If you’re in the mood to take a walk down Humboldt memory lane this month, you could do much worse than to check out the new season of Rip Current, a podcast written and produced by crime writer Toby Ball and published by iHeartRadio. It rewinds the clock 35-odd years — very odd years — to revisit the Timber Wars, Maxxam’s takeover of Pacific Lumber, the lead-up to Redwood Summer and, of course, the still-unsolved car bombing of Earth First! activists Judi Bari and Darryl Cherney.

Your Lost Coast Outpost — who, full disclosure, was interviewed for the project — was pretty skeptical of the thing when it was announced, having pretty strong distaste for the whole “true crime” genre that has taken over all forms of media.

But Ball’s podcast doesn’t rubberneck at acts of violence, as so many of these things do. He goes very deep into the culture of the Emerald Triangle in the late 1980s, from both the hippie and the redneck sides. He has an episode on the Bari’s history as a labor organizer, and another on the Maxxam acquisition. He has a very interesting interview with an architectural historian who talks about the role of North Coast redwood in the building of the West Coast.  

In short, it’s a podcast about local history, and Ball has put in the work. Five episodes have been published so far, and along with historical audio he unearths from the vaults Ball has fresh interviews with a bunch of key people: Mike Geniella, the veteran Ukiah journalist who played a big role in the story; Larry Livermore, the founder of Lookout! Records who was publishing a magazine in the hills above Laytonville at the time; and Crawdad Nelson, the Fort Bragg poet and millworker. Among others.

Highly recommended. Check it out.

UPDATE, 10:19 a.m.:

Curious about the origin and legal implications of the law enforcement agency patches referenced in this press release, we reached out the the Rio Dell Police Department with a couple of follow-up questions. Chief Josh Phinney promptly responded:

We do not know how he obtained the patches. While it is not illegal to possess patches as many collectors do, it is illegal to use Law Enforcement Agency patches to pose as a member of law enforcement.

Agencies with whom the patches belong to have been notified to determine if they have any reported crimes in their jurisdictions that would match this equipment being used in the commission of a crime.

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Original post:

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Press release from the Rio Dell Police Department:

On December 7, 2025, Rio Dell Police Department officers arrested Justus Arreguin (DOB 07/17/1995) on the 4100 block of Grizzly Bluff Rd. in Ferndale for an outstanding warrant related to a prior Domestic Violence investigation.

During the arrest, officers observed multiple firearms in Arreguin’s possession. Based on those observations, RDPD obtained a search warrant for the residence and associated property. The subsequent search resulted in the seizure of numerous rifles, handguns, firearm magazines, and substantial quantities of ammunition.

Also located and seized was a tactical vest equipped with multiple high-capacity magazines, a TASER-style device, handcuffs, zip ties, and uniform patches, including a Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office patch and Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office patches. These items were taken as evidence pending further review and investigation.

Arreguin was transported and booked into the Humboldt County Correctional Facility for the outstanding warrant and the following additional violations:

• 29805(a) PC – Prohibited Person in possession of a firearm
• 32310(a) PC – Possession of large-capacity magazines
• 11377(a) HS – Possession of a controlled substance
• 273.6(a) PC – Violation of a court order

The Rio Dell Police Department would like to thank the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office for their assistance in ensuring the safe arrest of Arreguin. Their support helped bring the situation to a safe and orderly conclusion.

The investigation remains ongoing. Anyone with additional information relevant to this case is encouraged to contact Corporal Landry with the Rio Dell Police Department at (707) 764-5642 or landryc@cityofriodell.ca.gov.

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This story was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for their newsletters.

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San Jose, the symbolic capital of Silicon Valley, is now ground zero in California’s battle over how to govern the rise of data centers used to power artificial intelligence.

The county seat of Santa Clara is touting its partnership with Pacific Gas & Electric, claiming the city is “the West Coast’s premier destination for data center development.” The investor-owned utility now estimates it has enough capacity in its planning pipeline to push the city’s electricity use to almost three times its current peak.

Those plans are forcing major grid upgrades, PG&E and city officials say, while raising questions about who pays for them and whether the state can keep the power clean.

Panelists at a CalMatters event in downtown San Jose clashed over key issues. They included a local official working with PG&E on the city’s data-center buildout, a tech advocate urging California to seize the economic moment, a Stanford energy expert pressing for a more modernized grid and a utility watchdog skeptical of AI’s promised benefits.

