Pikes Peak

[michael]

Wondering if anyone in this forum has hiked Pikes?

I'm driving out to Manitou Springs beginning Thursday and am considering a jaunt up Pikes if I have the time.

I've been on a couple of easy 14er's (Bross and Quandary) and am no stranger to 11 and 12,000 foot elevations- hell I lived in Colorado for 7 years but I have not ever delt with committing vertical like Pikes before.
Large vertical and a good 24 miles RT.

Considering a hike to Barr Camp at any rate even if I do not summit.

Just curious if anyone here banged it out in a day.

Also curious if there is an alternate route. Haven't found much info about anything but Barr trail or the auto road.

-m

 

[Puma concolor]

As you alluded to in your post, Pikes by any route other than the auto route is a tough day. I haven't done it myself, but I've hiked with this guy a couple of times. He is a beast. Here are some of his TRs from Pikes from a few different directions:

Pikes 1

Pikes 2

Pikes 3

Pikes 4

Pikes 5

Pikes is on my short list once I get done with my State Highpointing travels.

 

[michael]

beastly!

Great bunch of threads. Encouraging. Would love to gain a little elevation and knock a couple thou off the vertical from Manitou.

Thanks!

 

[Snowflea]

Did Pikes in a day from Manitou Springs in late June 2005 and found the multi-thousand-foot vertical and ~26 mile RT not as intimidating as anticipated. Trails are smoother than those in the Northeast -- I went very light and ran all the way down -- BUT this was in summer; to say, there was very little snow. As far as the CO 14ers go, it's technically very easy.

Bring money! You pass Barr Camp about halfway up, where you can buy water. And on the summit, there is a full-scale cafeteria. The donuts are made right there and are not to be missed... and I don't even really like donuts. Not sure what time of year either opens.

Here's the link to a Pikes Peak webcam:

http://www.utepasscams.com/pikes-peak-webcam.html

 

[RoySwkr]

My sister has done the route similar to #1 above, at that time it featured a lot of scree walking but when we drove up last year saw that a fine new trail has been built parallel to the auto road. Suspect you could not drive to that trailhead this time of year.

 

[jniehof]

Ask the guys on 14ers.com for beta--or just search there. Great place.

Roach lists a few options if the Barr the whole way is too much. The northwest slopes are Class II and you can cut down to maybe 8mi/2500' from there (I'm guesstimating the road closures...you really should get/borrow a copy of the Roach book for your detailed planning.) There are also some steep Class 3 snow routes listed; since they're on the north face I'm sure they'll be in for awhile. There's a thread on 14ers about the Y couloir route.

 

[erugs]

We did it as a three day hike a few years ago, wanting to stretch out the trip. We stayed both nights in a lean-to at Barr Camp. We highly recommend the camp as reasonable, comfortable, with tastey food.

It's true, the trails there are very tame. The only problem I could see with doing it in a day is not wanting to leave! The other potential problem could be the effects of altitude.

 

[RickB.]

I've done the route from the Crags Campground twice and it is mellow and a nice day trip. It crosses the road near the Devils Playground above 13K' and stays fairly near it from there up but it is a lovely hike throughout.
Route finding down low is easy these days. Just stay off the road; it is constantly patrolled and they are not hiker-friendly.
These comments apply to summer hiking, though, and you may get much more than you bargained for at this time of year on any route.

 

[MTNRUNR]

Pikes Peak Marathon

Having done the Mt Washington Road Race since 1976 and planning a tour of the country in 1978, I planned on doing the PPM as part of the trip(the PPM starts downtown Manitou Springs, goes to the summit over Barr Trail and back down it to Main Street).

I hiked Barr Trail 10 days before the '78 race in work boots...like an idiot! My achilles became inflammed and couldn't run but started the race and achilles didn't bother...what a trip I wuz hooked and went back for the marathon in '79, '80, '82, '87, '98(with my kids who did the ascent) and 2000. Best wuz '79 where I was 19th in the marathon(they had the ascent/marathon the same day back then). They say your ascent is about equal to your flatland marathon time. April '79 did Boston in 2:51 and my ascent time was 2:51! After the '78 trip I'd fly out 2 weeks ahead of time and stay at Barr Camp(10,000'), coming into town a couple days before the race.

In 2000 I took Donna out for her 1st time. Day after we arrived we hiked to the summit and caught a ride down the auto road(pretty easy to do). As Sue mentioned...gotta have a freshly cooked donut at the summit, yuuuuum

Pikes is sooo much like Washington...big rock pile, auto road, cog, restraunt/gift shop at the summit...just a bit higher but MUCH milder weather!

Depending on the shape you are in... it's an easy day...or a killer Also, the altitude affects everyone differently!

Colorado...similiar to NH...just the 4K's are 14K's

Rock on!!!

 

[Nessmuk]

My son hiked up when he was stationed at the AF Academy. I don't have many of the details, but I do know the girl he went with wasn't very well prepared with proper clothing. They did summit, and eventually got married a year later, so I guess that says something positive about the trip.

 

[arm]

backpacked Pikes Peak in march a few years ago

http://vftt.org/forums/showthread.php?t=1944

you could reach the peak in a long day hike ... trail is easy going to the summit ...

good thing about hiking there in march ... the tool road and cog railway are both closed ... should have the summit to yourself

you could camp free at the A-Frame Shelter about a mile beyond Barr Camp ... should be enough snow you could melt for water

i brought koflach boots, snowshoes, etc ... way overkill for the Barr Trail in march

 

[sierra]

pikes peak or bust

Ive done the Barr trail and its a great but long route. I much prefer the Crags route on the other side. If you do the crags route there is a nice forest service campground at the trailhead and provides a night of aclimating if that serves you. You may find trip reports on 14ers.com if you need them.

 

[michael]

views n brews

Well, first off thanks to all of you for providing me info on Pikes Peak.

Timing did not work out for me this time. But I did manage to taste just about every micro-brew in the Colorado Springs area and lived to tell the tale.

Bristol, Phantom Canyon, Trinity, Rock Bottom, Amica's (in Salida). I was Hazed and Infused, hopped up on hops, soured and barleyed, laughed at by Labs and left town with Fat Tires just ahead of the 'epic storm'.

I only managed a walk in the Garden of the Gods - not at all how I remembered it! All the houses, where the heck dod they come from?
part of the Incline and a new place called Red Rock Canyon (pics to follow).

We drove right by the Crags Campground road on our way to Cripple Creek and Salida and it was bone dry.
Not a lot of snow on the peaks this winter.

again thanks to all of you who sent along info.

PS the Cog Railway is running - and how quiet and clean it is compared to our cog railway.
My friend Glen lived a 1/4 mile from the station and you would not have guessed that it was even there.

Now its time to work off the beer fat! oh man!