Pikes Peak

Route: Northwest Slopes
Posted On: 8/17/2021, By: PJ88
Info: In picture 19 where you follow the trail up to the parking lot from the turn in the road there is construction blocking hikers. There is a sign there letting you know to walk the road instead and a construction employee at the lot asking you to use the new walkways to the marker or summit house area. Donuts were not great this morning. 

Route: East Slopes
Posted On: 8/14/2021, By: olgav100
Info: Of course it's summer condition, but in the news, I finally checked out the newly constructed Monument and all the walkways/visitors center (outside only). There's still something getting worked on up there, but definitely very touristy pretty. 

Route: East Slopes
Posted On: 7/17/2021, By: brauda02
Info: Ran up the Barr Trail today. 100% summer conditions.

Couple notes: You have to pay $1/hr to park in the lot adjacent to Memorial Park. The summit area is very crowded. 

Route: Northwest Slopes
Posted On: 7/13/2021, By: wolfgangstiller
Info: Summer conditions all the way up. No snow fields left. Parking is a problem on weekends but today at 8 AM there were plenty of places free. The summit house is open (you can get food and drinks in the cafe) but still a lot of construction going on for the new parking area and surrounding area. 

Route: East Slopes
Posted On: 6/22/2021, By: sdicenso
Info: FYI! The Pikes Peak Highway will be closed Sunday, so if you hike Barr Trail to the summit and don't already have a one-way ticket purchased for the Cog, then you must hike back down. If you hike up from the Crags Campground you will not be able to go past Devils Playground, because it is a safety liability for the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. 

Route: Northwest Slopes
Posted On: 6/22/2021, By: sdicenso
Info: FYI! The Pikes Peak Highway will be closed Sunday, so if you hike Barr Trail to the summit and don't already have a one-way ticket purchased for the Cog, then you must hike back down. If you hike up from the Crags Campground you will not be able to go past Devils Playground, because it is a safety liability for the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. 

Route: Northwest Slopes
Posted On: 6/23/2021, By: E_A_Marcus_949
Info: Clear all the way to the summit - summer conditions. Tuesday lot wasn't too full at 5am, by 1pm it was filling up.

The summit is a hideous mess right now - no summit house (no donuts), the new walkways are sweet, cog trains up and running, school busses shuttling folks from Devil's Playground up to Summit.

From about 3-9am (when road opens to the public), race drivers are practicing for the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. That is on Sunday, so the road will be closed. See previous updates for trail closures and such - do your research before heading up.

Updated with summit photos. 

Route: East Slopes
Posted On: 6/21/2021, By: douglas
Info: Trail clear all the way to the summit. Summit is a mess and according to locals nothing will really be open until around the end of the year. (I guess official opening is supposed to be this week, but it doesn't look remotely close to being done) 

Route: Northwest Slopes
Posted On: 6/20/2021, By: cvbuffs
Info: Summer conditions save for a couple of very small patches of snow (no traction needed). Long day, started from the trailhead at 4:45am and was back to the car by 12:45pm. Plenty of spots to refill water if you want to lighten your load.

IMO, hardest part of the route is from treeline to the first ridge. Once there it is very straightforward, albeit long, with only a couple of more difficult sections left to hit the summit. Summit is totally under-construction and you can't reach the marker.

One thing to note for people looking to car camp the night before to try and get an early start is that the ranger patrols the main trailhead lot and will ask you to move. I spoke to the gentleman that ran the campground and he suggested that I move before settling in for the night. 

Route: Northwest Slopes
Posted On: 6/18/2021, By: mvandergrift
Info: Arrived at the TH at 4am and only one other car was there. There were 4-5 small snow traversals of 5-10' along the trail. These could have been avoided, but they weren't worth it. No need for traction. I've never done this route in the summer, but I can't imagine it's much different. 

Route: East Slopes
Posted On: 6/22/2021, By: Geoyakr
Info: Barr Trail is dry. Last 1000 ft of elevation has some loose gravel, minimal snow cover and minimal snow melt running water; Excellent journey. Peak has construction activity. Can only access the platform overlook, but no facilities or parking/ingress/egress. Must hike additional 3.5 miles to Devils Playground Parking if not hiking back down. 

Route: Y And RR couloirs
Posted On: 6/15/2021, By: slawrence2011
Info: Drove to summit, Dropped into a couple of couloirs and climbed back up. First col toward the Crags trail finish cliffed after about 500 feet down. I got about 700 feet down on the one closer to the road finish before it cliffed. Looks like it might have been down scramble able, but weather was turning so I didn't try. 

Route: Northwest Slopes
Posted On: 6/18/2021, By: KingHenryJames3rd
Info: Pretty much summer conditions. I remember crossing some snow a few times but never for more than 20 ft or so, didn't use traction. It was already hot coming down after summiting at 5:40am. Summit is still under full blown construction. Not really clear if I was allowed to be wondering around at the top but no one yelled at me. Lots of big diesel equipment moving around. 

Route: Northwest Slopes
Posted On: 6/10/2021, By: kbenoit5
Info: Dry until the trail crosses over to the other side of the road at Devil's playground, then a couple initial, small snow patches that are hard pack before the sun starts working. Completely dry from then on until just before the summit push, where there are a couple bigger snowfields that are post-holey later in the morning. The summit pitch is still holding snow that can be slick and sketchy if you are not being mindful.

All in all the snow wasn't too much to contend with (I did not use spikes), but it's melting fast so before long it will be summer conditions. 

Route: East Slopes
Posted On: 6/7/2021, By: lastnamelo
Info: Trail is completely clear until '2 mi to go' sign. Did not need spikes or poles (could be nice to have). Some post-holing -- but can be avoided by carefully choosing your feet placement. After '16 Golden Stairs' sign, there were some slightly off trail paths to avoid deep/steep snowfields -- follow the abundant foot prints. Prepare to step in ankle deep snow melt, lots of flowing water near the summit (did not need to fill all the way up at A-Frame). Summit is 'open'. I walked through PPM finish, all the up the to tracks. Summit house not open. The only other people at the summit were Cog passengers, I don't believe Pikes Peak Highway is open to the summit at the moment.