swm88er - Sep 19, 2006 9:58 pm Date Climbed: Jun 29, 2006
Commercialized
Pikes Peak isn’t a bad hike for being so close to Colorado Springs. Lots of people on the trail, a road to the summit, and a train make the hike a little less than peaceful. None the less Pikes Peak is a classic. The name 16 Golden Stairs (a stair is a set of two switchbacks) deceives you into thinking your almost done.
bjd5578 - Sep 14, 2006 3:47 am Date Climbed: Aug 29, 2004
From the Crags
I grew up in Colorado Springs in the shadow of this bohemeth - once I started climbing 14ers, I knew I had to tackle this one. We decided to climb from the Crags instead of Barr Trail (since it was more feasible for a day hike).
Despite having driven up this peak dozens of times and taken the cog railway more than once, hiking it was delightful. Plus, name any other 14er that you can buy donuts (and a coffee mug) at the top?
My 3rd time up this peak, I led my wife, daughter, and grandson, who had not previously done it, via the Crags route. We spent most of the day in unbroken sunshine, looking down on a cloud deck which blanketed Colo. Spgs., as well as the lowlands south, west, and north.
pksander - Sep 3, 2006 3:26 am Date Climbed: Aug 20, 2006
Marathon Ascent
I summited Pikes Peak for the first time running the Pikes Peak Marathon this year. The course climbs the mountain via the Barr Creek Trail. I summited in 3:35 and completed the marathon in 5:49. It really hurt. I might do the Ascent again in a few years, but the marathon... probably not. I'm still messed up ;)
rpace - Sep 2, 2006 5:55 am Date Climbed: Aug 12, 2006
Number 4!
4 1/2 hours up from Crags Campground via the Northwest Slopes. It rained on the 3 1/2 downclimb. Beautiful route!
tcisgray - Aug 30, 2006 1:07 am Date Climbed: Jun 20, 2005
Pikes Peak
Nice climb. "Thirteen Golden Stairs" are killers. Hiked up to Barr Camp the first day, spent the night. Met lots of really nice people. Finished the climb the next morning. Beautiful day. Long climb.
Rockman - Aug 29, 2006 6:00 am Date Climbed: Jul 15, 1994
Forgot about this one.
Was out in CO for a geology field camp and went up Pikes on a day off. Rewarding indeed.
Scott Wisher - Aug 28, 2006 8:47 pm Date Climbed: Aug 27, 2006
Tourist Trap
Carrie, Joe, Alissa, and I began at the Devil's Playground trailhead instead of ascending the Barr Trail. After mine and Joe's long experience on Long's, we weren't that interested in a 26 mile hike. We were the first hikers to summit that day, but definitely not the first at the top. Hundreds of people beat us by using the Cog Railroad or the long road to the top. This was my girlfriends first 14er. There was a nice amount of early morning snow cover from the previous night. The snow and ice made the boulder scramble near the top a little bit more treacherous, but nothing too serious. While we were up there, we summited Devil's Playground, the Teller County, Colorado highpoint, my 20th Colorado county highpoint.
Climbed with wife and two kids, ages 11 & 9. We climbed half a day to Barr Camp. Summited and back to Barr Camp on the second day. And then went back home in the morning after spending a second night at Barr Camp. I think I'd recommend something like this for this age of kids. We saw one 7 year old and one 8 year old on the mountain as well as some older kids.
seth@LOKI - Jul 21, 2006 1:25 am Date Climbed: Jul 14, 2001
Climbed by the cool rocks
The route was as hard as we wanted it to be and cooler than I expected! Had a burger on top! Euro?
ChaddBragg - Jul 13, 2006 10:50 pm Date Climbed: May 13, 2006
Long Day
Started out as fun, but this was the first time out this year and I bonked hard on the way down. All the time you spend above 13K got to me this time
ktiffany22 - Jul 3, 2006 7:22 am Date Climbed: Apr 22, 2006
Repeat climb
...except this time we did the Crags route (Barr trail last time). I MUCH prefered this route!!!! The hike offers BEAUTIFUL scenery and is much shorter and easier on the body than Barr trail. I loved it!
