Pikes Peak

August 4, 2019 / 14,115’

RT STATS: TOTAL TIME - 9 HR & 12 MIN, 23.45 MILES, AND 7,513’ ELEVATION GAIN

TIME STATS: 4 HR & 48 MIN TO Pikes Peak, 36 MIN AT SUMMIT, 3 HR & 48 MIN back to trailhead

RATING (HOW MUCH I LIKED THE HIKE): 10/10

A warning before you start reading this post: this is going to be a very long post, so sorry in advance. Going back in time to almost a year ago (October 2018) I accepted an internship in Colorado Springs. After my trip to Colorado in July 2018, I knew I would love to come back to Colorado. Pikes Peak is the only 14er close (basically right next) to Colorado Springs and my dad mentioned the Barr Trail periodically throughout this next year. I always thought I would be hiking the Barr Trail fairly soon into the summer once I got to Colorado Springs, but, that changed during my Spring Break (late March 2019). Long story short (because this will be another post), my navicular bone (left foot) basically started fracturing the last week of February 2019 and it finally got correctly diagnosed during spring break following an MRI.

Fast forward to the middle of May, I was still on crutches and for my first full day in Colorado Springs, we drove to the top of Pikes Peak. It was lightly snowing and there was snow and ice everywhere. I had to be extra careful to make sure I did not wipe out accidentally. At this point on my crutches experience, I thought that there was 0 chance I would be hiking up the Barr Trail or rather any 14er this summer. Being injured sucks, but being injured on crutches for 2 whole months reallyyyyyyyy sucks.

It turns out I proved myself wrong. I started hiking 14ers on the 4thof July and it came time to decide what 14ers to hike for my last weekend in Colorado. After having a blast on Mt. Lindsey, I really wanted to hike Challenger Point and Kit Carson Peak; however, I got talked out of it very early in the week and so Pikes Peak it was!

I hiked Pikes Peak on Sunday, August 4th, 2019. The story for Pikes Peak starts the day before. I got back to my apartment following Mt. Spalding and Mt. Evans a little after 5pm. What stood before me and Pikes Peak was moving out of my apartment. It probably took a solid 2 hours to bring 90% of my room to my car. After finishing most of the packing, my dad and I headed over to Olive Garden. My pre-hike meal consisted of 3 bowls of Minestrone soup (shout-out unlimited soup or salad), one breadstick, and a massive amount of lasagna (which I finished, of course). After cleaning out my bathroom and talking to my roommate Danae for a bit, I finally went to bed at 10 pm.

The next morning, I woke up at 3:40 am, a solid 20 minutes before my alarm. I got up and had my standard cheerios and 2 Oikos Triple Zero Greek yogurts plus mixed nuts. At 4:30 am, I turned in my Express Checkout envelope to the mailbox before heading off to Pikes Peak. My hiking buddy Dennis would be hiking this with me today. Last night, my dad decided to hike the Craggs Trail to Pikes Peak instead.

We were able to park in the parking lot right next to the actual trailhead. In fact, there were probably 10+ other spots when we got there at 5 am. This was pretty surprising, since we thought that 5 am might be too late for a spot in the lot. We started the hike promptly at 5:07 am with the headlights on. My headlight was not strong compared to Dennis’ (I had extra batteries in case it did die), so he led the way (I usually lead the way hiking). Cute headlamp selfie below, not gonna delete later!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Watching the sunrise over Colorado Springs was absolutely incredible. The pictures below do not capture the beauty of seeing it in person. About 30 minutes into the hike, I took my headlamp off since it was now light enough to see perfectly fine. Everyone’s opinion is that the first 3 miles is fairly hard compared to the rest of the hike. I felt perfectly fine during these first 3 miles and, rather, the entire hike up and down the Barr Trail. I guess it did not feel that steep compared to some of the other 14ers that I had done earlier in the summer (Mt. Belford and Mt. Oxford). Also, it was a simple Class 1 trail with smooth and easy terrain basically the entire way (so not at all like Mt. Evans through the willows and gully).

From around roughly the third mile until Barr Camp, the trail felt relatively flat. We were still slowly gaining elevation during most of this stretch, but there were also some completely flat stretches that lasted what felt like quite a while. 

