More Than 30 Mountainside Monograms Can Be Seen in Colorado

The spanning surfaces of hills and mountains have served as massive, natural canvases for centuries. Nowadays, there are approximately 600 hillside letters and mountainside messages throughout the United States. Colorado is home to at least 31 of these mountainside monograms, including one of the largest in the country.

Hillside phrases are typically constructed in three different ways: Painted letters, built-up letters, or cutout letters. Built-up letters are the most common form and are made from materials like rocks and concrete. Painted letters are usually seen on bare rock faces and cliffs. Finally, cutout letters are formed by removing the surrounding vegetation to create a word or letter. This is the least common method for mountainside messages.

These enormous emblems can range in size from 10 or 15 feet tall to hundreds of feet tall. Fun fact: M is the most common hillside letter.

The "A" on the foothills in Fort Collins is an example of a painted letter. Students and faculty climb up to repaint the letter at the start of each school year.

One of the largest known geoglyphs in the nation is located in Gunnison, Colorado. The stone "W" on the mountain is approximately 420 feet by 600 feet. The giant white letter is maintained by Western State Colorado University. It's a tradition that the emblem is lit on fire annually on the evening of the Mountaineers' homecoming game.

Another large letter is prominently displayed on Tenderfoot Mountain in Salida, Colorado. The S can be accessed by taking Spiral Drive up the hill. There's a staircase and an old building at the top, with views of the city below.

Additional hillside messages can be seen in Colorado cities including Lyons, Golden, Palisade, and Westminster.