Pike's Peak - Part 1

Colorado Springs, CO, August 10 - 14
2721 miles and 27 days into the trip.

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Pike's Peak is 14,110 feet above sea level. The cog railway leaves from a town called Manitou Springs which is located at it's base. Manitou Springs is 6,320 feet above sea level. The cog railway climbs almost 8,000 feet in 1.25 hours.

There are only two cog railways in the USA. The other is the one which goes up Mount Washington in New Hampshire. We went on that one in the late 70's. It uses steam engines which burn soft coal and leaves a black smoke trail up the Mountain.

The last steam engine at Pike's Peak.
They use it once a year to pull an old open air car up.

We are above the tree line. About 13,500 feet.
We are passing through a saddle. It is the only spot where you can see both North East and South West. This is the North East view. Colorado Springs down below.

The South West view.
The mountains in the haze (which you can barely see) are in New Mexico.

The train in front of us nearing a bend and the top.

A close up of the train.

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