The Flatirons

The Flatirons is a geological rock formation that overlooks Boulder, it may define Boulder in many ways as it is so prominent in the west and easily depicts the Front Range as they rise so quickly out of the plains. The Flatirons draw people to them and in the late 1800, it drew the Chautauquas.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chautauqua
http://www.chautauqua.com/history_cca.html

Today you access the Flatirons from Chautauqua Park.

Quite a while ago, while climbing here, I ascended the 3rd Flatiron, via the Standard Route, pretty much up the middle.

Flatirons: from the right, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd. The most notable from a rock climbing perspective, 3rd, then 1st. The 2nd, phtt.

So we went off on a hike of the flatirons, among a throng of people.  This formation is SO accessible that it draws people by the 100s. And you can get some excellent views with only a moderate hike. But, there are a LOT of people on a Sunday.

The 3rd flatiron

First view of Boulder from the hike 

2nd Flatiron

Ariel the wonder dog... sit, stay, ..good dog!

Another Boulder shot

Just can't get enough shots of the 3rd. .. a classic look and a great, fun climb

A man and his flatirons

Overlooking Boulder and the orange roofs of the Univ. of Colorado

A small portion of the crowd... we have been staying well north in the foothills in the photo.