The Western Mountain Rescue Team carries on a Homecoming tradition
For years, on the Friday night of Western’s Homecoming weekend, the Western Mountain Rescue Team (WMRT) perches atop Tenderfoot Mountain and watches as night envelops Gunnison. The distant echoes of laughter and music from Alumni and Homecoming events drift up to them. As darkness fully settles, the radio crackles to life, and Dean of Students Gary Pierson delivers the code phrase that sets everything in motion: “Western Mountain Rescue – the eagle has landed!”
The Lighting of the W is not a mere one-night affair but a multi-week, multi-agency endeavor. Months before Homecoming, the WMRT Student President meets with the Homecoming Committee, led by the Alumni Office, to begin orchestrating the event. The Facilities’ Grounds team ventures to the top of the W, collecting barrels from the previous year. Depending on the year, they might also collaborate with Orientation Leaders to repaint the W.
WMRT’s leadership reaches out to the Gunnison Fire Marshal for lighting approval while the Western Facilities Grounds team organizes stacks of cotton, cuts wood for torches, and arranges the materials. Team members, often joined by Gary Pierson, break up the cotton, stuffing it into barrels with the torches. The Grounds Team transports the prepared cotton to the top of Tenderfoot, soaking it all in diesel fuel.
As the weeks pass, excitement and anticipation build. For first-year members, or “Field Class,” this outing will be one of their initial field experiences with WMRT. For second-year members, or “Support Class,” it’s an opportunity to lead a team, operate as primary communicators on the radios, and practice decision-making in a low-risk environment.
On the night of the event, the team suits up in outfits perfect for tackling diesel-soaked cotton. They pile into University vans, transforming into giraffes, denim-clad figures, and tutu-wearing characters. Among them, a small group of at least five members remain in their usual Rescue apparel, ready to respond to any backcountry emergency.
The convoy winds its way up the road to the summit. At the top, WMRT breaks into small teams, each led by a Support Class member. They begin the meticulous task of placing cotton balls along the W, spaced three feet apart. This exercises their teamwork, coordination, and unit cohesion. After hours of careful placement, pizza and hot chocolate are delivered, courtesy of Western’s Student Government Association.
Before indulging, there’s one more tradition to uphold. A race to the top of the W from the bottom determines who gets the first dibs on the pizza. Excitement buzzes as team members who choose to partake, regardless of age or experience, scramble down the hill, eager to test their mettle.
After the race, the team catches their breath and shares pizza. Then they spread out, stationing members at cotton piles along the arms of the W. A Support or Upper member stands at the base, torch in hand, ready to light.
“Western Mountain Rescue – the eagle has landed!”
Coordination commands buzz over the radios, and torches flare to life. Members start their ascent, tapping the diesel-soaked cotton balls as they go. The torch is passed from one rescuer to the next, igniting a trail of flames up the W. They move deliberately, avoiding any drops of flaming cotton on their clothing. The synchronized movement of the fire lines is maintained by radio calls from town, adjusting the speed of the flames.
Cheers erupt from the town below as the W blazes. The team, having completed their task, gathers at the top, watching the flickering flames and the twinkling lights of Gunnison. Sometimes, they switch on the flashing lights atop their vehicles, a beacon of gratitude to the community witnessing their efforts.
For outsiders, it might just seem like another homecoming tradition. But for those on the team, it’s a pivotal moment. This is when many decide to stay, to commit to serving their community through Rescue. United by the experience, they descend Tenderfoot Mountain, returning to Gunnison to join the Homecoming festivities, feeling more connected and proud of the display they’ve just created for
their home.
Author: Ryan White
