Author: James Edward Mills

Diversity, High Country News, Magazines, National Parks, Yosemite / 27.05.2015

Several miles past the west entrance of Yosemite National Park, a wooden sign marks the location of an historic meeting. On May 17, 1903 President Theodore Roosevelt sat by a campfire with naturalist John Muir to discuss the preservation of America’s wild lands. Along the banks of the Merced River, near the steep granite cliffs of Half Dome and El Capitan, they talked about the creation of what would become the National Park System. One hundred and twelve years later to the day, an eclectic group of conservation professionals gathered...

Alpinist, Climbing, Expedition Denali, Fiction, Life Out Loud, Magazines / 20.05.2015

As luck would have it I just happen to be in Boulder, Colorado the same week the latest edition of Alpinist Magazine hit the newsstands. With time to kill between a conference in Yosemite and the MountainFilm Festival in Telluride I strolled the mall on Pearl Street in the hopes of buying a copy. There at the Boulder Bookstore Golden Issue #50 sat smack in the middle of the rack. The exquisite cover designed by my good friend Jeremy Collins featured an illustrated portrait of another buddy, climber...

Commentary, Diversity / 13.05.2015

An awkward silence quickly grew to fill an interminable moment of sheer agony. The thunderous clicks of my own eyelids boomed in my ears as I stood there blinking back at her. There in the crowded lounge amongst the sounds of clinking glasses and casual conversation I sighed quietly in frustration. Through clinched teeth I forced a smile and searched my mind for a politic answer to her question. As the seconds ticked past without a reply it’s possible she thought I hadn’t heard her. She asked again,...

Environmental Journalism, Environmental Protection, Magazines, River Restoration, Urban Revitalization / 04.05.2015

[caption id="attachment_2063014" align="aligncenter" width="569"] photo by Julia Stotz[/caption] Curiosity is perhaps humanity’s greatest gift. Our inquiring minds drive us forward into an exciting world of mystery and exploration. With each new question we are inspired to discover what might be over the next ridge or beyond the horizon. It is these questions, the utter uncertainty of our existence that makes life worth living. From a very young age I have been encouraged to ask questions. Long ago I learned never to trust anyone who claims to have all the answers....

Breaking News, Diversity, Madison, Outdoor Recreation, The Adventure Gap / 01.05.2015

When my friend Fred Harrington contacted me by text last year I figured he just wanted to get together for a beer. A neighbor around the corner from our house on the Near Westside, he and I, along with our wives frequently meet for drinks and dining at one of many local restaurants in Madison. “Do you have any time Wed to discuss the book nomination for Edgewood College?” the message read. “Preferably over beer, Maybe just before during or after dinner? It is due Fri.” Beer was certainly included...

Breaking News, The Adventure Gap, Yosemite / 24.04.2015

My publisher the Mountaineers Books informs me that my work of non-fiction The Adventure Gap: Changing the Face of the Outdoors will be on sale in Yosemite National Park! As you can imagine I'm really excited! Much of the inspiration behind my work in diversity in outdoor recreation stems from the creation of the National Park Service. The story of the famed Buffalo Soldiers and their efforts to protect and preserve wilderness areas at Yosemite and Sequoia at the turn of the last century lit a fire in my spirit...