May 14th, 2010
Lost Gulch, Boulder, Colorado, Open Space, Mountain Parks, Rivers, Creeks
Rumor has it that when God takes a vacation, he goes to the Colorado Wilderness!! Therefore, “May the Peace of the Wilderness be with You.”
That could not be more truth. The scenery is just breathtaking and leaves you speechless. It is hard for me to be at a loss for words, but, I am not kidding, I was. There was no need for words. Nature said it all.
The city of Boulder is about 5,700 feet high and Lost Gulch is much higher. The way to get there, if you are in Boulder, is to take Broadway and Flagstaff Rd. and travel 5.5 miles west on Flagstaff.
We were at an area called Lost Gulch Lookout Vista from Flagstaff Mountain. At a distance you could admire the Indian Peaks and Gold Hill.
Indian Peaks are located in the Arapahoe and Roosevelt National Forests. Serrated ridges and jagged peaks are the characteristics of the Indian Peaks Wilderness. It contains a handfull of remnant glaciers, considered by some to be the Southernmost permanent glaciers in North America. Among those peaks there are about 50 lakes. The elevation? 8,400 – 13,502 feet.
Golden Hill is the other view along those peaks; a settlement northwest of Boulder. Elevation 8,300 feet. It was a mining town, and the site of the first major discovery of gold during the 1859 Colorado Gold Rush.
It is a quiet isolated haven with no paved streets. Gold Hills is accessible from nearby Left Hand Canyon Road by way of Lick Skillet Road which is the steepest county road in the United States.
As I was enjoying these mountains, I could not help notice signs posted here and there. These are the signs that warn you about wildlife and what to do if you encounter one. No screaming. I think that would be the first thing I would do then pass out.
The City of Boulder Open Space & Mountain parks has 144 miles of hiking trails. You are bound to encounter a wild animal if you are a hiker. No question about it.
From the mountains, back in Boulder, walking was what I did. There are so many creeks and streams all over. The land along creeks, rivers and other bodies of inland water is called a “riparian” area.
Boulder Creek’s riparian corridor is one of the city’s most valuable resources. Riparian areas represent only about 2% of the land in Boulder County, but they are used by roughly 80% of the area’s wildlife.
Through my visit in this town, people were out enjoying the outdoors, but once the week-end arrived, they were really out. Outdoor games, rafting in the river, eating at picnic tables; just having fun. The residents are very aware of what a special place they have and the place is spotless; no trash.
Preserving and protecting is the responsibility of all of those who visit.
You wonder why is she still writing about Boulder? I know, I blog about our beaches. The ocean is what I love, but there is something so intoxicating about these mountains, that if you experience it, then you have to talk about it.
Just a few more blogs from Boulder, though. If Boulder had an ocean you would never leave.
Talk to you later…..
Note: Information for this blog was taken from www.coloradowilderness.com and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gold_Hill,_Colorado
Tags: Activities, Boulder, Colorado, Lost Gulch, Mountain Parks, Rivers, What to do in Boulder
