Founded in 1993, 5280 is the largest local magazine in Colorado. The magazine's stories often make national headlines, and since 2005 5280 has been nominated for four National Magazine Awards. Get 5280 Magazine digital subscription today.
It’s been 25 years since I first stepped onto African soil. I was a wide-eyed study-abroad student fortunate enough to be able to travel the globe for 100 days. Every country I visited, across three continents, brought indelible experiences that changed my worldview. Let’s be honest, though: The food was as mind-blowing as anything else. This was especially true in both South Africa and Kenya, because while I tried new-to-me dishes in India and Vietnam and Japan, those cuisines were relatively familiar to my American palate. But African foods hadn’t—and still haven’t—been as widely exported to the United States as others, which is what made digging into braai (South African barbecue), bobotie (a minced-meat casserole), ugali (cornmeal mush), and irio (mashed potatoes with corn, peas, and greens) so revelatory for…
Senior staff writer Robert Sanchez might kindly be described as baseball-obsessed: He has tens of thousands of baseball cards in his collection, has played in fantasy leagues for the past 30 years, and once was the Little League teammate of Hall of Famer Roy Halladay. So when a parent at one of his daughter’s swim meets mentioned that she was the first general manager of a professional women’s baseball team called the Colorado Silver Bullets three decades ago, Sanchez was determined to chase down the story. Over the past several months, he reached out to former players, who in turn connected him with even more sources for “The Girls Of Summer” (page 92). “For a baseball fan like myself, that was heaven,” Sanchez says. He heard countless unforgettable anecdotes, not…
Sometimes, Marta Sulima gazes at her clients with envy. “There’s always a part of me that wishes I got married while skiing because skiing has been a big part of my husband’s and my relationship,” Sulima says. Unfortunately, tying the knot on the slopes was still a novelty when she exchanged her vows in 2019. But now, with an increasing number of couples eschewing the expense of traditional ceremonies in favor of elopements and micro weddings, many Coloradans are opting to say “I do” clicked into their skis and boards. That’s created a cottage industry of photographers specializing in ski weddings, including fellow photog Gabrielle Stowe, the 30-year-old Summit County creative behind Ski The Day Photography, who shot 11 weddings, 14 proposals, and three engagements last ski season. Stowe says…
WITHIN ONE WEEK First Meal The wolves will likely make their initial kills just days after their releases. Elk should comprise the largest portion of their diets, which will also include deer and moose, plus the occasional farm animal and small mammal. 1.5 MONTHS Divide & Conquer CPW can’t predict when the wolves will establish new territories—which typically range from 20 to 120 square miles—but canids reintroduced to Yellowstone National Park in 1995 started to carve out ranges 35 to 40 days after their release. WINTER 2024-’25 Second Release Because established packs typically don’t accept solo wolves, it’s more likely those set free in subsequent winters will couple up with wolves released at the same time or with wild-born young adults who’ve left their birth packs. FEBRUARY 2025 Meet-Cutes Mating…
THE ISLAND Southeast Denver It’s usually a balmy 78 degrees inside this 24,000-square-foot volleyball mecca in southeast Denver. If the thermostat isn’t enough of a draw, there are six sand courts you can rent (from $40 for four people), lessons (prices vary), and multiple leagues for two-, four-, and six-player squads, many of which need a free agent or two to fill out their rosters. Celebrate victory with your new teammates—or take the sting out of defeat—at the indoor beach bar, which is stocked with 60 kinds of tequila. SOUTH BROADWAY COUNTRY CLUB Multiple locations If your partner is antsy for the front nine to thaw, get her out of the house by booking her a tee time at South Broadway Country Club (Overland and Berkeley; $50 per hour). Its…
Arnica & Lemon Verbena Serenity Lotion Leaf People founder and herbalist Julie Williams hikes nearly an hour up the mountains outside Aspen to harvest the wild arnica for this skin soother. The flowering herb, which has long been used as an anti-inflammatory, creates a lotion that isn’t just hydrating but also ache-minimizing and mind-clearing. $40 Red Rocks Beard Oil Wiry goatees and thick mutton chops don’t stand a chance against the softening blend of horehound, hops, and yarrow in this beard oil made by Longmont’s Colorado Aromatics. Vetiver oil also adds a woodsy aroma to the vegan-approved beard-tamer. $15 Co-Wash Bar Scented with coconut, citrus, and verbena, this all-in-one shampoo and conditioner from Denver’s woman- and Black-owned Black Travel Box is ideal for sailing through DIA security: Light yet mighty (one 2.64-ounce…
