The Climb

Bus Option From Boulder Through Fourmile Canyon

Many of our students choose to ride The Climb to and from school every day.  The Climb is a public bus managed by Via.  The bus drives to and from Boulder by way of Fourmile Canyon several times a day.  There is a route that picks up at the top of Pearl Street at 8am heading up to the Gold Hill School at 8:30am for the start of school.  The bus picks up again at the end of the school day at 3:30 and drops off at Pearl again at 4:00.  Many students along the Fourmile bus route have taken the bus with convenient stops at Logan Mill, Poorman and the Salina Junction.  

The Climb Bus Schedule

Finding Gold Hill

The Gold Hill School is located in the Historic mining town of Gold Hill.  Situated 3000 feet above downtown Boulder, we are accessible from all four of the cardinal directions.  We pull students from not only our local neighborhood, but also from all around Boulder and the mountain communities.  To the west, we've had students come from Ward, Nederland, Rollinsville, Blackhawk and up and down the Peak to Peak.  To the north, our students have come from Lefthand, Lee Hill and Jamestown.  To the south, we've had many students come from Summerville, Salina, Wall Street and Fourmile Canyon.  To the east, our students have come from Sunshine Canyon and all over Boulder.  

Sunshine Canyon from Boulder (20 min)

This is the recommended route to access our school from Boulder.  It is a school bus route for BVSD middle/high school buses, and therefore is plowed early in the mornings.  Take Mapleton Ave (three blocks north of Pearl Street) straight up into the mountains.  This road is called Sunshine Canyon (CO 52).  The road will wind up the mountain and turn from paved to dirt about 6 miles up.  There are no turns.  Just keep going straight.  The road will eventually drop you into the valley nestling Gold Hill.  Sunshine Canyon then becomes Main Street, Gold Hill.  The Gold Hill School is located just before mile marker 10 on Main Street in Gold Hill.  Four wheel drive is recommended only in winter weather conditions.

Fourmile Canyon from Boulder (25 minutes)

From Downtown Boulder, take Canyon Blvd. into the mountains.  This is Boulder Canyon.  About a mile into the canyon, turn right onto Fourmile Canyon Drive.  Five miles up the road you'll come to a T in the road.  Turn right to continue up gold Run Road through Salina and Summerville for another three miles up to Gold Hill.  The road will turn to dirt after going through Salina.  At Gold Hill, you'll come to a stop sign at the intersection of Main Street.  Turn left.  The Gold Hill School is about a quarter mile down Main Street on the right.  Four wheel drive is recommended only in winter weather conditions.

Gold Hill Road from the Peak to Peak Highway (15 min)

From the Peak to Peak Highway (about a mile south of Ward), take Gold Hill Road east into Gold Hill.  This is about a seven mile drive down a dirt road.  The Gold Hill School will be on your left as you pull into town.  This is about a 25 min drive from Nederland and 15 minutes from Ward.  Four wheel drive is recommended only in winter weather conditions.

Lickskillet from Lefthand Canyon (25 minutes to Boulder) 

Lefthand Canyon can be accessed north of Boulder off of Highway 36, or from North Boulder via Lee Hill Drive.  It can also be accessed from the West near Ward.  About four miles west of the Lee Hill intersection with Lefthand Canyon, you'll find Lickskillet Road on the left.  Turn left up Lickskillet and it'll wind up a steep, bumpy road for a mile.  At the stop sign at the top of the road, turn right onto Main Street.  The Gold Hill School will be on your right about a quarter mile down the road.  Lickskillet is not safe to drive on most winter days.  It is the steepest county road in the country and it is located on the north side of the mountain.  It gets very little sunshine and can be treacherous to travel on.  Please be aware that map software often route travelers up this road because it is the least amount of time spent on dirt roads.  In the winter, many people in the northern side of town choose instead to head further up Lefthand to Sawmill.  This road is on the left before you head up the hill into Ward.  It will bring you up to Gold Hill Road and is a safer route.  Turn left onto Gold Hill Road and it will take you straight into Gold Hill.  Four wheel drive is recommended, particularly in winter weather conditions.