Kristen Clingerman and the rest of the Trailheads celebrate as the Colorado Springs Switchbacks defeated Rhode Island to win the USL championship Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024, at Weidner Field in Colorado Springs. The Switchbacks won 3-0. Clingerman said she had waited a decade for this moment. Clingerman went to the first ever Switchbacks game 10 years ago and has been a season ticket holder ever since. (The Gazette, Christian Murdock) (Christian Murdock, The Gazette)
Events and stories from last year through the eyes of Gazette photojournalist Christian Murdock
Kristen Clingerman and the rest of the Trailheads celebrate as the Colorado Springs Switchbacks defeated Rhode Island to win the USL championship Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024, at Weidner Field in Colorado Springs. The Switchbacks won 3-0. Clingerman said she had waited a decade for this moment. Clingerman went to the first ever Switchbacks game 10 years ago and has been a season ticket holder ever since. (The Gazette, Christian Murdock) (Christian Murdock, The Gazette)Alex, right, and Michael Korofkov from the Los Angeles area explore the Ice Caves at the Grottos on Independence Pass outside Aspen, Colo., on Wednesday, June 19, 2024. (The Gazette, Christian Murdock) (Christian Murdock, The Gazette)Ryan Tedder and OneRepublic play during the opening night of the Ford Amphitheater Friday, Aug. 9, 2024, in Colorado Springs. (The Gazette, Christian Murdock) (Christian Murdock, The Gazette)Turning leaves cling to a tree near Prospect Lake in Memorial Park as a jogger and his dog circle the lake Tuesday morning, Oct. 29, 2024. (The Gazette, Christian Murdock) (Christian Murdock, The Gazette)Denver Broncos wide receiver Devaughn Vele (17) leaps over Los Angeles Chargers cornerback Cam Hart (20) while safety Alohi Gilman (32) and linebacker Daiyan Henley (0) try to tackle him during the fourth quarter Sunday, Oct. 14, 2024, at Empower Field at Mile High in Denver. The play set up a touchdown pass to Denver Broncos wide receiver Troy Franklin (16). (The Gazette, Christian Murdock) (Christian Murdock, The Gazette)Mawa’s Kitchen owner and chef Mawa McQueen poses for a picture in her Aspen, Colo., restaurant Wednesday, June 19, 2024. (The Gazette, Christian Murdock) (Christian Murdock, The Gazette)The sun rises as wind turbines produce power Friday, Aug. 2, 2024 near Judge Road and North Calhan Highway east of Falcon, Colo. (The Gazette, Christian Murdock) (Christian Murdock, The Gazette)Dark skies, stars and a train ride. It’s giving perfect autumn vibes. Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad is offering a Dark Sky Train on Saturday and Oct. 3. Passengers will travel along the Colorado and New Mexico border and into the San Luis Valley, where they’ll stop at Big Horn Wye, a location unreachable by road. Everybody will deboard for 90 minutes of stargazing in some of Colorado’s darkest night skies, $200-$235; 1-888-286-2737, cumbrestoltec.com/special-trips/dark-sky-train. (The Gazette, Christian Murdock) (Christian Murdock, The Gazette)Chrystina Page, right, holds back Heather De Wolf, as she yells at Jon Hallford, left, the Return to Nature co-owner facing hundreds of felony charges after the discovery of 189 improperly stored bodies, leaves his preliminary hearing with his lawyers Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024, outside the El Paso County Judicial Building in Colorado Springs. De Wolf and Hallford are mothers of sons believed to be among the bodies found at the funeral home. (The Gazette, Christian Murdock) (Christian Murdock/The Gazette)The morning sun spotlights a paddle boarder as he glides across Memorial Park’s Propect Lake Friday, Aug. 30, 2024, in Colorado Springs, Colo. (The Gazette, Christian Murdock) (Christian Murdock, The Gazette)Joanne Garrison, 92, listens to speakers during the ribbon cutting ceremony outside the Penrose Library in downtown Colorado Springs Wednesday, April 10, 2024, as the Pikes Peak Library District downtown branch reopened after being closed for two months for renovations. Garrison, who grew up in Manitou Springs before moving to Colorado Springs about 10 years ago, has been going to libraries since she was a child. “I’m so happy this is happening,” Garrison