Getting Lost in Boulder County Open Space

This is Boulder!?

With Brenda returning from her class trip (Major props to Bren for chaperoning 7-8th graders in the Grand Canyon for over a week while coping with pneumonia!) it was time for me to shed the slow moving solo daddy in favor of something a little more up-tempo.

I've been itching to do something badass. Something to push myself and shake off the cobwebs of a winter spent recuperating from surgery. I recently read about the Boulder Grand Slam on Paul Magnanti's website and thought this would be a good stretch goal for a big day hike close to home.



The Grand Slam involves starting at the Homestead TH near Eldorado State Park and hiking over the five high points of the Boulder skyline (as well as a lot of other trail time and smaller summits). Putting out the call on Thursday night did not bring in any willing partners so I worked out a long loop starting and ending at NCAR. Looking at the maps it seemed an easy route finding task to hike up Bear Peak, tag S> Boulder Peak and then Green Mountain on the way down.

Striking out from NCAR this morning I was psyched and feeling like I was a badass rising early and hitting the trail long before most folks were awake. I was to be retaught throughout the day the lesson of Boulder badassery: Whatever amazing, ass-kicking route you have planned for the day will be someone other Boulderite's warmup. In executing my badass plan for the day I would be passed many times by people both twice and half my age as they nuked up and down the trails I was slogging along. One dude even passed me twice as he worked his big day up and down the canyons.

After making an hour long detour down Bear Canyon the wrong way. I got back on route and cruised up Fern Canyon. There was an amazing inversion going on that added to Fern Canyon's New England feel with a good degree of dampness. The view from the summit of Bear Peak was incredible as Boulder was completely hidden by the low lying clouds while the view to the Continental Divide was breathtaking.

I scrambled down from Bear Peak and ran over and up S. Boulder Peak, slowly frying as I walked through the charred remnants of the forest that used to adorn the peak. A short jaunt back to Bear Peak and I was heading down the West Ridge.

Cruising along these trails I was struck by just how out there these trails felt even though I was only a few miles outside of a huge city. Despite being lapped by trail runners it felt very remote. Reaching the trail junction to head up to Green Mountain (the third jewel in my day hike triple crown) I looked up to see the clouds building. This was enough to send me scurrying down Bear Canyon and eventually back to the car.

Wildflowers popping along the W. Ridge Trail.

I've always looked farther afield to get in my daily dose of adventure, but today was an eye-opening experience. Being able to find these moments of solitude and beauty so close to home was incredible. It didn't hurt that I was able to crush out almost 12 miles after a winter spent mostly resting and recuperating.

It's gotten me excited to keep getting back into shape for the summer. We have big plans this summer. Yvie is finally old enough to backpack a respectable distance and we will be visiting some amazing mountain ranges this summer!

See you out there - Jim