We reached the Barr Camp at 2 hours and 12 minutes (mileage was 6.27 miles). My watch recorded the elevation at Barr Camp as 10,160’, meaning we have gained a little less than half of the total elevation gain for the hike. I ate some trail mix, went to the bathroom, and reapplied sunscreen during our 15 minute break there.

The hike was pretty uneventful until a little bit before the 9 mile mark (3 hours 25 minutes). Two guys ahead of were off-trail hiking on what could have been viewed as a trail and we followed their path for a bit before spotting the easy switchbacks and getting back on route. I should have known better when I started going up a very steep scree incline in which I had to take my hiking poles out. Admittedly, I did not really read about the Barr Trail before starting, but, still, I should have known this was not the right way.

After getting out of the scree, the terrain became grassy and rocky (and was still steep). I think it took about 30 minutes from the time following to get back on the trail. We still gained elevation obviously during this time, but, at best, it did not slow us down. A tiny bit of mileage got cut from the actual trail, but it was so much more steep and was really the only time on the hike that I had to take a mini break to legitimately rest. The lesson learned: Being a follower is stupid (I already stand by this statement 100% in everyday life, but this hiking error reinforces why I believe it).

It was nice to get back on the switchbacks to say the least. As we started nearing the top, there were many runners. Apparently, the Pikes Peak Ascent Race was 3 weekends away. It looked like a lot of people drove to the top and were running down part of the Barr Trail and then running back up. Next year, I definitely want to run this race (but not this year because I will not be here and because today, August 4th, was the 5 month anniversary of my last run outside).

The last bit of the trail was still Class 1, but got relatively steep compared to the rest of the hike (with all of the steps). It took us 4 hours and 48 minutes to reach the top. My Garmin had the mileage as 11.37 miles. Once we got up there, we took some pictures in front of the summit sign and then we went over to a nice spot overlooking Colorado Springs (kind of). I eventually put my windbreaker back on, since it was quite windy. Before I put my windbreaker on, I was wearing my tank top and spandex (as I had for the entire hike up until the summit). People were asking me “How are you not cold?” and I was just like “Well, I just hiked the Barr Trail”. 

Believe it or not, I forgot to replace my cardboard sign from the Mt. Spalding/Mt. Evans hike the day before with the Pikes Peak sign. So when I took it out of my backpack, I was like no!!!!!!!!!!! rip cardboard sign trend :(. At least, there was a Pikes Peak summit sign at the top for pictures!

We spent 36 minutes at the summit for heading down. It turns out that my dad reached the summit just after us but we didn’t get to see him. He reached the summit via the Crags Trail (according to 14ers.com, RT stats are 14.00 miles and 4,300 ft. elevation gain, Class 2).

On the way down, it was hard to not run (at least initially, keep reading lol). At about the 15.5 mile mark (about 9.5 miles on the way up), we saw where we were stupid and went off the trail. On the way up, I remember seeing something that looked like the trail (which it turns out this was we should’ve followed), but, yeah, we didn’t follow it.

 A little after the Barr Camp, there were some areas in which I “wogged” (walked/jogged). I wasn’t really picking my legs up like my actual running form. I was kind of awkwardly shuffling. I did mini segments of this and then upgraded around the 3 miles left mark. I actually started running 15ish seconds segments with close to (but still definitely not) my running form. I kept doing this and it was a blast. It makes me realize how much I want to run trail races in the future. So, officially, I actually ran outside exactly 5 months after my previous last run outside (Besides my 5 alterg walk/runs in July, no form of running at all in these 5 months).

We soon reached the trailhead with final RT trips stats of 9 hours and 12 minutes, 23.45 miles, and 7,513 ft. elevation gain. What a way to end my summer in Colorado Springs! Look at how beat up my running shoes are!!!! In exactly 1 month of hiking 14 14ers, my shoes are absolutely trashed.

We met my dad at Front Range Barbeque. I got what I have gotten there in the past (salad with pulled pork and ranch). I could have ate two salads or, honestly, should have just ordered more food. Bad decision for what I ordered….Afterwards, I got some ice cream at Colorado City Creamery. I got one scoop of chocolate chip cookie dough and one scoop of Pikes Peak Trail. I had to get the flavor named after the hike I just completed. I’m not sure exactly what the actual flavor was, but it was very good, 10/10 would recommend. After ice cream, my dad and I started our drive back to South Carolina. It was a bittersweet day to say the least. See you next year, Colorado Springs!!!!!!!!!