“Camp Colorado College” — bonfires, nippy weather, camaraderie, and wildlife.

[nggallery id=2]While Colorado College Tigers flocked back to campus for Homecoming and Parents Weekend on Oct. 911, another guest showed up as well; a bear.

Word first came about 8:45 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 10, that a black bear had taken up residence in a tree on the northeast side of Palmer Hall. Campus safety officers kept an eye on it as it later came down, lay in nearby bushes, and then climbed another tree not too far from where the homecoming dance was being held on Armstrong Quad. The area around the tree was roped off as a safety precaution. Colorado Department of Wildlife officers said they would give the bear until Monday morning before using a tranquilizer gun on it; however, they were reluctant to do so because tranquilizing the bear would upset its hibernation patterns and it likely wouldn’t survive the winter. In that case it would have to be euthanized.

As the hours went by and the bear showed no signs of leaving the tree, campus safety officers worried, then got creative. Once the area cleared out, they went to work.

The bear, which appeared quite comfortable in the tree, was lured down about 8:30 p.m. Sunday by campus safety officers who dropped a trail of marshmallows from the open window of a truck.

“Kudos to our safety folks for the Marshmallow Trail,” said President Dick Celeste. “A unique solution to an unprecedented problem — one worthy of CC.”

The bear, which made its way to Monument Creek, apparently remained unaware that the Colorado College mascot is the tiger.

And it was COLD; but we had fun anyway.