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BBC Boulder

Colorado > Boulder > Flatirons > North > Satellite Boulders
Warning Access Issue: 2024 Crag Closures & Temporary Trail and Raptor Closures DetailsDrop down

Description

The BBC Boulder is probably the highest traffic area, with a full range of difficult testpieces and a handful of moderate and cerebral problems, which exist on all sides of the large boulder. The main testpieces are Fleshfest, V9, The Turning Point, V8, and there is always someone on Original Grapple, V4.

This area also includes the warm-up boulder with South Warmup, V0, and East Warm-up, V1, which is on the southeast side of the BBC Boulder, as well as the boulder including Across, V0, and Zero G, V5.

Left to right starts with 101 Conquistadors and then goes right in a circle around the BBC Boulder, and then the problems on top of the BBC Boulder, and then the remaining problems on boulders just west of the BBC Boulder.

Getting There

There are two main options to getting to the Satellites, both of which start at the Chautauqua Trailhead. Park there or along Baseline Road, and start up the wide Chautauqua Trail. Take the trail into the treeline, over a small wooden bridge, past a large boulder, and then to the next intersection of trails (it intersects the Bluebell Baird Trail). From here, you have two options:

Option 1: most direct, more crowds, and more strenuous. Take the 1st/2nd Flatiron trail which is the trail that goes uphill immediately at a diagonal left at the intersection (not the leftmost, the center-left option is the one you want). Take this uphill, and stay left at the next fork. This will spit you out at the base of the Second Flatiron.

From here, follow the trail heading east away from the Second Flatiron. You'll see The Wave Boulder on your right with a trail going uphill. Follow the trail uphill and past The Stardust Boulder on your right. Continue past The Stardust Boulder, and soon The Girlfriend Boulder will be on your left. Continue just past The Girlfriend Boulder, and the A-7 Boulder will be on your left. Directly across from the A-7 Boulder is the BBC Boulder.

Option 2: less direct, less crowds, and less strenuous. Take a left (the leftmost option) onto the Bluebell Baird Trail. From here, stay right at every trail intersection. This will take you past the Bluebell Shelter on your left, take you across a wooden walk bridge, and the last intersection is for the Royal Arch Trail (which goes left), take the trail to the right to continue to the Satellite area. This will take you up a switchback and across a small boulderfield, and then the first boulder you'll arrive to is the Sputnik Boulder.

From here, continue along the trail which goes behind the Sputnik Boulder and then winds up to a trail intersection. The Wave Boulder is now immediately on your left, and access to the base of the Second Flatiron is taking the trail to your right. Take the trail uphill past The Wave Boulder, and The Stardust Boulder will be on your right. Continue past The Stardust Boulder, and soon The Girlfriend Boulder will be on your left. Continue just past The Girlfriend Boulder, and the A-7 Boulder will be on your left. Directly across from the A-7 Boulder is the BBC Boulder.

There is a
on the main Satellites page with a trail map of both options and mileage.

I personally take Option 2, 80% of the time, as it gives you a break from walking straight uphill the whole time, and you get to get off the main trail that all the tourists are on for a more peaceful experience.

Routes from Left to Right

V6 7A
 14
101 Conquistadors
Boulder
V9-10 7C+
 27
Grundel City Boy
Boulder
V4+ 6B+
 10
Grapple in the Grundel City
Boulder
V4- 6B
 268
Original Grapple
Boulder
V0 4
 87
South Warmup
Boulder
V1 5
 43
East Warmup
Boulder
V? ?
 9
PIP's Dyno
Boulder
V0 4
 53
Across
Boulder
V5 6C
 141
Zero G
Boulder
V9 7C
 36
Fleshfest
Boulder
V6 7A
 30
Flesh-Lite
Boulder
V0 4
 3
Lefty
Boulder
V0 4
 3
Righty
Boulder
V0 4
 11
Lawn Dart
Boulder
V0 4
 33
Space Oddity
Boulder
V3- 6A
 96
Major Tom
Boulder
V6 7A
 91
Balance in Nature
Boulder
V9 7C
 3
Devil's Work
Boulder
V6 7A
 76
Re-Entry Burn
Boulder
V2-3 5+
 12
Campus Corner
Boulder
V5 6C
 3
Krampus Corner
Boulder
V4 6B
 6
The Mailslot
Boulder
V8 7B
 179
The Turning Point
Boulder
V3 6A PG13
 4
Breaking Point, The
Boulder
V5 6C
 1
Smooth Ride
Boulder
V5-6 6C+ PG13
 3
Sudden Change
Boulder
Route Name Location Star Rating Difficulty Date
101 Conquistadors
 14
V6 7A Boulder
Grundel City Boy
 27
V9-10 7C+ Boulder
Grapple in the Grundel City
 10
V4+ 6B+ Boulder
Original Grapple
 268
V4- 6B Boulder
South Warmup
 87
V0 4 Boulder
East Warmup
 43
V1 5 Boulder
PIP's Dyno
 9
V? ? Boulder
Across
 53
V0 4 Boulder
Zero G
 141
V5 6C Boulder
Fleshfest
 36
V9 7C Boulder
Flesh-Lite
 30
V6 7A Boulder
Lefty
 3
V0 4 Boulder
Righty
 3
V0 4 Boulder
Lawn Dart
 11
V0 4 Boulder
Space Oddity
 33
V0 4 Boulder
Major Tom
 96
V3- 6A Boulder
Balance in Nature
 91
V6 7A Boulder
Devil's Work
 3
V9 7C Boulder
Re-Entry Burn
 76
V6 7A Boulder
Campus Corner
 12
V2-3 5+ Boulder
Krampus Corner
 3
V5 6C Boulder
The Mailslot
 6
V4 6B Boulder
The Turning Point
 179
V8 7B Boulder
Breaking Point, The
 4
V3 6A PG13 Boulder
Smooth Ride
 1
V5 6C Boulder
Sudden Change
 3
V5-6 6C+ PG13 Boulder

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Major boulder/area locations. <br>
[Hide Photo] Major boulder/area locations.
BBC Boulder.<br>
<br>
A view of the east side.
[Hide Photo] BBC Boulder. A view of the east side.