I Like It On Top - Pike's Peak, 14,110 feet

As I am to become once again gainfully employed on July 6, Buck and I have filled up our Outlook calendars with last minute adventures to embark on before I have to return to reality.  We got the party started last Thursday by making the 19 mile trip up to the top of Pike's Peak - 14,011 feet above sea level.   Buck had made the trip several times but it was a first for me.  I had been anticipating venturing to the top for three years, and now, at last, was my chance.  I just hoped I would not puke.

Fun Facts: 

Pike's Peak, known as "America's Mountain",  is the most visited mountain in the United States and the second most visited mountain in the world (behind Mt. Fuji in Japan - which is a volcano people, DON'T GO THERE).  It was also the inspiration for Katherine Lee Bates when she penned the words to  "America the Beautiful".

Here are some pictures of the monument to "America the Beautiful" which is on top of the mountain.

The mountain has four life zones - the Foothills Zone (6,000 - 8,000 feet) the Montane Zone (8,000 - 10,000 feet), the Sub Alpine Zone (10,000 - 11,500 feet), and the Alpine Zone (11,500 feet +).   The Foothills and Montane Zones contain an abundance of wildflowers, shrubs and trees including junipers, sage brush, Lodgepole Pines, Engleman Spruce, Douglas Firs, and aspens.  The altitude and lack of water at the Sub Alpine Zone results in many of the trees to be stunted and there are  little or no shrubs or bushes.  At the Alpine Zone, the timberline disappears and the vegetation is very close to the ground, consisting  primarily of tundra grasses, mosses, sedges and lichens growing on the boulders. 

 The mountain inhabits several forms of wildlife, including big horned sheep, yellow bellied marmots, mountain lions, bob cats, coyote, elk, mule deer, and - last but certainly not least -  Bigfoot. Yes, there have been some Sasquatch sightings on Pike's Peak and there is actually a sign along the Highway which indicates "Bigfoot Crossing".  We didn't see Bigfoot this time around, but we did get a glimpse of a yellow bellied marmot and a mule deer.  I was so exited to see the marmot that I forgot to take a picture of it!  Oh well, maybe next time.


At the top of Pike's Peak is the Summit House, which is a little cafe/gift shop.  It was about 55 degrees on Pike's Peak and about 95 inside the cafe.  I'm sure the warmth is a great relief to tourists who are brave enough to travel up the mountain in the winter, but in the summer it's rather stifling.  The ladies' bathroom was like a sauna, which may have attributed to some of the rude push-and-shove behavior (dang tourists).  While there, we bought too many t-shirts

and had lunch, which consisted of two donuts and a cup of coffee each (I didn't puke, by the way).  These aren't just any donuts, people.  These are specially made high altitude donuts, which have even been featured on the Food Channel.

                                           This is a Summit House donut

                                           This is how to eat a Summit House donut

They are more cake-like than traditional donuts, and are quite filling.  I called my mom (who does not cook but is an avid fan of the Food Channel and has seen the Pike's Peak donut segment twice) to find out how they are made.  She could not remember any specifics except that powdered milk  is used in the recipe instead of liquid milk (as the increase in altitude would cause the milk containers to expand and explode).  I figure Bigfoot may keep the recipe safely stored somewhere in his underground lair.  At any rate, I have read that the recipe can't be duplicated at lower altitudes, so you'll just have to travel up to the Summit House in order to sample these high altitude cake donuts.

Here are some pictures of the stunning views from Pike's Peak.

 

 

We weren't sure if this was a crow or a raven, so we'll call it a "craven".

In the top right corner of this picture you will notice what looks to be a dark cloud.  It is actually what is known as virga - rain that evaporates before it hits the ground.  It is very common out here.

I highly recommend taking the 38 mile round trip tour of Pike's Peak if you ever venture out this way.  It is truly a reflection of God's majesty in the world.  If driving the slopes isn't your thing, there is also a cog rail tour (which is probably driven by Bigfoot, when he isn't busy making those yummy donuts).

And now for something completely different.

Sunday we gussied up in our western attire and attempted to go to Donkey Derby Days, a yearly festival held in Cripple Creek that features - you guessed it - donkey racing.  They also set up booths with food and crafts.  Unfortunately, it began to rain and hail about the time we got there, so we brought our well-dressed selves right back home.  We did take some pictures of our outfits, though, and I have to say I think we were pretty cute.

We have more adventures planned for this week, weather permitting.  I'll blog about the ones that don't get rained out.