Back Story
I had looked forward to signing up for the 2020 Pikes Peak Ascent for months. The trip was already planned. 3-4 weeks fast packing and hiking the Wind River Range and calling that training for the Ascent. So, when registration opened on New Year Day 2020, I signed up first thing.
Then the pandemic happened. Along with many other races the Ascent was cancelled. I was disappointed that I would miss the comradery of pushing up the mountain with other racers. But the mountain was still there and Barr Trail was open. So, for me it was an easy decision. Run the race solo. Which is the short story of how I ended up here on a perfect August morning.
The original plan was to begin in downtown Manitou Springs at the same starting point as the Pikes Peak races. However, a new summit house was under construction. This resulted in a detour and additional distance to the top. So, I kept it simple and started at the Barr Trail Trailhead.
Pikes Peak Ascent
The W’s
The first part of the course is known as the W’s. This is a steep set of switchbacks that look like W’s laid on their side. The W’s are on Mount Manitou, which is the gateway to Pikes Peak. This section runs pretty much parallel to the Manitou Incline. The incline is a flat-out vertical challenge that gains over 2,000’ in a mile. With no switchbacks to ease the grade. I felt a bit guilty taking the easy way up...not really. A popular route is up the incline then back down the Barr Trail. So, this section has some traffic. Toward the top of the W’s the trail cuts through a rock arch.
The W’s to Barr Camp
Once past the W’s the grade flattens some and there are even a few downhill sections. This is the fastest section of the course and I tried to make the most out of it.
Distance wise, Barr Camp is about half way to the summit. It is a popular destination for hikers who make a two-day adventure out of this climb. It has camping, cabins and a lodge. But it was closed due to the pandemic. Which was fine, because I didn't have time for a hot snack anyways.
Barr Camp to A-Frame
Above Barr Camp the trail turns more technical and is a relentless grind higher.
The trail is not always easy to follow. But the nice thing about the Barr Trail is that if you go off course you’ll soon arrive at an impossible situation. That’s your cue to turn back and try again. For me, this was the most mentally challenging section of the course. It seemed to go on forever.
A-Frame to Summit
The A-Frame is placed at tree line in case a trail runner or hiker gets caught in an unexpected storm. Fortunately, I didn’t have that problem. The day continued with clear blue skies and plenty of sun. Which also meant that summiting would likely be safe for the next couple hours.
For the most part the trail is all switchbacks from the A-Frame to the summit. Some long and some short. At times, it cuts through boulder fields for added fun.
By this point, I had abandoned any pretense of running. It was simply a matter of moving as fast as possible while still taking in the scenery.
The iconic 1,500’ deep Cirque was my favorite part of the course. The view was remarkable and it meant the summit was near.
At the 16 Golden Stairs I met two hikers who had been on my heels since Barr Camp. They were a recently married couple from Lincoln, Nebraska. We were taking the same ride service back down, so we summited together. The joke was, their honeymoon to Hawaii was postponed due to the pandemic, so instead they climbed a mountain. Now those are my type of people.
The 16 Golden Stairs could have been called the 16 Golden Switchbacks. But I guess "Stairs" has more poetic value. In any event, it is the last section before reaching summit. The switchbacks are short but steep and technical enough to require some scrambling.
The Summit
Due to the construction of the “bigger and better” summit house, those who trekked up to the summit were greeted with a ten-foot-high construction fence. Then a detour back down the mountain to the Pikes Peak Highway and then back up again, on the busy highway’s narrow shoulder. Fortunately, the ride service was waiting for the pick up at the highway and we got a lift back up to the summit.
Being on the right side of the construction fence this time, the summit of Pikes Peak seemed like a strange party, with everyone stoned on oxygen deprivation. Or, maybe it was just me. Either way, the most sought-after souvenir on Pikes Peak are donuts. Elevation and donuts? I think I'm missing something here.
Conclusion
One thing I learned early in my running career is that the first casualty in a race is the scenery. Especially, in a trail marathon where you either keep your eye on the trail or make good friends with your Dentist. It would have been a great sense of accomplishment to complete the Pikes Peak Ascent trail race. But I think it may have been more satisfying that I was able to take the time to stop and appreciate the mountain and its scenery. In the end it took me 6 hours and 5 minutes to get from the trailhead to the summit and back down to the highway. To earn a race completion the full course time limit is 6 ½ hours. I have no doubt that I would have accomplished that. But in the end, running Pikes Peak as I did, was every bit the great adventure I hoped it would be.