Their discussion centered on how quickly California should move to accommodate new demand, what information the public should be entitled to and how to keep customers from shouldering the cost of infrastructure that may never be fully used.

Proposals to more strictly regulate data center development died in the Legislature this year. Going forward, several state agencies and commissions are expected to take up further discussions, including the California Energy Commission, the Little Hoover Commission and the California Public Utilities Commission.

How much energy will California’s new data centers actually need?

The surge in AI is complicating efforts by regulators and utilities to forecast how quickly data centers will grow and how much power they’ll need. Companies can propose large facilities without committing to build them, the computing demands behind AI are changing quickly and cooling needs vary across the state. These factors make long-term energy needs hard to pin down.

According to the state’s electricity-demand forecast, utilities report that data centers, in planning documents, have requested 18.7 gigawatts of service capacity. That’s enough to power roughly 18 million homes, compared with California’s estimated 14 to 15 million. Regulators don’t expect all of those projects to be built, and assume the ones that do will come online gradually and operate at less than their requested capacity, producing a forecast of between 4 and 6 gigawatts by 2040.

Liang Min, who directs Stanford’s Bits & Watts Initiative, and a speaker on CalMatters’ panel, said that forecasting is particularly tough because companies are rolling out new AI apps — or “application layers,” as he put it — at breakneck speed. They include products like ChatGPT that use large language models. No one knows which apps will take off, and those uncertain bets are driving huge demands on the power grid.

“Right now we’re really struggling,” Min said. “The risk is extremely high in the application layers.”

The Public Advocates Office, an independent consumer watchdog within the California Public Utilities Commission, recently warned that rapid data-center growth could leave Californians paying for billions of dollars in grid upgrades if projects never materialize or use far less power than promised.

“Ratepayers could end up paying for costly infrastructure upgrades that may not be needed for many years – or at all,” the office said in its commentary.

Min said forecasting data-center load is a national challenge, but California will need better tools to keep rates in check, meet its clean-energy targets and stay competitive with states racing to attract data centers and high-paying tech jobs.

Local officials have also begun to grapple with the uncertainty. In San Jose, city energy officials say they are reluctant to procure additional power until they know which projects will actually be built. “We do not want to buy more power than we need,” said panelist Lori Mitchell, director of San Jose Clean Energy, the city’s publicly-owned electricity provider. “That’s job No. 1.”

What are the environmental concerns around the data center boom?

California’s data-center boom is bringing a wave of environmental concerns that state officials are only beginning to understand. Those concerns center on water use, the carbon emissions tied to rising energy demand and the air pollution from diesel backup generators.

Air quality is a particular concern. While back-up generators run only intermittently, their presence is concentrated in a handful of regions. In Santa Clara County, where many facilities sit close together in dense industrial areas, the local impacts could be greater simply because so much equipment is packed into a small space.

Yet the state still has limited visibility into what data centers are doing. Attempts to require more transparency stalled this year amid tech industry opposition. The only measure that became law gives regulators the authority to determine whether data centers are driving up costs — but stops short of requiring environmental reporting.

Ahmad Thomas, CEO of the Silicon Valley Leadership Group, and another panelist, said his group opposed the electricity disclosure and water reporting measures because they would make California less competitive.

“It’s very hard to see a world where California is at the top of the AI pile if we do not have an approach to data centers that is — at minimum — mildly competitive with other states,” he added.

Consumer advocates say the lack of information leaves communities unprotected. “We certainly think there needs to be more transparency — that’s a good thing,” said panelist Mark Toney, the executive director of the The Utility Reform Network, a ratepayer advocacy group..

Will data centers slow down California’s switch to clean energy?


The rapid growth of data centers could slow California’s clean-energy transition if it keeps the state tied to natural gas. And some of the carbon-free alternative energy sources that could meet their power needs are deeply controversial among environmentalists.

The state has pledged to reach 100% carbon-free electricity by 2045, yet it still depends heavily on natural-gas plants during hot summer days. A recent report by the environmental think tank Next 10 and UC Riverside estimated that data-center carbon emissions nearly doubled from 2019 to 2023 — largely from gas-fired generation — underscoring how even a relatively clean grid may struggle to absorb AI-driven load without higher emissions.

State leaders are making policy shifts as AI demand grows. California this year approved joining a broader Western power market, a move driven in part by new demands on the grid, including data centers. Critics warn the change could expose the state to dirtier electricity from other states and weaken its control over clean-energy rules.

