Pogwatigue Perambulations: Boulder Hike & Bike

Last Monday, I drove up to Boulder with my bike. Rather than complete another long ride in the mountains, I opted to split the day between a little hiking and a little biking. I didn't arrive in town shortly after noon 12:30. Still not too hungry, I figured a short hike would improve my appetite and then following lunch I would have plenty of time to explore the town on my bike.

The hike proved to be a bigger challenge than I expected. Though less than four miles, it climbed well over 1,000 feet from the trailhead to the top of Mount Sanitas. From the summit, I could see most of Boulder. Downtown and the football stadium were a couple of the more easily recognizable landmarks. I could even make out the skyscrapers of central Denver through the distant haze. With a much improved appetite I arrived back back at the car around 3:00 PM. Driving to Pearl Street, Boulder's main street, I had lunch at the Lazy Dog and watched a bit of the Rockies home opener.

Full Screen Version

After lunch, I strategically moved the car to park at a lower elevation. Recounting a lesson learned on my last ride in the area, I wanted to be in position to finish riding down rather than uphill. I start biking at about 5:00 PM, which limited the time I had to explore. I especially wish I had allowed more time so I could have ridden a bit on the University of Colorado campus. Nonetheless, I found plenty of interesting places to investigate, like the Valmont Bike Park. Despite my thousands of miles a riding, the bike park concept was a new one to me. It contained a plethora a groomed trails designed for dirt and mountain bikes, though my hybrid bike was versatile enough to allow me to explore some of the easier trails.

I was riding west through Boulder Valley Park as the sun began to set behind the mountains. In retrospect, I wished I had avoided to the Foothills Trail in favor of riding back into town along paved roads. That trail was too steep and rocky for my taste. It did lead me to the trailhead from which I embarked on my Lefthand Canyon Ride. I followed a now familiar trail for a mile or two before venturing in to new neighborhoods. After passing by downtown, I joined the Boulder Creek Trail, which would take me back to the car. My back tire was feeling a little low--probably from a leak sprung on the Foothills Trail. I tried to fill it up with my hand pump, but only made the situation worse, and ended up walking the last two miles, a disappointing end to a great day outdoors.

Hike Statistics
Length: 3.5 miles
Ride Time: 2 hours 21 minutes
Trailhead Elevation: 5,560 feet
Summit Elevation:6,840 feet
Net Gain: 1,280 feet

Hike Elevation Profile

Mount Sanitas Trail

Boulder from Mount Sanitas Summit

Sanitas Valley Trail

Bike Statistics
Length: 23.4 miles
Ride Time: 3 hours 19 minutes
Avg. Speed: 8.4 MPH
Total Ascent: 1,200 ft.
Max Elev.: 5,735 ft.

Bike Elevation Profile