The Know’s most-read stories of 2022, from a problematic Pikachu to long ski-lift lines

At the end of every year, we take a look at our pageview data to see which stories were read the most online. Each time, there are some standard favorites, along with a few surprises.

It certainly didn’t shock us, for instance, that stories about Vail (and the backlash the resort faced about long lift lines last season) and Casa Bonita (and its timelines for reopening) logged a pair of spots on this list. After all, they are two of Colorado’s favorite destinations and topics.

But public spaces and a Pikachu problem? They certainly weren’t on our bingo card for 2022.

Two popular pastimes that remain a near-constant on this list are food and music. That’s especially good news this year because it means people were interested in dining and going to concerts again after two years of staying away from crowded venues.

Here’s the list of our top 10 most-read stories in 2022.

10. Meow Wolf co-founder Matt King, who was instrumental in Denver location, has died

Anyone who has visited Meow Wolf in Denver, which opened in 2021, has admired the work of Matt King. “He was the lead artist on The Cathedral, the whimsical technicolor structure that anchors Convergence Station, among many other installations,” we wrote in July.

King, “who was instrumental in bringing the immersive installations in Denver, Santa Fe, and Las Vegas to life,” died on July 9 in Santa Fe at age 37. According to the Wall Street Journal, King died by suicide.

9. Here’s every concert coming to Red Rocks Amphitheatre in 2023 (so far)

The concert season at Red Rocks Amphitheatre gets longer each year as music lovers brave the elements starting in early spring and keep rocking almost until the winter holidays. While many of the major headliners don’t announce dates until later in 2023, plenty have already signed on (and sold tickets) for the upcoming season. We let you in on every one of those announced dates in a post from November that garnered quite a bit of interest — and we’ve continued to update that post as we hear about more performers. Most tickets are available through axs.com.

8. “Downtown is dead”: Why Denver restaurants are moving to the suburbs

The big city got a bad rap in 2022 — and deservedly so: With growth has come traffic congestion, crime, unaffordable housing and construction, construction, construction. But as Denver officials tried everything they could think of to bring office workers, shoppers and diners back to the urban core after two years of pandemic-related avoidance, a slew of bar and restaurant owners turned toward the suburbs and smaller cities in the mountains and along the Front Range.

As Kris Wallenta of Denver’s Dos Santos restaurant said in our story, “Everyone’s always like, ‘Denver, Highlands, RiNo!’ ” But the city’s neighborhoods have become prohibitively expensive to operate in, he explained. They come with higher minimum wages and more competition for workers, real estate and customers.

7. Denver’s most perfect breakfast burrito comes with green chile and a side of controlled chaos

There is almost no Colorado conversation more popular — and more divisive — than who makes the best breakfast burritos. That became clear after we ran this love letter to one specific Santiago’s location last June. And the topic, like the green chile inside, only gets hotter. But this story wasn’t just about the burrito, it was about the atmosphere, the sublime chaos and the particular joys of the Santiago’s store at Sixth Avenue and Santa Fe Boulevard — something that has to be experienced to be truly appreciated in all of its glory.

6. An 89-year Denver staple opens its second neighborhood restaurant

After opening a second location in January, one of Denver’s oldest dives notched one of the city’s shortest tenures — something that was a little surprising considering how many people were interested in reading about Billy’s Inn. The 90-year-old establishment, which has held down the corner at 4403 Lowell Blvd., in the Berkeley neighborhood, opened its second iteration in January at 1222 Madison St., serving fish tacos, enchiladas, burgers and more.

The restaurant space had been occupied for more than a decade by Tag Burger Bar, which closed at the end of October 2021. But east-siders, hungry for news about new restaurants, weren’t so hungry when it came to Billy’s, which shut its doors just 10 months later. The neighborhood spot is expected to be taken over by Crepes ‘n Crepes (formerly of Cherry Creek) in early 2023.

5. Amy Schumer’s mock-promotional “Colorado” sketch prompts feedback at state tourism office

“Whatever kind of experience you’re looking for, you can find it here, in Colorado,” comic Amy Schumer said in a video short she released in September to promote Season 5 of her sketch series, “Inside Amy Schumer,” on Paramount+. “And all the services you may need.”