The $67 million storm has passed. For now.

That is roughly how much was spent on all of Colorado’s competitive primaries for statewide and federal office — and almost all of it went to influence Democrat-vs.-Democrat contests as voters picked who would represent the party in November’s election, according to an analysis by The Denver Post. Millions more went to down-ballot races, such as local legislative races.

The rain from the proverbial storm of cash poured down in the form of candidate mailers, door knockers, and TV and digital ads, and in less apparent campaign infrastructure and polls. The vast majority of the money went directly to campaigns and supported direct messaging, staffing and other expenses of running for office.

But more than a third — almost $25 million — flooded the races through super PACs and other outside groups that approach politics with different levels of opacity.

The money also didn’t do much to predict eventual winners. Four of the most-monied candidates seeking statewide or federal offices won their primaries. Four others lost.

Paul Teske, a political scientist at the University of Colorado Denver, said it can be tough to tease out how much of a difference money can make in a campaign, especially if spending between candidates is in the same ballpark. But the amount this time also seems striking, even if there isn’t an immediate apples-to-apples comparison to prior election years.

“People realize this is a way to influence policy that can be effective — if it’s the right place, at the right time, in the right way,” Teske said.

Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg appears to have been the single largest player in Colorado politics in the June 30 primaries. The billionaire pumped $5 million in cash into a state super PAC backing U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet’s failed bid for governor against Attorney General Phil Weiser. Weiser ended up winning the race by more than 13 percentage points.

The race for the Democratic nomination for governor by far outstripped every other race in the primaries, with more than $24.5 million spent by either the super PACs backing the candidates or by the campaigns themselves.

That money was almost evenly split between the super PACs and the campaigns, though that number is skewed by the super PAC backing Bennet, Rocky Mountain Way. That political action committee spent nearly $11 million, almost twice as much as Bennet’s official campaign spent.

The Republican side of the governor’s race saw a relatively paltry $4.1 million spent through June 29, the cutoff for the most recent batch of campaign data. Nonprofit leader Victor Marx, who had more than $3.2 million of that money backing him either directly or through a state super PAC, narrowly secured the nomination Thursday over state Sen. Barb Kirkmeyer and third-place state Rep. Scott Bottoms.

On the federal side of the ledger, the money becomes even more opaque — though there was less of it. Campaigns’ federal reports cover fundraising and spending through June 10, though outside groups had to file more frequent spending reports in the lead-up to the election.

State Rep. Manny Rutinel benefited from the most outside money, $5.5 million, in his successful campaign for the Democratic nomination in the 8th Congressional District. By comparison, Shannon Bird, the former state representative who lost to Rutinel, saw $1.7 million spent to buoy her.

More than $3 million of outside help for Rutinel came from the Latino Victory Fund and the associated Latino Victory Project. Those groups have received money from Opportunity Forward Alliance, a dark-money group that describes itself as backing business-friendly policies, and 5000 Broadway Productions, the production company founded by Lin-Manuel Miranda.

He also benefited from almost $1 million spent by You Can Push Back, a super PAC supported by pro-AI regulations billionaire Chris Larsen. And $1.2 million backing Rutinel’s campaign came from the SOMOS PAC, a super PAC that was backed by the nonprofit Advocacy Action Fund. That nonprofit has been linked to former Google CEO Eric Schmidt and has a history of giving to self-styled progressive and abortion-rights advocacy groups.

That 8th District race — expected to be one of the most competitive in the nation, again — will almost certainly draw a gob-smacking amount of money and attention as the November general election nears. In 2024, the candidates and outside groups spent more than $40 million on the election that saw U.S. Rep. Gabe Evans, a Republican, win the seat. It was among the top 10 most expensive races in the country and is seen this time as key to whichever party will hold the House majority next year.

Now Evans is running for reelection in the 8th District, which stretches from the north Denver suburbs to Greeley.

Creede is the kind of Colorado town where 95 percent of the surrounding county is public land. It sits inside the caldera of a collapsed ancient volcano in the San Juan Mountains. Sheer cliffs ring the town on nearly every side. The upper Rio Grande runs right through the area on its way out of the high country. A silver-mining boomtown in the 1890s, Creede now draws people who want trails, water, and room to roam without a ski-resort crowd.

Creede Is An Out-of-the-Way Destination

Creede is not a quick day trip from Denver. Reaching it means a long drive down the Silver Thread Scenic Byway, which is part of what keeps the area quiet. There is no large ski resort here, so the winter crowds never form. The town’s remote spot in the caldera of an ancient volcano helps protect its natural surroundings. Around 95 percent of the land in Mineral County is public, mostly within the Rio Grande and San Juan National Forests, which makes the backcountry easy to reach.

Finding The Best Outdoor Spots

Creede sits inside the Rio Grande National Forest, which covers more than 1.8 million acres in a ring around the San Luis Valley and reaches the Sangre de Cristo Range. The Rio Grande headwaters rise within it. The forest takes in all or part of four Wilderness Areas: Sangre de Cristo, South San Juan, La Garita, and Weminuche. The Sangre de Cristo Wilderness holds four 14ers, among them the 14,194.8-foot Crestone Needle, which many climbers rate as one of the most challenging summits in the state. The Crestones sit on the far side of the range, roughly a two-hour drive from Creede.

