Any of you guys from Boulder CO?

[brandon]

I'll be there from 3/24 through 4/6 on business. I know no one there and am travelling by myself. I'm an east coast guy and have never been to that part of the country before.

1) Any recommendations for places to go or things to do? Where are the best hikes and mountain views?

2) Anyone interested in getting together and having a few beers and shooting the $#@! one night?

3) If I'm hiking by myself would it be a good idea to carry a handgun? I'm not sure if it's worth the hassle of flying with it.

[dannno]

It's hippy town, you probably don't need the gun..

[brandon]

I'm more worried about non-human animals. I'm not really sure what kind of megafauna make their home in the rocky mountains. I've heard mountain lions are common. I haven't done enough research to really say though.

[jkr]

APPROVES

[dannno]

I'm more worried about non-human animals. I'm not really sure what kind of megafauna make their home in the rocky mountains. I've heard mountain lions are common. I haven't done enough research to really say though.

Yes mountain lions could be an issue, not likely, but Joe Rogan lived up there in the mountains and his dog was eaten around the time his wife got pregnant and couldn't handle the altitude, so he moved back to L.A.

How tall are you? Mountain lions usually go after smaller women and will rarely go after full grown adults.

[RonPaulFanInGA]

You can mourn over the grave of the dead elk.

http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthr...l-for-dead-elk

[fr33]

It would be a pretty good drive but I love to vacation in Grand Lake, Colorado. It's on the other side (west) of Rocky Mountain National Park. If you don't want to go quite that far Estes Park is on the east side of the park and closer to you.

As for Boulder its like the microbrew capital of the US. Map of Microbreweries in Boulder.

[Zippyjuan]

Mountain lions will only go for your small pets. They used to get an occasional bear in town, but haven't had any of those for a while. Hiking in town start up at Chitauqua by the rock formation known as the Flatirons. http://www.visitingboulder.com/hiking-in-boulder.php In town- Pearl Street is where the action is- a pedestrian mall downtown. Lots of eating places and people watching. Take a drive up Boulder Canyon through Nederland (too late for Dead Guy Festival- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frozen_Dead_Guy_Days )into Rocky Mountain Park and head over through Estes Park. Probably see some elk up there. Can't think of the name of any of them right now but there are a couple good places to get wild meat (deer and elk and bison) if you are into that up there. Ted Turner opened a bison restaurant on Pearl Street just east of the mall- Ted's Montana Grill. http://www.tedsmontanagrill.com/

Boulder Creek runs though the middle of town and is nice for walking in town. Bike path follows it all the way through town.

Don't live there now but grew up in Boulder and graduated from the University of Colorado there. City is more crowded than it used to be.
Looks like the students are on spring break that week.

Link to the local newspaper: http://www.dailycamera.com/

[ctiger2]

Mike Krieger @LibertyBlitz from http://libertyblitzkrieg.com is there.

[brandon]

Already got some great responses here and a PM. I'm really hoping to be able to drive through and possibly hike parts of Rocky Mountain National Park. Hows the snow situation this time of year? Do I have to worry about the higher elevation roads being impassable?

[dannno]

Mountain lions will only go for your small pets.

And skinny little blonde bitches in the OC.

[Zippyjuan]

Weather can very a lot. It can snow and be back up to 60 degrees in a few days (it is always colder in the mountains because of higher altitude) so be prepared for anything weather wise. They are getting hit with snow and cold temperatures this week. March is typically the snowiest month.

Speaking of altitude, if you are coming from lower altitude (I currently live at sea level) give yourself at least a couple days before you try to go hiking. Didn't apreciate how important this was until I moved to a lower elevation myself. Issues could range from just lightheadedness to headaches to full altitude sickness. Another thing is that it is usually pretty dry air up there- be sure to drink enough water (you won't realize how much you sweat becasue it evaporates off so quickly).

