[Journal Entry for March 14, 2010; Boulder Mountain Park] Hannah dropped me off along Table Mesa Drive, near the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) in Boulder Colorado. The afternoon was already late, so I had time for only a short hike. I headed down a footpath that descended a steep, grassy hill south of NCAR. The trail was very muddy, and huge clods adhered to my boots. I headed westward and made for the Bear Canyon Trail, which has more gravel and less mud and took it into the highlands.

Boulder Mountain park is famous for its flatirons, tall, faceted triangular rock spires formed from steeply dipping sedimentary strata which is very resistant to erosion. Though my time was limited, I resolved to at least reach the base of one of the nearer ones.

I stopped to look a Bear Creek, a small stream flowing amid cottonwood trees. Bear Canyon, in which it flows, has steep rocky walls with good exposures of the tilted strata. I passed a group of geology students who were making sketch maps of the rocks. I then headed more steeply uphill on the Mesa Trail. It was pretty muddy and snow-covered, as well. I passed some yucca and cactus, reminders that this region is semi-arid. I then took the Mallor Cave Trail, which is farily steep, and today also rather slippey, for the shadier parts of it were covered by a few inches of slushy snow.

I've been to this cave, back in October of 1997. Its made by erosion hollowing out the softer rock behind the very resistant flatirons. Today, however, I did not have time to reach it. Instead, I climbed only to a little side trail that lead through a narrow cleff in the flatirons to an overlook. It commanded a very nice view of the tops of the flatirons above me and of those on a neighboring mountain.

I headed back after a few minutes at the overlook. My view was now to the east, and looked out onto the western edge of the Great Plains. My boots became even more muddy as I ascended trail uo the hill to NCAR. About and hour and a half.