Bear Peak, Boulder CO, March 20, 2011

This year's hike during our annual spring trip to Denver as at NCAR, Western Mountain Parks Habitat Conservation Area. We took Mesa trail to Fern Canyon trail. Length: 7 miles, elevation: 6,080 to 8461 feet. The trail meanders across a creek, large sandstone slabs and grassy meadows. There are 2 routes up to Bear Peak, the long easy route and the short cut just about straight up the mountain. Since we started late, 11 am and had a dinner date with Jim's brother that evening, we opted for the shortcut. And steep it was, and not so short. We made it to about 400 feet in elevation from the top when it was more than time to turn back... Oh well, we will try again on another trip. A great hike even if we did not make it to the top.

I did my best to capture the beauty of the snow-capped continental divide mountain range all around us (Rockies).

View of the city of Boulder.