Hey Community!

It’s been awhile since I shared a story, so I thought I would check in with another fun one. Check out the other trip reports if you’re in need of adventure.

I grew up in Colorado Springs under the shadow of Pikes Peak, the grand mountain that was once said to be impossible to climb. As a kid, I remember small adventures there: a 6th-grade hike to the treeline, a couple high school summits followed by a ride down, and a college trip where I biked down from the top on a steel frame with no suspension. Despite those early memories, I somehow never managed a complete round trip on foot back then.

After years away, I returned to the area in 2004 and immediately felt the pull of the mountain. I hiked to the summit in just under five hours, wearing cotton shorts and hoodie. I don't recall how long the descent took or how many days it was before I could walk normally again, but I was hooked. That was my first completed 14er.

The frequency of my trips increased over the years, including a memorable unicycle excursion in 2014 where I rode about 40% of the way up and 60% of the way down. In 2017, I discovered a group called the Pikes Streakers—people dedicated to summiting once a month. That October, I joined the club.

As time passed, I watched the old summit house come down and the new one rise. I explored the mountain from nearly every angle, visiting the Bottomless Pit, the Cirque, the Oil Creek tunnel, the cave, and the meteor crater. I even did a "Where's Waldo" Halloween hike and eventually pulled off my first sub-three-hour summit by taking the Incline to Barr Trail and going straight up from treeline.

In 2020, chronic bursitis in my foot finally required surgery. I managed to time my procedure to protect my streak, definitely without my doctor's permission. However, the loss of the bursa sac eventually led to a fractured sesamoid bone in 2021. My monthly streak ended at 51 months, and it was another ten months before I could return. By late 2022, I was back on the mountain and streaking once again.

I soon started adding "Double Pikes Traverses" to my routine, modifying the "Backslap" route by using the Manitou Incline. 2024 was a standout year because one of those double traverses marked my 499th and 500th lifetime Colorado 14er summits. The jump shot photo from the top is still a favorite.

In 2025, while my wife was on assignment in Washington, D.C., my lap numbers climbed even higher. During the "Year of the 6-7," I finished with 67 laps on the Peak and achieved a personal best 4:23 round trip starting and finishing on the Incline.

With the light snow this last winter, pre-breakfast laps have been easy. As 2026 progresses, I realized that reaching 250 lifetime laps would be possible this July 4th. Celebrating my 250th summit on the 250th anniversary is a perfect milestone. As of today, I am at 248 laps, with a plan to complete the final two on the holiday.

Thank you all for the stories, beta, and community. It has been an incredible journey, and I look forward to many more summits. I'll be wearing a red "250" shirt on the 4th, so give me a shout if you see me on the mountain.

To everyone I have shared a summit with: thank you. There are too many to name, but I have to mention Andrew N. He has joined me for more summits than anyone else, and every speed record I have set was because he was there pushing me.

Today marked summit #248 and my 47th month in a row. The conditions are great and the mountain is calling. What are you waiting for? :)

------------------ UPDATE

Got it done - even got 4 on the 4th. Will get out a post soon. Here's some fun pics....