Pikes Peak

2012-02-05T08:12:00.001-08:00

2012-01-29T15:14:00.001-08:00

Taken from the car driving along the Garden on 30th street.

2012-01-13T06:14:00.001-08:00

From the front yard.

2012-01-11T09:17:00.000-08:00

Full moon over Pikes.

2012-01-09T07:35:00.000-08:00

2012-01-04T11:24:00.000-08:00

The view while sitting at the Knob Hill Lounge.

2011-12-25T12:40:00.001-08:00

X-mas day Garden hike.

2011-12-23T15:54:00.000-08:00

Lunchtime walk, at Memorial Park.

2011-12-21T06:16:00.001-08:00

2011-12-18T14:20:00.000-08:00

From the summit of Red Mountain.

2011-12-18T08:16:00.000-08:00

2011-12-16T07:59:00.000-08:00

Took this on my way to catch the bus this morning around 6:30.

2011-04-03T14:10:00.000-07:00

The view of Pikes from my roof. I was up there helping remove the tree that fell on the house.

2011-01-20T16:30:00.001-08:00

2011-01-09T11:46:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite running routes, the Incline from/to Kinfolk's!

2010-11-18T16:32:00.001-08:00

2010-11-12T10:44:00.001-08:00

2010-08-23T10:51:00.001-07:00

Taken from the new brewery in Woodland Park, BierWerks.

2010-08-04T08:35:00.001-07:00

2010-06-15T10:12:00.001-07:00

2010-03-30T07:33:00.001-07:00

2010-03-26T08:19:00.001-07:00

2010-03-24T10:10:00.001-07:00

2010-03-23T07:52:00.001-07:00

2010-03-22T10:02:00.001-07:00

2010-03-19T11:13:00.001-07:00

2010-03-16T09:35:00.000-07:00

Pic from a recent article praising the fitness of front range cities.

2010-03-16T08:42:00.000-07:00

2010-03-15T06:13:00.001-07:00

2010-03-12T09:59:00.001-08:00

2010-03-12T06:24:00.001-08:00

The view from behind my garage. This is where I start my morning runs.

2010-03-10T10:29:00.001-08:00

2010-03-05T07:12:00.001-08:00

2010-03-03T08:37:00.001-08:00

2010-03-02T07:41:00.001-08:00

Awesome day here in the Springs. Summer is coming!

2010-03-01T07:11:00.001-08:00

Dreary day here in the Springs. Hopefully it clears up by the afternoon.

2010-02-26T10:14:00.001-08:00

Crappy phone pic, but here's the view from my new office, across from the Memorial Park skate park, near the corner of Pikes Peak and Union.

2010-02-18T13:57:00.001-08:00

Stole this pic from the Gazette. It was taken at a place I run by several times a week on my morning jaunts through the Garden.

2009-11-18T06:35:00.001-08:00

Taken the morning of November 18, 2009, at the Ridge Road entrance to Garden of the Gods.

2009-11-15T09:27:00.000-08:00

On this day in 1806, Lt. Zebulon Montgomery Pike sighted a mountain peak that now bears his name. What? All right, who’s the genius out there who said, “Zebulon Peak?” Those in the know, of course, realize that we speak of Pikes Peak.

The massive, towering (elevation 14,110 feet) behemoth had been called “The Long One” by Ute Indians. Its name was changed to honor the young army lieutenant. Zebulon Pike was leading a survey party into the newly acquired Louisiana Purchase when he spotted the snowcapped peak in the distance.

“Pikes Peak or Bust!” was the familiar slogan of many a wagon train settler traveling west in the 1800s. Visitors to the Pikes Peak region (near Colorado Springs) continue to be captivated, inspired, and enthralled by Colorado’s most famous mountain.

2009-11-06T06:38:00.000-08:00

Taken by Katie at Ute Valley Park at the Pikes Peak Road Runner fall series race #3, November 1, 2009.

2009-11-04T15:10:00.000-08:00

I swear I'll start updating this blog more often. Until then, here's a pic from Manitou city limits that shows you what Pikes Peak doesn't look like right now, since she's currently all covered in snow.

