In case you're wondering, yes, the air is VERY thin up there!

In case you’re wondering, yes, the air is VERY thin up there! I don’t know why I wasn’t wearing my jacket. I had one with me.

On July 10th my mom brought the boys to Colorado for us. They were staying in West Virginia so they wouldn’t have to endure the pain of the four-day westward drive.

I think they would have been okay on the long drive, but only because they would have been immersed in DVDs and their Nintendo DSs.

We got tickets for the Pike’s Peak Cog Railway during the weekend my mom stayed with us. It’s a great way for anyone to get up to the top of one of Colorado’s “Fourteeners.”

This was Jennifer, our tour guide. She was entertaining and knowledgeable.

This was Jennifer, our tour guide. She was entertaining and knowledgeable.

Boarding the train.

Boarding the train.

The trips up and down the mountain are each about 90 minutes, give or take depending on the time spent at the switches so the upward and downward trains can pass each other.

The scenery is absolutely stunning and Jennifer did a great job discussing the trees, flowers, geologic features, and animals we would see on the train.

Some notes about the Pike’s Peak Cog Railway:

  • Plan early for this trip. During the summer months you can’t simply drive to the railroad and hop on board. You needed to book at least week in advance.
  • During the summer you can expect up to 8 trains per day, but in the winter there are as few as two trains per day. Plan accordingly.
  • Plan $35 per person for adults, $19 per person for children ages 3-12. Assorted discounts are available. If you book online there’s a $1-per-ticket reservation charge.
  • Check here for coupons! The coupons vary constantly and usually are for the earliest and latest trains of the day…
  • Get the parking pass ahead of time. This is an option at ticket purchase time. If you forgo the parking pass, unless you take the Manitou Springs shuttle bus up to the depot, parking will run you about $5 no matter what. Just add it to the ticket purchase.
  • There is no food service on the train, but there is a little food stand where you can buy snacks at the depot. It’s VERY expensive, I highly recommend getting your snacks ahead of time.
  • You can eat on the train, but the tour guide will ask that you not eat popcorn on board (which is sold at the Summit House)…mice are attracted to the dropped popcorn.
  • Bring jackets! Even in mid-July temperatures were around 50F at the summit at noon.
  • There are no bathrooms on the trains. PLEASE make sure you go potty before the trip, and make sure you go at the Summit House just before the descent. The train ride is 90 minutes in each direction.
  • One way tickets are (sometimes) available for hikers who want to ascend via the Barr Trail, but don’t feel like descending. During peak months, hikers might have to buy a round trip tickets. On our trip, there were several empty seats around us on the ascent that were filled by hikers on the descent.
  • All ages are welcome on the Cog Railway. It’s wheelchair- and stroller-accessible.
  • Are you worried about how well you’ll do at altitude? If you are visiting from out of town, you WILL feel the altitude impacts — it will likely make you tired. Here are some tips about altitude acclimatization.

Enjoy some pictures of what we encountered. I did my best to explain them in the captions.

First, a picture of the gang!

First, a picture of the gang!

The rock that doesn't look right is called "Diamond Rock". Jennifer assured us it was natural.

The rock that doesn’t look right is called “Diamond Rock”. Jennifer assured us it was natural. I’m not convinced.

Minehaha Falls.

Minehaha Falls.

We were graced with beautiful scenery like this for the first hour of the ride. Then things would change dramatically.

We were graced with beautiful scenery like this for the first hour of the ride. Then things would change dramatically.

Hikers can take the train to this point, then hike the rest of the way up.

Hikers can take the train to this point, then hike the rest of the way up.

Then we travel above 11,000' and the trees cannot grow.

Then we travel above 11,000′ and the trees cannot grow.

We could see some beautiful Alpine meadows...and on the right side of this picture near the vertical midpoint was a line of elk or sheep running along a ridge. You can't see it, but they're there if you zoom in enough. Trust me.

We could see some beautiful Alpine meadows…and on the right side of this picture near the vertical midpoint was a line of elk or sheep running along a ridge. You can’t see it, but they’re there if you zoom in enough. Trust me.

We had to wait at the switch while the descending trains passed us.

We had to wait at the switch while the descending trains passed us.

There was a single-car traveling ahead of us. Once we got above the tree line it was pretty surreal to see near-desert-conditions up this high.

There was a single-car traveling ahead of us. Once we got above the tree line it was pretty surreal to see near-desert-conditions up this high.

Just before the summit we got a great view of the Pike's Peak road.

Just before the summit we got a great view of the Pike’s Peak road.

Then we were at the top! We had about 30 minutes at the summit.

Then we were at the top! We had about 30 minutes at the summit. The Pike’s Peak Summit House is pretty crowded when a train is there, since it’s also taking care of all the hikers coming up the Barr Trail and drivers coming up the road.

Okay, I will stop the photo show for now so I can discuss the doughnuts. You’re supposed to try the doughnuts that are cooked up at the top. For those unaware, baking is tricky at high altitudes because there isn’t as much atmosphere to support the rising processes, whether it’s with yeast or with chemical leavenings.

But these doughnuts weren’t bad. About as dense as a “cake” donut. They are about $1 each.

There are other snacks and beverages (such as coffee and cocoa) at the summit. As well as a substantial gift shop.

You HAVE to try a Pike's Peak donut when you're up at the top.

You HAVE to try a Pike’s Peak donut when you’re up at the top.

Our house is back there somewhere.

Our house is back there somewhere.

I would like to say this is a picture of Dave teaching the kids something about the mountain, but Dave was actually explaining why Timmy shouldn't have tossed a rock over the cliff.

I would like to say this is a picture of Dave teaching the kids something about the mountain, but Dave was actually explaining why Timmy shouldn’t have tossed a rock over the cliff.

I know where my house is in this picture, but there's no way I could point it out to you. There's an enormous hospital near our house and that's the landmark I use.

I know where my house is in this picture, but there’s no way I could point it out to you. There’s an enormous hospital near our house and that’s the landmark I use. The clouds on the top edge are cool too.

After the time at the summit, it was time to board the train for the trip down. It’s just as slow and deliberate as the trip up, to keep from losing control on the way down I guess.

Parting shot. The tickets are quite pretty.

Parting shot. The tickets are quite pretty.