For months, Orediggers have been hoarding all things cardboard — from pizza boxes to Amazon packages — to prepare for this day.
On April 13, hundreds of Colorado School of Mines students, parents, staff members and alumni, as well as Golden community members, lined both sides of the Clear Creek Whitewater Park to see which boats would sail or sink.
Each year, Mines students build boats made solely of cardboard and duct tape, and see how far down Clear Creek each gets. Some collapse very quickly, only making it through the first rapid, while others are still intact when the students heave them into the dumpsters.
This year’s cardboard boat races had about 100 entries.
The annual races were part of the university’s 90th annual Engineering Days, or E-Days, this weekend. This year’s theme was GlorE-Days.
Colorado School of Mines students meet mascot Blaster the Burro after the April 12 Ore Cart pull to downtown Denver. The event was part of the university’s 90th annual Engineering Days celebration. Credit: Courtesy of Colorado School of Mines 
Colorado School of Mines students participate in the annual Ore Cart pull April 12 along West Colfax Avenue to downtown Denver. The event was part of the university’s 90th annual Engineering Days celebration. Credit: Courtesy of Colorado School of Mines 
Colorado School of Mines hosts a concert April 12 for its 90th annual Engineering Days celebration. This year’s theme was GlorE-Days. Credit: Courtesy of Colorado School of Mines 
Colorado School of Mines hosts a carnival April 13 for its 90th annual Engineering Days celebration. This year’s theme was GlorE-Days. Credit: Courtesy of Colorado School of Mines 
Colorado School of Mines hosts a carnival April 13 for its 90th annual Engineering Days celebration. This year’s theme was GlorE-Days. Credit: Courtesy of Colorado School of Mines 
Colorado School of Mines offensive lineman Cole Johnson (65) blocks teammate Eli Krawczuk during the April 13 spring game. This year’s intrasquad scrimmage, which was open to the public, coincided with the university’s 90th annual Engineering Days celebration. Credit: Corinne Westeman
Festivities included a silent disco, ore cart pull, Mining Games, car show, carnival and — for the first time — the football team’s annual spring game. The Orediggers capped off the weekend, which was also part of its yearlong 150th anniversary celebration, with an evening fireworks display April 13.
Mines students have previously described how E-Days serves as the core of the school year, and the boat races serves as the core of E-Days. They take pride in this tradition that allows them to test their engineering skills and knowledge in a fun, community event, they said.
Click through additional Transcript photos of the 2024 cardboard boat races here:
The Deepest South celebrate just before their boat tips and takes on water following the first hurtle in Clear Creek Saturday morning. Credit: Sara Hertwig 
Team Daisy Fam does their best to steer their boat of eight down Clear Creek. Credit: Sara Hertwig 
Members of Who Let The Burrows Out celebrate as their boat completes the run down Clear Creek Saturday morning and they’re guided towards the exit. Credit: Sara Hertwig 
Colorado School of Mines team, Who Let The Burrows Out, get creative unloading their large cardboard boat Saturday morning for the GlorE-Days boat race down Clear Creek. Credit: Sara Hertwig 
Of the 100 registered teams, Kirkland Signature opted to construct their boat out of Costco pizza boxes and lots of Duck Tape. Credit: Sara Hertwig 
Tanner Bearden, left, and John Caparone finish up the decorative touches on their boat, Under Budget, Saturday morning before the start of the E-Days races. Credit: Sara Hertwig 
Team The Deepest South walks their boat over for the start of the GlorE-Days races down Clear Creek Saturday morning. Credit: Sara Hertwig 
The second team to hit the water Saturday morning, The Deepest South, walks their boat to the water for launch. Credit: Sara Hertwig 
Ava Watson, Mia Easton and Julia Cacciavillani brace themselves as Team Helluva is the first in the water for the GlorE-Days boat races. Credit: Sara Hertwig 
Volunteers hold The Deepest South boat as members of the team climb in. Credit: Sara Hertwig 
Members of The Deepest South team are handed paddles as they’re pushed out into Clear Creek Saturday morning for the GlorE-Days races. Credit: Sara Hertwig 
Team Turbo cheers along with the crowd as they approach the first rapid in Clear Creek. Credit: Sara Hertwig 
Fellowship of the Duck Tape pass over the first rapid in their cardboard boat. Credit: Sara Hertwig 
Austin Hocking tries to stear the front of the boat as Fellowship of the Duck Tape make their way down Clear Creek Saturday morning. Credit: Sara Hertwig 
Race completed, Fellowship of the Duck Tape send their successful cardboard boat into the trash bin. Credit: Sara Hertwig 
Members of Who Let The Burrows out make their way to the launch point on Clear Creek. Credit: Sara Hertwig 
Team Helluva walks their boat to the launch area, starting off the GlorE-Days races Saturday morning. Credit: Sara Hertwig 
Cooper Hammond, a member of the Kirkland Signature team, struggles to hold his team’s flag against the wind. Credit: Sara Hertwig 
Turbo Team is third to bring their boat up to the launch area Saturday morning. Credit: Sara Hertwig 
The Deepest South watch as their boat approaches a small fall in the river. Credit: Sara Hertwig 
The Deepest South takes on water and ends the race in Clear Creek Saturday morning. Credit: Sara Hertwig 
Members of The Deepest South get up from under their boat after it capsized in Clear Creek Saturday morning during the GlorE-Days races. Credit: Sara Hertwig 
Members of The Deepest South stand up and cheer after their boat capsized in Clear Creek Saturday morning during the GlorE-Days races. Credit: Sara Hertwig 
Turbo Team pushes off, starting their turn down Clear Creek for the GlorE-Days boat races Saturday morning. Credit: Sara Hertwig 
Spectators lined Clear Creek Saturday morning to watch, film and cheer on Colorado School of Mines teams as they floated down the river in their cardboard and Duck Tape boats. Credit: Sara Hertwig 
Team Daisy Fam loads eight people into their cardboard boat Saturday morning. Credit: Sara Hertwig 
Golden saw 100 cardboard boats in various states of construction set out on Clear Creek Saturday morning for the Colorado School of Mines GlorE-Days boat races. Credit: Sara Hertwig 
Members of team Daisy Fam laugh as their Home Depot boxes hold them afloat down Clear Creek Saturday morning. Credit: Sara Hertwig