Pike's Peak

After gathering everyone off the rocks at Garden of the Gods, we headed for our next adventure - Pike's Peak, and the drive to the summit - something we've always wanted to do. 

The first time we tried, we were in our old 28 ft motorhome, and even though the road up the mountain was open, it hadn't been paved yet, and was rough with potholes of melting snow. We made it up to almost 12,000' before the lack of oxygen and the steep, narrow road finally got to me, and Jan did a 30 point turn on a hairpin curve, and we went down again. 

The second time we went there, many years later, but also in spring, the road was still closed due to snow. So we were hoping the third time would be the charm! It certainly looked hopeful - it was a clear blue sky - no storms up top today.

At the ticket booth they said the road was currently open to mile 12, but it would probably open further later in the day. So we took our time making our way up to Crystal Reservoir, and stopped there to make breakfast, with the mountain rising snow-capped in the morning sun.

              "Are we going all the way up there?!?"    "I hope so!"                   

We reached mile 12 just as the orange traffic cones were being removed - the road was open! So on we went. I was excited, both at the prospect of finally going to the top, and anxious about the altitude. I'd always thought Pike's Peak was 12,000', and I've managed that for short periods several times before, but I had just learned that the mountain was actually over 14,000'.  For someone who starts to get altitude sickness at 7,000', that was quite a bit higher than expected. 

Soon we were above the tree line, but then we found ourselves in a 'traffic jam'. All the vehicles were stuck up around a hairpin curve. No one could move. Then a truck came down from the top, removed the orange traffic cones, and declared the road open to the top. So here we go!!

The road became even narrower as it switchbacked up the mountain, with 10 mph hairpin curves, and no guard rails. With drop-offs on my side, it was like looking down out of an airplane!

I tried to focus on the rock wall side and not look down out my window as we crawled our way around the hairpin curves, climbing ever higher. The road crested over the top of the ridge, and continued on the other side just below the crest of the mountain.....

At 12,000' we pulled over to take in the view. All the guys went out to take a look around. 

I was seriously light-headed - up here the oxygen level was down to just 40% - and fighting the anxiety. We considered turning back, but my sense of adventure won out and we went on....

"Please, can we go all the way to the top?"

The final ascent

This last part of the road had just been paved two years ago, and all the wooden stakes holding down the ground-cover were still visible.   

 Then we rounded one last curve, and suddanly we were at the top! The guys piled out, and Jan tried to get Owen and Efreet to pose on the sign, but the ledge wasn't big enough to hold them...

Highest dolls in the world.....

Taking in the view.

This post wouldn't be complete without a thank-you to Jan, for taking the dolls out and posing them for me so I could take photos out my window. The Pike's Peak Highway is the highest passenger road in the world, and I was really having major issues with the altitude. So, thank you Jan!  

Efreet and Owen thank Jan too - without him they'd never have been in any pictures to prove to people that they'd actually been up there.  After all, how many dolls get to climb mountains?

Having been to the top and knowing now where the road winds up, I could actually see it from miles away. So just for interest sake, I've tried to enlarge a section of the mountain to get a clearer view. The road switchbacks up the snowy slope on the right, surmounts the ridge to 12,000', then continues along just below the other side of the crest towards the peak on the left....