Flatirons
Encyclopedia
The Flatirons are rock formation
s near Boulder, Colorado
consisting of flatirons
. There are five large, numbered Flatirons ranging from north to south (First through Fifth, respectively) along the east slope of Green Mountain, and the term "The Flatirons" sometimes refers to these five alone. Numerous additional named Flatirons are on the southern part of Green Mountain, Bear Peak, and among the surrounding foothills.
The Flatirons were named by pioneer women after the flat, metal irons
used to press their clothes.
sandstone
of the Fountain Formation
. Geologists estimate the age of these rocks as 290-296 million years; they were lifted and tilted into their present orientation between 35 and 80 million years ago, during the Laramide Orogeny
. The Flatirons were subsequently exposed by erosion. Other manifestations of the Fountain Formation can be found in many places along the Colorado Front Range
, including Garden of the Gods
near Colorado Springs
, Roxborough State Park
in Douglas County
, and Red Rocks Amphitheatre
near Morrison
.
The Flatirons on Green Mountain are within the City of Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks system. They are popular destinations for hikers and rock climbers, with rock grades ranging from easy (5.0) to world-class (5.14).
climbed the Third Flatiron on Green Mountain and wrote "CU" in giant white letters on it. The first person to do this was Seraphin Joseph Matesi in 1947. On at least two occasions timed to coincide with athletic contests, students from rival schools modified the white letters to advertise a different institution: "DU" (University of Denver
) and "OU" (University of Oklahoma
). Each time, the Colorado students changed the letters back to "CU". In the 1970s, the City of Boulder painted over the illegal graffiti
with a color very similar to the rock. Because the color match is not perfect, the disfiguring marks can be seen if examined closely.
. The area abounds with Flatirons photographs, drawings, paintings, and sculptures. The city government, the University of Colorado
, and many businesses make use of this symbol in their logos, advertisements, and marketing materials. Many businesses also use the word Flatirons or Flatiron in their names.
Rock formation
This is a list of rock formations that include isolated, scenic, or spectacular surface rock outcrops. These formations are usually the result of weathering and erosion sculpting the existing rock...
s near Boulder, Colorado
Boulder, Colorado
Boulder is the county seat and most populous city of Boulder County and the 11th most populous city in the U.S. state of Colorado. Boulder is located at the base of the foothills of the Rocky Mountains at an elevation of...
consisting of flatirons
Flatiron (geomorphology)
A flatiron in geomorphology is a steeply sloping wedge-shaped landscape feature created by differential erosion of a resistant rock layer which is inclined in the same direction as, but at a steeper angle than the exposed mountain slope. Flatirons are associated with hogback ridges...
. There are five large, numbered Flatirons ranging from north to south (First through Fifth, respectively) along the east slope of Green Mountain, and the term "The Flatirons" sometimes refers to these five alone. Numerous additional named Flatirons are on the southern part of Green Mountain, Bear Peak, and among the surrounding foothills.
The Flatirons were named by pioneer women after the flat, metal irons
Iron (appliance)
A clothes iron, also referred to as simply an iron, is a small appliance used in ironing to remove wrinkles from fabric.Ironing works by loosening the ties between the long chains of molecules that exist in polymer fiber materials. With the heat and the weight of the ironing plate, the fibers are...
used to press their clothes.
Geology
The Flatirons consist of conglomerateConglomerate (geology)
A conglomerate is a rock consisting of individual clasts within a finer-grained matrix that have become cemented together. Conglomerates are sedimentary rocks consisting of rounded fragments and are thus differentiated from breccias, which consist of angular clasts...
sandstone
Sandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
of the Fountain Formation
Fountain Formation
The Fountain Formation is a Pennsylvanian bedrock unit consisting primarily of conglomerate, sandstone, or arkose, in the states of Colorado and Wyoming in the USA, along the east side of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains, and along the west edge of the Denver Basin.-Origin of name:The...
