Palmer Lake Yule Log Hunt 2025

With red and green capes flying, hundreds of children and adults dash into the snowy woods near Palmer Lake, Colo. scrambling up and down slippery slopes and laughing as they search beneath evergreen boughs and bushes for the town’s hidden Yule log.

Within 15 minutes, whoops and shouts of “over here” rise from a ravine where three boys stand victoriously over the treasure-an 8-foot-long pine log that has been notched and tied with a red ribbon.

Amid cheers and high-fives, the winner and friends straddle the Yule log for their victory ride into town. Other members of the hunting party attach two long ropes to the log and drag it a quarter mile back to Town Hall, stopping frequently so other riders can hop aboard.

The December tradition is cherished in Palmer Lake, where the same two-man saw that cut the town’s first Yule log in 1933 is used today. Hunters saw the log in two and save half to start the following year’s ceremonial fire. The other half is carried into Town Hall and set ablaze in the stone fireplace built by Palmer Lake’s volunteer firemen in 1936 strictly for the annual celebration.

An old English custom, The Yule Log Celebration was brought to Palmer Lake by Lucretia Vaile and Miss Evalena Macy in 1934. They sent for a splinter of the Lake Placid, NY yule log and the first event was held in a local home. Fifty people went on the hunt for the hidden log resplendent in red or green capes. The first yule log was discovered by C. R. Hays. He was rewarded with a ride astride the log, pulled by the other searchers. They were greeted by 200 cheering residents and visitors. Half of the log was burned with the other half being saved for the next year. A spicy cider drink called Wassail was drunk in great quantities while watching the ceremonies by candlelight. Hundreds of yule log splinters have been sent all over the world to those wishing to start their own holiday tradition.