2023: Colorado’s year in photos

Wolves

Just last week, 10 wolves from Oregon were released in Colorado, launching the voter-approved reintroduction of wolves in the state. It was a long haul, from the Colorado Parks and Wildlife finalizing its plan to find wolves to Monday’s release. It’s the start of a 3- to 5-year process that has already seen plenty of dissension and conflict.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife released five gray wolves onto public land in Grand County on Dec. 18, including wolf 2302-OR, a yearling female from the Five Points pack in Oregon that weighed 68 pounds. (Provided by Colorado Parks and Wildlife)

While we’re talking about wildlife

Horse roundups continued on the Western Slope and hundreds more were removed, meanwhile wildlife officials also this year dealt with a couple of invasive species. But one thing we can all agree on: Colorado high-country pikas are cute. 

Diversity in the outdoors

Millions of people, mostly white, get out into the Colorado outdoors every year. But there are people and groups who continue to help open roads to underserved groups.

ABOVE LEFT: Nelson Holland at Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge on Dec. 14. Holland moved to Colorado around 2014 and now has over 70,000 TikTok followers under his account @fatblackandgettinit. (Olivia Sun, The Colorado Sun via Report for America) ABOVE TOP: Skiers dance at the MidVail pavilion following a BBQ during the National Brotherhood of Skiers summit Feb. 8 at Vail. (Hugh Carey, The Colorado Sun) ABOVE BOTTOM: Canyon River Instruction’s Elisha McArthur puts on glitter before putting in the Arkansas River on July 19 near Salida. McArthur has been a raft guide since age 15 and started Canyon River Instruction offering women-specific whitewater rowing courses. (Hugh Carey, The Colorado Sun) BELOW: Andrea Ramos with her daughter, Jimena, during a hike Oct. 16 in Avon. “She can smell the difference,” her father, Mario, says of the 10-year-old with cerebral palsy on a nature walk. (Hugh Carey, The Colorado Sun)

Adventure

For those with the means to roam — and a tolerance for risk — Colorado serves up an endless supply of outdoor adventures, from adrenaline-spiking thrills to moments of seclusion and serenity. But the secret’s out, and carving out a private nook in the playground can take patience and planning.

Laura Kottlowski ice skates on an high alpine lake inside Rocky Mountain National Park on Feb. 18 near Estes Park. (Hugh Carey, The Colorado Sun)

Agriculture

Producers of some of Colorado’s best-known crops scrambled to keep ahead of the unexpected. Drought and hail brought thin profits to wheat farmers. Tiny worms infested Olathe’s famous sweetcorn fields. In southern Colorado, heavy rains dampened, but didn’t decimate, the annual chile harvest, while the grape growers of Fremont County helped float a resurgence in little-known wines.

ABOVE: Justin Lewton removes stalks of feral wheat with a pocketknife in a field south of Fort Morgan on July 28. The presence of feral wheat, an annual grass weed, can result in lower yield and grain quality of a harvest of red winter wheat. (Olivia Sun, The Colorado Sun via Report for America) BELOW: A worker moves yellow onions from a truck to a storage facility in Olathe on Oct. 20. (William Woody, Special to The Colorado Sun)

Education

Strained budgets, a persistent teacher shortage and sharp divisions over issues of race, gender and sexuality made for another charged year for Colorado schools, even as they grappled with continuing fallout from the pandemic. Amid the tumult, the state’s largest teachers union showed its political muscle, helping to get most of its preferred candidates onto local school boards. 

LEFT: Naomi Peña Villasano, a senior graduating from Grand Valley High School in Parachute, stands for a portrait wearing her Mexican-American sash at the state Capitol building in Denver on May 5. Peña Villasano’s school threatened to not let her walk if she wore the garment. (Eli Imadali, Special to The Colorado Sun) RIGHT: Elfreida Begay teaches a Navajo language class at Durango High School on Nov. 2. (Nina Riggio, Special to The Colorado Sun)

Arts & Culture

Arts patrons and concertgoers are getting back into the seats after the pandemic silenced much of the entertainment world. Yes, Colorado was part of the Taylor Swift spectacle, but we learned Coloradans also are still feeling the old school vibe at drive-ins.

