Colorado is famous for a lot of things: world-class athletics, destination snow sports and amazing mountain views you won’t find anywhere else. According to the Guinness Book of World Records, we could add motorcycle poker runs, roller derby, gorilla costumes and dog weddings to that list, too.
To show off our charitable, quirky and impressive residents, organizations and local businesses, we rounded up a handful of Colorado world records you should know about. If you search the archives yourself, you’ll also find plenty made at Coors Field, inside the Pepsi Center and at the Winter X Games, but we limited this list to the charitable, cool and downright strange.
Longest chalk pavement art
Greeley | Recorded September 2015
Photo courtesy of Cloudgate Aerial Cinematography
In 2015, the City of Greeley held Chalk-a-lot, an event that would highlight the community’s artistic culture and show off the Greeley Creative District, which is home to the city’s highest concentration of arts-related businesses. The 3.55-mile stretch of chalk art wound through two University of Northern Colorado parking lots and beat out the former record holder—a German city called Jena—by 400 feet.
You can see more photos of the event on the Cloudgate Aerial Cinematography website.
Most points scored in a WFTDA Roller Derby power jam by an individual
Broomfield | Recorded April 2013
Though recorded in Broomfield at the First Bank Center, this world record was broken during a roller derby bout between FoCo Girls Gone Derby (now known as FoCo Roller Derby) and Castle Rock ‘n’ Rollers. FoCo player Megan Lazorski (known on the rink as Slim Skatey) took home the record after scoring 50 points in a power jam, which if you didn’t know, is when the other team’s jammer has been sent to the penalty box leaving only one team’s jammer on the track to score.
Largest motorcycle poker run (same start and end points)
Fort Collins | Recorded May 2013
Held every Memorial Day weekend in Northern Colorado, Realities Ride & Rally is hosted by Realities for Children in partnership with Thunder Mountain Harley-Davidson in Loveland. In 2013, the event’s motorcycle ride became the world’s largest motorcycle poker run! Check out the event website here so you can attend the next one.
Oldest active pilot ever
Longmont | Recorded January 2007
Born March 14, 1902 just one year before the legendary Wright Brothers flight, Cole Kugel, a resident of Longmont, holds the record as the world’s oldest qualified pilot ever. He died in June 2007 of natural causes, but flew for the last time at age 105 in that same year.
Longest ears on a living dog
Boulder | Recorded June 2010
Born in 2003, Harbor is a Black and Tan Coonhound with a pair of incredibly impressive ears. When recorded on June 8, 2010, his left ear measured 12.24 inches long and the right measured a whopping 13.5 inches! He and his family live in Boulder.
Most balloons blown up in one hour by an individual
Allenspark | Recorded September 2015
Hunter Ewen had a lifelong fear of balloons and a desire to overcome that fear. So, in 2011, he did it in the most fun way he could think of. He inflated 582 balloons in 60 minutes. After being unseated, he took the record back in 2015 with a whopping 910 balloons in one hour! The official measurement took place at the Wild Basin Lodge and Event Center in Allenspark and Hunter lives in Boulder.
Loudest bark by a group of dogs
Denver | Recorded November 2009
In November 2009, 76 dogs and dog lovers came together with Petmate in Denver’s Washington Park to help raise food for local dog rescues and break a world record. Together, all 76 dogs barked to reach 124 decibels! And all owners donated at least one tin of unopened dog food.
Most people drawing on an Etch-A-Sketch
Lyons | Recorded June 2011
In Lyons, Colorado in June 2011, Jeff Gagliardi and Clark Hodge organized an event to take home this world record. A total of 372 people came together with full-sized Etch-A-Sketches to draw the local landmark, Steamboat Mountain.
Largest ball of stickers
Longmont | Recorded January 2016
In honor of the first National Sticker Day, StickerGiant, a company based in Longmont, made the world’s largest ball of stickers. Their gargantuan creation weighed 231.6 pounds with a circumference of 8.8 feet.
Largest gathering of people dressed as gorillas
Denver | Recorded October 2009
A total of 1,061 recorded participants donned their gorilla costumes and joined the fun on Halloween 2009 for a record-breaking 5k race. Before and after 2009, the Mountain Gorilla Conservation Fund organized The Denver Gorilla Run every year for a total of 14 years but is now looking for a new fundraising event to raise conservation funds and awareness. You can learn more on their website here.
Largest gathering of people wearing false mustaches
Denver | Recorded November 2015
In 2015 during the same month as Movember, UCHealth and the Denver Broncos hosted a record-breaking event to raise awareness for issues affecting men’s health, including prostate and testicular cancer. During a blizzard, thousands of fans inside the stadium donned their free orange mustaches two minutes before halftime to set the record. Though the number was officially recorded by Guinness at 6,471 people, attendance at the game was closer to 77,000, and people all over the country joined in on social media.
Greatest vertical distance rock climbing in 24 hours
Boulder | Recorded May 2011
It’s no surprise to hear a rock climbing record was broken in Boulder. In 2011, Will Levandowski climbed 29,130 total feet in just 24 hours on Flagstaff Mountain near this foothills town. He climbed a 10 foot, 1.25 inch rock formation a total of 2,883 times.
Deepest geothermal hot spring measured by a plumb line
Pagosa Springs | Recorded August 2011
A must-see destination that we highlighted in 18 Colorado Hot Springs You Need to Visit this Year, The Springs Resort & Spa has 23 pools located along the San Juan River in Pagosa Springs. In 2011, the ancient geothermal hot spring was measured by a plumb line that reached 1,002 feet, and that measurement didn’t stop because they reached the bottom. The line ran out before they could! Today, the actual depth of the spring is still unknown.
Largest dog wedding ceremony
Littleton | Recorded May 2007
In Littleton on May 19, 2007, 178 dog pairs met during a speed dating session and got married at a group ceremony soon after. The Bow Wow Vows event was organized by the Aspen Grove Lifestyle Center and participants received a complimentary wedding certificate.
Do you know a record breaker?
Tell us about him, her or the team in the comments below!
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