Sunday, August 23, 2026

The "M Climb" Event at the Colorado School of Mines


We live close to the town of Golden, Colorado. It's a wonderful place to visit, full of attractions and things to do. Coors Brewery is located there, as well as the Buffalo Bill Museum and Grave, the Colorado Railroad Museum, the Golden History Museum and Park, and many other attractions.

 I've visited and blogged about all these places in the past, and if you are interested to learn more about them you can find those posts by using the search feature on my blog's sidebar.


Golden lies along Clear Creek at the base of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains. Founded during the Pike's Peak gold rush on June 16, 1859, the mining camp was originally named Golden City in honor of Thomas L. Golden.




The entire state of Colorado has a long mining history. My husband and I have enjoyed learning more about this history and its associated traditions as we have traveled all around the state in the past 13 years that we have lived here.




Located to the west of Golden is Mount Zion with a large letter "M" near its summit.



The large white "M" is maintained by the Colorado School of Mines. There is a tradition over 100 years old in which incoming freshmen climb 3 miles up the mountain carrying a 10-pound rock from their hometown, which is then whitewashed and added to the "M" design. 

This M Event happened this week! 

The freshmen students are given a hard hat to wear on their climb up, and many sophomores, juniors, and seniors, who are called by their nicknames the "Orediggers," line the route to cheer them on and teach them to sing the college's "fight" song, along with many who douse the climbers with water to cool them off!

The "M" has been permanently lighted at night since 1932 and is visible for many miles in the area.


Please click on both of these informational placards, which will enlarge the photos for easier reading about the "M Climb." 



Placards around the town tell stories about the tradition, and the letter "M" stands as a symbol for the prestigious engineering college, the Colorado School of Mines.



The Colorado School of Mines is a public research university that offers programs in engineering and applied science.
 
It is also home to the National Earthquake Information Center, and nearby is the National Laboratory of the Rockies, a federally funded science institution.




The Colorado School of Mines also has a very interesting, free-to-visit Mines Museum of Earth Science filled with over 7,400 square feet of rocks, minerals, fossils, and other fascinating Earth Science-related objects. It is definitely worth a visit!




This short YouTube video shows the fun M Climb Event!

Graduating students are invited to take a rock from the M as a souvenir of their time at the college.

One-room schoolhouse at the South Park City Museum in Fairplay, Colorado.

It was also "Back to School" time for our grandchildren this week!
We have two grandchildren who are in Middle School and two in High School, and they were all excited to begin a new school year and see their classmates again.

I loved this quote:
“School is a building which has four walls with tomorrow inside.”
 ~ Lon Watters


As summer winds down, I am really looking forward to the fall season and cooler temperatures ahead. Autumn has always been my favorite season!

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Sunday, August 16, 2026

"Snow" in August!


This summer, actually this year in Colorado, has been an unusual one. In winter, spring, and most of this summer, we have been experiencing warmer-than-usual temperatures and extreme drought and wildfires, many caused by dry lightning. Normal snowpack in the mountains was subpar, and rainfall was low to nil. 

Weather-wise, the West was in a "La Niña" weather system, and now we are told by meteorologists that we are headed into an "El Niño" weather system. These systems both have to do with the effects of Trade Winds and Pacific Ocean temperatures--you can read more about this weather phenomenon and how it affects different parts of the world at this link.



 Now, we have finally entered the monsoon season in Colorado.

The North American Monsoon season usually starts June 15 and runs through September each year, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. This year, as weather patterns change, it has come later, and we are beginning to see heavy cloud formations every afternoon, bringing thunderstorms and rain to many areas.


Yesterday, the monsoon brought a powerful hailstorm to our area! 

View the short video above.

One of our neighbors was hosting a baby shower at her home, so many of her guests' cars parked on our cul-de-sac. Happily, the hailstorm brought high winds, thunder and lightning, but the hailstones were not giant-sized, so they did not do as much damage as they could have. If you read a past post I wrote about weather in Colorado--this link--you can see photos of how large hailstones can become!


It looked like snow in August! I asked my husband to please push my pot of basil under our outdoor table to save it from losing its leaves. I have harvested the basil plants once to freeze for the winter, and this was my second growth. Fortunately, it survived!


The neighborhood deer enjoyed eating the bounty of leaves that fell on the ground from the hail, so they were happy!


Did I lose flowers from the hailstorm? 
Not really, as you can see that 
trying to grow much of anything here when deer frequently roam through our yards is a losing cause. 
They seem to think anything growing is good to eat.


But how could I be mad at these adorable faces?

The twin fawns born in my backyard in June are growing up fast, and they will soon lose their spots when they grow their winter coats.

Will winter bring us a lot of actual snow this year with El Niño weather? 

Time will tell!

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Sunday, August 9, 2026

The Fort in Morrison, Colorado


The Fort is a historic restaurant/steakhouse located at 19192 CO-8 in the Front Range town of Morrison, Colorado. 
It has become one of our favorite places to celebrate special occasions since we moved to Colorado!




