30 Years, One Pumpkin, No Answers In Missoula

There Is A 30 Year Old Homecoming Mystery At The University Of Montana

Did you know about the pumpkin on the spire at U of M? I didn't know until today, but it's cute and I thought I'd share this fun prank.

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The Mystery First Started In 1995 during Homecoming. It has happened every year since. A pumpkin is brought up and put up on the spire on the University of Montana's Main Hall. From then until now, the mystery has never been solved.

In 2025,  A Climber Gave An Interview About The Prank

NBC 16 talked to a member of the team that climbs the main hall to place the pumpkin. This is what the climber revealed about the 30 year old mystery:

This menacing climb starts with the rear fire escape.

Then, "Just using parts of the clock until you're right at the top, and as you can see the green roof is just some sort of roof tile that if it has any condensation, like it usually does in a fall day or a fall night, it's pretty slippery," the climber told NBC 16.

The anonymous climber said it's a team effort to uphold the tradition.

"Multiple lookouts all throughout campus, middle of the night, then two climbers up top everyone looking out for UM P-D with radios and group texts what have you," they said to NBC 16.

Has Anyone Been Hurt Or Arrested Attempting The Prank?

Over the years there have been some arrests and even some close calls for climbers. Although the college has attempted to make the tradition safer, the climbers still try to beat the administration to the punch, or the spire.

READ MORE: NOBODY Is Handing Out Edibles For Halloween

Sources: NBC 16, YouTube, UPI

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