A Hiker’s Paradise

The Creede area has more than 50 hiking trails, and the most popular include the Big Meadows Reservoir Trail, the San Luis Summit, and the Up and Over Trail. Big Meadows runs about 2.6 miles, starts at the boat ramp parking lot, and loops around the lake. Hikers who want to stay overnight can pitch a tent at the Big Meadows Campground. The San Luis Summit is a long out-and-back of about 11 miles with several thousand feet of climbing, and it is a common choice for a first 14er because the route stays non-technical. Bring plenty of water, because the upper trail has no reliable natural source. The Up and Over Trail covers roughly 3 miles with a steep start. The payoff comes near the top, where a short scramble off-trail opens onto a wide view of the country around Creede.

Heading To The Water

Hikers and climbers are not the only ones with options here. The Rio Grande holds rainbow and brown trout, which makes it a good spot for a few hours of fishing. People who want to get on the water can raft or kayak the river and the surrounding mountain streams. Most rafting trips run Class I, II, and III rapids, and rafters can also reach the Upper Box south of the reservoir. That stretch is the river’s most demanding, with Class III and IV water for experienced paddlers. Anyone after a calmer day can float the Oxbow section, where the rapids stay in the Class I and II range.

Taking The Bachelor Loop Scenic Drive

The Bachelor Loop Scenic Drive is a 17-mile route through the old silver-mining district and ghost towns above town. The road follows West Willow Creek past evergreen forest and opens onto views of the surrounding peaks. Numbered interpretive stops, keyed to a guidebook sold at the Creede Visitor Center, mark the way and explain what is left of the mines.

Finding Waterfalls

Creede also puts you within reach of North Clear Creek Falls, often called one of the most photographed waterfalls in Colorado. It sits along the Silver Thread Scenic Byway, a short paved spur off Highway 149, with a parking lot and a level walk to the overlook. The falls drop more than a hundred feet over a deck of volcanic tuff. The observation area has restrooms and picnic tables, so it works as a stop for a couple of hours.

Creede’s Unique Selling Point

Like a lot of Colorado towns, Creede has one attraction that stands above the rest. Past the mountains, forests, rivers, and falls, there is the Wheeler Geologic Area. This formation sits in the La Garita Wilderness of the San Juan Mountains, east of Creede, where roughly 60 acres of pale volcanic tuff have eroded into a maze of spires and hoodoos inside the Rio Grande National Forest. The tuff was laid down by the ash-flow eruptions of the volcanic San Juans, and a four-wheel-drive vehicle is the safest way in, since the road turns rough.

The trip starts on Pool Table Road, a gravel road that climbs to 10,840 feet in about ten miles and ends at Hanson’s Mill. From the mill, the route becomes a four-wheel-drive road, Forest Service Road 600. The formations sit only about 300 feet above the mill, so there is little climbing left, but the ruts and loose rock keep speed low, and the 14-mile run can take around four hours. There is a lot to see along the way, including fir and spruce stands, plus deer and elk, and the occasional coyote. The road ends half a mile short of the formations, where a foot trail finishes the route.

A Quiet But Welcoming Town

Creede may be off the beaten path, but the surroundings and the residents both make it easy to stay a while. The forests, mountains, and water keep people coming back, and locals tend to have a story ready along with a tip on where to go. In town, you can take a mine tour, ride horseback, visit the Creede Underground Mining Museum, or catch a production at the Creede Repertory Theatre, which has run summer seasons since the 1960s. There is something to do in most weather.

Best Time To Visit

Summer brings the most comfortable temperatures for outdoor days in Creede. General activities are best between late June and early August, and water levels for rafting and paddling tend to peak from late June into late July.

Find Nature At Its Best In Creede

Creede rewards anyone who would rather not share the wilderness with thousands of others. It is one of the few Colorado towns where you can put real miles on your boots without crossing paths with a crowd. There is no five-star hotel and no ski resort, but there is open country, a working mining history, and a town that still operates on its own terms. The backcountry that drew the miners is still here, and it starts at the edge of Creede.

Colorado’s mountains are in for a hot, dry weekend as a heat dome sets up over the West, according to forecasters.

National Weather Service forecaster Kate Abbott said the ridge of high pressure that is building will push out any lingering moisture away from the Western Slope and could send temperatures soaring. Some locations are likely to break daily high temperature records.

“In general, starting Saturday, most of the region is (forecasted to be) about 10 degrees above normal for this time of year,” Abbott said. “Especially north of (Interstate 70), we see that number grow to 10 to 15 degrees above normal on Sunday and Monday, potentially into Tuesday too.”

The extreme heat comes as Colorado faces a historic drought and five major wildfires burn across the state. 

Counties including Summit, Eagle, Pitkin, Lake and parts of Grand, Garfield, Rio Blanco and Moffat have experienced exceptional drought — the highest level — for the majority of the past three months, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. Every county west of Denver has fire restrictions in place banning campfires.

While a high-pressure system is expected to bring calmer winds than July has seen so far, Abbott said the risk of wildfires will remain elevated due to the heat and record-dry conditions resulting from the drought.

“Just be cognizant of making sure to stay extra hydrated this week and to seek shade or stay indoors as much as possible,” Abbott said. “Even in the mountains, we’re still going to be well above normal for this time of year. Do what you can to keep yourself safe and prepared for the incoming heat.”