Craig Welch
@craigwelch.bsky.social
Writer tracking climate and more. Mediocre trail runner. Soccer nut. Priors: senior staff writer at National Geographic. Also: Seattle Times, Jackson Hole News. https://www.linkedin.com/in/craig-welch/
On the way to a 6 am ferry two years ago today. I sure do love this city.
November 7, 2025 at 4:36 PM
On the way to a 6 am ferry two years ago today. I sure do love this city.
It’s that time of year, again.
Went on a long run in a local park yesterday. Rained so much and wind blew so hard, I’d swear it was 20 degrees colder by the time I finished. I know I sure was.
Went on a long run in a local park yesterday. Rained so much and wind blew so hard, I’d swear it was 20 degrees colder by the time I finished. I know I sure was.
October 27, 2025 at 2:09 AM
It’s that time of year, again.
Went on a long run in a local park yesterday. Rained so much and wind blew so hard, I’d swear it was 20 degrees colder by the time I finished. I know I sure was.
Went on a long run in a local park yesterday. Rained so much and wind blew so hard, I’d swear it was 20 degrees colder by the time I finished. I know I sure was.
🧵 The @nytimes.com just named this issue of National Geographic the 18th most influential magazine cover of all time. Photo editor Vaughn Wallace, artist Jorge Gamboa and cover creator Emmet Smith deserve all the praise they've received for this arresting design. BUT .... 1/3
October 2, 2025 at 12:09 AM
🧵 The @nytimes.com just named this issue of National Geographic the 18th most influential magazine cover of all time. Photo editor Vaughn Wallace, artist Jorge Gamboa and cover creator Emmet Smith deserve all the praise they've received for this arresting design. BUT .... 1/3
The kid is back in school. We all adjust in our own way.
September 10, 2025 at 5:12 PM
The kid is back in school. We all adjust in our own way.
Been battling nagging injuries since January but finally pulled off my first Cascades trail run for the year. I’ve lost several steps—we were not fast. But we ran for 3+ hours and got back to the car knowing we could have gone longer and higher. So grateful to be back #running in the mountains.
August 24, 2025 at 11:47 PM
Been battling nagging injuries since January but finally pulled off my first Cascades trail run for the year. I’ve lost several steps—we were not fast. But we ran for 3+ hours and got back to the car knowing we could have gone longer and higher. So grateful to be back #running in the mountains.
🧵
Cool journalism moment: Years ago, for my first overseas assignment at National Geographic, I went on a 22-kilometer patrol at 11,000 ft in the Ethiopian Highlands and took notes on a cliff overlooking the Great Rift Valley while looking for poachers. I was writing about monkeys. 1/2
Cool journalism moment: Years ago, for my first overseas assignment at National Geographic, I went on a 22-kilometer patrol at 11,000 ft in the Ethiopian Highlands and took notes on a cliff overlooking the Great Rift Valley while looking for poachers. I was writing about monkeys. 1/2
June 19, 2025 at 12:36 AM
🧵
Cool journalism moment: Years ago, for my first overseas assignment at National Geographic, I went on a 22-kilometer patrol at 11,000 ft in the Ethiopian Highlands and took notes on a cliff overlooking the Great Rift Valley while looking for poachers. I was writing about monkeys. 1/2
Cool journalism moment: Years ago, for my first overseas assignment at National Geographic, I went on a 22-kilometer patrol at 11,000 ft in the Ethiopian Highlands and took notes on a cliff overlooking the Great Rift Valley while looking for poachers. I was writing about monkeys. 1/2
11 yrs ago today I got this voicemail at work: "I sell the Real Change newspaper across the street in front of that recovery cafe...Got a copy of your book called 'Shell Games?'...Working my way through it and people keep trying to buy it from me on the street corner...But I don't want to sell it."
June 4, 2025 at 1:48 AM
11 yrs ago today I got this voicemail at work: "I sell the Real Change newspaper across the street in front of that recovery cafe...Got a copy of your book called 'Shell Games?'...Working my way through it and people keep trying to buy it from me on the street corner...But I don't want to sell it."
Friends are in the N. Cascades running a long VERY hilly trail race. Normally l’d join but i’m injured.
Wished them luck. Got this response.
“Well, as you know, this race is not about luck. it's about diligence and sticking to your training schedule. Needless to say we are f***ed.” 😎😂😳
Wished them luck. Got this response.
“Well, as you know, this race is not about luck. it's about diligence and sticking to your training schedule. Needless to say we are f***ed.” 😎😂😳
May 17, 2025 at 7:05 PM
Friends are in the N. Cascades running a long VERY hilly trail race. Normally l’d join but i’m injured.
Wished them luck. Got this response.
“Well, as you know, this race is not about luck. it's about diligence and sticking to your training schedule. Needless to say we are f***ed.” 😎😂😳
Wished them luck. Got this response.
