Each year, 5280 submits its journalism to regional and national competitions. Although our first priority is to serve our readers with stories that entertain and inform, we believe it’s important to have our work judged alongside our peers’. Not only do these contests let us know how we measure up, but they also give us plenty to aspire to. Over the years, 5280 has been fortunate to garner nominations and wins at several of the industry’s most prestigious awards competitions. Below, we’ve compiled a running list of some of the trophy winners for your reading pleasure.
2024 Winners
National City and Regional Magazine Awards
Writer of the Year: Robert Sanchez
Judges said he “exemplifies the best of 21st century magazine journalism” with a voice that is “clear, compassionate, and eminently fair.” The pieces recognized include “The Good Samaritan” (March 2023), “Primed” (August 2023), and “Through the Fire” (December 2023).
Excellence in Writing: July 2023
Judges said the issue “boasts vivid prose and insightful storytelling from cover to closing page.” Features inside include “116 Reasons to Love Denver,” “Inside the Reopening of Casa Bonita with Trey Parker and Matt Stone,” “Best of the Colorado Trail,” “The Quiet Crisis,” and “In the Land of the Lost.”
Best Reader Service: The Sense & Sensibility of Being an Abortion Haven (June 2023)
The fall of Roe v. Wade—which happened one year ago this month—has affected, and will continue to have an impact on, Coloradans and those who travel to the Centennial State for abortion care. Here’s what you need to know, no matter your stance. By Lindsey B. King, editor
Best Ancillary Publication: General Interest: 5280 Health
2024 Nominations
National City and Regional Magazine Awards
Best Reader Service: What Are the Odds? (May 2023)
It’s been three years since the first sports betting wagers were placed in Colorado. We look at how the controversial law has affected Coloradans—and explain how you can (responsibly) get in on the action. By Lindsey B. King, editor
Best Leisure/Lifestyle Interests: In the Land of the Lost (July 2023)
Very old rock and a dry climate give the American West one of the richest fossil records in the world. We dug into the history of dinosaur discoveries in the Centennial State, where to see the coolest bones, and what Coloradans who study the remains of Earth’s prehistoric inhabitants are learning today. By Jessica LaRusso, deputy editor
Excellence Online: 5280.com
Judges said the “digital content resonates with locals and visitors to the sixth-fastest-growing metro area in the country,” and the “writing and overall quality of this publication endure.”
2023 Nominations
National Magazine Awards
Best Lifestyle Journalism: Stars Bright (May 2022)
Travelers are flocking to the West for what its wide-open spaces lack: light pollution. From savvy rural towns that have gone dark to attract stargazers to protected places where visitors can watch the constellations as the country’s original inhabitants did, we break down where—and how—to best enjoy the night sky in the Centennial State. By Jessica LaRusso, deputy editor
National City and Regional Magazine Awards
Best Essays/Commentary/Criticism: Is This Land Your Land? (April 2022)
The terrain now known as Colorado is rich with the trails, stories, traditions, and knowledge of people who have lived here since the beginning of memory. It’s also etched with the trauma of centuries of violent colonization of Indigenous individuals and communities. The contemporary practice of land acknowledgment aims to reckon with this past and atone for historical harms—but does it work? By Kate Siber
Best Civic Journalism: The High Cost of High Country Living (September 2022)
Breckenridge has the most short-term rentals of any municipality in the state—more than 4,000 in a town of just 5,100 permanent residents. What does that imbalance mean for those who live and work in this quintessential Rocky Mountain town? By Devon O’Neil
Best Reader Service: One Pill Can Kill You: The Fentanyl Crisis (November 2022)
With over 900 deaths last year and more expected in 2022, it’s clear that Coloradans aren’t getting the message: This stuff is deadly. By Lindsey B. King, editor
2022 Winners
National Magazine Awards
Best Service Journalism: Shattered Minds (July 2021)
Medical professionals say there’s reason to be concerned about the safety of high-THC cannabis concentrates, particularly as they relate to the mental health of teenagers and young adults. With use on the rise among kids, experts are sending out an SOS, but it may not be reaching the intended audience: Colorado parents. By Lindsey B. King, editor
National City and Regional Magazine Awards
Best Reader Service: Shattered Minds (July 2021)
Medical professionals say there’s reason to be concerned about the safety of high-THC cannabis concentrates, particularly as they relate to the mental health of teenagers and young adults. With use on the rise among kids, experts are sending out an SOS, but it may not be reaching the intended audience: Colorado parents. By Lindsey B. King, editor
Best Leisure/Lifestyle Interests: Where the Ancestors Whisper to You (September 2021)
If you’re willing to listen, Colorado’s Mesa Verde National Park has plenty of secrets to reveal—and just as many mysteries to ponder. More than 115 years after it was established to protect the archaeological sites left behind by the Ancestral Puebloans, we take you back in time with this comprehensive visitor’s guide. By Lindsey B. King, editor
Best Reporting: Criminal Defense (December 2021)
How the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe’s race to protect its sovereign nation from the COVID-19 pandemic transformed its southwestern Colorado reservation, members, and leadership forever. By Robert Sanchez, senior staff writer
2022 Nominations
National Magazine Awards
Best Lifestyle Journalism: The Beginner’s Guide to Winter Camping (November 2021)
Your tent might say it’s only designed for spring, summer, and fall, but that’s no reason not to fully enjoy all the solitude and snow-globe scenery the fourth season has to offer. We asked local backcountry veterans for tips, tricks, and hacks that will help you gear up, stay warm, sleep (relatively) well, eat right, be safe, and have a great time in Colorado’s winter wonderland. By Lindsey B. King, editor
National City and Regional Magazine Awards
Best Civic Journalism: Life and Death in the Mountains (August 2021)
After two teens died by suicide last year, how will Summit County address its ongoing mental health crisis? By Devon O’Neil
Best Feature Story: Dear Colorado… (September 2021)
When Elijah McClain’s 2019 death began attracting national attention during the summer of 2020, thousands of people from across the country mailed letters to Governor Jared Polis, begging for justice, fairness, and a bit of hope. We read every one. By Robert Sanchez, senior staff writer