Colorado’s Thanksgiving Snow and Women Artists: Weekend Totals and Capitol Gallery Spotlight

As Thanksgiving weekend 2025 wrapped up in Colorado, two defining stories emerged—one blanketing the state in fresh snow, the other shining a spotlight on women artists whose impact has long been underrepresented.

Colorado’s First Snow: Totals, Delays, and High Country Hope

For Denver residents, the wait for the season’s first snow stretched far past the historical average. While the first measurable snow typically graces the city around October 18, this year’s late arrival—recorded at a modest 0.2 inches at Denver International Airport—set a new record for the latest trace of snow in Denver’s history. Most of the metro area saw less than an inch, leaving city sidewalks and parks with only a fleeting dusting.

But the story was different in Colorado’s high country. After weeks of worry and postponed ski area openings, the mountains finally received the much-needed blanket of powder. According to the National Weather Service, Cameron Pass and Rabbit Ears Pass each saw 10.8 inches, with Mount Zirkel close behind at 9.3 inches. Ski resorts from Arapahoe Basin to Breckenridge reported anywhere from 2 to 7 inches, bringing hope to operators and skiers alike.

The relief was palpable. Earlier in the season, some resorts had to rely entirely on artificial snow, while others delayed opening due to warm temperatures. This fresh layer meant not only improved conditions for winter sports but also a lift for local economies reliant on tourism.

Here’s a snapshot of the highest snow totals recorded:

• Cameron Pass: 10.8 inches
• Rabbit Ears Pass: 10.8 inches
• Mount Zirkel: 9.3 inches
• Loveland Pass: 7 inches
• Breckenridge: 6.2 inches
• Winter Park: 5 inches
• Keystone: 5 inches

With more snow forecast for Sunday night into Monday, the high country could see up to 10 additional inches, signaling a promising start to the winter season.

Women Artists Take Center Stage in the Capitol’s Rotunda Gallery

While the mountains were layered in white, inside the Colorado State Capitol, a different kind of landmark was being celebrated. The Rotunda Gallery unveiled “Living Tradition. Past. Present. Future. Colorado Women Artists,” a sweeping exhibition honoring twelve women who shaped, and continue to shape, Colorado’s art scene.

Annette Coleman, one of the driving forces behind the project, stood in front of the Capitol’s imposing staircase, surrounded by murals depicting mostly male figures. “I wonder how the twelve portraits in the rotunda change the percentage of women in the building,” she quipped, encapsulating the exhibition’s mission: rewriting the narrative to include the stories of women artists who have been essential to Colorado’s cultural history.

The exhibition, organized by the Women’s Caucus for Art Colorado Chapter (WCACO), is the result of four years of dedicated collaboration. The murals, painted on canvas and designed as mobile works, feature a black-and-white portrait of each artist surrounded by imagery drawn from her life and work. The process itself became a story of shared vision—each portrait finished by designated “Face Whisperers,” like Rebecca Gabriel, who specializes in portraiture and figure painting.

“There’s a real synergy when artists work together,” Gabriel reflected. Instead of solitary studio work, she experienced the ‘magic of collaboration’ as she and others contributed to each mural. The collective spirit is woven into every canvas, emphasizing not just artistic excellence but also the community impact of each featured woman.

Among the honorees is Epiphana “Eppie” Archuleta, a master weaver from La Jara in the San Luis Valley. Archuleta’s legacy extends beyond her art—she founded a wool mill, trained new weavers, and created a sustainable business rooted in local tradition. Her work resides in the Smithsonian, but her greater achievement may be the lasting vitality she brought to her community.

Another mural celebrates Carlotta Espinoza, a muralist and figure of Denver’s Chicano/a arts movement in the 1960s and 70s. Espinoza’s public artworks, many created for activist Rodolfo “Corky” Gonzales, honored Mexican-American history. Though most of her murals have been lost, this exhibition ensures her legacy endures.

The exhibition, free to the public and open through March 2026, is more than a collection of art—it’s an act of historical restoration. Gabriel summed up the sentiment: “Women… they’re not honored, they’re not shown. So we’re not gonna wait for the museums or the galleries. We’re gonna take it into our own hands.”

Weather, Art, and the Colorado Spirit

As Coloradans navigated icy roads and celebrated the return of snow to the slopes, the Capitol’s Rotunda Gallery offered a different kind of warmth—a place to honor the creativity, resilience, and community spirit of Colorado’s women artists. Both stories, unfolding over the same weekend, reflect the state’s unique blend of natural beauty and human ingenuity.

For those planning visits or watching forecasts, resources like the Pinpoint Weather Alert Day, interactive radar, and weather newsletters keep locals informed. Meanwhile, the Rotunda Gallery’s exhibition invites visitors to reflect on the past, present, and future of Colorado’s cultural landscape.

Colorado’s Thanksgiving weekend 2025 brought together nature and culture in vivid relief. The snow may have arrived late, but the high country’s transformation brought hope for winter, while the Capitol’s murals rewrote the story of who gets remembered in Colorado’s halls of power. Both remind us that lasting change—whether in weather or in history—often comes from collaboration and persistence.