TBT: Pikes Peak Climb and Cog (29 July 2012)
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This post is part of a Throwback Thursday series featuring trip reports that we haven’t had a chance to write about until now! Look for them at least every other Thursday!
Pikes Peak has always been a bit of a favorite 14er of mine. I’ve hiked it multiple times, taken the cog, driven to the top, and skied off the top. It’s no coincidence that I saved Pikes Peak as my last peak when completing my 14er skiing project. So, when Frank’s sister and her kids were coming to visit from San Francisco, and Pikes Peak was brought up as something we could “do with the family”, I was in.
Of course, I had a different project in mind than the majority of the family was probably up for. While the family was taking the cog to the top, Frank and I hiked to the summit – covering 13 miles and 7400 vertical feet in just over 5 hours. We met up with the family at the top, and instead of bashing our bodies on a descent that is 1.5 vertical miles, we decided to get our family time in by joining them on the cog on the way down.
Frank and I headed to Manitou Springs fairly early. But, we still didn’t actually start hiking until 8:30 – later than we wanted, but still possible for us to meet the family’s 1:45 cog a the summit. Frank.
The hike was hot. Very hot!
Though we didn’t have a lot of extra time to spare, we still stopped to enjoy some of the nice scenes the Barr Trail had to offer.
We began in a valley just outside of Manitou Springs, without a view of our objective. After hiking for miles, we finally spotted the Pikes Peak summit. Still miles to go!
As the trail climbed higher, we admired the change in the scenery and vegetation.
Ahhh, finally above treeline! The views are vast on Pikes.
Me amidst the boulders.
A cool east facing couloir.
We could see the burned remnants of the recent Waldo Canyon fire in which many Colorado Springs residents lost their homes.
And finally, Frank and Brittany at the summit!
The valley behind us to our left is where we began our hike 5 hours earlier.
As we walked toward the summit hut, the cog arrived.
It brought the rest of our family to the top.
We were busy with family shenanigans and didn’t have much time for pictures. But I managed to capture this view to the north.
Back on the cog.
Though the scenery was better on the way up, I was still happy to have a ride down:)
Just another good day on Pikes!
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My first 14’er. 1995. Great training peak for big climbs, too -> Aconcagua, Denali, Ecuador volcanoes. I have 2 friends that have been climbing it monthly for years.