Audio Excerpt

 If you take a look to the West, at the top of one of the mountains, you’ll see the letter M! This was placed there in 1908 by the Colorado School of Mines, also known by the nickname ‘Mines’.  Mines placed the ‘M’ there when it became the first school in the entire world to own and operate its own educational mine, located right here on Mount Zion! ‘Mines’ actually opened 30 years earlier, in 1876 and offered free tuition.. That’s right folks you aren’t hearing things.. FREE TUITION.. to Colorado residents!  Fast forward 150 years and ‘Mines’ is one of the top engineering and applied science schools in the country, with emphasis on the development and stewardship of the Earth’s natural resources.  In the 2016–17 the university was even ranked as the top institution in the entire world for mineral and mining engineering!

 

  ‘Mines’ also operates the Colorado School of Mines Geology Museum,  displaying rock and mineral specimens collected from Colorado's numerous mining districts as well as around the world. There are a few rather.. Uhh odd traditions.. students participate in each year.  One in specific involves the big M we just saw.. Any idea what that tradition is? Is it,

 

A - Trying to Steal it, B - Lighting it on fire, or C - Putting a rock beside it?

 

If you answered C, putting a rock beside it, rock on dude!! Freshman are encouraged to participate in the M-Climb, which involves climbing Mount Zion with a 10 pound rock and placing it there until graduation.  Another uhh less than usual event is the Ore Cart Pull. Students, well, pull an ore cart for 7.5 miles through downtown Denver! Now I don’t know exactly what that it is, but it can’t be light!