1922- The Beginning
Students resting during the hike to Mt. Ogden, 10/5/1922
On September 19, 1922, Weber College board of control members Aaron W. Tracy, Llwellyn McKay, and J. Willard Marriott agreed to a motion to have a hike on October 4, 1922, in which the entire student body and faculty would hike to the top of Mt. Ogden and erect a flagpole. It was decided that former Weber student body president from 1914-1915 and professor of history, sociology, and political economy Harvey Taylor would lead the hike.
David O. McKay (center) and Weber College president Aaron Tracy (right) speaking to hikers during flag ceremony, 10/5/1922
To organize the flag building project, each of the high school classes was assigned a different task; Sophomores were in charge of bringing the cement and sand, Juniors helped carry the flag pole up the mountain, and Seniors were assigned erecting the flag pole. College students were assigned procuring the American flag, which was generously donated by T. S Browning and the Browning Brothers Sporting Goods Company.
It was expected that over 350 students would join the inaugural hike. On Wednesday, October 4 students met at a "well known rock at the mouth of Taylor's canyon" where the band played several selections to kick off the event. Along with the student body, the hiking party consisted of the Board of Trustees, Apostle David O. McKay, and six horses to help carry the flag building materials. However, it was noted by student William Terry, that one of the horses was "so frisky when we tried to load the top section of the pole on him that we ended up tying him to a tree in the shade and took turns carrying the pole ourselves." (WSC Comment, 1976)
Students gathered for flag ceremony on top of Mt. Ogden, 10/5/1922
At around 8:30 a.m. the students arrived at Malan's heights (known today as Malan's peak) and stopped for lunch. After lunch, the hikers continued on to a cabin site. This is where students who did not wish to continue onto the summit could wait for the return of the summit group. It was noted, "As the last few miles are exceedingly difficult, the girls who reached the top are to be congratulated." (Weber Herald, 1922).
Once the hikers reached the peak they had another lunch and started work on erecting the flagpole. A glass bottle with the names of students who reached the summit was placed in the cement beneath the flag pole. On the flag pole the words, "Presented by the Associated Students of Weber College, 1922" were engraved. Weber College president Aaron Tracy gave an address, followed by Apostle David O. McKay who spoke about Mount Ogden being a manifestation of Divine creation. Williard Marriot and Llewellyn McKay also gave brief talks. The United States flag and the Weber State purple and white flag were both raised.
The October 26 student newspaper article cites that "[t]he Weber college hike to Mount Ogden is, with the exception of the Timpagogos hike, the largest ever held in Utah." (Weber Herald, 1922) It was also stated that the trail that goes from Taylor's canyon, up to Malan's Heights, and onto the summit of Mount Ogden will be known as the Weber Trail
Citations:
Weber Herald. (October 26, 1922). 350 Weber college students join in first annual hike to Mount Ogden top. Weber State University Archives. pg 1. https://cdm.weber.edu/digital/collection/NEWS/id/56303/rec/107
WSC Comment. (1976). Plaque related hike. Weber State University Archives. pg 6. https://cdm.weber.edu/digital/collection/alumni/id/2919/rec/3