PIKES PEAK (Day 1 - part 2)

From here, one can literally see Kansas.

From these inspirational views came the lyrics to America the Beautiful, written by Katharine Lee Bates on her visit here in the summer of 1893... of course by mule, not by train. She stated "An erect, decorous group, we stood at last on that Gate-of-heaven summit... and gazed in wordless rapture over the far expanse of mountain ranges and sea like sweep of plain." She then wrote the entire song upon her return that evening.

O beautiful for spacious skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the fruited plain!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!

Katharine Lee Bates (1859 - 1929)

Lake Moraine reservoir was completed in 1891.

Leaving the tree line. Why can't trees grow any higher? Basically it's simply too cold. Permafrost is when the ground never thaws, even if ground ice isn't present.

These trees are hundreds of years old, even though they don't look like it. Due to incredibly harsh conditions, it can take these trees 50 years to grow only a few inches.

It's rock and low ground cover from here on up!

Passing a downward headed train at Windy Point station, 12,129 feet.

And there they go...

This is the alpine tundra.

Lake Moraine is now far below us.

Part of an old wagon road is still visible after all these years since it can take plants 100 years to grow only 1 - 3 inches.

Yellow-bellied Marmots were plentiful, sunning themselves on the rocks. Don't expect to see them in winter though; they hibernate for about eight months per year starting in September! They get the nickname of 'whistle pig" from their sharp, loud warning call.

This is the Cripple Creek & Victor Gold Mine, formerly the Cresson Mine. It is an active open pit gold mine. It is currently the largest producer of gold in Colorado. More gold comes out of this mine than has ever come out of the entire state of California.

To give you a better idea of size... the green dot is Manitou Springs, the red dot is the top of Pikes Peak and the giant white patch next to the pink dot is the mine.

The Pikes Peak Auto Highway is a 19-mile scenic journey, with an average grade of 6% and a maximum grade of 10%.

When the Cog Railway opened in 1891, people stopped using the old carriage road. But in 1915, Spencer Penrose (10 years before he was to become the owner of the railway) requested permission from the Secretary of Agriculture to refine the road so it would be more suitable for the growing number of cars and tour busses. It cost him $500,000. In exchange, he was granted a 20-year contract allowing him to charge a $2 toll (today the toll is $12 per person or $40 per car).

In 1917, he began the "Pikes Peak Hill Climb" to help promote his new highway. Today, with speeds of over 200 miles per hour (80 mph on the tight curves!), what normally takes an hour to drive is suddenly completed in only 8 minutes and 14 seconds!

"The highest in the world, and a great advance in the field of western transportation."

This two-cylinder Locomobile Steamer was the first automobile to reach the summit in 1901.

A cyclist even takes on the Pikes Peak challenge!

At the top, we disembarked and were given a bit of time to explore. The weather wasn't nearly as bad as we had expected... a mere 47 degrees F and no wind. Winds up here can reach 178 miles per hour and the temperature has gotten as low as -65 F. In 1911, two hikers froze to death since they didn't heed warning to postpone their summit trek.

Car No. 19 (our Aspen car) was put into service in 1976.

Proof that they made it!

The views were sensational!

A glimpse of the road

A dedication to Zebulon Pike

I decided to climb down to a small viewing area. The thinner air was quite noticeable and I found myself breathing a lot harder than normal for such a short excursion. I've gotten altitude sickness before (it's not pleasant) so at least I knew the symptoms to be on the lookout for.

This is a time capsule... technically the second one. The first was laid down in 1899 and unearthed in 1999. This was laid down a few weeks later in 1999 and will be unearthed in 2099.

Climbing back up to the Summit House

I was a bit winded upon my return. Ironically, smokers tend to have it easier up at these higher altitudes. Consistently depriving oneself of oxygen seems to somehow prepare one for breathing reduced-oxygen air. Basically, they're used to it already!

I walked over to the other side of the viewing area. Here was a commemoration of the 100th anniversary of this country's anthem "America the Beautiful," built in 1993.

Click for a larger view of the plaque

The incredibly packed parking lot for all those who drove up

The old Summit House

A weather station had been built up here in 1871 but was closed in 1889 when it was determined that the station wasn't essential to forecasting the weather. It had been empty for two years when it was remodeled into the Summit House. In 1964, it was almost entirely demolished (except for one wall) and a new building was built.

During its heyday

Inside, a kid prefers to engage in his video game instead of gaze upon these breathtaking (literally) views.

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