Public Parks - Rabbit Mountain

Public Parks - Rabbit Mountain
Rabbit Mountain hike, 28Jan2006, Glenn, Jim & Scott. After the traditional fast breaking at the NBC, we drove northerly on US-36 up to Lyons & Rabbit Mountain. It was a beautiful Colorado spring day in the middle of winter. We began our hike at 5500' above sea level at about 11:30. The temp was in the upper 50's even the mid-60's at times. The sky was blue & cloudless until about 1p when a cloud bank began to build up just east of the Flatirons & by 3p had obscured the sun, plunging the temp down to the lowest of 50's.
We took turns helping Jim carry far more than his fair share of the conversation burden. The pace was generally rapid, though rabid would not have been wise on Rabbit.
The view is from the farthest north we could see from the top of Mt. Sanitas, a few weeks ago. The Boulder Valley is huge from the perspective of Lyons, 20? mi to the north of the city of Boulder. At the top of Rabbit Mountain, the views of Long's Peak & Mt. Meeker are astounding. The north face of Mt. Audobon is visible belying the western view of a smooth sloping mount with a rocky and broken profile.
We hiked for almost 4 hours, reaching a peak of about 6180' above sea level. The trail seemed much rockier than the Mt. Sanitas trail. That perception could have just been a function of brand new orthotics, as my ankles were very tired by the end of the hike. Nevertheless, it was a great hike: good conversation, good weather, good exercise, good whiskey: great friends!