ElliottDavis - Jun 26, 2006 3:52 am Date Climbed: Jan 1, 2004
Happy New Year!
Oddly enough, the road and railroad were open that day. This made for a multi-cultural experience at the top. I particularly appreciated the lady with stiletto high-heeled boots and a fringed leather jacket which hissed in the wind. She gave me an odd look; I believe she thought my goggles were a curious fashion statement.
baez - Jun 25, 2006 10:25 pm Date Climbed: Jun 18, 2006
Barr Trail
Nice long day, left Denver at 3 AM and got back around 6 PM. Busy on top but not too bad on the trail.
My dad took our family up the road on our first trip to CO in 1985. Everyone else ended up getting terrible altitude sickness but me. I must've been adopted. Made a 20th anniversary climb in 2005. Got up and down from Crags Campground before the road opened so I had peace and quiet on the summit.
cftbq - Jun 18, 2006 7:17 pm Date Climbed: Jun 17, 2006
new route, cold summit
I accompanied my young friend Sarah on her first 14er, taking the Crags route. We started at 1 am and hiked under clear starry skies and, later, moonlight. It was very windy and cold at the summit, but we had it all to ourselves, as we arrived at about 6:40 MDT, my earliest 14er summit.
CODave - Jun 8, 2006 5:55 pm Date Climbed: May 28, 2006
Crags Route
Went up Crags route. Saw very few people until summit. Nice day, but windy at Devil's Playground.
sshankle - Jun 7, 2006 9:13 pm Date Climbed: Jun 7, 2006
Little Italy Ascent
My partner and I climbed Little Italy today. About 2 hours round trip (included a lift from a gracious family descending from the summit in their truck). Snow was a little loose down low, but up higher it was good. We passed the soft slushy stuff on the edges of the gully (often one foot on snow, the other on rock).
We went on to the summit zoo via "mechanized access".
swm88er - Sep 19, 2006 9:58 pm Date Climbed: Jun 29, 2006
CommercializedPikes Peak isn’t a bad hike for being so close to Colorado Springs. Lots of people on the trail, a road to the summit, and a train make the hike a little less than peaceful. None the less Pikes Peak is a classic. The name 16 Golden Stairs (a stair is a set of two switchbacks) deceives you into thinking your almost done.
bjd5578 - Sep 14, 2006 3:47 am Date Climbed: Aug 29, 2004
From the CragsI grew up in Colorado Springs in the shadow of this bohemeth - once I started climbing 14ers, I knew I had to tackle this one. We decided to climb from the Crags instead of Barr Trail (since it was more feasible for a day hike).
Despite having driven up this peak dozens of times and taken the cog railway more than once, hiking it was delightful. Plus, name any other 14er that you can buy donuts (and a coffee mug) at the top?
cdickinson - Sep 11, 2006 4:43 pm Date Climbed: Sep 9, 2006
Barr trailClimbed with the other 400+ who climbed today - perfect day
cftbq - Sep 3, 2006 5:09 pm Date Climbed: Sep 2, 2006
above the cloudsMy 3rd time up this peak, I led my wife, daughter, and grandson, who had not previously done it, via the Crags route. We spent most of the day in unbroken sunshine, looking down on a cloud deck which blanketed Colo. Spgs., as well as the lowlands south, west, and north.
pksander - Sep 3, 2006 3:26 am Date Climbed: Aug 20, 2006
Marathon AscentI summited Pikes Peak for the first time running the Pikes Peak Marathon this year. The course climbs the mountain via the Barr Creek Trail. I summited in 3:35 and completed the marathon in 5:49. It really hurt. I might do the Ascent again in a few years, but the marathon... probably not. I'm still messed up ;)
rpace - Sep 2, 2006 5:55 am Date Climbed: Aug 12, 2006
Number 4!4 1/2 hours up from Crags Campground via the Northwest Slopes. It rained on the 3 1/2 downclimb. Beautiful route!
tcisgray - Aug 30, 2006 1:07 am Date Climbed: Jun 20, 2005
Pikes PeakNice climb. "Thirteen Golden Stairs" are killers. Hiked up to Barr Camp the first day, spent the night. Met lots of really nice people. Finished the climb the next morning. Beautiful day. Long climb.
