Pike’s Peak

Saturday, June 8, 2019

Today we ventured up to Pike’s Peak. Pike’s Peak has an elevation of 14,115 feet. The drive winds back and forth and has some breathtaking scenery. It has more than 150 turns that traverse the mountain face, each one providing beautiful scenery. Note: if you don’t have what it takes to drive up the mountain yourself, they have free shuttles that will take you up and back.

 

When we got to the top, we could physically feel the difference. Light-headedness and not getting enough oxygen when taking a breath were quite noticeable.  The summit has about 40% less oxygen than at sea level, so considering we have lived at an elevation of about 350 ft. above sea level in NC for the past 16 years, this was a considerable difference. Even the big boys, who are rather fit, could feel the difference. But the views were so worth it!!

It was only about 45* so we were glad to have our jackets and long pants on.

 

From the top, we could look down onto some lower lakes. We could see that they were still frozen in the middle.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Can you spot Jeshuah in this shot?

 

 

 

On the way back down, we stopped to do some rock climbing.

 

 

Can you spot the groundhog?

 

Donald

 

 

 

 

After spending the morning on Pike’s Peak, we decided to visit Garden of the gods. It’s 7,700 feet lower in elevation than Pike’s Peak. When we got down there, the temperature was around 85*, so about a 40 degree difference. Now, we were feeling hot as we still were wearing the jeans we wore up on the mountain.

Garden of the gods is a 1,300 acre park that has 300 foot sandstone rock formations with Pike’s Peak as the background.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ninja moves

 

 

 

 

Some people do rock climbing

 

 

Kissing camels on the top left.