As you can read on the sign above, The Fort was built in 
1962 by Sam'l P. Arnold and has an interesting history.
 Its adobe structure was built between 1961 and 1963 as a replica of the historic 1833 Bent's Fort located in La Junta, Colorado, along the Santa Fe Trail. The structure incorporates over 80,000 handmade adobe bricks. The building was originally intended as the Arnold family home, but during construction, rising costs prompted the decision to open the lower level of the building as a restaurant, while the family lived upstairs. 
The completed Fort Restaurant opened in February 1963, specializing in what the Arnolds called “New Foods of the Old West.”


The photo collage above shows the actual Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site. 
We visited it in 2017--you can read that blog post here.

Bent’s Old Fort National Historic Site features a reconstructed version of the 1840s adobe trading post. Archaeological excavations and original sketches, paintings, and diaries were used to reconstruct the fort, to coincide with the nation’s bicentennial and Colorado’s centennial in 1976. The reconstructed fort and its setting along the Arkansas River allow visitors to learn about its role as a trading post for Native Americans and pioneers during its existence.


The interior courtyard of The Fort has an early western theme.


It is at 6,100 feet (1,859.28 meters) elevation, nestled among beautiful giant red rock formations.



There is a fun tradition at The Fort when someone is celebrating a special occasion: a buffalo hat is placed on their head and the staff beats a drum and cheers with a loud "HUZZAH!!"  In the photo above, my husband is wearing the hat at his retirement party.
There is also an official drink toast written by Arnold which you can read here.


From The Fort's website:

"The Fort’s menu was built on meticulous research into pioneer diaries, Native American foodways, and the meals of mountain men and Santa Fe Trail travelers, blended with Spanish and Mexican influences reflective of Bent’s Fort’s historic location. Sam Arnold’s research led to his acclaimed cookbook Eating Up the Santa Fe Trail, which became the foundation of The Fort’s cuisine. Buffalo, elk, quail, and other historic staples defined the menu, along with dishes such as bone marrow, tongue, and Rocky Mountain oysters. The Hailstorm—Colorado’s first recorded cocktail, served at Bent’s Fort in 1833—became The Fort’s signature drink."


All the food at The Fort is very Western gourmet and delicious!

You can see some of their recipes on their blog at this link.



The Fort has an assortment of private event rooms, and also an outdoor seating area with beautiful views.  We once saw a bride and groom arrive for their dinner party by helicopter!

Holly Arnold Kinney, daughter of founder Sam Arnold, purchased The Fort in 1999 and led the restaurant with a deep commitment to its history until her retirement in January 2026. Under her stewardship, The Fort earned a place on the National Register of Historic Places, and its land remains protected through a conservation easement held by the Colorado Historical Foundation.

 The Fort also hosts Entertainment, Historic Lectures, Cultural Events and Dinners, Murder Mystery Dinners, Wine and Whiskey Dinners, among other special events--check their website under the Happenings and Entertainment tabs to see what is available.


You can watch this YouTube video made in 2022 for The Fort's 60th Anniversary to see some of the history of the restaurant, some of the famous people who dined there, and interviews and TV segments filmed there.

It's been so nice to have this special place nearby to enjoy through the years! 

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Monday, August 3, 2026

Happy 150th Birthday to Colorado!


Happy month of August to all!

August first was the sesquicentennial- 150th- anniversary of Colorado's statehood, and many Colorado Day celebrations were held throughout the state.
My husband and I decided to celebrate by taking a drive to nearby areas where we enjoy the scenery.
Our first stop was Golden Gate Canyon State Park, one of the 42 Colorado State Parks. Admission was free for all Colorado state parks for Colorado Day. 
 The park is located in Gilpin and Jefferson counties, around 30 miles west of Denver.  This 11,998-acre Front Range Park has 35 miles of hiking trails. It includes facilities such as a visitor center, 156 campsites, stocked fishing ponds, and over 125 picnic sites.

 (All photos and photo collages in this post will enlarge for easier viewing if clicked on)



Panorama Point Scenic Overlook in Golden Gate Canyon State Park offers spectacular views of more than 100 miles of Colorado’s Continental Divide year-round.


We enjoyed the views, the cooler temperatures at a higher elevation, and a walk along a trail. 


I was pleased to see some wildflowers along the trail despite Colorado's long drought.


Next, we drove on the Peak to Peak Scenic Highway towards Estes Park.

I blogged about this very scenic drive in this post when there was snow on the Rocky Mountains--quite a different view!


We entered Estes Park — a beautiful town just outside the eastern entrance to Rocky Mountain National Park.

I've blogged about both locations many times, as you can see from labels on my blog sidebar, as we have had many wonderful times in both locations in the thirteen years that we've lived in Colorado.



On this occasion, we went to one of our favorite places to dine in Estes Park--Smokin Dave's Barbecue! My husband and I ordered a double platter meal that comes with two sides and a corn muffin. Needless to say, there was so much delicious food that we both had leftovers to take home <smile>

From Estes Park, we drove a portion of US Route 36 toward our home. It travels through a beautiful portion of St. Vrain Canyon, alongside St Vrain Creek.

It was a wonderful day out and a fun way to celebrate Colorado turning 150 years old as the 38th state of the United States!

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