Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board OT - Pikes Peak trip report..

I know it isn't Whitney...but my bro and I just got back from a trip out to Colorado to climb Pikes Peak. It was an incredible trip. I have met a lot of friends out there in the Whitney area..and I owe a lot to many of you for fostering me along and teaching me so many things. I still don't know much..but I'm getting there. So thank you. And here is our trip report with photos..(caution - there are 4 MB of embedded images in the link)

http://tinyurl.com/2lg2s2



Hope everyone is having a fantastic winter!!

Regards..
Chris

Pikes Peak? Is that in NC or is it further west?

Wow! Nice trip. I wish there were a few hospitality huts like that here in the Sierra.

Thanks for posting the link.

Why didn't you just drive up to the top?

Actually, that's amazing (in a bad way) that there's a road to the top. Can you imagine if Whitney had that?

That's like having a tram go (near) to the top of one of Southern CA's highest mountains. Oh, wait, we already have that at San Jacinto......

Y'know, sometimes I think it would be better to build a road to the top than to stock the Starbucks using the damned ski lift.

I have to admit..I was pretty impressed with the hut thing. It sure was nice sitting next to the wood-burning stove sipping some hot cocoa. They have a hut system like that up in the northeast as well...the Appalachian Mountain Club huts..that are of a similar concept. While I still predominantly enjoy tent camping or slipping into my bivy..it is a nice change of pace.


While I'm not a fan of having roads to the top of mountains, I have to admit that hiking up Pikes Peak via the route we did, and the season, minimalized the "blech" feeling of seeing such a complex at the top. I'm sure it would be much more shocking in the summer to crest the summit and see 300 cars and people munching hot dogs and beer on the summit.

Alan - Normally you can buy coffee at the top of Pikes..I dunno if it's Starbucks though..!

Come out over the July 4th holiday and watch them race to the top in all sorts of class of cars and trucks including semi's.

There ia another peak just north of Pike's outside of Denver known as Mount Evans that boasts it is the highest road in CONUS.

Hey,
Here i go again, not being popular, but....I know that the wild places need to be protected and i think thats true, however i do belive that this world, and it's amazing vistas should be expereanced by everyone, not just those of us healthy enough to climb there.

I was on Cadalac Mountain in the fall of 06.This is the highest point on Mt. Desert Island and recevies the 1st equanotic rays of light upon the Eastern Seaboard,
(go to www.myspace.com/duva7000) a beautiful spot.Anyways, while i was up there, i was not alone.My wife was with me and a few dozen others-we all drove.

What touched me was a guy in a wheelchair.You see, much to the chagrin of all the Mountain pureist in that area, the state of Main made this spot ADA accessable, with a boardwalk that travels 360 degres around the summit( 1 mile).It's a shame for some, but for this guy in the chair, it was heaven on earth(forgive my spelling)
AD