Min of Stanford argues that California will need to rely on options some environmentalists would rather avoid. That includes holding onto existing resources like the Diablo Canyon nuclear plant. In a recent report, Min argued the state will also need more “clean, firm” power — resources that can operate around the clock — such as geothermal energy or natural-gas plants with carbon capture.

PG&E agrees. Spokesperson Stephanie Magallon told CalMatters in an email that nuclear power, carbon-capture systems and large solar-plus-battery projects are all options under consideration for powering data centers in its region. But environmental justice critics in California have opposed carbon capture technology calling it unproven tech that risks extending fossil-fuel use.

Mitchell said community choice aggregators can manage new data-center load while keeping power clean and affordable. San Jose’s mix is already 60% renewable, and she said the biggest opportunity is flexibility — getting data centers to shift use off the hottest afternoons so the city can avoid buying additional power.

Will data centers raise your electric bill?


California’s data-center boom is reshaping the fight over electricity bills, exposing a divide over whether these new customers will lower costs — or drive them higher for everyone else.

PG&E argues that adding large users like data centers can lower rates because fixed grid costs would be spread across more customers. It also claims the grid is underutilized on average — operating at about 45% of capacity — although the grid faces real strain during the hottest hours and in parts of the system that routinely run close to their limits. If data centers can be connected in places with available capacity, PG&E argues, they could help spread costs without worsening congestion.

Toney, another panelist, urged the state to slow down, warning that California is planning major infrastructure without knowing which data centers are real or how their costs will land on customer bills.

“I’m worried that we’re engaged in what I call faith-based policymaking,” he said. “The benefits are very speculative, but the costs are very real.”

Some states, said Toney, have begun tightening rules around the growth of data centers. One law in Oregon will require data-center grid costs to remain off household bills. A Minnesota law will give very large data centers their own billing category so regulators can keep their costs separate from other customers’ electric bills.

“This issue of data centers and the connection between affordability and clean energy is of national concern, and California is actually behind on this,” Toney said. “There’s this mythology about California being the leader all the time.”

Isaac James Kibby
February 13, 1996 - Sunday November 30, 2025

It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of our beloved nephew, Isaac. He was a loving son, uncle, cousin and brother.

Isaac was Karuk, Wiyot, Pitriver and a proud enrolled member of the Yurok Tribe. He also had a large spiritual family who cared for him deeply. He enjoyed dancing with his family and taking part in dance demonstrations throughout the community.

Isaac loved his friends and family deeply. Anyone  who knew him could feel the warmth he carried in his heart. He shared an unbreakable bond with his brother, a connection built on deep understanding, shared experiences and a lifetime of being each other’s closest companion. To his cousins, who grew up alongside him like brothers and sisters, he was the best kind of family: funny, loving, and always there when they needed him. He knew he could count on them the same way.

He was caring, thoughtful, the kind of person who paid attention to others and showed up when it mattered. His humor was one of his greatest gifts; he had a natural way of making people laugh and bringing light into any room.

A talented athlete, he excelled as a high-school wrestler, played football, and kept his love for sports throughout his life. He especially loved playing basketball. Cheering passionately for his favorite player, LeBron James and his favorite football team North Carolina Panthers. Those who knew him knew about his love for Dino Nuggets, Adidas slides, and always keeping his favorite pick handy for his hair. He was also a dedicated gamer who found joy and connection through video games.

One of his happiest recent memories was spending a wonderful week in Oahu with his family, creating moments they will forever hold close.

For 11 years, he worked at Blue Lake Casino, where he formed lasting friendships with coworkers who came to feel like family. The kindness, humor, and steady presence he brought there will be remembered by many.

He will be deeply missed by all who knew him, and his memory will continue to live on in the hearts of the people he loved and the lives he touched.

He is survived by his grandmother Toddy Thompson; his brothers Isaiah Kibby (Abby Young) and Elijah Kibby; his uncle Jaimoe Kibby (Brandy Kibby); and his cousins, who were more like siblings — Kody Kibby, Faith Kibby (AJ Perez), Hope Kibby (Mettah Kuska), and Jaimoe Kibby Jr. He is also survived by his father Sam Alford; his aunts Melissa Waheneka (Harlen) and Jamaica Kibby; and a large, loving extended family with many other aunts, uncles, cousins, and the Voyles family, whom he cared for dearly.

