Flatirons facts for kids
The Flatirons are amazing rock formations located in the western United States. You can find them near the city of Boulder, Colorado. These unique rocks get their name because they look like old-fashioned clothes irons.
There are five main Flatirons that stand out. They are numbered from north to south, from the First to the Fifth Flatiron. These five are found on the eastern side of Green Mountain. Green Mountain is about 8,148 feet tall. Many other smaller Flatirons are also found on the southern part of Green Mountain, near Bear Peak, and in the hills around them.
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Why Are They Called The Flatirons?
The Flatirons have had different names over time. Around 1900, people called them the "Chautauqua Slabs." By 1906, they were known as "The Crags."
Today, there are two main ideas about how they got their current name. One idea is that they look like the flat, triangular clothes irons that people used a long time ago. The other idea is that they resemble the famous Flatiron Building in New York City, which was finished in 1902.
How The Flatirons Were Formed
The Flatirons are made of a type of rock called conglomeratic sandstone. This rock is part of something called the Fountain Formation. Scientists believe these rocks are very old, about 290 to 296 million years old!
The rocks were pushed up and tilted into their current slanted position a long time ago. This happened between 35 and 80 million years ago, during a period called the Laramide Orogeny. This was a time when huge forces deep within the Earth caused mountains to rise. After they were tilted, wind and water slowly wore away the softer rock around them, revealing the Flatirons we see today.
You can see other examples of the Fountain Formation in many places along the Colorado Front Range. These include Garden of the Gods near Colorado Springs, Roxborough State Park in Douglas County, and Red Rocks Amphitheatre near Morrison.
Climbing and Hiking Adventures
The Flatirons on Green Mountain are part of Boulder's Open Space and Mountain Parks system. This means they are protected and open for people to enjoy. They are very popular spots for both hikers and rock climbers.
Rock climbing on the Flatirons offers many different challenges. Some routes are easy for beginners, while others are very difficult, even for world-class climbers. One famous route is the East Face Standard route on the Third Flatiron. A well-known climber, Richard Rossiter, called it "The best 5.4 in the solar system." This shows how much climbers love this unique rock formation.
A Special Symbol of Boulder
The numbered Flatirons on Green Mountain are a very important symbol of the city of Boulder. You can see pictures, drawings, paintings, and sculptures of the Flatirons everywhere in the area.
The city government, the University of Colorado, and many local businesses use the Flatirons in their logos. They also appear in advertisements and marketing materials. Many businesses even use the words Flatirons or Flatiron in their names. Because of its strong tech industry, Boulder is sometimes called the "Silicon Flatirons."
For many years, the third Flatiron had a large "CU" painted on it. These white letters, about 50 feet tall, stood for the University of Colorado. They were painted there in the 1950s. However, in 1980, the city decided to paint over the letters. They wanted to help the rock formation look more natural again.
The original "C" was painted by University of Colorado students Dale Johnson and Robert Rowlands in November 1949. They climbed the Flatiron at night to do it. The "C" was later removed and repainted, and a "U" was added in the 1950s. Even though the city painted over them, you can still faintly see the letters under the reddish paint today.