ABOVE: Anthony Pages, left, readies himself to catch his airborne wife, Vanya, 60 feet above the ground during their trapeze act Aug. 27 at the Colorado State Fair in Pueblo. The High Flying Pages, like most fair entertainers, perform multiple shows a day. (Mike Sweeney, Special to The Colorado Sun) MIDDLE LEFT: Rita the Rock Planter, made out of wooden planks and dead tree branches by Danish artist Thomas Dambo, finds new home outside Victor on Aug. 4. (Hugh Carey, The Colorado Sun) MIDDLE RIGHT: Madeline Dannewitz, Zane Masslic and their dog, Dasher, watch previews before the screening of “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” at the Holiday Twin on July 11 in Fort Collins. (Olivia Sun, The Colorado Sun via Report for America) BELOW: A dancer performs on the floor in sync with the drummers during the 47th annual Denver March Powwow on March 17 at the Denver Coliseum. Native American dance groups representing nearly 100 tribes from U.S. and Canada converged as a kickoff to the summer’s powwow season. (Hugh Carey, The Colorado Sun)

Michelin comes to Colorado

For nearly a century Colorado cuisine has flown under the radar when it comes to the Michelin Guide — that star-studded bible of fine dining — but no more!  In September, five Colorado restaurants were awarded Michelin stars, a mark of excellence in the culinary world poised to bring new attention to the state’s thriving restaurant scene. 

Guests mingle at Colorado’s first Michelin Guide ceremony Sept. 12 at Mission Ballroom in Denver. Michelin inspectors assess a restaurant based on five criteria: product quality; mastery of cooking techniques; harmony of flavors; voice and personality of the chef as reflected in the cuisine; and consistency over time across a menu. (Olivia Sun, The Colorado Sun via Report for America)

Sports (high highs and low lows)

Fans watched as professional sports in Colorado went in opposite directions with the Nuggets claiming their first NBA title and filling the streets of downtown Denver, while the Rockies endured their first 100-loss season in team history. And if that wasn’t enough, there was plenty going on as Coach Prime started a new chapter for CU football. 

ABOVE: Denver Nuggets fans celebrate at Civic Center park in downtown Denver on June 15 following the team’s NBA championship win earlier in the week. MIDDLE: Denver Nuggets point guard Jamal Murray, left, sprays champagne on the parade float with the NBA finals MVP Nikola Jokic, right. BELOW: Colorado Rockies fans watch in disbelief late in the game against Arizona on Aug. 15 at Coors Field in Denver. (Photos by Hugh Carey, The Colorado Sun)

High Cost of Colorado

What do grocery store staples like chicken breasts, laundry detergent and breakfast cereal have in common? The price you pay for them at the register shot up double-digits in the past five years — and that’s only a snapshot of how the rising cost of living has made being a Coloradan an expensive proposition. 

Angeles Gutierrez cleans her kitchen after making scrambled eggs and toast for Galilea, 8, and Isabella, 6, on Nov. 10 in Lafayette. Gutierrez, who says cancer runs in her family and has caused deaths of multiple loved ones, prioritizes saving money for family trips and vacations. “I save money and then I take them on trips. I have this mentality of me saving to live it now — not to save it for later, because I don’t even know when I’m going to die,” Gutierrez said. “God will say what my future is like, so I will save my money.” (Olivia Sun, The Colorado Sun via Report for America)

Equity

Reform in the criminal justice system continues to help those who often don’t have a voice. One Colorado program is helping parents stay connected with their children. Another movement is limiting the isolation for incarcerated people and recognizing the “moral injuries” clinicians can face after sending them there.

Erin Schneiderman and her 13-year-old son play with the family dog, Ernie, on May 3 at their home near City Park in Denver. (Olivia Sun, The Colorado Sun via Report for America)

Housing

The pandemic-era spike in housing prices kept home ownership out of reach for many Coloradans, sharpening the state’s high-country housing crisis and adding to the growing homeless population in Denver. Renters and policy makers together pushed for improved conditions in the rental market and more tenant protections. And urban homeless shelters struggled to meet demand, as people without homes took to living in RVs parked in long-term lots, in tents under mountain town overpasses and in makeshift communities on Denver streets.

