Green, Bear, South Boulder and more

From Chautauqua, Baseline, Amph, Saddle Rock, Greenman, Green; West Ridge of Green, Green Bear, West Ridge of Bear, Bear; over to South Boulder; down Shadow and Old Mesa to Eldorado Springs; took the trail from town up to the Fowler, east on Fowler, Spring Brook Loop North (clockwise), Doudy Draw up the hill, Flatirons Vista South, Greenbelt Plateau TH.

Started at 11:39 am on a fairly hot day. Lori and the girls dropped me at Chautauqua, and I planned to run over the peaks and then home. Started out going easy and took it easy up Green. Took it easy down to Bear Creek, but then upped the effort a bit as I tried to run most of the West Ridge until the steep finish. I did end up walking a bit before the final climb, though. Scrambled up and down the west face then over to South Boulder. Was feeling pretty beat on the climb up South Boulder. Down Shadow to the Old Mesa. Old Mesa was really overgrown. I was worried about stepping on a snake, poison ivy, rocks hiding under the grasses, etc. Really would like to see this become an official trail and see some maintenance. Dropped into Eldorado Springs and filled up the water bottles (a quarter for a gallon).

Headed east through town looking for the trail that leads up to the Fowler. I walked past it once but eventually found it. It's so close to a couple of houses that it feels weird going through there. Across the canal, then left at the junction and climbed up to the Fowler. Cleaned out the shoes here, then jogged east and south to the Spring Brook/Goshawk junction. Took the Spring Brook North following the loop clockwise. Decided here that, feeling the heat, I wouldn't be jogging all the way home. Called Lori as I crossed the mesa and asked her to pick me up in an hour at the Greenbelt Plateau TH. I was thinking it was still 7 miles home from there, but I think it's only 5. Took Doudy Draw up the hill, walking almost all of it, then turned right/south onto the Flatirons Vista South. Wanted to do this as I hadn't done it before. Pretty nice, in the trees, kinda like some of Goshawk and Spring Brook. Struggled running this, though. Came out above the Flatirons Vista TH and jogged over to and across 93 to the Greenbelt Plateau TH. Sat down in the shade of a car for about 10 minutes until Lori arrived. Hot and pretty beat!

0:00 - Chautauqua
6:40 - Baseline/Amph
17:03 - Amph/Saddle Rock
35:22 - Saddle Rock/Greenman
58:01 - Green summit
1:10:42 - Green Bear/Bear West Ridge
1:45:58 - Bear summit
1:53:58 - saddle
2:02:31 - South Boulder summit
2:08:26 - saddle
2:43:09 - Eldorado Springs water vending
4:17:15 - Greenbelt Plateau TH