Pikes Peak Trip Report 07/09/2008

Peak(s):	Pikes Peak - 14,109 feet
Date Posted:	07/09/2008
Date Climbed:	07/05/2008
Author:	LIV

Pikes Peak via Crags Campground
Pikes Peak - July 5, 2008 Lonnie and I decided we needed some additional high-altitude training for our "10 14ers in 10 days" trip later this July, so we headed down to do Pikes Peak on the morning of July 4, 2008. We arrived at Crags Campground mid-afternoon, thinking that all of the camping would be taken. Not so - there were numerous dispersed campsites on the road to the campground and when we arrived in the Campground there were at least 10 sites open. We chose a site in the campground and paid the fee $11.00. We set up camp, and around 5:00 Lonnie was ready to start a fire in the pit. There was an abundance of wood already gathered by the previous party, and some big logs that were already cut. We gathered more kindling and enjoyed a roaring fire. About 6:30 p.m., the storms moved in and it rained for about an hour and a half. We brought extra firewood, so after the rain, we started another fire and dried out some of the firewood that got soaked. We went to bed around midnight. I was nervous because I didn't bring my watch and my cell phone didn't get service in the campground so we had no alarm to wake us. Nonetheless, about 4 a.m. right when the sky started to get lighter, I woke up. We dozed until about 5:30 a.m., got up, made a quick coffee and started on our way. We were on the trail by about 6:00 a.m. The first part of the hike was pretty easy through the forest. About 1/3 of the way, right at timberline, the going got pretty steep and I was sucking wind. Lonnie was trucking right up this part, thinking it was the end of the hike. When we got over a ridge, the trail flattened out, and you could see Pikes Peak way off in the distance. Nonetheless, the trail was pretty flat for a while all the way through Devils Playground to closer to the Peak. Once we got closer, the rock hopping began, and it was much steeper to the summit. We reached the summit about 9:50 a.m. Lonnie had some Chicken Noodle Soup at the summit house, which was highly expensive - just for a bowl of it was $7.00! The trip back to the campground was uneventful and pretty fun. The rain held off until we got back to camp, which was about 1:30 p.m. Neither of us was too tired after this hike, and we were not sore the next day. We felt that we could get up and do another 14er back-to-back if we wanted to. Another warm-up or two and we'll be ready to do our 10 14er quest. 11.50 miles roundtrip 4,200 feet elevation gain Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):

Pikes Peak via Crags Campground

Pikes Peak - July 5, 2008

Lonnie and I decided we needed some additional high-altitude training for our "10 14ers in 10 days" trip later this July, so we headed down to do Pikes Peak on the morning of July 4, 2008. We arrived at Crags Campground mid-afternoon, thinking that all of the camping would be taken. Not so - there were numerous dispersed campsites on the road to the campground and when we arrived in the Campground there were at least 10 sites open. We chose a site in the campground and paid the fee $11.00. We set up camp, and around 5:00 Lonnie was ready to start a fire in the pit. There was an abundance of wood already gathered by the previous party, and some big logs that were already cut. We gathered more kindling and enjoyed a roaring fire. About 6:30 p.m., the storms moved in and it rained for about an hour and a half. We brought extra firewood, so after the rain, we started another fire and dried out some of the firewood that got soaked.

We went to bed around midnight. I was nervous because I didn't bring my watch and my cell phone didn't get service in the campground so we had no alarm to wake us. Nonetheless, about 4 a.m. right when the sky started to get lighter, I woke up. We dozed until about 5:30 a.m., got up, made a quick coffee and started on our way. We were on the trail by about 6:00 a.m.

The first part of the hike was pretty easy through the forest. About 1/3 of the way, right at timberline, the going got pretty steep and I was sucking wind. Lonnie was trucking right up this part, thinking it was the end of the hike.

When we got over a ridge, the trail flattened out, and you could see Pikes Peak way off in the distance. Nonetheless, the trail was pretty flat for a while all the way through Devils Playground to closer to the Peak. Once we got closer, the rock hopping began, and it was much steeper to the summit. We reached the summit about 9:50 a.m. Lonnie had some Chicken Noodle Soup at the summit house, which was highly expensive - just for a bowl of it was $7.00!

The trip back to the campground was uneventful and pretty fun. The rain held off until we got back to camp, which was about 1:30 p.m. Neither of us was too tired after this hike, and we were not sore the next day. We felt that we could get up and do another 14er back-to-back if we wanted to. Another warm-up or two and we'll be ready to do our 10 14er quest.

11.50 miles roundtrip
4,200 feet elevation gain

Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):

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