“Well, as you know, this race is not about luck. it's about diligence and sticking to your training schedule. Needless to say we are f***ed.” 😎😂😳
When my daughter was younger I did a pretty solid job keeping track of all the funny stuff she said. This, from preschool, was among my favorites.
April 27, 2025 at 2:41 AM
When my daughter was younger I did a pretty solid job keeping track of all the funny stuff she said. This, from preschool, was among my favorites.
Sometimes the desert provides.
April 16, 2025 at 7:00 PM
Sometimes the desert provides.
April 14, 2025 at 6:40 PM
It appears my constant Googling to figure out how best to stay fit enough to keep trail running as my aging body breaks down has finally led me to the inevitable:
April 8, 2025 at 10:18 PM
It appears my constant Googling to figure out how best to stay fit enough to keep trail running as my aging body breaks down has finally led me to the inevitable:
Some of the best and brightest in magazine journalism demand the new leaders of Outside magazine take their names off its masthead. Their letter, and one more—an especially visceral bolt of fury from longtime contributor Hampton Sides.
Another amazing publication torn asunder by non-journalists.
Another amazing publication torn asunder by non-journalists.
March 13, 2025 at 12:01 AM
Some of the best and brightest in magazine journalism demand the new leaders of Outside magazine take their names off its masthead. Their letter, and one more—an especially visceral bolt of fury from longtime contributor Hampton Sides.
Another amazing publication torn asunder by non-journalists.
Another amazing publication torn asunder by non-journalists.
2/2 And here are the photos I tracked down to get the colorful detail.
FWIW: It also shows the value of having government agencies track important events in detail.
FWIW: It also shows the value of having government agencies track important events in detail.
March 4, 2025 at 9:23 PM
2/2 And here are the photos I tracked down to get the colorful detail.
FWIW: It also shows the value of having government agencies track important events in detail.
FWIW: It also shows the value of having government agencies track important events in detail.
Saw someone do this today and realized it might be useful. (I keep this on my desktop for talks with students.)
For those who don't trust legacy media: Here are the reporting steps I took to write just the opening paragraph of a single National Geographic story. (Typical for big stories.) 1/2
For those who don't trust legacy media: Here are the reporting steps I took to write just the opening paragraph of a single National Geographic story. (Typical for big stories.) 1/2
March 4, 2025 at 9:23 PM
Saw someone do this today and realized it might be useful. (I keep this on my desktop for talks with students.)
For those who don't trust legacy media: Here are the reporting steps I took to write just the opening paragraph of a single National Geographic story. (Typical for big stories.) 1/2
For those who don't trust legacy media: Here are the reporting steps I took to write just the opening paragraph of a single National Geographic story. (Typical for big stories.) 1/2
Young writers: Just a reminder that the neuroses will stick with you pretty much forever.
February 16, 2025 at 3:51 AM
Young writers: Just a reminder that the neuroses will stick with you pretty much forever.
If you need a smile today, the comments on @whysharksmatter.bsky.social's post are utterly delightful and worth your time.
Also, some baby king crab my old colleague Steve Ringman photgraphed years ago. Just because.
Also, some baby king crab my old colleague Steve Ringman photgraphed years ago. Just because.
January 20, 2025 at 7:02 PM
If you need a smile today, the comments on @whysharksmatter.bsky.social's post are utterly delightful and worth your time.
Also, some baby king crab my old colleague Steve Ringman photgraphed years ago. Just because.
Also, some baby king crab my old colleague Steve Ringman photgraphed years ago. Just because.
The first fay of a 5-day journey across Drake Passage from Antarctica a few years ago this month. Spent 20 hours a day in my bunk trying not to get sick. (This was BEFORE the actual storm hit.) Footage shot by drone from the back deck by Paul Nicklen, Andy Mann, Jeff Patterson, Shane Moore.
January 17, 2025 at 8:34 PM
The first fay of a 5-day journey across Drake Passage from Antarctica a few years ago this month. Spent 20 hours a day in my bunk trying not to get sick. (This was BEFORE the actual storm hit.) Footage shot by drone from the back deck by Paul Nicklen, Andy Mann, Jeff Patterson, Shane Moore.
Now that was a fun (and uplifting—really!) assignment. Two years ago today, looking out over Wayag in Raja Ampat, Indonesia while reporting my last National Geographic magazine story.
January 13, 2025 at 4:33 PM
Now that was a fun (and uplifting—really!) assignment. Two years ago today, looking out over Wayag in Raja Ampat, Indonesia while reporting my last National Geographic magazine story.
Lovely wet run on San Juan Island.
December 29, 2024 at 7:13 PM
Lovely wet run on San Juan Island.
Prettiest long run in ages. (Yesterday it was spitting rain w/35 mph winds. Today we woke up to this instead.) Grateful
December 15, 2024 at 10:11 PM
Prettiest long run in ages. (Yesterday it was spitting rain w/35 mph winds. Today we woke up to this instead.) Grateful