He was preceded in death by his mother Sarina Kibby; his grandfather Daniel Kibby; his great-grandfather Archie Thompson; his uncles David Kibby, Roger Buckskin, and Timmy Thompson; his aunts Valerie Thompson, Wanda Kibby; his cousins Delmar Thompson, Redsky Rojas, Stormy Rojas, Miranda Thompson, and Shawn Thompson; and his good friend Ramiro Melecio.

Pallbearers:

Isaiah Kibby, Kody Kibby, Jaimoe Kibby Jr., Hope Kibby, DJ Thomas, Lane Voyles, Mettah Kuska, AJ Perez, Ira Thompson, Pete Thompson, Jase Baldosser, Tanner Brittain

Honorary Pallbearers:

Jaimoe Kibby, Willie Thompson, Randy Thompson, Archie Thompson, Faith Kibby, Ed Ben Jr, David Voyles, Virgil Moorehead, Tommy O’Rourke, Sundance Rojas, Gino O’Rourke, Elijah Kibby, Jack Norton, Julian Lang, Alme Allen, Loren Bommelyn, Pyuwa Bommelyn, Jude Marshall, Vincent Feliz, Bmo Colegrove, Kavish Marshall, LeBron James, Darleen Buckskin, Kyree Smith, James Spino, Wes Spino, Anthony Rojas, Isha-Kom McConnell, Ma-Kaych McConnell, Tucker Donahue, Dae’ron Weaselhead, Redsky Waheneka, Harlen Waheneka Jr., Teddy Thompson, Trent Thompson, Will Bear Carlson, Mikey Carlson, Pergish Carlson, Jeremy Thompson, Jose Celio,, Jason Henser, Eli Aubrey, Casey Pederson

Viewing & Services:

Viewing will be held at Awok-Ada Charles Community Center, 190 Klamath Blvd., Klamath, California  Saturday December 13, 2025 from 6-8 p.m. Services will also be held at the Awok- Ada Charles Community Center on December 14, 2025 at 10 a.mac. Everyone is welcome. Following the burial at the family plot in Klamath, we will share food and fellowship back at the Awok-Ada Charles Community Center.

Special Thank You:

Our family extends our deep gratitude to the Yurok Tribe, Blue Lake Rancheria, Country Living Florist, and all the family and friends who have helped send our nephew off in a good way. Thank you to everyone who spent the last several days with our family — visiting, sitting by the fire telling stories, bringing meals, and making sure we were cared for. Thank you to all who kept our family in your prayers. We are forever grateful. Much love and respect.

Our hearts are heavy as we share the passing of James Robert Marshall Sr.

James was born on March 22, 1985 in Eureka. He passed away in Hoopa on November 30, 2025, at the age of 40.

A loving father, son, brother, uncle, nephew, cousin and friend to so many, James held his family and friends close to his heart. He found peace and joy in the outdoors. At a young age he enjoyed playing basketball, riding dirt bikes and being surrounded by his family and friends. He would surprise his children with loving gestures, providing gifts and companionship.  He was a kind-hearted soul who never hesitated to help others. He lived his life with compassion, generosity, and a quiet strength that brought comfort to those around him. Whether it was offering his time, his hands, or simply his presence, he made sure others never felt alone. He showed his love not only through words but through countless acts of care, laughter, and support. He loved deeply, gave freely, and lived with an honesty and humor that will never be forgotten. To know him was to know kindness.

Though we miss him more than words can say, his spirit lives on in the moments we shared: in family laughter and in every memory of his warm and caring heart. His legacy remains forever in the lives he touched and the hearts that hold him close.

James is survived by his children, James Jr., Joseph and Jessica Marshall. Mother Roberta Marshall (Goobi Perry), Father Jeff Marshall Sr. (Marcell Dwight), Grandmother Jane Marshall. Siblings Jena Marshall (Brandt Hostler), Jeffrey Marshall Jr. (Emilee Marshall), Jacquelene Marshall (Nate Baldy), Alyssa Jackson. Uncles and Aunties, Loren Colegrove, Robert Jackson Jr, Jody Jackson, Lovae Blake, Russell Marshall Sr. (Jeanni Marshall), Julie McIntosh, Jacqueline Alford (Les Alford), Linda Lee, Carrie Turner, Debbie Ulibarri. Nieces and Nephews, Andrew Hunsucker Jr., Poy-we-son Hunsucker, Cassandra Perry, Jaxon Hostler-Marshall, Akeera Marshall, Keylee Marshall, Taneya Marshall, Xavier Lewis, Bryson Lewis, Amaya Lewis, Izaeliya Baldy, Uonashca Parker, Nevayla Jackson, Noah and Novaleigh Ammon. We will be welcoming his first granddaughter in March of 2026.

