Coffintop Mt via Hall Ranch (Boulder area, Colorado)

Looking down St. Vrain Canyon.

Trip date: May 17, 2020

​Caltopo map here: caltopo.com/m/F76S

This trip would be the first in a trifecta of off-trail hikes in the Boulder County/Larimer County Foothills.  The first two were in the Boulder foothills near St. Vrain Canyon in the Boulder foothills.  I chose these hikes to stay away from other hikers during COVID-19 and to stay within regulations during COVID times.  Each one got better than the last and allowed me to see scenery I'd never seen before.  Sometimes being grounded is good for you.

Double figure-eight.

I'd noticed a pull-off near Little Narrows in St. Vrain Canyon on my way back from Cony Lake back in March that fit just 1-2 cars.  There was no trailhead there and I knew my chance of coming into contact with someone was very small.  ​

Parking near Little Narrows. Deadman Gulch looks like fun too.

Coffintop Mt (left) and Mt. Meeker in the distance (right).

I think this might actually be a very old Native American game blind.

After crossing the game blind I moved into Hall Ranch.  Clearly they liked the game blind idea and just built a nice wall.

Looks like invaders made it across Hadrian's wall (upper right). Or maybe just a fat deer.

Mt. Meeker and Longs Peak in RMNP from Antellope Park in Hall Ranch.

Looking west from near UN 6822'. I would eventually return via the grassy area on the left.

Near the start of the approach to Coffintop I saw signs of earlier times.  I'm imagining a yosemite sam type miner bathing.  

Anybody see that movie "Gummo"?

Small outcropping on the ascent of Coffintop Mt (see "outcropping" on caltopo map). Looking back towards Hall Ranch.

An old, unmapped service road near the start of the start of the climb up the NE slopes of Coffintop Mt. I don't think I followed this for very long.

Ralph Price Reservoir from Coffintop Mt. Indians Peaks and RMNP washed out in the distance.

Looking back up the west slope of Coffintop Mt.

Racoon.

This is a fairly common beetle around here. I like the coloring. If you know what it is, let me know.

I'm fascinated by this spillway at the mouth of Ralph Price Reservoir.  

After the spillway I found some trails in the Button Rock Preserve (run by Longmont) on the way to Hall Ranch.

For Hall Ranch, these deer look surprisingly healthy

Looking northeast.

So that's why Hall Ranch has so many deer...

Indian Lookout Mt.

From left to right: Blue Mountain (7888') and Beech Hill (6541').