Summit Journal

Presenting Cover A for 𝘚𝘶𝘮𝘮𝘪𝘵 𝘑𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘢𝘭 325, our Fall 2026 issue. Subscribe by August 1 to get this issue. (Keep an eye out for the Cover B reveal tomorrow 👀)

On the cover: “Beaver the Cat.” Acrylic on paper, 10.25x13.5 inches, 2026. Painted for 𝘚𝘶𝘮𝘮𝘪𝘵 𝘑𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘢𝘭 by Sally Deng (@sa.deng).

A cat. On a plane. In Alaska. What more could we ask for? After reading the first draft of Zach Lovell’s (@thealpinelife) profile of Beaver — the longtime resident cat of Alaska’s Talkeetna Air Taxi (@talkeetnaair) — which appears in this issue, we knew it would make for a fun, whimsical cover. We also knew @sa.deng was the one to get it done. Inside Summit Journal 325, there are some heavy, heart-wrenching themes. But there’s also lots of levity and silliness. Beaver’s story encapsulates both. (Plus, 𝘚𝘶𝘮𝘮𝘪𝘵 featured a dog on the cover back in 1980. Only seemed right that we get a cat on there one of these days...)

Keep an eye out for a signed-and-numbered limited-edition print of “Beaver the Cat” — coming soon.