A natural divide between prairie land and the desert, Pikes Peak soars at 14100 ft above Colorado Springs. This summer we stopped during a two week road trip to summit this natural wonder. As we climbed higher the landscaped became martian and bizarre. Huge chunks of quartz lay between rich red rock. As we passed the tree line I noticed all the vegetation became progressively smaller until they looked like tiny fairy gardens. Near the top I started to hear what sounded like a strange bird. It was the call of Pikas. These rare creatures are related to rabbits but really they looked like oversized cartoon mice. Overall it was a magical and challenging experience. Read my tips below if you are considering the climb.

-Don't believe what some article tells you online. This is NOT a beginner hike.

-Little did we know, most people complete this climb in two days, camping half way up. We did it in one go, but it's not for the faint of heart.

-There is a scramble in the middle and it is not easy to find the path again after. Keep to the left and you will be fine.

-If you are climbing in the summer, water is a concern. Thankfully half way up there is a station where you can pump water through a purifier from a stream.

- I would not recommend this climb for children under the age of 15

-We live at 1000ft and climbed the day after arriving. In hindsight I would have liked four days to acclimate to the new altitude.

Stay tuned for our Mont Blanc climb in 2020

I'll leave you with an image we captured at Cathedral Rock in Sedona. An easy 45 minute climb.