[oyarde]

When the lion jumps on you , the first thing it will do is chomp down on your skull.

[oyarde]

LOL

[Zippyjuan]

That actually did happen in Boulder once- in 2006. Last year there was a black bear in town too.
http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_3716178

Boulder - Members of a 7-year-old boy's family drove off a mountain lion that attacked him on a trail on Flagstaff Mountain late Saturday.

The boy, who was not identified, was walking last in a single file of eight family members and friends near the Crown Rock trailhead about 6 p.m. when his father turned and saw the lion on him.

The lion seized the child by the head and dragged him toward the woods, family members told Jason Blumen, a supervisor with Pridemark Paramedic Services, at Boulder Community Hospital.

They shouted and struck the lion with rocks and sticks, said Tyler Baskfield, a spokesman for the state Division of Wildlife. "They did everything possible to defend the boy from the lion," Baskfield said. "You've got to fight back with everything you have if you're attacked by a mountain lion."

Authorities said the boy had injuries consistent with a mountain lion attack including claw marks on his leg and puncture wounds on his jaw and head.

Read more: Mountain lion attacks boy on Boulder trail - The Denver Post http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_3716178#ixzz2OOk0IXL7

[oyarde]

Let me know when you need my lion recipes .

[Zippyjuan]

When I lived there, somebody was killed by a deer hitting them on the Boulder Creek Bicycle path. We had them in our yard a couple of times.

[oyarde]

I have never meet anyone killed by a deer, must be your day when that happens . I did know a guy that lost an eye , gored by a big buck that he thought he was dead.

[oyarde]

When I lived there, somebody was killed by a deer hitting them on the Boulder Creek Bicycle path. We had them in our yard a couple of times.

Clearly bicyles are dangerous, I used them alot as a youngster,without a helmet , knee or elbow pads , prefer the F150 now

[wetroof]

When I lived there, somebody was killed by a deer hitting them on the Boulder Creek Bicycle path. We had them in our yard a couple of times.

here is a visual. man on bike hit by deer:

[oyarde]

I'll be there from 3/24 through 4/6 on business. I know no one there and am travelling by myself. I'm an east coast guy and have never been to that part of the country before.

1) Any recommendations for places to go or things to do? Where are the best hikes and mountain views?

2) Anyone interested in getting together and having a few beers and shooting the $#@! one night?

3) If I'm hiking by myself would it be a good idea to carry a handgun? I'm not sure if it's worth the hassle of flying with it.

Hiking by yourself I would suggest a long knife, 12 Ga with #1 Buck and slugs

[oyarde]

That actually did happen in Boulder once- in 2006. Last year there was a black bear in town too.
http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_3716178

Once the lion crushes the skull , it will drag the person off , with teeth engineered for tearing , it will devour by swallowing whole hunks and use the tongue , course , to clean the flesh from the bones .

[oyarde]

A lion, can , I imagine smell philly cheese steak coming through the pores of the skin .....

[tod evans]

Oh for Petes sake, why are ya'll picking on the city-boy?

Vicious deer and mountain lions, what's next.... predatory vultures?

[oyarde]

Oh for Petes sake, why are ya'll picking on the city-boy?

Vicious deer and mountain lions, what's next.... predatory vultures?

I thought later we could cover all the black bear attacks in Colorado , home of about 12,000 black bears , lol

[oyarde]

In Aug 2009, 74 yr old Donna Munson was consumed by a black bear , Ouray Co.

[oyarde]

Last time I was out there you could still pan gold.

[oyarde]

The Marxists in Boulder have outlawed this as far as I know......

[oyarde]

Have fun Brandon , do not let any of those whack job Liberals rub off on you in the land of lions , black bears , no gold panning and ten round magazines LOL.

[Zippyjuan]

Oh for Petes sake, why are ya'll picking on the city-boy?

Vicious deer and mountain lions, what's next.... predatory vultures?

There are bald eagles in the area but no vultures.