PIKES PEAK IN COLORADO

MY MOM, DAD, BROTHER AND I TOOK OUR SMALL TRAILER OUT WEST ON A SUMMER VACATION WHEN I WAS ABOUT 15. WE WENT TO HIKE AROUND SEVERAL NATIONAL PARKS IN ARIZONA AND IN COLORADO AS WELL AS YELLOWSTONE. WE WENT TO HIKE AROUND THE GARDEN OF THE GODS, AN ORANGE SANDSTONE PARK THAT HAD ROCKS BALANCED ON ROCKS. WE CAMPED IN OUR TRAILER IN AN RV CAMPGROUND NEARBY. MY DAD DECIDED TO TAKE OUR SMALL TRAILER WITH HIS FORD CAR UP THE ROAD TO PIKES PEAK. WE HAD COLLECTED SOME ROCKS IN IT TOO! THE ROAD BECAME STEEP AND AT ABOUT 1/4 THE WAY UP WE BECAME AWARE THAT THE ROAD WAS NOT SUITABLE FOR TRAILERS. LUCKILY WE FOUND A SMALL TURN AROUND PLACE AND WE GOT OUT TO GUIDE MY DAD TO TURN AROUND. THE BRAKES WERE GETTING HOT AND STARTED TO SMELL TOO. FINALLY WE DECIDED TO KEEP THE TRAILER PARKED BELOW THE PEAK IN THE PARKING LOT AND HIKE AROUND THE BASE OF THE MOUNTAIN LANDS.


PIKES PEAK IS A MOUNTAIN IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS. IT WAS NAMED EL CAPITAN BY AN EXPLORER FROM SPAIN IN 1806. IT IS 14,000 FEET HIGH. DRIVERS RACE UP THE MOUNTAINS IN AN ANNUAL RACE. IT IS ALSO THE SITE OF A FAMOUS FOOT RACE ON BEAR TRAIL. THE UPPER PARK IS A NATIONAL HISTORIC LANDMARK. YOU CAN SEE THE PEAK FROM DENVER OVER 100 MILES AWAY. THE PEAK IS MADE OF GRANITE, WHICH MEANS IT HAS FELDSPAR IN IT.


IN 1859 THERE WAS A MAJOR STRIKE OF GOLD AT PIKES PEAK AND COLORADO CITY PROCESSED MUCH OF THE ORE. THE AFFLUENT WHO HAD FOUND GOLD BUILT HOUSES IN COLORADO SPRINGS. COLORADO CITY REMAINED THE COUNTY SEAT UNTIL 1873, THEN IT MOVED TO COLORADO SPRINGS. IT WAS NAMED AFTER ZEBULON PIKE WHO FIRST TRIED TO CLIMB TO THE SUMMIT. HE FAILED AS IT WAS IN WINTER AND THERE WERE SNOW DRIFTS. FINALLY EDWIN JAMES REACHED THE PEAK IN A SUMMER CLIMB.

THE SPANISH SETTLERS OF THE DE ANZA EXPEDITION WERE THE FIRST NON NATIVES TO SIGHT THE PEAK IN 1779. IT WAS NAMED AFTER ZEBULON PEAK WHO FIRST TRIED TO CLIMB TO THE SUMMIT. HE FAILED AS IT WAS WINTER AND THERE WERE SNOW DRIFTS. FINALLY EDWIN JAMES REACHED THE PEAK IN A SUMMER CLIMB.

EARLIER NON NATIVES TO SIGHT THE PEAK WERE THE SPANISH SETTLERS OF THE DE ANZA EXPEDITION OF 1779. BEFORE THESE SETTLERS WERE THE UTE, COMANCHE, KIOWA, CHEYENNE, AND ARAPAHO WERE DOCUMENTED HERE WELL BEFORE 1500 AD.

IN 1860 THE GRUBER AND COMPANY BEGAN MINTING COINS IN DENVER WITH THE PEAKS ON IT! KATHERINE BATES TRAVELED TO THE TOP OF PIKES PEAK IN 1893 AND WROTE " AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL". THEY PUT A PLAQUE UP ON THE PEAK WITH THE SONG'S WORDS.

TODAY THERE ARE SEVERAL VISITOR CENTERS ON THE PEAK AND A RESTAURANT. THERE IS A VISITOR CENTER AT THE SUMMIT. CARS CAN BE DRIVEN TO THE SUMMIT ON A 19 MILE ROAD. THE PEAK HAD A SKI RESORT THERE FOR ABOUT 40 YEARS, BUT IT IS GONE NOW. IT WAS TOO EXPENSIVE TO MAKE SNOW. SOME DAY I'LL GO BACK TO SEE THIS REMARKABLE PEAK.

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