From lighting fires on mountainsides to shedding clothing during a run throughout campus, these Colorado universities offer plenty of memorable traditions.
College is one of the most exciting times in a person’s life. It’s the bridge between childhood and becoming a full-fledged adult. For many students, it’s their first time living away from home. They learn lifelong skills while trying new activities, making friends, and preparing for an enjoyable career.
No matter where you attend, every college and university has traditions that have persisted over the years. Some of these traditions have deep, historical meaning that dates back decades or even centuries. Others are just silly things that are fun to do. And Colorado has no shortage of either variety.
Here are nine of our favorite Colorado college traditions that are still going strong today.
1. Western Colorado University: Lighting of the W
College students and fire typically don’t mix very well, but Western Colorado University is an exception. Each homecoming, Western’s Mountain Rescue Team scales Tenderfoot Mountain, spending hours soaking cotton rags in jet fuel, making torches, and spacing everything around an enormous “W” in the mountain.
Viewers down below can enjoy the show alongside live music, food, and drinks, yelling “Olé!” when the letter is fully lit. Those closer to the flames often indulge in roasting marshmallows. 2024 marked the 100th anniversary of lighting the “W.” At 25,560 square feet, it remains the largest collegiate symbol in the world.
2. University of Colorado: The Nearly Naked Mile
When the fall Colorado weather starts feeling a bit chilly, one of the best ways to warm up is by going for a run. Of course, you’re typically wearing more clothing on a standard jog, but for one night, the University of Colorado hosts the Nearly Naked Mile. It’s free to participate and helps local non-profits via donations of gently worn clothing. Students take a leisurely run through campus, then celebrate their accomplishments with a glowstick party, live DJ, and plenty of food. It’s important to get your macros in alongside any exercise, after all.
3. Northern Colorado University: Hi Bridge and Gunter Bells
Hi Bridge connects Northern Colorado University’s Gunter and Gray Halls and was a gift from the Class of 1940. Since then, anyone who crosses the bridge must offer a friendly “hi” to anyone they pass, whether they’re a longtime pal or a complete stranger. As students walk across the bridge, they may very likely hear the ringing of Gunter Bells.
Since at least 1928, Westminster chimes have rung out from the halls. The bells stopped in 1986 due to mechanical failures, but a “Bucks for Bells” campus initiative raised enough money to get them fixed. Since October 17, 1987, the bells have been ringing every 15 minutes from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.
4. Colorado State University: Comatose
Fire the cannon! That’s a frequent cry during Colorado State football games with a tradition that dates back over 100 years. CSU (then the Colorado Agricultural College) created an artillery-focused ROTC unit that sat across the street from Colorado Field and used the field to practice firing. The university’s Army ROTC students fire “Comatose,” a 1918 French 75mm field gun, after every touchdown and field goal.
Comatose also goes off during key pre-game moments, including to indicate the end of tailgating, welcoming the Rams onto the field, and accompanying the “bombs bursting in air” line of “The Star-Spangled Banner.” CSU went through a variety of cannons before receiving Comatose as a gift from the Army in 1952. Comatose has made appearances at soccer matches and volleyball games, and it’s an on-campus staple for Rams fans.
5. University of Denver: Winter Carnival
University of Denver students celebrate the first sights of winter with giveaways and hot cocoa, as well as the Winter Carnival, a week-long celebration. On-campus activities include a paint-and-sip evening and a casino night. The DU Programming Board also plans a weekend trip to Winter Park Resort. Students score discounted lift tickets, lodging, and rentals, and they can embrace a Colorado winter with skiing, snowboarding, and tubing lessons. And in a nice show of generosity, the university offers a sponsorship program for the getaway, allowing all interested students to participate.
6. Colorado College: Llamapalooza and end-of-year champagne shower
As the school year winds to a close, Colorado College hosts a couple of annual traditions that embrace an inclusive collegiate spirit. The music festival Llamapalooza takes over the Worner Quad, with live music, park games, and refreshments provided for students. While all classes can partake in Llamapalooza, only seniors are invited to the champagne shower.
The graduating class heads to the university flag pole with a bottle of their favorite bubbly (or a cheap variety, since the bulk of it is not going to be consumed). After a countdown, everyone begins spraying the scene with champagne. Most of us will never win a professional sports championship in our lifetimes. This is probably just like being in the winning locker room, only with nicer weather.
7. Colorado School of Mines: The M Climb
Some college students experience the “Freshman 15,” a bit of weight gain resulting from having access to all kinds of food on campus, particularly infinite plates at the dining hall. At the Colorado School of Mines, an engineering college in Golden, students carry a different kind of weight with the M Climb. Incoming freshmen bring a 10-pound rock, put on a hard hat, and traverse three miles of steep terrain to reach the top of Mount Zion as other students cheer them on.
Once there, they’ll find the “M-blem,” a 104’ x 107’ letter “M” on the mountain top. The climb also includes throwing buckets of white paint onto the rocks. The “M-blem” dates back to 1908, when 250 students, 20 faculty members, and “a team of burros” made the trek to build it. First-year students have climbed the path every year since 1951.
8. Regis University: Ranger Week
Springtime brings April flowers, warmer weather, and excitement about the end of the semester. At Regis University, it also means Ranger Week. This jam-packed annual festival includes events like Springo, casino nights, roller skating, and wellness days. Students also get to show off their skills with plenty of inflatable and interactive activities, such as mechanical bulls, dunk tanks, and pedal carts. If you spot Regi, the university’s fox mascot, during the festivities, give her a hearty, “Go Rangers!”
9. Air Force Academy: Spirit cheese
We’ll wrap up this list with the cheesiest entry of all. When its team scores a touchdown, Air Force Academy cadets toss cheese onto the field. Falcons head football coach Troy Calhoun said he noticed the tradition after spirit dinners when he attended the academy in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Cadets would have food fights but were soon warned that doing so would lead to demerits. Yet they found a workaround by bringing individually wrapped Kraft Singles, which technically didn’t count as a food fight object, since they were encased in plastic.
Another origin story says cadets threw cheese from their bunk beds in an effort to get the food to stick on the ceiling. Still another claims a burger joint would host a tailgate of burgers and beer for cadets, who became too rowdy and sick from overindulging on beer, leaving the hosts with many unopened cheese packages. Whatever the reason it initially began, the cheese tradition has continued onto the football field.
