South Boulder Peak & Bear Peak

Running Route

Hard

9.16 mi

3,348 ft

A classic Boulder adventure run typically involves summiting one of the three nearby 8,000-foot plus peaks. The tallest of the trio, South Boulder Peak is so close to Bear Peak it seems a shame to not tag them both on the same run. Although there are many ways to reach these two peaks, we’ve selected a loop that starts at the South Mesa trailhead in Eldorado Springs. From here you will ascend South Boulder Peak up the Shadow Canyon trail. Shadow Canyon is a steep climb through a narrow canyon with excellent views of Devil’s Thumb peaking through the trees. The winding trail is easy to lose as it snakes around huge boulders so pay attention for trail markers on the trees. The final push to the top of both peaks requires some scrambling over big rocks and loose scree. The breathtaking views from the summits will be well worth your effort. The return trip will bring you down through the steep Fern Canyon, which threads you between sheer rock walls of the Flatirons. Once you return back to the Mesa Trail you will have a more gradual descent back to the trailhead.

Created By

Strava Athlete

December 9, 2013·Public

Route and Elevation

Segments

Name	Distance	Elev. Diff.	Avg. Grade
Homestead Trail Climb	2.58 mi	958 ft	6.8%
Homestead Trail	1.13 mi	430 ft	7.0%
Kneale Road Climb	0.24 mi	135 ft	10.3%
Kneale Rd Climb	1.31 mi	1,988 ft	28.6%
Kneale Rd Climb	0.28 mi	312 ft	20.8%
Shadow Canyon	0.91 mi	1,621 ft	33.5%
SoBo Peak Final Sprint	0.23 mi	367 ft	29.3%
Bison Dr Climb	0.31 mi	285 ft	17.1%
Fern Canyon - Saddle to Split	0.45 mi	-741 ft	-31.2%
North Shanahan to Bluestem Southbound	0.91 mi	-164 ft	-1.2%
Mesa Trail Climb	0.18 mi	154 ft	15.5%
Last 2 mile sprint!	2.14 mi	-817 ft	-7.0%