canyon: Images of Lost World.” In this episode, Dawn discusses the Tad project including its origins and what its been like creating thus far, what got her into photography, and her connection to Flagstaff. Thanks for joining us as we go #beyondFLG with Dawn Kish and don't forget to check out the links below. https://dawnkish.com https://www.gofundme.com/f/Tads-Emerging-World https://www.mountainfilm.org/festival/personalities/dawn-kish https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGo_ETxD2HI

Each year, American Rivers, one the largest organizations advocating for clean and healthy rivers, releases their annual report of 10 rivers in the United States that need help. This episode is an interview with two staff from American Rivers, Amy Souers Kober and Matt Rice, where they explain the report, how it has led to rivers having improved water quality in the recent past, and the 10 rivers in the “America's Most Endangered Rivers of 2022” report. ADVERTISING SPONSORNissan and the Denver Area Nissan Dealers GUESTS & ORGANIZATIONAmerican RiversReport:  America's Most Endangered RiversVideo Announcing The Most Endangered Rivers of 2022Amy Souers Kober, Vice President, CommunicationsMatt Rice, Southwest Regional DirectorRiver Network RELATED ARTICLESThe Salt Lake Tribune: "It feels like a dying reservoir": Deltas of sediment are pushing into Glen Canyon as Lake Powell disappearsThe New York Times:  Colorado River Reservoirs Are So Low, Government WIll Delay Releases RIVER CLEAN UP ORGANIZATIONProtect Our Rivers RIVER RADIUS PODCASTEmailInstagramFacebookWebsite