Pikes Peak Colorado....
 

I was recently challenged by somebody as to why I did not know about Pikes Peak. I googled it and it is the second most visited mountain in the world after Mt. Fuji. I have heard of it before but never realized its significance.

Just a bit of trivia that I considered significant coz I looked it up. I had no idea it was so popular. I would think that most of everybody that lived in US south would have been there?

I've been there multiple times. It's worth driving up there. :)

I drove by it on my way to Kansas City this past June. I was thinking about going up till I found out it's a toll road and isn't paved the whole way up. My car isn't setup for off road even when the road is super smooth.
Maybe I missed out on something.

I took the cog railcar up, cool trip. Worth seeing for sure.

Be warned, its cold at the top. The gift shop sells tons of sweatshirts. :)

I've certainly heard of it, but never been there other than through the eyes of youtube.

It's paved the entire way now.

Rode a motorcycle to the top back in the '80's. Couldn't see much in the distance because of the haze; even though it was a sunny day. Glad I did it once.

The Mount Evans road is paved all the way too, and it's higher. Longer round trip though.

We were heading there from Ohio on I70....you can see that mountain off in the distance (across the amber waves of grain) from about 3 hours/150 miles away. Even onece you are in Colorado Springs, the mountain kind of dominates the Western sky.....truly scary, and impressive to drive up it (before it was paved).

The last time I visited there in June 1996 the road was closed due to falling snow so had to ride the train. Could not see much from the top but was still fun.
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1471020563.jpg

I drove up in one of these (Funco SS2) in 1979 :D It was mostly dirt then.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1471025357.jpg

climbed it when I was 14 when I took outward bound camp back in 74'. We got kicked off the top at dusk and told to we had to go back down to tree line to camp. We went down and hid in the rocks til dark, then went and slept up by the snack place up top. Very cold that night! there was ice in any water in the morning. Then drove up as far as we could about 6 years ago with my wife and son, when he was looking at schools out that way. Couldn't get to the top due to the snow.

I have driven up a few times. I have also flown in close proximity in one of these:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1471029548.jpg

We flew into Buckley Air Force Base the day before. We were delivering this brand new CH-53E to the Marines in Tustin.

Got up early, made sure all the important stuff was still working and launched.

Incredible flight. The picture above was taken by me about 40 miles west of Pikes Peak. I had to pee.

Where we landed was actually a high Mesa.

The incredible thing about the 53E is that it had gas for days, was fast and handled like a dream. Our next stop was Sedona, Arizona. We rarely got above 200ft agl at 170kts all the way.

Back in the 70s some of my poor college buddies and I used to ski at a little day area on the side of Pikes Peak. Scotch Guard on your blue jeans, rental equipment, and flimsy jackets were all that were required. They had a rope tow at the bottom and a pickup truck to take you all the way to the top. Usually crappy snow but it was cheap.

A thrill driving up.

I drove up in a new E-320 with a bad egr valve. Every time I took my foot off the gas the engine (and power brakes and power steering) died.
It was worth the trip.
Colorado Springs MB dealer said he couldn't fit me in for two weeks. I told him in two weeks I'd either be back home in Ohio or dead because of this effing dangerous car. He wasn't concerned.

Since MB ad motto is "The best or nothing" I guess he felt you were nothing. :(

If anyone wants the "dirt" experience, try the Rampart Ridge Road.

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