2009-07-25T08:46:00.000-07:00

Couple of pics from my 16th ascent of Pikes on July 24, 2009. Ran into Beth from CRC at Barr Camp and we ran/hiked the rest of the way. These pics were all taken from the summit.

2009-06-21T16:17:00.000-07:00

Taken near A-Frame on June 21, 2009.

2009-06-14T10:26:00.000-07:00

Taken June 14, 2009, at the finish line of the Garden 10 miler.

2009-05-29T15:12:00.000-07:00

Mrs. Arizona 2009 Melanie Britton waiting for me on top of Pikes Peak on May 29, 2009.

4/15/09 3:30PM

2009-04-15T14:33:00.000-07:00

Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile

2009-02-25T19:35:00.000-08:00

These were taken by Katie during her epic Incline/No Name Creek/Experimental Forest/Ute Pass run on February 24, 2009.

2008-11-23T10:48:00.000-08:00

Taken November 22, 2008 at the PPRR Turkey Trot at Memorial Park. That's BLOS in the bottom pic with the turkey he won for 6th place.

2008-11-02T09:17:00.000-08:00

Taken November 1, 2008, from the corner of 32nd and Colorado Ave.

2008-10-29T18:15:00.000-07:00

You catch a glimpse of Pikes Peak walking from my house down to Manitou Ave. That's Tonka's fat head in the lower corner. Taken on Oct 25, 2008, on our way to the coffin races.

2008-10-05T20:16:00.000-07:00

Taken on October 5, 2008, just after leaving the King's Chef Diner on the corner of Bijou and Nevada.

2008-10-05T20:15:00.000-07:00

Taken October 5, 2008, at the Pikes Peak Road Runners fall series race #1, at North Monument Valley Park.

2008-09-21T17:29:00.000-07:00

Taken from a moving car along Rampart Range Road in Woodland Park on 9/21/2008.

2008-09-02T07:54:00.001-07:00

ZZ Topnot during the recent Pikes Peak Marathon.

2008-08-24T19:57:00.000-07:00

Taken August 23, 2008, on top of Cheyenne Mountain.

2008-08-12T06:43:00.001-07:00

Taken early morning on August 12, 2008, on my bike ride in to work.

2008-08-10T16:59:00.000-07:00

Pikes Peak rises into the clouds. As seen from the safeway parking lot in Woodland Park, taken on August 10, 2008.

2008-07-08T06:10:00.000-07:00

Taken by Lick My Lincoln at the DIM beer check atop Red Mountain, July 7, 2008.

2008-07-08T06:08:00.000-07:00

Taken at the Kimchi hash on July 5, 2008.

2008-07-06T09:51:00.000-07:00

A teenager recently attempted suicide by driving his car off the top of Pikes Peak down into the Bottomless Pit. He lived, though his car may have seen it's last days. Didn't take long for some of the CRUD guys to find the wreckage.

2008-06-20T07:38:00.000-07:00

Taken 6/18/08 shortly after the Pikes Peak Road Runners full moon run at Red Rock Canyon open space.

2008-06-15T06:46:00.000-07:00

Took quite a few pics on yesterday's (6/14/08) long run, here are a few of 'em.

From Barr Trail, shortly after No Name Creek:

I always stop at this plaque on the way up. I hope to live to be 88, let alone be in good enough shape to be hiking Pikes Peak at that age. If I'd get to choose, getting hit by lightening on a high peak would be a cool way to go. I think this plaque is just above 12,000 feet:

This one was taken just below the 16 Golden Stairs. I like how you can see Barr Trail zig-zagging across the mountain:

A shot from the summit, looking back towards Colorado Springs:

Another pic from the top, looking southeast:

Looking north-northwest from the summit. You can see a little bit of the Pikes Peak highway and the snow topped Rocky Mountains far in the background:

Life begins above treeline! Shortly after beginning my descent:

One of my favorite views of Pikes Peak, taken about two miles from Barr Camp on the Elk Park trail. One of the good things about being a mountain runner is the places you get to visit. Most people who live their entire lives in Colorado Springs will never see this view of Pikes, because the physical effort to get to the Elk Park trail is too great. They're missing out.

