Pikes Peak Trip Report 06/30/2008

Peak(s):	Pikes Peak - 14,109 feet
Date Posted:	06/30/2008
Date Climbed:	06/28/2008
Author:	rwilson

Pikes via Crags
Wheeled down from Denver through the Rampart Range trails on Friday (fun way to travel to the Springs). I arrived at the Crags CG at 11PM and found the campground full. I parked at the TH parking outside the campground and tried to crash in the back of my Pathfinder but the large group occupying the area made it hard to sleep. 5am came to soon and I decide 6 sounded alot better. So at 6 I hit the trail. Being a weekend, there were several other groups starting at the same time. It was a good thing there were others because 100 yard into the trail it forks and I didn't do much research and didn't know which way to go. The next group wasn't certain either but the following group knew for sure to cross the bridge. Would it kill the Forest Circus to put up a sign that says "Pike's Peak" instead of a sign with a trail number? After climbing a long time I finally hit treeline and trudged up the very poor trail to the first ridgeline. This trail segment was pretty much straight uphill and very eroded because of it. After gaining the ridge it was an easy hike across the broad ridge to the Devil's Playground and onward to the summit pitch. Summit through the rock gap. How Texans climb a 14er's. My yearly poke at Texans. Once I began climbing the summit cone I thought it was a crazy route considering the nice path the road took. But pretty soon you catch on to follow the cairnes. You just keep connecting the dots and there will be a path of flat rocks with small pieces filling in the cracks to provide a path. Also the rock changes from the crumbly crap you have been on to the solid rock the summit cone is made of (dolomite?) Pretty soon you are on top with all the tourists. If a train is there, ALOT of tourists. The weather turned from clear blue skies to cloudy and cold just as I arrived at the top. This and the crowds made for the shortest time I have spent on a summit. Because I knew the weather could get bad soon, I asked a Ranger if hiking on the road was ok. He said no and to stay on the trail. And since no tourist looked eager to give me a ride, I started down. After crossing back through the gap in the rocks, I saw two lightning bolts strike the top of the peak at the end of the valley. This made me stop for a while as the storm was close to were I was heading and it is a long way to treeline. After about 15 minutes with no more lightning I double-timed it back down to treeline. I eventually made it back to my truck totally exhausted. Not fueling my body properly the day before and the lack of sleep made this long hike much harder. Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):

Pikes via Crags

Wheeled down from Denver through the Rampart Range trails on Friday (fun way to travel to the Springs). I arrived at the Crags CG at 11PM and found the campground full. I parked at the TH parking outside the campground and tried to crash in the back of my Pathfinder but the large group occupying the area made it hard to sleep. 5am came to soon and I decide 6 sounded alot better. So at 6 I hit the trail. Being a weekend, there were several other groups starting at the same time. It was a good thing there were others because 100 yard into the trail it forks and I didn't do much research and didn't know which way to go. The next group wasn't certain either but the following group knew for sure to cross the bridge. Would it kill the Forest Circus to put up a sign that says "Pike's Peak" instead of a sign with a trail number? After climbing a long time I finally hit treeline and trudged up the very poor trail to the first ridgeline. This trail segment was pretty much straight uphill and very eroded because of it. After gaining the ridge it was an easy hike across the broad ridge to the Devil's Playground and onward to the summit pitch.

Summit through the rock gap.

How Texans climb a 14er's.

My yearly poke at Texans.

Once I began climbing the summit cone I thought it was a crazy route considering the nice path the road took. But pretty soon you catch on to follow the cairnes. You just keep connecting the dots and there will be a path of flat rocks with small pieces filling in the cracks to provide a path. Also the rock changes from the crumbly crap you have been on to the solid rock the summit cone is made of (dolomite?) Pretty soon you are on top with all the tourists. If a train is there, ALOT of tourists.

The weather turned from clear blue skies to cloudy and cold just as I arrived at the top. This and the crowds made for the shortest time I have spent on a summit. Because I knew the weather could get bad soon, I asked a Ranger if hiking on the road was ok. He said no and to stay on the trail. And since no tourist looked eager to give me a ride, I started down. After crossing back through the gap in the rocks, I saw two lightning bolts strike the top of the peak at the end of the valley. This made me stop for a while as the storm was close to were I was heading and it is a long way to treeline. After about 15 minutes with no more lightning I double-timed it back down to treeline. I eventually made it back to my truck totally exhausted. Not fueling my body properly the day before and the lack of sleep made this long hike much harder.

Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):

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