Understand why HCN has a paywall on its website
Why should I pay to read High Country News online?
Why does High Country News have a paywall?
High Country News is an independent, nonprofit publication. Nearly 70 percent of our funding comes directly from subscriptions and reader donations. To continue covering the important issues facing the West, we require support from our readers. Your subscription makes a difference in what we can report on.
I am a paid subscriber. What can I read at hcn.org?
Both print and digital subscribers can access all content at hcn.org, including our archives dating back to 1970. To read, they must log in to the site with their username and password. If you are a subscriber, you can log in by clicking “Login” next to the search bar on the homepage of our site.
I do not want to subscribe. What can I read at hcn.org?
All readers can read up to four articles for free within a 30-day period. The 30 days begin when you first visit our site.
If you’d like to read more, you can sign up for our free print trial and read anything on our website for 30 days (a 30-day free digital trial). Alternatively, you can get a 15-day free digital trial if you sign up to receive our newsletter.
High Country News’ non-article pages such as general information pages (including pages with information on donations, subscriptions, and merchandise) are available for free to anyone and do not count toward the article limit.
What if I am already signed up for your newsletter, can I still get a 15-day digital trial?
If you are already signed up to receive High Country News’ newsletter, you cannot sign up again to get another 15-day digital free trial. We encourage you to sign up for our free print trial and get a 30-day free digital trial alongside it. (We're confident you'll love it.)
If I go back and read an article I have already read, will it count toward my four free articles?
No. If you view an article that you have already read, it will not count toward your four free articles.
My username and password are not working. What should I do?
If you have created a new username and password but are still unable to log in, contact our customer service department here or simply call us, Monday - Friday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. MST, at 800-905-1155.