Chris Walker joined 5280 as an associate editor in June 2022, and contributes stories for both 5280 Magazine and 5280.com. As a rule, he’s always on the hunt for stories that make him go “wow.” Chasing those stories has taken him around the globe; Walker’s award-winning reporting has spanned four continents for publications including The Atlantic, Playboy, the Atavist, VICE, NPR, Rock and Ice, Backpacker, Forbes, and LA Weekly – among others. In 2020, he released the narrative podcast series The Syndicate, about skydiving drug smugglers, which peaked at #9 on Apple’s top show chart. Prior to that, Walker was a staff writer for Denver’s alternative-weekly, Westword, where he specialized in feature stories. Those ranged from investigative pieces about immigration detention and police surveillance to more adventurous dives into secret LSD laboratories and anti-government militias. More information about Walker’s work, including a list of journalism awards, can be found at chrisallanwalker.com.