Pikes Peak Trip Report 06/29/2014

Report Type	Full
Peak(s)	Pikes Peak - 14,109 feet
Date Posted	06/29/2014
Modified	06/30/2014
Date Climbed	06/28/2014
Author	sanchomurphy1

Climbing the Northwest Slopes on Pikes
We kicked off the 14er season with aneasier hike on the Northwest Slopes of Pikes this year. We started off from The Crags Campground after a long drive in Friday night. The road to the campground was excellent and we slept well. We left at around 6 am Sat. morning and pushed hard for the top. The lower section consisted of quite a few climbing switchbacks but we had a lot of good views to the west for the majority of the way out of the drainage. Route finding was easy with laminated signs pointing the way and there were several people to follow for the early part of the day. We made good progress and arrived at Devil's Playground without much effort and within two hours. We had cold pizza for breakfast nearby, "always a great trail food." and pushed towards the summit. Hiking was very easy and somewhat dull until we reached the base of the summit, with minor ups and downs. The final summit push includes some fun Class 2 to mix things up a bit and is well marked. We arrived at the top around 10 am to what has to be the least inspiring 14er summit of them all. It was nice to warm up at the top for a bit but we were also eager to leave the crowds on the summit behind. The hike down was mellow until we made it past Devil's Playground where the trail drops off steeply. This hike will slow you down and will bring the pain to your feet and knees. After going down countless switchbacks, the trail gets better again not long after you hit treeline. Without a whole lot to see on the way, we made it back to the trailhead around 2 pm. This is not the most scenic trail, but it is a great all-around workout. Aside from that, we hit up Florissant Fossil Beds NM which is a short 8 minute drive from Divide and is a great place to stop if you are on this side of the mountain. What's better than 34 myo bug fossils and redwood trees in Colorado! I would also recommend the Phantom Canyon Brewery as a nice spot to refuel on your way back home in downtown Colorado Springs. Hooray for everyone that has the temerity to actually climb this peak! Here's a plug for my lost camera if you are headed up that way. Black Nikon Camera lost on the way from Devil's Playground to The Crags Campground. I believe it was a Nikon COOLPIX P500 although I could be wrong on the model number. I believe that I lost it on the way down the Northwest Slopes Trail on Saturday 6/28/2014 between the treeline and the first foot bridge headed towards the Crags Campground. The red section is where I believe it to be on the trail. The last time I had it was right before we went below tree line. Search Area There is one spot that I am very certain it is at. One of the north ends of one of the upper switchbacks we stopped to rest. It would be about 10 feet off the north vertex to the north and is distinguished from the others by a half-formed campfire ring of rocks under several trees with a large boulder on the east side of the ring. We changed clothes there and likely left it on the ground. I am up in the Loveland area and have no way to get back down there for a few weeks. Any help would be greatly appreciated if you hike this trail and look for this camera especially at the switchback with a fire pit. There is a reward for its return and plenty of good karma headed your way. Thanks everyone. Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):

Climbing the Northwest Slopes on Pikes

We kicked off the 14er season with aneasier hike on the Northwest Slopes of Pikes this year. We started off from The Crags Campground after a long drive in Friday night. The road to the campground was excellent and we slept well. We left at around 6 am Sat. morning and pushed hard for the top. The lower section consisted of quite a few climbing switchbacks but we had a lot of good views to the west for the majority of the way out of the drainage. Route finding was easy with laminated signs pointing the way and there were several people to follow for the early part of the day. We made good progress and arrived at Devil's Playground without much effort and within two hours. We had cold pizza for breakfast nearby, "always a great trail food." and pushed towards the summit. Hiking was very easy and somewhat dull until we reached the base of the summit, with minor ups and downs. The final summit push includes some fun Class 2 to mix things up a bit and is well marked. We arrived at the top around 10 am to what has to be the least inspiring 14er summit of them all. It was nice to warm up at the top for a bit but we were also eager to leave the crowds on the summit behind. The hike down was mellow until we made it past Devil's Playground where the trail drops off steeply. This hike will slow you down and will bring the pain to your feet and knees. After going down countless switchbacks, the trail gets better again not long after you hit treeline. Without a whole lot to see on the way, we made it back to the trailhead around 2 pm. This is not the most scenic trail, but it is a great all-around workout. Aside from that, we hit up Florissant Fossil Beds NM which is a short 8 minute drive from Divide and is a great place to stop if you are on this side of the mountain. What's better than 34 myo bug fossils and redwood trees in Colorado! I would also recommend the Phantom Canyon Brewery as a nice spot to refuel on your way back home in downtown Colorado Springs. Hooray for everyone that has the temerity to actually climb this peak!

Here's a plug for my lost camera if you are headed up that way.

Black Nikon Camera lost on the way from Devil's Playground to The Crags Campground.

I believe it was a Nikon COOLPIX P500 although I could be wrong on the model number. I believe that I lost it on the way down the Northwest Slopes Trail on Saturday 6/28/2014 between the treeline and the first foot bridge headed towards the Crags Campground. The red section is where I believe it to be on the trail. The last time I had it was right before we went below tree line.

There is one spot that I am very certain it is at. One of the north ends of one of the upper switchbacks we stopped to rest. It would be about 10 feet off the north vertex to the north and is distinguished from the others by a half-formed campfire ring of rocks under several trees with a large boulder on the east side of the ring. We changed clothes there and likely left it on the ground.

I am up in the Loveland area and have no way to get back down there for a few weeks. Any help would be greatly appreciated if you hike this trail and look for this camera especially at the switchback with a fire pit. There is a reward for its return and plenty of good karma headed your way. Thanks everyone.

Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):

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