Driving up Pike's Peak - awesome! Sept 24, 2009

We’re scheduled to take the train ride up Pike’s Peak tomorrow, but we decided to drive up today. The weather cleared a bit and there is a road that goes all the way up. When we got to the road entrance we learned that because of the recent snows, only the first 10 miles were open, so they were only charging half price. We decided to go ahead and drive up as far as we could. The road up was a bit steep, but not treacherous. There are some places where the road widens out to allow cars to stop for the view, but not very many. However, it was a wonderful drive. The first couple of miles provided a great view of the plains below – already we were high enough to see for miles. The next couple of miles were different terrain. There are big grey rocks that seemed to be out of place with their surroundings - just sitting on top of the land, not part of it. They looked like giants, crouched behind the trees - as if, when we leave, they would stand up and go about their own business. 

The next few miles there was some snow on the ground and the trees. Among the Ponderosa Pine and Spruce Pine there are beautiful, straight Aspen. With their white bark and golden leaves, Aspen seem to light up the forest where ever they are. 

We stopped by a reservoir and walked around it a bit. Pike’s Peak was still above us, covered in clouds.  The view changed again in the last couple of miles. From the road we could see the entire side of the mountain across the valley. Snow was on every tree and there were millions of trees, so the whole view was full of vertical white and dark slashes. 

We had to stop shortly past the mile 9 marker. There was a place to park the car so we got out and walked a bit. The snow was deeper there and it was very quiet. 

The weather was warming up a bit so the snow was falling out of the trees with soft thumps, all around us. The snow that was still on the trees was in small clusters among the branches, like cotton balls in the field. I kept trying, but I couldn’t get a picture that captured the feeling of that steel-gray sky behind those snow-covered trees.

We made it up to 10,000 feet, but at that point we had to head back at that point. On the road down there were several signs reminding drivers to downshift instead of riding the brakes, because hot brakes can slip. In the summer that would probably be a greater risk that it is now. Somewhere about halfway back Randy found a dirt (mud) road that went back into the forest to another reservoir. There were no buildings around it (that we could see) so it was even prettier than the first one. 

How do you follow a trip like that? Well, we headed back to Manito to see what the trains looked like, that would take us back up the mountain tomorrow! Today the trains only made it up 14 miles but they hope to go further tomorrow. We filled a bottle of water from one of the mineral springs and got a turkey sandwich at the Colorado Custer shop. 

Next we went to the Air Force base. Randy had to show some ID to get in, then he drove about 6 miles to get to the Visitor Center. We parked and walked over to the Cadet Chapel. That is an amazing building. It is built in a modern design and has 17 “steeples” in a row that form the roofline. 

Inside the main Protestant chapel there is a cool blue light everywhere from the rows of stained glass that are part of the walls and roof. 

In the front is a tall cross with the crossbeam made of an airplane propeller, and in the back over the entrance is a huge organ. Elsewhere in the building are Catholic, Jewish and Buddhist chapels. Just before I entered the chapel, three jets roared overhead and past – too fast for a picture, and so loud I could feel it. When we came out of the chapel we could see 2 gliders in the process of being released from their leader planes. We went back to the Visitor Center and watched a short video about Cadets, where we learned that these gliders are used to teach cadets how to fly. 

On the way home the clouds lifted and the summit of Pike’s Peak was visible for the first time since we arrived. But shortly after it started to rain again.