said about the reopening. (Christian Murdock/The Gazette)A mother moose and her calf touch noses while soaking in Cottonwood Lake near Buena Vista, Colo., Saturday, July 20, 2024. (The Gazette, Christian Murdock) (Christian Murdock, The Gazette)A homeless man sleeps on the sidewalk in downtown Colorado Springs June 28, 2024. The Gazette’s Christian Murdock won first place for social justice photography at the Top of the Rockies competition with photos about life on the streets. (Christian Murdock, The Gazette)Nuggets MVP center Nikola Jokec plays with his daughter, Ognjena, 2, during the second period of the Colorado Avalanche game against the Vancouver Canucks Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2024, at Ball Arena in Denver. (Christian Murdock/The Gazette)Eric Whitman, left, Linda Ehmann and Jeff Lehman judge the pie baking contest Thursday, July 4, 2024, during the Pioneer Fourth Celebration at the Elbert County Museum in Kiowa, Colo. Sherie Wyatt’s cherry pie won the adult catergory and Anbrey Archuleta’s Crown Royal peach blueberry pie won the youth catergory. The all of the pies were auctioned off afterward with money raised going to the Elbert County Historical Society & Museum. (Christian Murdock, The Gazette)Volunteers lift Reed Small, 19, and his TrailRider over the tight turns of the 16 Golden Stairs as they reach the summit of 14,115-foot Pikes Peak Sunday, Aug. 25, 2024. About 50 volunteers from the Lockwood Foundation helped Small, who has spina bifida, climb America’s Mountain. (Christian Murdock, The Gazette)Ryan Shannon kisses his wife, Kathy Shannon, while playing in the snow Friday, March 15, 2024, in Middle Shooks Run Park. Downtown Colorado Springs received about 14 inches of snow from Wednesday night into Friday morning. (Christian Murdock/The Gazette)Denver Broncos cornerback Ja’Quan McMillian (29) celebrates with fans in the end zone after intercepting a Cleveland Browns quarterback Jameis Winston (5) pass and running it back for a touchdown during the fourth quarter Monday, Dec. 2, 2024, at Empower Field at Mile High in Denver. The Broncos won 41-32. (Christian Murdock, The Gazette)Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby (87) scores against Colorado Avalanche goaltender Alexandar Georgiev (40) during the second period Sunday, March 24, 2024, at Ball Arena in Denver. (Christian Murdock/The Gazette)A helicopter battles the Vision Hills Fire north of Pueblo, Colo., Friday, April 5, 2024. (Christian Murdock/The Gazette)University of Colorado dance student Sam Blagg shoots a video of her friends Sasha Trubitsyna, left, Becca Schaffi, in pink, Devon Beckum and Kylie Powers as they dance among the tulips on along the Pearl Street Mall in Boulder, Colo., Friday, April 26, 2024. Blagg was recording the video as part of her senior project as a dance major. (Christian Murdock/The Gazette)Charlie Mathews, 11, from Castle Rock, uses all the muscles she has to close the stall door for her horse Diego Friday, Aug. 23, 2024, in the 4H barn during the first day of the Colorado State Fair in Pueblo. The fair runs through Labor Day, Sept. 2, 2024. (Christian Murdock, The Gazette)Arizona St. forward Kyle Smolen (25) score past Air Force goaltender Guy Blessing (1) during the second period Friday, Oct., 4, 2024, at the Cadet Ice Arena on the U.S. Air Force Academy. (Christian Murdock, The Gazette)Colorado School for the Deaf and the Blind alumnus Frank Cancino, left, answers a question for the current students during the school’s 150th Anniversary celebration Monday, April 8, 2024, at the Colorado Springs school. Other alumni who joined Cancino on stage were Walter VonFelt, left to right from Cancino, Kellie Moothart, Roy Lucardie, Rebecca Shields, Linda Souza, and Jerre Scofield. (Christian Murdock/The Gazette)Air Force Reserve Master Sgt. Billy Price, 70th Flying Squadron, Jumpmaster, looks out the 98th Flying Training Squadron UV-18 plane as it flies over the Bullseye Auxiliary Airstrip on Bohart Ranch Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2024, east of Colorado Springs. (Christian Murdock/The Gazette)A goat munches on a weed Friday, April 5, 2024, in Bear Creek Regional Park. The 425 goats from Goat Green will be eating in the park until April 13. This year celebrates the 25th