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Infographic: Flatirons

 

Some of the animals that live on or around the Flatirons:

 

Red fox

 

 

Elk

 

 

Coyote 

 

 

Yellow-bellied marmot

 

 

Long-tailed weasel

 

 

Porcupine

 

 

Great horned owl

 

 

Bald eagle 

 

 

Rough-legged hawk

 

 

Ferruginous hawk

They’re Boulder’s icon and hard to miss. On campus you spy them from the paths and the quads, from Folsom Field, classroom windows and almost everyspot with a clear view west. Here’s a primer.

Chautauqua Flatirons
 

Lowest peak: Fifth, at 6,900 feet

 

 


Highest peak: Fourth, at 7,630 feet

 

 


What they’re made of:  Feldspar-rich sandstone

 


The rocks are nearly 300 million years old. The Flatirons took their current form 40 million to 68 million years ago


Angle of faces: Most are about 55 degrees

 


Tradition holds that early Boulder residents noticed their resemblance to clothes irons. Early in the 19th century the Flatirons were also know as the “Chautauqua Slabs” and “The Crags”


 
Climber logos

In November 1949 CU students Dale Johnson (Geol'54) and Roberts Rowlands (Engr ex'53) climbed the third Flatiron and painted a "C" on it

Climber logos

In 1953, Johnson climbed the third Flatiron on roller skates, using ropes and belays

Climber logos

Local shop owner Gary Neptune climbed the third Flatiron naked in the 1970s

Skiier logo

Bill Wright and Stefan Griebel (ElEngr'97; MS'00) of Boulder skied the "1911 Gully" route of the third Flatiron in 2007

runner logo

In 2010 Griebel speed-climbed the east face of the third Flatiron in 5 minutes 59 seconds

Skiier logo

Boulder-native Austin Porzak skied the face of the first Flatiron, March 1, 2015