Pikes Peak

07/14/11

You can hike, drive, or take a train to the summit of Pikes Peak, which is at 14,115 feet. I chose the Pikes Peak Cog Railway to reach the top. This is the longest and highest cog railway in the world. The ride up and back each take about 1:15 and they give you around 40 minutes on the summit.

The main concern was the weather. This area has been rocked every day in the past week or so with big storms with lightning, hail, and tons of rain. It was mostly clear when we left the station, but the clouds started building more and more as we headed up. When we got to the summit, there were dark clouds all around and a few storms could be seen in the distance. Luckily, the weather held off until we were leaving. As we were boarding the train for the return trip, it started hailing. It rained/sleeted/hailed most of the trip down. It was mostly clear again when we reached the station.

Of course, I got stuck with an aisle seat, so I couldn't get many decent shots from the train. Pikes Peak is known for its far-reaching views, but the clouds prevented that today. But the storms provided some interesting scenes and I even caught a lightning bolt. The last photo in the set shows what the skies looked like when I returned to the campground after the train ride.

Train Coming Into Station
Steve Winker