Latest stories
Environment · Exploration
Two hydroelectric projects are seeking water rights at the confluence of the Verdeyaku and Jatunyacu rivers, near Tena, Ecuador. Here's what's being proposed, who's behind it, and what it would put at risk.
Exploration
The kayak is strapped to my back, loaded with expedition gear and seven days of food. The trail climbs through old-growth spruce along the Elwha headwaters, the mighty river here is just a creek whispering through afternoon light.
Culture
A small tree stood over the bank. Someone said the words vigilance and care, back to back, like they belonged together. One voice in the circle talked about collectively holding the rights of nature — not owning them, holding them, the distinction doing a lot of work in one sentence.
Exploration
RIVERS reframes what "exploration" means on a river. Not conquest, but presence: a sustained, accountable relationship with a watershed. This manifesto argues that responsible river exploration means understanding a river's full context before, during, and after any expedition.
Environment
Reflections on the Skagit River and the recent Skagit Hydroelectric Project license settlement that includes historic agreements for environmental and cultural issues, including fish passage that would reopen up to 40% of Skagit River spawning habitat for migrating fish.
Environment
A source-to-sea inquiry with the Nooksack River.
Culture · Reviews
In the Spirit of Right and Respectful Relations, as told to Kurt Russo of the Indigenous-led nonprofit Se'Si'Le, is a foundational guide for anyone seeking to build more meaningful relationships with the land, water, and Indigenous peoples of the Salish Sea region—and beyond.
Environment · Voices
Forty years of the One Fly Tournament, one pristine fishery, and a simple truth: the tug on the end of the line tells you everything about the health of a river.
film · Exploration
In the fall of 2024, when RIVERS was still just an idea sitting loosely in Willie Henkel’s head, he joined a crew of some of the most talented young paddlers in the world, traveling from Wyoming to Pakistan with their sights set on the Rondu Gorge of the Indus.
Exploration · Environment
Laden with the stories of legendary descents, alongside rich history, and the near burial of one of the deepest gorges in North America. This multigenerational story gives us hope for the future legislature surrounding rivers and inspires us to speak up and act!
Culture · Dispatch
Recreational fisherman and river enthusiast Andrew Brigham takes us inside the mind of a fly fisherman using a parable to illustrate the positive feedback loop of an introspective fisherman.
Exploration
Whitewater kayaker Owen Doyle reflects on a one-day descent of Bull Lake Creek. What begins as a technical challenge becomes a “spirit quest,” pushing him beyond physical limits into a deeper relationship with the river—where focus, fear, and flow converge.