Photos by Keith R. Cerny Hundreds of spectators and more than a dozen teams took to the ice just north of Creede over the weekend for the Golden Pick Tommyknocker Pond Hockey Tournament. Members of the

CREEDE- The warm afternoon sun glistened off the ice rinks north of Creede Saturday while teams from all walks of life took to the ice for the annual Golden Pick Ice Hockey Tournament in Creede. Hockey players from all over the U.S. gathered for a weekend full of fun, friendly competition and winter recreation.
The event began as a way to break up the bleak winter months in Creede and has grown to a full-on festival of sorts for the small mountain town. The tournament brings characters of all different backgrounds to town which give the event that special Creede-like feel; a uniqueness that can only be found in and around the west end of the Valley.
The weekend started out with 24 teams between two levels of players for the event. Players came from local businesses and organizations as well as hockey enthusiasts from places as far as Michigan to as close as Alamosa. The weekend was a great success and ended with two champions from each level.
The tournament consists of two levels of competition and is set up in a way that ensures each participating team gets to play at least one playoff game by the end. The schedule is known to hockey enthusiast as a round robin format with a three on three team play.
Spectators gathered around bonfires, cheering their favorite teams on from the bleachers or gathered near the ice rink edges to get snapshot photos of the action on the ice. Everyone in attendance enjoyed the opportunity to get out and have some good ol fashioned winter fun.
Level one winners were the Canyon Coolers and level two winners were Weekends Tavern. Congratulations to all the teams that participated and a huge thanks goes out to all of the volunteers, businesses and organizations that helped to make it a great weekend in Creede!