The Ride Up:
I just barely made the train in time. What’s cool about The Pikes Peak Cog Railway is that the station is located towards the back of Manitou Springs right next to The Incline. Manitou Springs is a lovely, tourist friendly town nestled in the foothills of Pikes Peak. There were local artists selling paintings, jewelry, and ceramics in the town the day we went up. It made for a really nice start of the trip.
Out of breath and catching the last call to board, I found myself sitting next to another young couple eagerly awaiting to summit the mountain. The tour guide was already cracking jokes and being very sarcastic as her loud voiced reverberated through the microphone. Everyone was both nervous and excited to depart for this epic trip.
As the train slowly departed the station and started a sharp incline up the mountain, I didn’t really see much of anything. We passed a lot of rock and trees for the first 20-30 minutes of the ride. My head was constantly jerking to the left and right to catch some kind of view. We passed an old wood house on the way up, wondering how the occupant actually got to his house given the high elevation. We were told these people help maintain the area and report inclement weather and emergencies.
The amazing views slowly started to appear as we gradually ascended above the tree line. A whole new world was brought to our attention, at least it felt that way. All of a sudden you could see huge alpine reservoirs, vast tundra, and the occasional mountain sheep stopping to observe this bright red train filled with tourists slowly climb Pikes Peak. These sheep did not seem amused or startled by our presence.
Summiting Pikes Peak: The Cog Railway
As we continued to gain elevation the views kept getting better. I have never been over 14,000 feet above sea level, despite living in Colorado for over three years. You see, the locals call these mountains “14’ers,” meaning they are over 14,000 feet tall. Some people just travel around the state climbing these “14’ers” as a badge of honor or just to keep themselves busy.
When you start entering elevations above 12,000-14,000 feet above sea level, it’s like being on another planet. The terrain is so vast and fragile. Some plants take hundreds of years to regrow at this altitude if stepped on. It’s very hard to describe while writing this, so I will let the video do the talking. It really encompasses the feeling of being totally free and at peace with your environment. It’s the kind of terrain that explorers like Jedediah Smith and Jim Bridger dreamed of roaming and risked their lives to witness in person. It’s the iconic American West at it’s finest.
Arriving at the Top of Pikes Peak
It took roughly over an hour to finally reach the summit. It felt as though you could touch the clouds, which looked like large balls of cotton slowly suspended in mid air. The parking lot was pretty full and their were tons of tourists from all walks of life taking photos and gawking at the amazing views that were all around us. I walked around the edges of the mountain where guardrails and small metal platforms were conveniently located so we could safely enjoy this amazing terrain.
We saw a group of veterans in motorcycle jackets taking a picture together and holding a sign reading that read, “Veteran Nation” just behind the Pikes Peak Summit monument. It was one of those moments where I realized how far I had traveled in order to create a better life for myself. Where else can you do or see this kind of stuff.. I thought to myself. It was an amazing feeling of coming full circle in a sense. I saw this giant mountain everyday from my apartment, you just can’t escape it’s power and presence wherever you are in Colorado Springs. Now I was standing on top of that iconic mountain and feeling a sense of gratitude and awe I had never experienced before.
The Iconic “Pikes Peak Doughnut”
It’s funny how certain places are associated with certain rituals. Pikes Peak is no different because everyone who summits the mountain must buy a doughnut from the cafeteria at the top. I’m not sure why this “is a thing”…but who cares.
You have about 40 minutes to enjoy the summit before The Cog Railway departs and goes back down the mountain, so choose how you spend your time at the summit wisely. I chose to get some kind of gold/plain doughnut from the Cafeteria at the top, it was tasty…but nothing to brag about honestly.
With doughnuts in hand and shivering from the cool mountain breeze, I continued to walk around the summit, trying to distinguish which reservoirs we saw in the distance. I’m pretty sure I saw Rampart Reservoir in the distance, an iconic local fishing spot that has an amazing view of Pikes Peak. Now I was on Pikes Peak looking down at Rampart Reservoir: the perspective was amazing.
I ran into a group of young men who just hiked up the mountain. They came in via The Crags, which is outside Woodland Park and is noted as being a less strenuous way to hike to the top, since you are starting at a high elevation in the first place. These guys were headed back down to set up camp before nightfall. I thought to myself what an amazing place to live and experience.
Heading Back Down Pikes Peak
As the temperature started to drop and night began to fall upon us…the horn for the Cog Railway alerted us all it was time to head back down. The conductor was still cracking corny jokes and keeping us thoroughly amused. It seemed that people were now more closely drawn to their partners, affection in the form of hand holding and kisses was very present. It’s interesting how nature brings people together and makes us feel more grateful and connected with each other. Perhaps its the realization that we are insignificant and forces bigger than ourselves are running the show.
By the time I finally descended into the tree line again it was pretty much dark. The Cog Railway had lighting in it which made for a nice ambiance as we once again passed large slabs of rock and forested areas. I tried to imagine what it was like to be a miner in the 1800’s, returning to my home after a long day in the mountains. It seemed romantic in notion, but I knew the reality of mining was much different. I couldn’t stop thinking what this area was really like back in the frontier days when America was still being explored. This mountain represents Americas history, tough miners and explorers trying to blow up large rock formations in search of gold and silver. Where has this rugged mentality that founded America gone? We are now consumed with constant media and alerts from portable devices that distract us from what is really important in life. The mountains in all their might have this strange way of teaching us what is really important in life.
Conclusion
Taking The Cog Railway up Pikes Peak is one of the best ways to experience Pikes Peak. I chose this option because I’m terrified of driving up Pikes Peak. The “scariness factor” is not as intense when on the cog railway. This bucket list item really is worth the money and is a trip you will remember for the rest of your life. So remember these key points:
-Take an Uber or Lyft if going on the weekend
-Reserve an odd numbered seat for the ride up
-Bring your camera and a jacket for the top (it is 15-20 degrease colder at the summit)
-Do as the locals do and buy a doughnut at the summit
Thanks for reading my blog, if you have any questions about The Cog Railway or any attraction in the Colorado Springs area, don’t hesitate to email me –brenbaum@gmail.com
Check out some great hikes in the Pikes Peak region by visiting my5 Best Hikes In Colorado Springsblog article.
