One of many
trip reports under the
SilGro home page for Alan Silverstein and Cathie
Grow.
Email me at
ajs@frii.com.
Last update: March 29, 2024
(Previous trip report: 1984_0915-16_MountPrinceton.htm)
(Originally posted to internal newsgroup:
/***** hpfcla:hpnc.general / ajs / 10:27 am Apr 22, 1985*/
Five of us had a good time exploring Green Mountain (west of Boulder) along with a huge, shaggy, friendly black dog that lived in the area and accompanied us (to its eventual dismay). The back side of the mountain, where we started from after finally discovering the trailhead, was nice enough in its own right. The view over the top of the ridge, down the flatirons to Boulder, was nothing short of spectacular and extraordinary.
Despite rain on the way down to Boulder, and threatening skies during the day, it actually turned out to be quite nice (and dry). The fluffy clouds, and their shadows on the plains, combined with the pastel green of springtime grasses, made for a very pretty sight.
To get to the trailhead, we drove west on Baseline Road to where it started up Flagstaff Mountain. 0.5 miles past mile marker 7 we turned left on Pika Road (was a dirt road, with mailboxes). Went 1.1 miles, then right on Bison Road. Proceeded 2.5 miles, including one 180-degree right turn just past a house; followed the main road. The trailhead was just just down a track (east) from where the road came to a saddle and turned hard left. There were trail signs down the hill where you couldn't see them from the road. The (paper) 7.5 minute topo map (Eldorado Springs) helped.
A trail down Bear Canyon took off here, dropping 200' right away. You could cut off it and head uphill once past the bottom of the ravine. The large blocks (cliffs, really) atop the hill, to the right, looked higher, but they were actually a lower point on the ridge, 1/2 mile south of the main summit.
They were also very rugged, strictly a technical climb. We headed to their base, then angled north along it (helping the dog over a number of tricky spots). There was one place where you could climb 20-30' up a narrow crack, to stand (or hang on!) right on the edge of a huge drop down a flatiron. The scenery from here wass staggering. You looked right down a winding canyon to Table Mesa, with NCAR on top.
Going north on the ridge got easier, then steeper. Shortly before the main summit of Green Mountain we ran into a cliffy set of boulders with no easy way around. We stopped here for lunch after 2.5 hours of hiking, and headed down later without scrambling around to the top.
The route straight back to the trailhead was easy except for downed timber, and it took only an hour. Total elevation gain to the top (8144') was only about 700', plus about 200' crossing the ravine (both ways).
Alan Silverstein
PS: We did not go up Bear Peak but saved it for another day. You could make that from the same trailhead, and it looked easier although longer. We considered climbing it in a couple of weeks -- "stay tuned." (It looks like it took us three more weeks to return.)
(Next trip report: 1985_0512_BearPeak.htm)