Pikes Peak

At the top 14,110 feet. I am so glad I did it!

Yes, I did it! I hiked up to the top Pikes Peak (a fourteener) from the bottom of Barr trail. I was not alone in this adventure, Brett went and so did our friends Mike and Carrie (they are amazing). We started bright and early at 5:28 am, (had to wake up at about 4am to start hiking that early). We headed up all 4 of us with camel backs, power bars, transformer pant/shorts, and the will to go 13 miles up hill. About half a mile into the hike we realized we were already getting hot (mind it was 6 am) so we declothed turning our pants to shorts and peeled off our long sleeved shirts. Carrie and I had a goal, to beat the 9 year old girl up who started the trail at the same time as us.

Things were going well at the beginning, there was a race accuring that same morning on the Barr trail up to the Barr camp (half way point to Pikes Peak), so we passed many enthusiastic high schoolers who were supplying gatorade a water. One group was even dress as Blue Man Group so it made our hike entertaining. Once we made it to the half way point, we ate, we peed, we stretched, and then we were back on our way. Carrie kept our minds off the hike by keeping conversation, I don't know how we kept conversation for 6.5 hours but somehow we did (girls are good at that). Carrie is just an easy person to be around, when I met her I though to myself, "I really want to be her friend."

So we hiked hiked hiked, got to A-Frame (10 mile point) and then hell began. Three miles uphill at about 12,000 feet and increasing, with no trees, neverending switch backs, Carrie out of water, Mike falling asleep and just about every muscle in our bodies sore. It was the longest 3 miles ever!!!!! We made it though, and it was worth every exhuasting step. More than anything it was just long..... 6.5 hours of hiking.

Our totals:
6.5 hours
12.6 miles
7,510 feet. (Started at 6,600 feet -ended at 14,110 at total elevation gain of 7,510)
28 sore muscles
temperature on the peak 51 degrees
temperature at the bottom 88 degrees
(and we did beat the 9 year old girl)

















The sun finally came up




This is where we started at 5:28am