Life + Culture

Pondering Life

Pondering life’s bigger questions with Fish Connection’s Bruce Longwell Article by A.C.E. Ridenour | Photography by Andy Wingerd Picture living outside during the coldest of Durango winters. Now, picture living underwater, beneath a sheet of ice and two feet of fresh powder. Believe it or not, hundreds do it every year. They aren’t humans, of course. Many of them are outdoor goldfish.  Owner of Durango’s Fish Connection, Bruce Longwell, ponders his place in nature through the creation of...

Health + Wellness

This Is No Ordinary Dust

History, Science Reveal Equine Halotherapy Is Hot to Trot, Not Hot Air for Horse Health Article by Jennifer Mason | Photography by Andy Wingerd This is no ordinary dust. It suspends time. It imparts invincibility. It redefines flavors and, for margaritas, it is pure magic crowning the rim of a glass.   Salt, a natural mineral compound, plays a profound role in human life. Our cells need it to function. Our recipes need it to transcend bland. Ancient economies used it as money; Roman...

Local Services

Senior Pets: Cherishing the Golden Years

Honoring the Golden Years of Our Beloved Companions Article by Nichole R. Ramey, DVM | Photography by Courtesy of Nichole Ramey Caring for an aging pet is one of the most beautiful—and sometimes bittersweet—experiences a person can have. It’s characterized by slower walks, longer cuddles, pill bottles on the counter, and the warm, trusting eyes of a beloved companion who has grown older by your side. Senior pet care often involves adjusting to a new routine. It might mean installing a ramp...

Sports + Recreation

Golf, Growth, and Grit

Learning life lessons one swing at a time Article by James Leonard | Photography by First Tee Four Corners staff At First Tee golf camps, participants learn more than just patience and respect for the game of golf — they learn the values needed to play the game of life, explains Tina Pacheco, executive director of First Tee–Four Corners. Founded over 20 years ago, First Tee offers golf camps and programs for youth and community members across the Four Corners region. With local programs...

Professional Services

From Film to Family

Kelly Miranda MacNiven on Finding Her Calling and Freezing Time One Portrait at a Time Article by James Leonard | Photography by Kelly Miranda Sometimes, we inherit our passions from those who raised us. Other times, we chase meaning to the far corners of the earth. And occasionally, we stumble into purpose when we least expect it. That’s exactly how photographer Kelly Miranda MacNiven discovered her calling. Kelly first discovered photography by chance. While living with her husband in...

Auto + Marine

A Van Built for the Journey

Adventure-Ready Comfort, Built for the Wild Roads Ahead Article by Gavin McCalden | Photography by Rob Gowler Based in Durango, Colorado, Van Lab is redefining what it means to travel in comfort, style, and rugged functionality. Their latest custom build—crafted on the ultra-capable Ford Transit Trail platform—comes with an additional 2-inch lift and suspension upgrade by VanCompass and is ready to tackle everything from winding mountain roads to desert trails. Outside, this rig is equipped...

Travel

Somewhere Over the Rainbow

Two International Tour Guides Emphasize Outdoor Experiences to Cultivate Traveler Transformation Article by Jennifer Mason Roar! Smash! Whoosh! Just like that—the tornado snatches Dorothy and transports her to the land of Oz. She’s lost. She doesn’t know anyone. Everything and everyone she encounters are equal parts unfamiliar and dazzling. She’s exhilarated and discombobulated, and all she wants to do is go home. In many ways, Dorothy’s adventure in Oz is the perfect simulacrum of...

Life + Culture

Strings & Streams

The Storyteller’s Path of Thom Chacon Article by Denise Leslie | Photography by Courtesy of Thom Chacon In the rugged high country of Durango, Colorado, singer-songwriter Thom Chacon moves between two rhythms: the quiet pull of a fly line over water and the steady strum of his guitar. Both have become storytelling tools—one reflecting the pace of nature, the other the pulse of human experience. Born in Chula Vista, California, near the border with Tijuana, Chacon grew up surrounded by voices...

Sports + Recreation

A Rapid Row-mance

Alpacka Raft Celebrates 25 Years of River-lutionary Packraft Design Article by Jennifer Mason | Photography by Steve Fassbinder Car keys. An allowance. A later curfew. These are the typical requests young people make of their parents. Thor Tingey, however, asked his mother, Sheri, to make him a boat capable of withstanding the feral thrashing of an Alaskan river. There’s only one reason why a young man demands the impossible or seeks the improbable: love. Thor had fallen head-over-heels in...

Sports + Recreation

Two-wheeled Freedom: Summer 2025

Durango’s own 2nd Ave Sports provides expert insights for go-to gear this summer Article by Ahdon Ridenour | Photography by Andy Wingerd   2nd Ave Sports has a reputation for supplying Durango with the best brands for everyone from the bike-curious to the cycling evangelist. As trends and technology shift, it takes an expert to stay in gear and on top of new terrain. Your LBS (Local Bike Shop) 2nd Ave Sports has the gear to fit your needs, and an experienced team to make sure it fits well.  ...