The future is uncertain: Will the rise of AI be catastrophic? Will grizzly bears come back to California? Alta Journal readers opened the magazine looking for answers to these questions, as well as dives into the past and new perspectives on their favorite people and places. Compiled from website traffic, social media engagement, and reader feedback, these are the stories that captivated the Alta audience this year.
“DOUG PEACOCK WANTS TO DRAIN LAKE POWELL,” BY DOUG PEACOCK
Environmentalist Doug Peacock makes a radical proposition: the Glen Canyon Dam in northern Arizona should be removed, draining Lake Powell and reinvigorating the flow of the Colorado River.
“ALTA Q&A: ‘HEART LIKE A WHEEL,’” BY JEFF KALISS
Folk-rock goddess Linda Ronstadt sits down with Alta to detail her long and remarkable career—and her retired life now that she has lost her show-stopping voice.
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“PART ONE: THE ROAD TO THE OREGON TERRITORY,” BY RUBY MCCONNELL
In the first installment of the Alta Serial “‘That Damnable Applegate Road,’” Ruby McConnell digs through the archives to retrace the creation of the Applegate Trail, which extends from Humboldt, Nevada, to southern Oregon. Though relatively unknown, the trail was one of the most popular routes of westward migration.
“THE FIRST RULE OF BOOK CLUB,” BY ELIZABETH CASILLAS
An unofficial, underground book club started by a Los Angeles librarian exists mostly through X messages and fervent conversations between members.
“SAN FRANCISCO’S 24-HOUR DINER STOPS THE COSMIC CLOCK,” BY CHRIS COLIN
A nondescript doughnut shop in San Francisco’s Bayview has retained its character and humility decades after its opening—and the diner’s doors have never closed.
“THE CAUTIONARY TALE OF J. ROBERT OPPENHEIMER,” BY JENNET CONANT
This summer’s blockbuster film Oppenheimer has new social relevance in the age of AI, when huge technological developments may be hurtling toward us faster than we can regulate them or consider the consequences, Jennet Conant writes.
“A FAN’S NOTES,” BY JESSE NATHAN
Though some describe the Oakland Coliseum as “the worst ballpark in the United States,” lifelong A’s fan Jesse Nathan argues that the stadium embodies the last of good ballpark design before new builds began popularizing the amusement park model. The former A’s stadium prioritized the sport.
“THE GRIZZLY NEXT DOOR,” BY AJAY ORONA
Researchers like Peter Alagona want to return the iconic grizzly bear to California. But questions remain about whether the state’s residents will welcome their new predator neighbors or keep them out.
“100,000,000 TAYLOR SWIFT FANS CAN’T BE WRONG,” BY DAVID L. ULIN
David L. Ulin attends Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour with his daughter, finding a grand performance and a model of empowerment for young women.
“ANAÏS NIN’S DECADE-LONG ADVENTURE IN BICOASTAL BIGAMY,” BY JOY LANZENDORFER
Anaïs Nin’s diary-like writing seemed revolutionary for its bold expressions of sexuality, though her lifestyle leaned toward domesticity. At the same time, she maintained a secret double life, married to two men on opposite coasts.