He is preceded in death by his Maternal Grandparents, Robert Carl Jackson Sr. and Alberta Faye Jackson, Paternal Grandpa, James Eugene Marshall III. Uncles, Jerry Davis, James Jackson. Nephews, Romeo Wes-kwe-loy, Allen and Lane Baldy. Cousins Lawrence Marshall, Peter Stewart and Terrance Davis.

James came from a large family if we’ve forgotten anybody, we apologize.

Wake will be held on Wednesday, December 10, 2025, 8 p.m. located at the Jackson’s residents, on Mill Creek Road.

Services will be held on Thursday, December 11, 2025, 11 a.m. at the First Baptist Church, on Pine Creek Road/Hwy 96. Following, we will have his last walk from the Church to his Burial at Hoopa Tribal Cemetery.

Reception to follow located at the Hoopa Fire House. We ask everyone to bring a dish to share as we say our final farewells, food can be dropped off Thursday at the Fire House.

Father • Brother • Son • Friend

I am not gone—
I’m just in a different form.
Look for me in your heart and you will find me
in the love we shared
and the memories that stay warm.

When tomorrow starts without me,
don’t think we’re far apart.
Every time you think of me,
I’m right there in your heart.

I live on in my children,
in my family who loves me,
and in every life I touched.
So when tears fall, look toward the heavens—
you’ll feel me near,
smiling down from God’s gentle light.

Pall Bearers:

Jeff Marshall Sr., James Marshall Jr., Joseph Marshall, Jeffrey Marshall Jr., Loren Colegrove, Robert Jackson Jr,. Jody Jackson, Andrew Hunsucker Jr., Poy-we-son Hunsucker, Xavier Lewis, Goobi Perry, Johnny Blake, Whits Marshall, Alex Perry, Denny Colegrove, Rico Tello.

Honorary Pall Bearers:

David Hostler, Joey Montgomery, Isaac Bussell, Richie Nixon, Russell Marshall Sr., RJ Marshall, Ben Marshall, Keenan Stewart, Gordy Stewart, Richie Stewart, Eric Blake, Jason Marshall, Brandt Hostler, Nate Baldy, Bryson Lewis, Jordan Hailey, Lawrence Orcutt, Billy Matilton.

Joseph Gerard Luther
December 8, 1957 – November 27, 2025

Joseph “Joe” Gerard Luther passed away peacefully at his home in McKinleyville, California on November 27th at 8:52 PM, surrounded by his family. He was truly one of a kind — funny, rebellious, warm-hearted and unforgettable. His genuine smile and irreverent humor lit up every room, and many of his family’s most cherished memories feature him turning up the music, cracking a ridiculous joke, or bringing levity to even the most ordinary moments. And at the center of it all was the role he cherished most: being the father of three wonderful kids.

Born in Sacramento at Mercy Hospital to Clarice Marie Joyer and Joseph Edward Luther, Joe grew up in East Sacramento as the youngest of twelve siblings — an upbringing that no doubt shaped his loud voice, quick movements and strong opinions. He attended Sacred Heart Elementary and Christian Brothers High School, served as a neighborhood paperboy for many years, worked on a fishing boat in Alaska and later attended Chico State College, where he explored a wide range of interests. Though he never pursued a degree, he remained a lifelong learner, devouring science fiction novels (especially Isaac Asimov), watching the NASA channel and marveling at the universe. He passed his curiosity on to his children, who all excelled academically, and he beamed with pride at each of their college graduations.

In his travels through California, Joe often told the story of the time he fell asleep on a train and woke up far beyond his stop — a mishap he turned into yet another adventure. That detour eventually led him to Santa Monica, where he famously cruised the boardwalk on roller skates in his Daisy Dukes. Roller-skating is also how he met his future wife, Helen, on Halloween in 1979. She was a duck, he was a disco king, and their unlikely pairing blossomed into 45 years of marriage.

Joe and Helen moved to Humboldt County shortly after and he began working at a woodshop in Blue Lake before joining the fledgling Mad River Brewery as its third employee. He worked as the cellar manager for nine years and took great pride in keeping the cellar spotless and the beer flowing. Those years were filled with redwood campouts, bike rides, brewery parties and memories his family still treasures. He later worked in various labor roles at Mad River Hospital and spent many years as a courier throughout the county.