. Geologists estimate the age of these rocks as 290-296 million years; they were lifted and tilted into their present orientation between 35 and 80 million years ago, during the Laramide Orogeny
Laramide orogeny
The Laramide orogeny was a period of mountain building in western North America, which started in the Late Cretaceous, 70 to 80 million years ago, and ended 35 to 55 million years ago. The exact duration and ages of beginning and end of the orogeny are in dispute, as is the cause. The Laramide...
. The Flatirons were subsequently exposed by erosion. Other manifestations of the Fountain Formation can be found in many places along the Colorado Front Range
Colorado Front Range
The Colorado Front Range is a colloquial geographic term for the most populous region of the state of Colorado in the United States. The area is located just east of the foothills of the Front Range, aligned in a north-south configuration on the western edge of the Great Plains, where they meet the...
, including Garden of the Gods
Garden of the Gods
Garden of the Gods is a public park located in Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA.-Genesis of the park:Entrance to the park is free according to the wish of Charles Elliott Perkins, whose children donated the land to the city of Colorado Springs in 1909....
near Colorado Springs
Colorado Springs, Colorado
Colorado Springs is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and most populous city of El Paso County, Colorado, United States. Colorado Springs is located in South-Central Colorado, in the southern portion of the state. It is situated on Fountain Creek and is located south of the Colorado...
, Roxborough State Park
Roxborough State Park
Roxborough State Park is a Colorado State Park known for dramatic red sandstone formations. Located in Douglas County south of Denver, Colorado, the park was established in 1975. In 1980 it was recognized as a National Natural Landmark.-Geography:...
in Douglas County
Douglas County, Colorado
Douglas County is the eighth most populous of the 64 counties of the state of Colorado, in the United States. The county is located midway between Colorado's two largest cities: Denver and Colorado Springs...
, and Red Rocks Amphitheatre
Red Rocks Amphitheatre
Red Rocks Amphitheatre is a rock structure near Morrison, Colorado, where concerts are given in the open-air amphitheatre. There is a large, tilted, disc-shaped rock behind the stage, a huge vertical rock angled outwards from stage right, several large outcrops angled outwards from stage left and a...
near Morrison
Morrison, Colorado
The historic Town of Morrison is a Home Rule Municipality in Jefferson County, Colorado, United States. The population was 430 at the 2000 census...
.
Climbing
Graffiti on the Third Flatiron
On several occasions during the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s, students from the University of ColoradoUniversity of Colorado at Boulder
The University of Colorado Boulder is a public research university located in Boulder, Colorado...
climbed the Third Flatiron on Green Mountain and wrote "CU" in giant white letters on it. The first person to do this was Seraphin Joseph Matesi in 1947. On at least two occasions timed to coincide with athletic contests, students from rival schools modified the white letters to advertise a different institution: "DU" (University of Denver
University of Denver
The University of Denver is currently ranked 82nd among all public and private "National Universities" by U.S. News & World Report in the 2012 rankings....
) and "OU" (University of Oklahoma
University of Oklahoma
The University of Oklahoma is a coeducational public research university located in Norman, Oklahoma. Founded in 1890, it existed in Oklahoma Territory near Indian Territory for 17 years before the two became the state of Oklahoma. the university had 29,931 students enrolled, most located at its...
). Each time, the Colorado students changed the letters back to "CU". In the 1970s, the City of Boulder painted over the illegal graffiti
Graffiti
Graffiti is the name for images or lettering scratched, scrawled, painted or marked in any manner on property....
with a color very similar to the rock. Because the color match is not perfect, the disfiguring marks can be seen if examined closely.
A symbol of Boulder
Images of the numbered Flatirons on Green Mountain are a ubiquitous symbol of the city of BoulderBoulder, Colorado
Boulder is the county seat and most populous city of Boulder County and the 11th most populous city in the U.S. state of Colorado. Boulder is located at the base of the foothills of the Rocky Mountains at an elevation of...
. The area abounds with Flatirons photographs, drawings, paintings, and sculptures. The city government, the University of Colorado
University of Colorado at Boulder
The University of Colorado Boulder is a public research university located in Boulder, Colorado...
, and many businesses make use of this symbol in their logos, advertisements, and marketing materials. Many businesses also use the word Flatirons or Flatiron in their names.