Pikes Peak is the highest mountain in the southern front range of the Rocky Mountains, and home to the second oldest auto race in the US, the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb (http://www.ppihc.com/).  When I find a landmark like that in my path, I don’t ignore it!

But having just barely recovered from the trauma of driving up Mount Washington in New Hampshire, I did ask the person at the gate if the road was wide enough for two cars at all points, as was assured that it was.  And that advice turned out to be correct, the road was exciting, but not in any way likely to cause vehicular homicide.  It started out with this sign, which also got my hopes up, but no, I didn’t see any bigfoot.

Pikes Peak is 14, 115 ft (4,302 m) tall according to most sources, and 14, 110 feet according to the sign on the peak.  I didn’t take many pictures on the way up, mainly being intent on enjoying the fun twisty drive and getting to the top, but this was the view once I got there.  It was a clear day and I could see for miles!

Surprisingly, there was very little snow at the top, but the temperature was only four degrees above freezing and the wind was blowing a gale!  The map I was given at the start had a warning about the difficulty of breathing at the high altitude, but it didn’t really mention the fact that the freezing cold blasting wind would suck the breath right out of you!

The trip back down the mountain was as much fun as going up, but even more dramatic, since more of the road ahead was visible and I was looking down at the landscape.  The rest of this post will be just pictures of the drive.  There’s nothing I can really add except to say that it was fun and beautiful, and so much better in person.