Joe worked hard for a living, eventually sustaining a severe back injury at the brewery. Even as his work life slowed, he found contentment in reading books, tending the garden, watching TV, spending time with his family and Great Pyrenees dogs and offering affectionate grumbles about the world around him.

Joe and Helen built their McKinleyville homestead, lovingly known as “LutherLand,” over the course of 38 years. It became the backdrop of his children’s upbringing — a place filled with dirt-under-the-fingernails adventures, slip’n’slide wipeouts, Evel Knievel bike jumps, riverside summers and azalea-lined springs. They also created a refuge not just for their own children, but for the community of kids around them. LutherLand became the unofficial hangout spot, full of music, bonfires, laughter and the kind of teenage parties people still reminisce about today.

Kids and dogs adored Joe — they seemed to sense his gentle, playful spirit. The way he raised his three kids — to be kind, giving, inquisitive, adventurous souls — speaks to the essence of who he was. He valued knowledge and learning deeply. He read to them every evening growing up, including the entire Lord of the Rings and Little House on the Prairie series. In many ways, he dreamed of giving them a Little House-style upbringing, and he nearly pulled it off (minus Pa’s fiddle solos and the prairie bonnets).

Joe believed deeply in real-life learning. When Julia Butterfly Hill came down from her redwood tree, he pulled his kids out of school to attend her rally, determined to instill in them a fierce environmental ethic, a lesson that took root and stayed with them for life. He also encouraged caring for their community, often rallying his kids to pick up trash along their streets and beaches.

He was outspoken and fiercely protective of his family — never hesitating to yell at a coach if his kids weren’t getting enough playtime, tell teachers that backpacks were too heavy, or march into the principal’s office with neighborhood trash to make a point. He lived by the motto: “If no one else will say it, I will.”

Music was one of Joe’s greatest loves. He bought a Fender Stratocaster he never quite learned to play but passed down to his daughter like it was Excalibur — a gift she treasures deeply. His record collection was legendary: Jimi Hendrix tearing through the speakers, the Grateful Dead drifting like incense through the rooms, Led Zeppelin shaking the walls, Bob Marley settling everyone’s spirits, Fleetwood Mac floating through sunlit afternoons and Stevie Wonder, Neil Young and Cat Stevens, among many others, wrapping the whole house in warmth and soul. Meanwhile, teenage Heather blasted Eminem and bass-heavy tracks from her car, prompting many good-natured debates about what did or did not qualify as “real music.”

Joe also came from a family of letter-writers and was himself a thoughtful, witty, and perceptive writer. His loved ones often remarked that he could have been an author — or a lawyer, given his love of spirited debate.

Joe is survived by his wife of 45 years, Helen Luther; his daughter Heather Luther; his sons Brandon Luther and Stevie Luther; his granddaughter Alana Luther; his siblings Theresa, Patrice, Margaret, Rose, Fran and Steve; and a wide circle of cousins, nieces, and nephews who loved him dearly. He is preceded in death by his parents and several siblings who passed before him.

He wasn’t perfect, but he was real — vivid, loyal, stubborn, hilarious, thoughtful and endlessly human. He leaves behind a family who adored him and a world made better, funnier and stranger because he was in it.

A celebration of life will be held at a later date. The family asks that in lieu of flowers, you consider donating to Hospice of Humboldt.

This week on the Econews Report, we’re joined by Marc Hoshovsky and Bob Schneider, two of the authors of the new book Exploring the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument, which will be published early next year by Backcountry Press.

Never heard of the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument? It’s an incredibly strange stretch of land, with absolutely unique geologic and botanical features, that stretches down from Lake County to Napa County. The land is part of a subduction zone that was thrown up from the deep ocean to the mountains, and as such it’s made mostly of minerals and rock types that you’re not likely to find many other places.

On top of that, the region has a rich and unique history that encompassed some 31 different Native American groups … and terrible acts of genocide at the hands of European settlers.

Check out this conversation, then check out the book, and you’ll almost certainly want to check out the Berryessa/Snow Mountain area on your next hiking trip.

LINKS:

• Exploring the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument at Backcountry Press.
• The monument’s Wikipedia page.
• The monument’s page at the Bureau of Land Management.