The M

An icon for both Colorado School of Mines and the city of Golden, the M is one of the most recognizable symbols of Colorado, visible to millions of people every year. 

Located high above campus on Mount Zion, the M is maintained by Mines' Blue Key club and consists of whitewashed rocks. It was built in 1908 by Mines students, faculty, and a train of burros, and first lit temporarily in 1931, and then permanently in 1932. The entire M structure was modernized in 1989, and energy-efficient 2-watt LED bulbs were installed on the M's 100th birthday in 2008. The LED lighting system is bright enough that the M can be seen clearly from many locations around the Denver metro area, and can even be seen from flights in and out of Denver International Airport more than 30 miles to the east.

The M is the focus of the M Climb tradition at Mines. New freshmen walk up Lookout Mountain Road and place their own whitewashed rock on the M; before graduation, seniors can try to locate their rock and take it with them as they depart Mines. 

The M is occasionally lit in custom designs for special events, such as red-white-and-blue for the Fourth of the July, the annual countdown for graduation, and themed designs for E-days.