We did our first Spring time hike of the year to the Royal
Arch in Boulder from Chautauqua Park on a picture perfect Saturday
morning. This was also Lucky's first hike with us and he proved
himself most trailworthy.
The Royal Arch is a popular and at times mildly strenous
hike which starts from the Chautauqua Park meadows and culminates
at a natural rock arch formation just below the summit of the
fifth flatiron on Green Mountain.
The above insets provide some context for the hike. We started
on Chautauqua Trail and then took the Bluebird-Baird Trail to
the Royal Arch trail which proceeds south and then climbs towards
the top of Green Mountain. There were two really magnificent
spots for views - the Arch itself and also earlier at Sentinel
Pass.
Starting at the bottom of Chautauqua Trail...
Stopping to play around on the Bluebell-Baird Trail
View of the Third Flatiron from the trail...
Stopping for a shot at one of the boulder fields...
Gaining altitude and getting closer to the destination...
Scrambling up rocks at Sentinel Pass
View at the top of Sentinel Pass
Decsending from Sentinel Pass... (the trail descends rapidly
for a few hundred yards before heading back up towards the Royal
Arch)
The Royal Arch...
View of the Fourth Flatiron through the Arch...
View from the Royal Arch looking East...
The boys traversed through this crack several times for fun....
Another Flatiron View looking North through the Arch...
Last view of the Royal Arch on our way back down...
Close up Flatiron View from the Trail...
Last picture before heading down on the bottom part of Chautauqua
Trail