Rockman - Aug 29, 2006 6:00 am Date Climbed: Jul 15, 1994
Forgot about this one.Was out in CO for a geology field camp and went up Pikes on a day off. Rewarding indeed.
Scott Wisher - Aug 28, 2006 8:47 pm Date Climbed: Aug 27, 2006
Tourist TrapCarrie, Joe, Alissa, and I began at the Devil's Playground trailhead instead of ascending the Barr Trail. After mine and Joe's long experience on Long's, we weren't that interested in a 26 mile hike. We were the first hikers to summit that day, but definitely not the first at the top. Hundreds of people beat us by using the Cog Railroad or the long road to the top. This was my girlfriends first 14er. There was a nice amount of early morning snow cover from the previous night. The snow and ice made the boulder scramble near the top a little bit more treacherous, but nothing too serious. While we were up there, we summited Devil's Playground, the Teller County, Colorado highpoint, my 20th Colorado county highpoint.
Poor Climber - Aug 10, 2006 6:05 pm
My first (crags route)Way too hot!
PapaBanucci - Jul 24, 2006 9:33 pm Date Climbed: Jul 23, 2006
Barr Trail with FamilyClimbed with wife and two kids, ages 11 & 9. We climbed half a day to Barr Camp. Summited and back to Barr Camp on the second day. And then went back home in the morning after spending a second night at Barr Camp. I think I'd recommend something like this for this age of kids. We saw one 7 year old and one 8 year old on the mountain as well as some older kids.
seth@LOKI - Jul 21, 2006 1:25 am Date Climbed: Jul 14, 2001
Climbed by the cool rocksThe route was as hard as we wanted it to be and cooler than I expected! Had a burger on top! Euro?
ChaddBragg - Jul 13, 2006 10:50 pm Date Climbed: May 13, 2006
Long DayStarted out as fun, but this was the first time out this year and I bonked hard on the way down. All the time you spend above 13K got to me this time
ktiffany22 - Jul 3, 2006 7:22 am Date Climbed: Apr 22, 2006
Repeat climb...except this time we did the Crags route (Barr trail last time). I MUCH prefered this route!!!! The hike offers BEAUTIFUL scenery and is much shorter and easier on the body than Barr trail. I loved it!
ElliottDavis - Jun 26, 2006 3:52 am Date Climbed: Jan 1, 2004
Happy New Year!Oddly enough, the road and railroad were open that day. This made for a multi-cultural experience at the top. I particularly appreciated the lady with stiletto high-heeled boots and a fringed leather jacket which hissed in the wind. She gave me an odd look; I believe she thought my goggles were a curious fashion statement.
baez - Jun 25, 2006 10:25 pm Date Climbed: Jun 18, 2006
Barr TrailNice long day, left Denver at 3 AM and got back around 6 PM. Busy on top but not too bad on the trail.
Gahugafuga - Jun 20, 2006 7:40 pm
When I was 5My dad took our family up the road on our first trip to CO in 1985. Everyone else ended up getting terrible altitude sickness but me. I must've been adopted. Made a 20th anniversary climb in 2005. Got up and down from Crags Campground before the road opened so I had peace and quiet on the summit.
cftbq - Jun 18, 2006 7:17 pm Date Climbed: Jun 17, 2006
new route, cold summitI accompanied my young friend Sarah on her first 14er, taking the Crags route. We started at 1 am and hiked under clear starry skies and, later, moonlight. It was very windy and cold at the summit, but we had it all to ourselves, as we arrived at about 6:40 MDT, my earliest 14er summit.
CODave - Jun 8, 2006 5:55 pm Date Climbed: May 28, 2006
Crags RouteWent up Crags route. Saw very few people until summit. Nice day, but windy at Devil's Playground.
sshankle - Jun 7, 2006 9:13 pm Date Climbed: Jun 7, 2006
Little Italy AscentMy partner and I climbed Little Italy today. About 2 hours round trip (included a lift from a gracious family descending from the summit in their truck). Snow was a little loose down low, but up higher it was good. We passed the soft slushy stuff on the edges of the gully (often one foot on snow, the other on rock).
We went on to the summit zoo via "mechanized access".