anniversary of the goats in the park. (Christian Murdock/The Gazette)Professional mountain runner Joseph Gray helps a young runner with is uphill running skills on the second day of the COS-TRCK Trail Running Camp for Kids Thursday, July 25, 2024, at Palmer Park. The goal of the camp, for children second to eighth grade, is to introduce youngsters to trail running and to show them that train running is for everyone. (Christian Murdock, The Gazette)Glen Hollingworth hugs Katie Cleveland during a candlelight vigil outside Club Q on Nov. 19 to remember the five people killed and 19 injured during a shooting at the nightclub two years earlier. (Christian Murdock, the Gazette)Chili, a Boston terrier – Chihuahua mix, links her owner, Claire Gammon, Thursday, Jan. 18, 2024, at The Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region. Chili played for Team Ruff in the 2024 Puppy Bowl on Animal Planet. Puppies from the local Humane Society have played in the game for two straight year. (Christian Murdock/The Gazette)Gazette sports columnist Woody Paige holds his first typewriter, an Olivetti Lettera 22, that his father bought for him as a child Tuesday, April 16, 2024, in his Denver home. Paige was inducted into the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame April 17, 2024. (Christian Murdock/The Gazette)Colorado Avalanche left wing Artturi Lehkonen (62) celebrates with left wing Zach Parise (9) after scoring against Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck (37) during the first period in Game 4 of an NHL Stanley Cup first-round playoff series Sunday, April 28, 2024, at Ball Arena in Denver. (Christian Murdock/The Gazette)Visitors ride the Defiance Roller Coaster at the Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park Thursday, June 20, 2024, above Glenwood Springs, Colo. The park’s newest roller coaster features a record-breaking 102.3 degree free fall. (Christian Murdock, The Gazette)Pittsburgh Steelers offensive tackle Troy Fautanu (76) kneels on the field and prays before the first half against the Denver Broncos Sunday, Sept. 15, 2024, at Empower Field at Mile High in Denver. (Christian Murdock, The Gazette)Colleen Foster holds a collage made from pictures of her deceased daughter, Cailin Foster, while her husband retired Air Force Lt. Col Gary Foster stands in the background Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, in the Monument, Colo., home. Cailin commited suicide on Nov. 7, 2021, after dealing with the trauma caused by being sexually assaulted in 2017 while attending the U.S. Air Force Academy. (Christian Murdock, The Gazette)Yana Maylk hugs her father, Volodymyr, and mother, Natalia, as she enters Ukraine from the Polish border Friday, Dec. 8, 2023. All commerical flights into Ukraine have been suspended because of the war with Russia. Maylk took a train from Katowice, Poland, to the border town of Prezmys’l. Then took a shuttle bus to the crossing. (Christian Murdock/The Gazette)A worker saws the broken cement at an apartment building in Dnipro, Ukraine, Monday, Dec. 11, 2023, that was attacked by the Russians earlier this year on Jan. 14. The attack killed 46, including six children, and injured 80 people. Eight are still missing. Some the dead were refugees from the Luhansk Region of Ukraine where Malyk lived. (Christian Murdock/The Gazette)A bombed railroad car that was destroyed by an Russian attack on March 5, 2022, frames an exhibit of destroyed Russian Military Equipment Friday, Dec. 15, 2023, in St. Michael’s (Mykhailivska) Square in Kyiv, Ukraine. The empty train was traveling from Kyiv to Irpin to transport refugees to safety. (Christian Murdock/The Gazette)A swing lies silent outside a destroyed apartment complex in Izyum, Ukraine, Thursday, Dec. 14, 2023. On March 4, 2022, Russian air attacks killed 44 or more civilians. Ukraine forces liberated the city in Sept. 2022 and afterward local police discovered a mass grave of 440 bodies in the town. The city administration estimates that all in all, about 1,000 people lost their lives under the Russian occupation. (Christian Murdock/The Gazette)Mariia Vynnychenko, left, and Olekander Bydantser kiss above the Dnipro River in the Volodymyrska Hirki Park Friday, Dec. 15, 2023, in Kyiv, Ukraine. (Christian Murdock/The Gazette)
