Summer trail running season is in high gear here in Colorado. My buddy Randy and I have been making regular rounds of the trails near Eldorado Springs on Friday mornings. Last week, we decided to try something a little different: a climb up the tallest peak in the Flatirons. While it’s not exactly Mount Everest, South Boulder Peak checks in at 8,549ft with a respectable elevation rise of ~2,900ft above the valley floor. Since Randy and I thought this run might be of interest to others, we checked in with about a dozen folks that have run with us occasionally. Only Eric took up the challenge (or at least was motivated enough to meet us for the sunrise departure). One of those that declined is a very seasoned trail runner who only offered a suggestion that we bring oxygen. Ha! We were undeterred in our quest.
We set off from South Mesa Trailhead at about 5.20am and didn’t stop until we got to the top 70min later. The views were mighty impressive especially looking west towards the continental divide. After about 5min of hanging around at the top, we headed back down, reaching the parking lot 45min later (everyone had to go to work). All in all, a good choice, although it’s a very steep route and not exactly a candidate for your daily run. And bring a snack and an energy drink. My trusty Suunto t3 Heart Rate Monitor told me I burnt 1,767kcal going out n’ back.
| Routes for Comparison | RT Distance | Summit | Vertical | Steepness |
| South Boulder Peak via Towhee / Shadow Canyon | 6.8mi | 8,549ft | 2,904ft | 854ft/mi |
| Longs Peak via Keyhole Route | 14.0mi | 14,255ft | 5,100ft | 729ft/mi |
| Mt Sanitas Loop | 3.3mi | 6,863ft | 1,343ft | 814ft/mi |
| Eldorado Mtn / Fowler / Rattlesnake Gulch | 5.6mi | 6,850ft | 1,088ft | 389ft/mi |
| Mesa / S Fork Shanahan / Mesa / Towhee | 6.1mi | 6,400ft | 955ft | 313ft/mi |