This has nothing to do with Pikes Peak, but it was on the camera for some reason. Can't remember taking it, but I didn't want to waste it. FYI, I always finish my Pikes Peak adventures at Kinfolk's with a PBR!

2008-06-14T18:33:00.000-07:00

Perfect weather for my 12th summit on June 14, 2008.

2008-06-12T08:52:00.000-07:00

2008-06-07T15:37:00.000-07:00

This is the view of Pikes taken from my office window on June 6, 2008. Power lines and I-25 screw things up, but the mountain is still able to taunt me for having to sit behind my desk on nice Colorado afternoons.

2008-06-04T06:23:00.000-07:00

Two pics taken on the 5/29/08 MOPP hash. The top one was taken on Platte Place heading to Arctic Brewing, the bottom one taken next to Taco Star near Circle and Galley.

2008-04-20T12:55:00.000-07:00

Ritz, taken 4/19/2008 shortly after she finished the Greenland 25K. The other mountain in the pic, above the joint juice truck, is Mount Herman. It's a much easier climb than Pikes Peak.

2008-03-17T14:12:00.000-07:00

Lifted this one off the internet. Taken at the gas station at the intersection of Manitou Ave and I-24.

2008-02-24T14:53:00.000-08:00

Was hoping to get some good shots from yesterday's P2H3 trail through Palmer Park, but Pikes was too busy getting hammered by shitty weather. Even though it was shorts weather in the city, the mountain got a ton of new snow.

2008-02-17T15:13:00.000-08:00

This one was taken by QnA from Palmer Park during the P2H4 Black Socks hash.

2008-02-10T17:07:00.000-08:00

Taken just above the Manitou Springs middle school, this was supposed to be the view at the beer check of the last Kimchi hash. Unfortunately, mom nature didn't cooperate that day, but the view was pretty good today.

2008-02-05T18:47:00.000-08:00

Congrats to @ss Gagger, who sucked it up long enough to reach the top of the incline on her most recent visit. Glad that hike up Mt. Bonnell got you ready for this climb...

2008-02-04T13:25:00.000-08:00

Taken last year at the scenic overlook up by the Air Force Academy. Couldn't take a picture today, we're having a storm roll through and I can't even see the mountain.

2008-01-29T20:23:00.001-08:00

Hard to see from this pic, but this is the view of Pikes I get from my living room window.

2008-01-15T20:11:00.000-08:00

Finally got the internet in my new apartment, so I'll try to get more pics of America's mountain up here. Until then, here's an old shot of a solo hike I did to the Peak back in May of '06.

2007-12-11T15:21:00.000-08:00

Happy birthday! The Incline just turned 100 years old! Read about it here. Got stopped in my tracks at the "no tresspassing" sign last night, turned back due to ice and shitty weather.

2007-11-14T19:02:00.000-08:00

So this blog hasn't been updated much while I've been living in San Antonio. But fear not, within the next month I'll be living in Manitou Springs! Woohoo!

2007-09-24T18:23:00.001-07:00

Believe it or not, the summit house on top of Pikes Peak was recently robbed. Read about it here.

2007-09-20T18:24:00.000-07:00

A classic. Used to be brewed in Pueblo a buncha years ago.

2007-08-12T17:01:00.000-07:00

A far off Pikes Peak as seen from the summit of Mt. Princeton on 8/11/2007.

2007-08-07T19:50:00.000-07:00

A cloud covered Pikes Peak as seen from the summit of Mount Rosa on 8/7/2007.

2007-07-14T19:16:00.000-07:00

Taken very early AM on 7/14/2007 from the top of Wilkerson Pass.

2007-07-07T22:01:00.000-07:00

Congrats to Katie on her first real ascent of Pikes!

