Pikes Peak Trip Report 03/24/2015

Peak(s):	Pikes Peak - 14,109 feet
Date Posted:	03/24/2015
Date Climbed:	03/21/2015
Author:	jguerin211

Pikes Peak - Northwest Slopes
I got to Crags campground at roughly 5:15 am and was grateful to see another group of 6 people in the parking lot getting ready. I knew it had snowed a couple days ago but didn't think I'd need my snowshoes - thank God I talked to the other group as I was informed it had in fact snowed quite a bit. I did have my microspikes but snowshoes were absolutely necessary and I wore them for at least 50% of the hike. I started out ahead of the other group, but after 5 minutes lost the trail. There were some previous tracks from what I believe were a couple backcountry skiers, but in the dark it was impossible to know where I was going and it was better to not get lost early on in the hike, especially in the dark. I decided to wait for the other group to catch up; they were very friendly and were cool with me joining them at least until we found the trail. Unfortunately we went in a big circle for the first hour and wound up back at the trailhead and just starting all over. I wasn't in a hurry and I've only had one 14er go absolutely perfectly so I wasn't down about this at all nor surprised. It was definitely better than being lost and alone. We did find eventually the trail and after the first half hour or so I departed from them and steamed ahead. I now had sunlight, and the tracks from the skiers were now 100% visible so I felt pretty good. Once at treeline though the tracks stopped (where they decided to ski down I guess) and I had to then break trail by myself. The snow was soft and deep enough that this was pretty strenuous. I muscled my way up a pretty steep incline, wove my way back and forth and finally came to a ridge line where I could see the peak. It was about 9:45 at this point. This definitely was not the true trail, but the hike to the Pikes Peak road was very easy from here. My tracks were the first in the snow and the view was incredible; I had "14er high" as I like to call it. It was so serene and peaceful. When I got to the road I saw the snow drifts along the trail were above eye level; I decided to hike on the road but jump back on the trail at the "final pitch". My body was starting to crash though so my pace slowed considerably. One of the rangers plowing the road stopped by me and said she didn't care that the drifts were too deep and said I should be on the trail anyway. I like to think she was doing her job, but I did find it rude of her and after some investigation concluded it really was too dangerous. I tried swinging around the back of Point 13,363; the snow was way too deep and being on that steep an incline I felt that an avalanche wasn't an unlikely occurence. So I jumped back on the road, made my way up to the final pitch and slowly clambered my way up. IT WAS BRUTAL. The snow was very deep and I could only pace my self at 10-20 foot intervals before taking a break. After a long time I finally made it up but it was 2:00 at that point. My body was pretty taxed. I spent an hour at the top recuperating and started back down at 3. I refused to take the final pitch back down and decided on the road this time. There were hardly any clouds, no sign of an incoming storm, and the temperature was between 30 and 40 degrees. I felt very comfortable about making it back alive and before dark. The sun had warmed up the snow considerably so once I was off the road my snowshoes gripped the snow really well and didn't sink as much. The trail did get slushy once I got back to treeline so I expect it could be very slick if a colder day rolls around. FINAL ADVICE Well I'm about done rambling. For any hikers in the near future, I recommend snowshoes and definitely spikes. Also be aware our trail is not the correct trail, but it will get you up to the ridge that's right above treeline. If the snow is in fact getting icy, I also recommend an axe for self-arresting as some of the slopes were decently steep. As long as you're smart there aren't any dangerous areas you could slide into, but it would make for a long fall and ensuing hike back up. Also, the road is very iffy. The snow is between 8 and 12 inches deep and there's only one set of car tracks - i.e. if another car is coming from the other direction, you could both end up being stuck with your tires spinning in the snow. This almost happened to me and two other cars on my way back home. Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):

Pikes Peak - Northwest Slopes

I got to Crags campground at roughly 5:15 am and was grateful to see another group of 6 people in the parking lot getting ready. I knew it had snowed a couple days ago but didn't think I'd need my snowshoes - thank God I talked to the other group as I was informed it had in fact snowed quite a bit. I did have my microspikes but snowshoes were absolutely necessary and I wore them for at least 50% of the hike.

I started out ahead of the other group, but after 5 minutes lost the trail. There were some previous tracks from what I believe were a couple backcountry skiers, but in the dark it was impossible to know where I was going and it was better to not get lost early on in the hike, especially in the dark. I decided to wait for the other group to catch up; they were very friendly and were cool with me joining them at least until we found the trail.

Unfortunately we went in a big circle for the first hour and wound up back at the trailhead and just starting all over. I wasn't in a hurry and I've only had one 14er go absolutely perfectly so I wasn't down about this at all nor surprised. It was definitely better than being lost and alone. We did find eventually the trail and after the first half hour or so I departed from them and steamed ahead. I now had sunlight, and the tracks from the skiers were now 100% visible so I felt pretty good.

Once at treeline though the tracks stopped (where they decided to ski down I guess) and I had to then break trail by myself. The snow was soft and deep enough that this was pretty strenuous. I muscled my way up a pretty steep incline, wove my way back and forth and finally came to a ridge line where I could see the peak. It was about 9:45 at this point. This definitely was not the true trail, but the hike to the Pikes Peak road was very easy from here.

My tracks were the first in the snow and the view was incredible; I had "14er high" as I like to call it. It was so serene and peaceful.

When I got to the road I saw the snow drifts along the trail were above eye level; I decided to hike on the road but jump back on the trail at the "final pitch". My body was starting to crash though so my pace slowed considerably. One of the rangers plowing the road stopped by me and said she didn't care that the drifts were too deep and said I should be on the trail anyway. I like to think she was doing her job, but I did find it rude of her and after some investigation concluded it really was too dangerous. I tried swinging around the back of Point 13,363; the snow was way too deep and being on that steep an incline I felt that an avalanche wasn't an unlikely occurence.

So I jumped back on the road, made my way up to the final pitch and slowly clambered my way up. IT WAS BRUTAL. The snow was very deep and I could only pace my self at 10-20 foot intervals before taking a break. After a long time I finally made it up but it was 2:00 at that point. My body was pretty taxed.

I spent an hour at the top recuperating and started back down at 3. I refused to take the final pitch back down and decided on the road this time.

There were hardly any clouds, no sign of an incoming storm, and the temperature was between 30 and 40 degrees. I felt very comfortable about making it back alive and before dark. The sun had warmed up the snow considerably so once I was off the road my snowshoes gripped the snow really well and didn't sink as much. The trail did get slushy once I got back to treeline so I expect it could be very slick if a colder day rolls around.

FINAL ADVICE
Well I'm about done rambling. For any hikers in the near future, I recommend snowshoes and definitely spikes. Also be aware our trail is not the correct trail, but it will get you up to the ridge that's right above treeline. If the snow is in fact getting icy, I also recommend an axe for self-arresting as some of the slopes were decently steep. As long as you're smart there aren't any dangerous areas you could slide into, but it would make for a long fall and ensuing hike back up.

Also, the road is very iffy. The snow is between 8 and 12 inches deep and there's only one set of car tracks - i.e. if another car is coming from the other direction, you could both end up being stuck with your tires spinning in the snow. This almost happened to me and two other cars on my way back home.

Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):

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