5280 Magazine

How racist policies and disenfranchisement helped send two settlers on a killing spree in Colorado Territory.

“Mt. Sopris is one of the most striking mountains in Colorado—and, for one writer, a connection to friends both living and gone.”

The community of Columbine has rebuilt and redefined itself over the past 20 years since the high school massacre.

One outdoor enthusiast questions the role alcohol plays in outdoor sports and in her own life, with all its risk-taking and adrenaline highs.

Six years after one man’s son was murdered in the Aurora theater shooting, he’s running for a seat in the Colorado House of Representatives to prevent more gun violence. Instead of succumbing to his loss, he became, in another victim’s words, “a warrior.”

Long-term illegal campers are leaving behind piles of trash in some of Colorado’s most scenic public lands. Locals have formed multiple advocacy and watchdog groups to deal with the waste and patrol effected areas, but it takes a multi-agency approach to mitigate the effects of chronic homelessness.

Robert Sanchez profiles members of NecroSearch, a Colorado-based volunteer organization made up of dedicated lab experts, scientists, and skilled technicians. NecroSearchers apply decades of specialized experience to help law enforcement officers locate dead bodies. Their reward? Bringing closure to the families of the deceased.

A story on the immigrant experience: Mary Kuanen and her family relocated to Denver, Colorado from Sudan to escape a civil war and humanitarian crises. Kuanen’s husband, Youn, was murdered in their suburban neighborhood, and she and her children have been trying to heal and build a better life for themselves.

Behind-the-scenes at an award-winning newspaper, gutted by staff cuts and figuring out how to survive with fewer resources.

A man goes missing near Santa Fe, New Mexico after searching for an eccentric arts and antiquities collector’s buried treasure.