2007-06-29T17:17:00.001-07:00

Tenth trip up Pikes Peak as a training run for Leadville. Had some trouble once I got above treeline but all in all it was a good day. Pike National Forest is beautiful right now, it's the greenest I've ever seen it, due to the wet winter and recent afternoon t-storms. If anyone heads up, check out the field of Colombine just after no-name creek.

Total time for the day was 7:52:34. Added a few miles in Manitou, think I did about 29 miles or so. Actually felt good at the end, which was a new feeling to me, been a long time since I had a run that long where I didn't feel like death towards the end.

Pics of the trip can be seen here.

2007-05-25T12:19:00.000-07:00

Taken at the corner of Willamette and Alexander on May 25, 2007 at 1:20PM. Still too much snow!

2007-05-20T18:51:00.000-07:00

Woohoo! Finally got up above 10,000 feet today, to Barr Camp. No snow at all! Neil reports that there is no snow up to the Bottomless Pit sign, but then it gets pretty hairy. He estimates it'll be about three weeks before you can get all the way up the Barr Trail to the top of Pikes without special snow equipment.

2007-03-31T09:33:00.000-07:00

Taken the morning of 3/30/07 from the corner of Willamette and Alexander after a night snowstorm on the peak.

2007-03-23T11:27:00.000-07:00

Taken on March 18, 2007 on top of Wilkerson Pass on the way home from South Park.

2007-03-23T09:15:00.000-07:00

Pikes as seen from Woodland Park on March 18, 2007.

2007-03-18T06:46:00.000-07:00

Taken by Runs With Beaver at the Kimchi St. Patty's day hash.

2007-02-25T15:07:00.000-08:00

Pikes seen from I-25 near the Air Force Academy.

2007-02-02T10:39:00.000-08:00

A recent story in the Colo Springs Gazette says the Pikes Peak races will begin offering prize money to the top finishers. Should attract a better field, maybe give Matt Carpenter some competition for once. Also added is an essay contest for folks who miss the registration deadline, which is expected to be about five hours after rego opens on March 1.

The Gazette story can be read here.

2007-01-01T16:49:00.000-08:00

A snow capped Pikes on the first day of 2007, as seen from the intersection of Alexander and Willamette. Snow, and avalanche conditions, forced the AdAmAn Club to walk up the highway instead of the usual Barr Trail route for the NYE fireworks.

2006-12-20T16:07:00.000-08:00

With all the news surrounding Mt. Hood, this rescue went relatively unnoticed among the local mountaineering scene. With all the times I've been up and down the mountain, and the dozens of stories from the Austin runners, many of my loyal readers probably have the idea that Pikes is an easy hike, but that's definitely not the case.

2006-12-20T15:15:00.000-08:00

Sorry for the lack of updates. Pikes is still there in all her glory, I just haven't had my camera with me lately. This is a shot taken from my hike up from Crag's Campground last September. Because of other mountains in the area, unless you hike this route you can't really get this view.

2006-11-26T12:35:00.000-08:00

Pikes Peak as viewed from the summit of Pulpit Rock during the Kimchi hash on 11/25/2006.

2006-11-12T17:53:00.000-08:00

Good shot of the east face of Pikes, taken last Tuesday (11/7/2006). You can see the incline at the bottom. Should have climbed it then. Haven't seen the mountain all day due to the clouds, but I have a feeling the next time I see it there'll be a lot more snow.

2006-11-07T22:13:00.000-08:00

This is my friend Cherry Picker, who dressed up as Pikes Peak for halloween. Great costume! Hard to see from this pic, but the flag on her head (who said head?) says "14,110 feet." I told her I've been on top of her a bunch of times, but I must not have made an impression as she couldn't remember any of 'em.

2006-11-05T17:13:00.000-08:00

Went for a good hike this afternoon. First stop was Red Rocks Canyon open space, had to scout trail for an upcoming Kimchi hash. And since I had pleanty of time, while I was over there I stopped by Garden of the Gods. Beautiful weather, can't believe it's November in CO and I'm still going outside in shorts.

Pics are here.