Pikes Peak
Anthony planned a surprise weekend just for the two of us. All the activities were planned around things that I like or have been wanting to do. We dropped the kids off with family on Thursday night and started our first activity bight and early Friday morning. Actually we were up by 4 AM and at the base of Pike’s Peak an hour and a half before the sun even came up. It’s a good thing we brought a flashlight to navigate through the Barr Trail. We hiked in darkness for about 3 miles.
Our first stop. Sun finally shinning.
Half way through (6miles) stopped at Barr Camp to have lunch. There’s nothing much here other than a decent outhouse and some benches and picnic tables.
The birds there were ruthless trying to snatch up our grub
The birds there were ruthless trying to snatch up our grub
6 miles to go!
The Aspen trees were so beautiful. Fall is here
3 more miles to the top
Potty break…ha
Anthony’s view for the majority of the hike
2 more miles
1 mile marker
16 Golden Stairs
A series of boulders and short switchbacks. Don’t have a clue where they got the 16 from…way more steps than that!
A series of boulders and short switchbacks. Don’t have a clue where they got the 16 from…way more steps than that!
I was determined to beat Anthony to the top, so I pushed hard at the end and made it to the top in 9.75 hrs. He was only 5 minutes behind.
That’s me on the far left
The Cog train that I took the girls on a few weeks back. Gotta love the looks we got from the passengers. They couldn’t believe people actually hiked up
Our buddy Johnny picked us up at the top
13 miles from the the bottom of the mountain in Manitou Springs to the summit of Pike’s Peak. Altitude gain of over 7,800 ft ending at the top of “America’s Mountain,” elevation 14,115 ft.
Can’t believe we did it!