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Take I-25 to exit 143. Turn east (away from mountains) on Uintah Street, and proceed up the hill about a quarter mile to Cascade Avenue. Turn right (south) on Cascade to Cache La Poudre. Turn right (west) on Cache La Poudre and down the hill to the El Pomar Sports Center, third and final building on the right. Parking is on the street and very limited near the facility. Additional parking is available on Dale Street just to the south, or in the Monument Valley Park lot across the creek to the west.
Since Colorado College’s first home game in 1898, Washburn Field – the oldest college football facility west of the Mississippi River – has undergone its share of face lifts. Many of the previous improvements, however, pale in comparison with Washburn’s most recent transformation.
The summit of Pikes Peak, 14,110 feet above sea level, still dominates the landscape as viewed from the grandstand. Joggers and bicyclists still pass along the trail that runs between the field and Monument Creek. But the natural grass, a fixture since 1908, is gone, replaced by a brand new, state-of-the-art AstroPlay artificial turf.
The project, completed in summer of 2003 at a cost of nearly $850,000, has literally created a “field of dreams” that not only makes Washburn Field more versatile as a venue for numerous recreational activities, but also safer for the athletes who compete on it.
Lights returned in 1996, allowing for activities at night, including men's and women's lacrosse. Other recent improvement, including the aluminum bleachers, were financed by honored alumnus Douglas C. “Moose” Van Meter '51, who in 1997 was inducted into the Colorado College Athletics Hall of Fame.
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