Written by Tracie Sullivan
Community members packed the Centrum Arena on Thursday night, April 23, to watch the debut of “Back up the Mountain,” a film depicting the historical story of the founding of Southern Utah University located in Cedar City.
Known as the ‘Old Sorrel’ story, it is one of strength and courage and is well-known among many locals, especially those whose pedigree belongs to the men who risked their lives the winter of 1897 to make sure the community would have a school. The film is an account of what happened during that winter when a group of men—largely made up of area ranchers, miners and farmers—trudged through a blizzard, braving heavy drifts of snow to get the lumber from the saw mills near what is now Brian Head resort to bring back to Cedar City. The wood was used to build the Old Main building that still remains on SUU’s campus today.
The movie brought tears to many, and applause roared through the arena as the credits rolled, accompanied by scenes showing the strength and courage delivered by the men and women who sacrificed to bring something greater for the future of southern Utah.
Film director and producer Jon Smith, professor of communication at SUU, spoke before the premiere, sharing some of his feelings about filming a piece that had such personal and emotional ties for so many of the families sitting in the audience.
“There are a lot of interesting stories in Southern Utah,” Smith said. “It was a pleasure and honor to tell this story.”
The star of the show, SUU alumnus Jasen Wade, also shared some thoughts with the crowd.
“This story is about amazing people, and I’m so glad I got the chance to be a part of it,” Wade said.
Wade, who has acted in several films including “17 Miracles” and “Saints and Soldiers: Airborne Creed,” played Neil Bladen, the man who led the trek up the mountain. Smith said Wade was the only actor in the film to be brought in from outside of the area; the rest of the cast were all from Iron County.
SUU President Scott Wyatt said the film will be played for freshman students when they start college to foster a connection between the students and the past and to hopefully help them carry that same school spirit that was possessed by those men and women who came before.
“It is my vision this university is going to deliver the highest quality undergraduate experience at any public school in the Intermountain West,” Wyatt told The Independent, “and in order to do that, we really have to keep stretching and pushing ourselves. And we do that by standing on the shoulders of giants … We just need to know whose shoulders we’re standing on so that we realize how high we already are, and as we continue to push there’s all this behind us that’s moving us along and cheering for us. I think the spirit and the feel stays. There’s something that stays in a place where there’s been enormous sacrifice.”
