From: tsm@engr.uark.edu
I was just reading your information on Pikes Peak and thought I'd Send you a little more info. I have climbed the peak over a dozen times and am fairly familiar with it. First of all, for anyone interested in climbing it via Barr trail, the trail is 13 miles in length and starts about a half mile west of the cog railway station. The trail can be climbed and descended in one day if a person desires but I recommend spending more time on the mountain. The first three miles of Barr trail are reasonable steep for a groomed trail as are the last two or three miles to the summit. The cog route is only nine miles long but is very steep and it is technically illeagal to follow the tracks up (although I have done it). Interestingly the cog route closely approximates much of Zeb Pike's original attempt route. Having walked this route (including the 25% grade sections) it is easy to understand why his attempt was unsuccessful. There are many interesting things to see on the peak aside from just the hike to the summit. About 4 miles out of Barr camp (8-9 miles from the base) there is a trail heading to the bottom of the "Bottomless Pit". This is an area of Pikes Peak located on the northwest side of the summit below an area of rock formations and cliffs called Devils Playground. The floor of the "pit" is about 1500-2000 ft. below the north ridge and has some spectacular views of the rocks above. This area is about 3.5-4 miles off of Barr trail and is well worth the effort. I can highly recommend spending a couple of nights out on the peak and seeing things other than the summit and Barr trail. Heading south out of Barr camp there is a trail leading to the old half way station on the cog railway. This trail is about 1.25 miles long and makes an interesting day hike. Near where this trail meets the railway there was once a hotel located to the south of the tracks. The hotel was aptly named Halfway House. The Halfway House burned down in the midlle Twenties (I think) but some of the surrounding structures are still partially intact. East of the trail from Barr camp to the tracks, there are four ridges leading down into the valley between Pikes Peak and the two peaks which flank Manitou Springs - Mount Manitou and St. Peters Dome. This is a beautiful area to hike around in but be sure to have a topo and compass as there are many areas in which it is possible to get lost. (not severely lost but unpleasant just the same) Down among the valleys between these ridges are the resevoirs which supply the greater Colorado Springs area with most of it's water. The water pipes were originally laid in the late 1800s and some of the equipment and pipes are still visible near the base of the mountain as are some old miners cabins. This area is loaded with great campsites, plentiful water and beautiful meadows full of wildflowers. There is a trail leading into this area off of Barr trail about 4 miles from the Barr trail head. It is not well marked and a little hard to find, however. A person can also find this area by following the big water pipes from the summit of Mt. Manitou. The Mt. Manitou incline used to carry passengers up to this summit but was closed about 5 years ago. USGS topo maps show some of the old service roads and pipeline routes into this area. Pikes Peak is not a particullarly remote or dangerous mountain but is does have some spectacular scenery and a lot of interesting locations on and around it. It also has the best donuts in the world at the summit house. I hope you find this interesting/useful. If not maybe someone will.