ABOVE: On Feb. 23, former Purple Cliffs resident Thad Newhouse looks out a car window. He has been living under a tarp on snowy ground outside Durango since the shelter closed in October. “A lot of the people in town just ignore us. Like, they’re trained not to even look at you. It’s weird,” Newhouse said while catching a ride to a store with a homeless advocate. (Hugh Carey, The Colorado Sun) BELOW LEFT: Jason Pettit hangs his graduation gown in his room May 3 in Durango. Pettit was a homeless, nontraditional student at Fort Lewis College before being offered housing assistance. He graduated May 6 with a degree in psychology. (Josh Stephenson, Special to The Colorado Sun) BELOW RIGHT: Dozens of tenants and residents, joined by Colorado Homes for All, gather with signs opposing the Apartment Association of Metro Denver on June 22 in Playa del Carmen Park. Demonstrators held an anti-award ceremony, dubbed the “Slummy Awards,” in which a “Corporate Greed” character was awarded for practices that disadvantage those who are currently living with unmet housing needs. (Olivia Sun, The Colorado Sun via Report for America)

Migrant crisis

Thousands of migrants who made their way to the southern U.S. border found themselves in Colorado. Many of them left Venezuela to escape the economic crisis and authoritarian rule. We reported that some who were bused from Texas to Denver got another bus ticket out of town while others have taken refuge under a bridge in Carbondale.

ABOVE: María, last name not given, and her son, Sebastian, 8, embrace each other outside a Denver Quality Inn near Speer Boulevard and Zuni Street on Dec. 5. Migrants from Venezuela who have arrived in Denver in recent weeks have stayed in and around the hotel that is being used as a temporary shelter by Denver Human Services. BELOW: Luis, last name not given, gives a razor shave and haircut to Charlie. (Photos by Olivia Sun, The Colorado Sun via Report for America)

Colorado River

Colorado became drought-free for the first time in four years and snowpack was plentiful — a boon for the Colorado River and a break from the poor planning, political agendas and hot, dry weather that nearly pushed it into crisis. 

ABOVE: Stand-up paddle boarders explore the Dillon Reservoir as it is 101% full July 6 in Summit County. The Denver Water reservoir holds 257,304 acre-feet of water when full. (Hugh Carey, The Colorado Sun) BELOW: Using safety ropes, climbing gear and crampons for safety, a snow removal crew from Pinnacle Construction clears the roof of Town Hall in Crested Butte. The town received over 180 inches of snow by early February, making it a challenge to keep roofs, streets, sidewalks and storefronts snow free. Too much snow can cave in roofs and creates a snowfall hazard for people walking below. (Dean Krakel, Special to The Colorado Sun.)

Environment

Colorado grappled with oil and gas industry emissions while state and federal authorities looked for ways to blunt the effects of climate change. Carbon sequestration — the practice of isolating carbon and storing it underground — drew attention and grant money. So did a municipal experiment aimed at tapping geothermal energy to power entire city blocks. Consumers looked to electric vehicles and underground heat pumps in the hope of reducing greenhouse gases. 

The discharge of processed water tainted with minerals including sulfur, potassium and metallic elements from the Climax mine’s pipeline flows toward stored water pools Aug. 7. The mine uses an intricate system of channels to divert clean water away from the tailings until it is released downstream. (Hugh Carey, The Colorado Sun)

Wildfires

Thankfully, Colorado did not see any many major wildfires this year as the rainy spring set up the summer to be less dry. But, that doesn’t mean Coloradans didn’t prepare and aren’t still struggling from previous fires, including the 2021 Marshall fire. 

ABOVE: Looking west from Ohio Creek Road a plane drops retardant July 26 as smoke billows and flames rise from the Lowline fire northwest of Gunnison. (Don Emmert, Special to The Colorado Sun) BELOW LEFT: Peter Dente inspects a windowsill for residual ash that continues to seep through his house’s walls and foundation April 18 more than a year after the Marshall fire. “We really wish the house had burned down. It would have been much easier on us,” Dente said. “They would have come in with a big dump truck, and a bulldozer would scrape it clean just the way they’ve done for the houses around us next door. And because of our insurance policy, whatever it costs — they would pay for.” (Olivia Sun, The Colorado Sun via Report for America) BELOW RIGHT: Crew members of the Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control bury fire lines that were dug for practice near the Sawmill Trail in Golden. Fire lines, or fire breaks, are dug into the ground to slow a wildfire. Fire breaks expose bare ground or mineral soil that act as combustible fuels for a fire to spread. (Olivia Sun, The Colorado Sun via Report for America)

Health care

A Durango hospital stopped performing tubal ligations months after the U.S. Supreme Court revoked the constitutional right to abortions. Cities and mountain towns grasped for new ways of treating mental illness. And the breakup of a major hospital system, Centura Health, brought the potential for changes to 20 hospitals in Colorado and Kansas. 

