Pikes Peak.

The inspiration for the poem that eventually became “America the Beautiful.” (Did you know that?)

This 14,110′ mountain towers over the city of Colorado Springs and greets us every day on our drives to work. We have a decent view of the mountain from our back deck and from the 2nd floor of our house.

Colorado has over 50 “14ers“, which is the affectionate nickname for the state’s 14,000’+ mountains. Pikes Peak is the 30th tallest of the Colorado Fourteeners, but has the second highest “prominence” in the state, with only Mount Elbert having a higher prominence. In other words, climbing Pikes Peak takes a bit more vertical effort than most of the others.

For Dave’s 40th birthday, he invited a group of friends to join us on a hike up the 13-mile Barr Trail from Manitou Springs to the peak. This isn’t a casual walk — while the first 9 miles or so are straightforward, once you go above about 11,000′ the trees disappear and you’re exposed to the elements — wide open.

We made it to the top at about 1:30pm on Dave’s 40th birthday. It was an unforgettable experience. Read on about our hike.

There ended up being four of us making the climb. Dave, our friend Paige, our sponsor cadet Rob, and me. We left the house at 5am and made it to the parking area at about 5:30am…it was still dark when we started.

Near the midpoint of the trail is the Barr Camp. It’s just above 10,000′ elevation and is a popular resting spot. You can rent cabin space or pitch at tent at the camp to make this a two-day hike. Just be prepared to carry everything up to the camp. We had some snacks and filled our water bottles/Camelbaks at the creek that flows through the camp.

The Barr Camp is a great way to split a hike into two days. There are plenty of accommodation opportunities and you can even pay for a hot dinner. Dave and I are considering the Barr Camp as a way to introduce our boys to this hike when they’re older. It only takes about 3 hours to get to the camp from the trailhead, and then families can summit and then get back down to the camp in the same day. That way, you only need to carry the overnight gear as far up as Barr Camp.

After some much-needed rest (about 30 minutes) we continued upwards.

Not far past the A-Frame you pass the tree line. There is a height above which there isn’t enough oxygen, nor is the weather cooperative for, tree growth. You have mainly low-lying grasses and flowers. But nothing to protect you against the elements.

The last three miles…which is also the last 2500′ of elevation…is absolutely brutal. This took us about 2 hours.

I’m going to give you my list of observations about the hike above the tree line:

• Even on August 9th, we dealt with a “thundersnow-shower”. We had plenty of guidance to pack layers and it was good that we did that. We were in hoods and long sleeves briefly during the snow. Luckily the lightning was occurring far enough away that we didn’t feel too much in danger.
• The sun is brutal up there. While the temperatures are lower when above 11,500′, the UV rays travel through less atmosphere and will hit your skin with a vengeance. Wear plenty of sunscreen.
• We met such nice people on the hike. We were constantly passing and were being passed by the same groups and we got to know many of them. We met several military members from around the community, and also numerous groups who were hiking together “for a cause”. We helped each other along with encouraging words. They are a priceless part of the Barr Trail experience.
• We learned that you can use a drivers’ license to eat Mountain House Chili Mac.
• We also learned that Chili Mac isn’t the best food to eat on a 13-mile hike.
• Since it was the weekend before the Pikes Peak Ascent and Marathon, in the last mile or so we met numerous people who were training for the race exclusively up at the top of the Barr Trail. They would drive up to the peak and then run up and down the top mile of the Barr Trail several times to help get used to the elevation. Those folks are my heroes!
• Mentally, the last mile was harder than the last miles of the marathon I ran in 2000. At a certain point I was just telling myself, “Put one foot in front of the other.” Even taking sips from my CamelBak exhausted me: I had to stop walking for enough energy to inhale from a straw!

• Just below the peak is the “12 Golden Stairs.” “Stairs”, my foot! They’re more like 16 golden switchbacks! It’s brutal and you want to make sure you’re prepared for it!

 

It took us eight grueling hours, but we summitted at about 1:30pm, with just enough time to grab some high-altitude donuts before hopping on the Cog Railroad for our ride down the mountain.

A word about the train tickets. On summer weekends, it’s important to have a plan to descend the mountain when planning a Barr Trail hike. There are numerous ways down the mountain:

• Turn around and hike down
• Arrange to have a friend pick you up at the top (subject to the Pikes Peak Highway toll)
• Purchase tickets for the Manitou & Pikes Peak Cog Railroad
• Bum a ride from a stranger who drove up the mountain…who has room in his/her vehicle

It turned out that many of the nice people we met on the trail didn’t have definitive plans for how to get down. Some thought they would turn around and hike down, but the thunderstorms in the area made them nervous. Some thought they would get to the top and just buy a train ticket, but on the day of our hike, the trains were booked solid. Many completely planned to more or less hitchhike their way down.

We bought tickets for a 2pm train. While we were thankful for the direct trip down the mountain, those were the most uncomfortable seats ever when you’re sore for 13 miles and 8000 feet.

For a couple weeks after the hike, I had declared that I didn’t ever want to do that hike again. But 5 months later, kind of like childbirth, I only have the better memories left. I am contemplating our next trip. Maybe we’ll try our hand at a different 14er.

Last thoughts? Hiking the Barr Trail is a very “Colorado” thing to do. I’m thrilled I had the chance to do it, and I recommend it not just for the beauty of the trail, but also the chance to meet some great people. I recommend it for anyone with the ability and time. Be prepared to pay for parking, as well as for a way down the mountain. Bring enough water to at least get to Barr Camp, so long as you have a filter for the additional water you can get from the stream there. Wear, and be sure to carry, plenty of layers, for you will be dressing up and dressing down all the way up the trail. I think I had too much stuff with me, and could have done better with a smaller pack. Allow plenty of time to ascend, keeping in mind that in the summertime thunderstorms are a certainty after about 11am.

Have you hiked a 14er? Tell us all about it in the comments!