Cail Nelson of Durango enjoyed Creede’s annual Pond Hockey tournament in January; he is the son of Creede natives Coleman and Sarah Nelson. Photo by Keith Cerny

CREEDE— Since 2017 came to a close a year ago, people are pumping fresh blood in Creede. Changes include a new city manager, new and renewed town trustees, refreshed board seats and other positions for Mineral County, a new school board president, a new pastor and two residents who recently volunteered to help address planning and zoning issues.
For many shared situations, Creede and Mineral County are a near-eclipse Venn Diagram. Throughout 2018, city and county board members overlapped duties to address issues like flume restoration. County commissioners also worked with school board members to increase security by positioning boulders on school grounds.
Yet while residents and officials tackled serious government issues, the town also had fun all year playing hockey, parading through the streets and gobbling chocolate and holiday meals together.
On Jan. 3, 2018 a crew from New York, Oklahoma and Colorado assembled in Creede to spend a couple weeks filming “Bob and Dale,” a 13-minute production currently circulating with film festival directors for consideration.
On Jan. 13, the 11th Annual Golden Pick Pond Hockey Tournament challenged organizers to get enough ice time before it turned to slush time. Nearly two dozen teams competed. Winning the Level One division for the third consecutive year, the Dull Blades packed a roster with players from Michigan, Minnesota, Albuquerque and Littleton. The Wapiti Warriors won the Level Two bracket, enjoying their 10th year in the tournament.
Also in January, Reverend Sarah B. Linn became the new pastor for Creede Community Church.
Winning districts to advance, the Creede Miners boys basketball team finished fourth in the Colorado 1A tournament.
Mineral County Search & Rescue received a snowmobile trailer donation from Wolf Creek Ski Area owner David Pitcher in March.
On April 17, the City of Creede Board of Trustees swore in new trustee Joel OConnell, and incumbents Dana Brink and Frank Freer renewed their oaths.
In June, the flume restoration project was delayed by a week but remained on schedule until completion in September.
The school board elected Damon Gibbons as its new president to replace John Howard.
Donkeys dashed with their runners and marathoners completed the Runoff Runoff.
An old fighter plane passed twice over town and the Mineral County Sheriff’s department led more than 50 floats and walkers to start Creede’s Fourth of July parade. Twin mining competitions — the state championships and the Days of ’92 competition — challenged skills throughout the day. Following a performance of “Wizard of Oz,” a special Fourth of July rodeo drew a crowd to the Mineral County Fairgrounds. Dry conditions precluded fireworks, but that didn’t stop an estimated 10,000 people from enjoying Independence Day in Creede.
Rio Grande National Forest Supervisor Dan Dallas signed a draft record decision for road access for the Village at Wolf Creek.
Runners scooted along the Snowshoe Shuffle course in August while the 17th Annual Creede Rock and Mineral Show drew another huge crowd. Timber headed out of the San Luis Valley on railcars for the first time in three decades, one of many first steps for the Forest Management & Marketing Cooperative (F2MC).
The Creede Balloon Festival launched the start of Labor Day weekend festivities in Creede, followed by a mountain run on Saturday and the Salsa Fiesta.
Residents and students met at the Wolf Creek Ski Area on Sept. 7 to learn about wildfire science at the Bridging the Divide event with presentations from Forest Service personnel.
City Clerk Randi Snead resigned in September, and Deputy Clerk Krisen Buchanan took over duties. The Creede flume project renovation work wrapped up in September.
Once again recording one of the highest per-capita turnouts in the state, Mineral County showed 84 percent participation at the polls in November. Treasurer Patti Payne was re-elected, a position she has held for 20 years.
Commissioner Scott Lamb was re-elected for his third term. Also re-elected, Mineral County Assessor Libby Lamb joins Clerk and Recorder Eryn Wintz. Running unopposed, Fred Hosselkus won the Mineral County sheriff race, and Jimmy Adelman became the county’s new coroner.
The Ladies Aid Society hosted Thanksgiving dinner at the Creede Community Center on Nov. 17, and the Mineral County Sherrif’s Department delivered meals to a few dozen residents at home.
Creede’s streets streamed with sweet-crazed shoppers during the 29th Annual Creede Chocolate Festival and Arts & Crafts Fair on Nov. 23–24.
Principal John Goss received the Demont Award at the 78th Annual CASB Convention at the Broadmoor in Colorado Springs. The Demont award recognizes exceptional school administrators.
The starting gates opened for this season’s Wolf Creek Ski Race Series on Dec. 15, then residents gathered on Dec. 22 to share the Creede Community Christmas Dinner.
City of Creede added two people to help tackle Planning & Zoning issues, Sharon Brown and Dax Hahs. Hired in November, City Manager Louis Fineberg started managing city issues at his first meeting with town trustees.
The Creede Board of Education is moving ahead with real estate proceedings for property on La Garita St.
The 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver dismissed reinstating a land exchange deal for the Village at Wolf Creek.
Throughout holidays, construction projects and the daily activities of mountain living, the town of Creede enjoyed an energy-infusion from its residents in 2018.