Pikes Peak may be the most famous mountain in the United States. It is a massive symmetrical peak set apart from other peaks so that it's size and breadth really are noticeable. It is a natural landmark and was "discovered" by Zebulon Pike during his explorations of the area. A good, if steep, road leads literaly to the summit. The road was built in the 1920s and is probably something that wouldn't be done today. But it is a very fascinating journey up this road, and very popular, too. For the vast majority of people, this is the only time they'll ever be at 14,000 feet... and some don't do so well, either, sorry to say! To get to this road is very easy: get to Colorado Springs and follow the signs. It's about 10 miles up US-24 west of Colorado Springs (or Colo Spgs as all the road signs say). The toll for me was $10.

At first the road is paved and although goes uphill, is at a reasonable grade. Periodically there are pullouts with informative signs and places to hike or picnic. The views are great all the way up. At about mile 7 the pavement ends and a wide, well-maintained dirt road continues on. Now I was intending to be patient because I knew this was a steep, twisty mountain road but I came upon a minivan poking along at 10 mph! I couldn't maintain 10 mph without wearing out my clutch to keep from stalling so I passed this weenie the first chance I got. The road can easily handle 25-30 mph speeds, except obviously at the switchback turns. The flora changes as the road gains; pavement reappears for about a mile to an old historic inn at mile 10. Then, the real climbing starts: the road is cut into the side of the mountain and switchbacks at a consistent 10-15% grade, which can be steep for vehicles. Those with a fear of looking down over cliffs might want to curl up on the floor of the passenger side of the vehicle in this section!

At about mile 16 the road crests a saddle and comes to the Devil's Playground, a mass of boulders so named for its penchant of arcing electricity during thunderstorms. This is the Teller County highpoint. I parked in a large lot and walked the 100 vertical feet to the top rocks, surprisingly winded by the sudden gain of 9,000 feet from Colorado Springs. It was another 3 miles of driving to the top of Pikes Peak, at 14,110 feet. The highpoint rocks are in the middle of the lot, as is a plaque that most people totally ignore. This was not some little point of a summit; it could easily hold 2 or 3 football fields it seemed. I parked and walked over to the highpoint to claim it, then went into the visitor's center. I'd say there were 40 vehicles and 150 people out and about, many coming up the cog railway from Manitou Springs. Many people were caught off-guard by the considerably cooler temperatures and were only wearing tanktops and shorts. The 90 degrees in Colorado Springs was replaced by the mid 50s at the top. One lady in the visitor's center collapsed from the altitude and had to be taken down by ambulance. But for the most part, it was kind of neat to mill about with tons of strangers at 14,000 feet.

Scenery was incredible. The views down onto creation were amazing. One kid was so spooked by the heights he just sort of stood in the middle of the viewing platform, about 30 feet from the edgewall. Inside, one girl running a register was just simply magnificent... waist length blond hair and a killer smile. I bought some Pikes Peak souvenirs just to let her ring them up for me, then started down. Then, I got a pang of guilt. Then another. I couldn't sleep well at night knowing I'd driven up a 14er, so I drove down to a pullout about 2 miles and about 800 vertical feet and proceeded to hike back up to the top! It wasn't much but at least I felt happier. The hike took about an hour and mainly consisted of hopping from one big slab of rock to another, and sometimes tromping on snow.

A few other hikers were making the trek up to the top, most having started at the Crags Trailhead about 5,000 feet below. I usually chatted briefly with them as we passed. One hiker, a female with a dumptruck full of attractiveness, stopped to chat. She mentioned she had parked back at the Devil's Playground. I then said that that's the Teller County highpoint. She could have cared less. Meanwhile I'm thinking what our children would look like. But she was nice and very sweet and we talked about 5 minutes. I like Pikes Peak.

Once finished with the hike I just drove back down the mountain. They warn against riding the brakes; I just used 1st and 2nd gear with no problems, but they actually stop you at the mile 10 area near the inn and do a quick check; if your brakes are hot you have to stop for a bit. I'm sure it's a needed requirement. Total time on the mountain was about 5 hours. A very fun day!