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| Hiking | 24.41 Miles |
7,568 AEG |
| | Hiking | 24.41 Miles | 12 Hrs | | 2.71 mph |
| 7,568 ft AEG | 3 Hrs Break | 6 LBS Pack | | |
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| no partners | | Early Bird gets the worm.
About 9 hours after yesterday's hike I loaded up the truck for another. I'm not sure what I was thinking cause my pads are a hurtin' after 10,000+ Aeg in a little over a day. Anyway, I had this one planned and this was the only day that T-storms weren't forecasted. In reading up about Pikes Peak there have been a few lighting strike fatalities. I was the second one into the parking lot which allowed me pretty good solitude. The owner of the other car got up and chatted for a few while I filtered water at Barr Camp they had been staying there for the last 2 days. The camp wasn't even open and I didn't start running in to people until about 2 miles from the top. I carried as little water etc. as possible to make the hike more manageable, but it was tough anyway. I didn't have much difficulty with altitude, but I did find myself a little emotional at the memorial for the woman that passed away doing her 14th hike of Pikes Peak at 88. Not because I was sad, but because who wouldn't want to go doing something you love after a long life. Or maybe it was the altitude  The scenery above the tree line was much better than expected and I really found this hike cathartic. The right scenery, pushing through exhaustion, probably a little altitude mixed in. I paid a lot of attention to fueling and hydrating myself properly which really helped. There is a lot of history as well.
That all disappeared when I was up top and the crazy cog railway tourists invaded.  The last 3 miles I realized I missed nothing hiking it in the dark. Awesome hike. It challenged me as much mentally as physically. I picked a heck of a challenge for my first 14er. |
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Route Editor
Route Scout