Jacob Walter grew up on his family’s cattle ranch in Thatcher. Walter’s father died by suicide in 2016. In Walter’s high school class of 31 people, two others also lost a parent to suicide. A bleak nationwide trend saw rural suicide rates increase 48% from 2000 to 2018. (Mike Sweeney, Special to The Colorado Trust)

Mountain living

Most of the folks who live in the high country feel blessed and lucky to be there. But that doesn’t mean it’s all powder days and big rapids. We have our struggles (don’t get us started on getting mail), but when the sun goes down on those 14,000-foot mountains, that hint of appreciation comes back in. 

ABOVE LEFT: Luis Gaspar, of Lake and Company, uses a cart from the post office to carry a load of packages to the store across the street Feb. 2 in Steamboat Springs. Lake and Company has a brick-and-mortar store, but also does online sales. ABOVE TOP: An explosive triggered by the Colorado Department of Transportation was part of the avalanche mitigation process May 2 above Highway 82 on Independence Pass near Twin Lakes. ABOVE BOTTOM: Tim and Rita Ryan kiss after reciting their vows during the Marry Me and Ski Free annual event Feb. 14 at Loveland ski area. BELOW: A hot iron is branded onto the calf’s hip with the owner’s logo May 19 near Merino. The neighbors and friends get together annually to help brand the cattle to identify the owner’s cattle in case it wanders away. Branding is the only marking that lasts for an animal’s lifetime. (Photos by Hugh Carey, The Colorado Sun)

Cops & Courts

A teen who shot a faculty member at Denver East — before fatally shooting himself while on the run — reignited a debate about whether police belong in Denver schools. Victims of a 2022 mass shooting at a Colorado Springs gay and lesbian club observed the anniversary of the attack with a somber vigil at the scene of the crime, months after the shooter was sentenced to life in prison. And several police officers were charged with crimes for on-the-job conduct, reinforcing a push for police accountability. 

LEFT: A student, right, hugs a man after a school shooting at Denver East High School on March 22 in Denver. (David Zalubowski, AP Photo) RIGHT: Stephanie Clark, center, wipes a tear from Alexis Clark’s eye as Brayson Hochevar, right, and Norman Clark (not pictured) honor Ashley Paugh, Stephanie Clark’s younger sister, who was killed in the Club Q shooting in November 2022. (Olivia Sun, The Colorado Sun via Report for America)

Politics

The failure of a major property tax cut proposal at the polls dealt a blow to Gov. Jared Polis and Democrats and set up a push at the Capitol to pass some type of relief in 2024. And while voters brought big changes to the mayor’s offices in Denver and Colorado Springs, some aspects of Colorado politics stayed the same — like Rep. Lauren Boebert’s knack for drawing headlines. (Psst … google Boebert and “Beetlejuice.”) 

ABOVE LEFT: Gov. Jared Polis signs Senate Bill 169 into law April 28, which raises the minimum age to 21 to purchase firearms, and makes it illegal to sell a gun to someone younger than 21. ABOVE RIGHT: Amber Swain of Golden holds a sign advocating for gun control Monday morning at the Colorado Capitol. BELOW LEFT: Colorado Springs mayoral candidate Yemi Mobolade cheers as he runs onto the stage May 16 during an election watch party at the COS City Hub in Colorado Springs. (Christian Murdock/The Gazette via AP). BELOW RIGHT: Mike Johnston takes the stage June 6 at Union Station in Denver. (Photos by Olivia Sun, The Colorado Sun via Report for America)

Business

Colorado businesses continue to regroup after the pandemic put them in a whirlwind of emotions. For some business owners, it was time to move on. But we found others who are keeping the legacy alive or ready to start new ones.

ABOVE: Jessica McCormick, chief administrative officer, interacts with a camel rescued from a zoo in Puerto Rico at The Wild Animal Sanctuary in Keenesburg on May 4. The Wild Animal Sanctuary — a 1,214-acre facility for the rescue and care of wildlife — is the new home for bears, lions and a camel after the permanent closure of the Dr. Juan A. Rivero Zoo in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico. (Jeremy Sparig, Special to The Colorado Sun) BELOW: Greeley Hat Works hatmaker Trent Johnson, right, demonstrates how he measures the head size and shape of an employee’s head using a 19th-century conformateur tool at the shop March 15 in Greeley. Johnson is the fourth hatmaker at the company since 1909 and still uses Parisienne hat-tools to make hats by hand. (Hugh Carey, The Colorado Sun)