September 6, 2009

Pikes Peak Revisited

Earlier this year we attempted to summit Pikes Peak but were turned back less than a mile from the top because of snow still on the road.  We were back in the area and could not let the opportunity pass.  Our campground this time was south of town, about ten miles further away than our last visit.  We had all day to do the drive so were not in a rush.  We left the carbus after 9:00am, rather late for us.  As we drove north to Colorado Springs we saw this.

This weekend is the 33rd Colorado Springs Balloon Fest.  Yesterday was breezy so they could not launch.  They made up for it this morning.

Our objective.

The road to the top is a bit over nineteen miles long.  Here is a shot taken at about mile twelve looking up at part of what we have yet to drive.

You can see the lack of land to the right of the road.  There are places on this road where that drop is over 1000 feet nearly straight down.  From about the same mile marker here is a part of what we had already driven.

Proof we made it.

When we started at the base of the mountain the temperature on the top was 34 degrees with wind chill to 24 degrees.  The lower picture was taken shortly after we reached the top.  The sun was out.  While we were there clouds moved in, many of them below us.  For a while it tried to snow/sleet.

There is a geocache on the top.  We found it.

A view from the top.

This view, and that in other directions from the summit inspired this:

The road is not the only way to reach the summit of Pikes Peak.  There is a cog railway.  The train arrived while we were there.

It stays on the summit for about twenty minutes and the passengers have to reload for the trip back. Here is train starting back down mountain.

People in picture are actually on deck overlooking track.

There is also another way to the top.  Right after we got there we met a couple of guys who had just arrived at the summit, five hours after they started hiking from the same area we started our drive.  They looked great.  Each of them bought six donuts (a Pikes Peak specialty and icon) to eat while they waited for their wives to drive up to take them back down.  We each got a donut and they are quite good.  Special high altitude recipe.  We overheard a man relate to the hikers a story about another hiker he met a while back.  That man started climbing up Pikes Peak AND back down again on his 24th birthday and had done that on every birthday since then.  When the man telling the story met the hiker, the hiker was celebrating his 70th birthday.

Sue on top of world.

Clouds above (and below) Pikes Peak.

 

For obvious reasons there are LOTS of warnings about protecting your brakes on the way down.  Many signs telling you to use low gear.  They even stop all cars half way down and check brake temperature.  If they are hot you are forced to wait at least 30 minutes before continuing.  I saw a challenge.  I put the Grand Vitara in 4W Low and started down.  In the entire 19+ miles down some awesome grade I touched the brakes about five times and then only lightly because traffic in front of us slowed or stopped unexpectedly.  Careful management of gears and throttle.  Kind of fun.

We spent the afternoon visiting with good friends from Auburn.  They are still from Auburn.  How and why they were in the area right now is another story.