Wisps, speckles and tendrils of cottony clouds clung to slopes beneath the famous summit of Pikes Peak. The “fruited plain” Katharine Lee Bates celebrated in “America the Beautiful” — after her trip to the summit via prairie wagon in 1893 — was hidden by a denser layer of clouds far below.
It was chilly on the 14,115-foot summit of the peak locals call “America’s Mountain.” The temperature probably was in the 40s and monsoon rain was in the forecast. Yet seven visitors from four states were about to hop on single-gear BMX mountain bikes for a guided 13-mile ride down the mountain with a descent of nearly 5,000 feet.
There are ways to enjoy this magnificent peak without driving up in the family car — subject to timed entry reservations for the first time this year — and this is a great way to go.
We had ridden up the mountain via the historic Manitou and Pikes Peak Cog Railway — reopened last year following a three-year, $100-million renovation — which was filled to capacity with tourists oohing and aahing at the views. Now it was time to don full-face helmets, elbow pads and knee pads and head down the peak on fat-tired cruisers.
Our tour was run by Broadmoor Outfitters, one of four companies permitted to operate guided bike tours down the mountain highway. Our guide and support van driver, Jake Owens, was certified in wilderness first aid and made sure everyone understood the risks we were taking. About 80 percent of the folks who do this tour are flatlanders who aren’t acclimatized to altitude. There is traffic on the highway and there aren’t a lot of guardrails along the road.
“There is a lot of risk management,” Owens said. “I’ve had guests come up to me afterward and say they felt safe, even though they were scared the whole way down. This is a very unique tour because there are so many variables. We can see clouds rolling in and out. Normally on days like this, we’re above the clouds, but today they’re bigger.”
Owens broke our descent into segments. A fellow guide on a bike, Eric Matto, would lead us down while Owens followed in the support van, blocking vehicular traffic. When there were places to pull over, we would do so and Owens would let vehicles pass.
Sometimes folks realize descending a 14,000-foot mountain on a two-lane highway is too scary and lose their nerve.
“We will never push you into doing something you feel uncomfortable doing,” Owens said. “Mentally, if you’re scared, I will be, ‘Hey, man, jump in the van. No harsh feelings.’ Physically, if I’m seeing wobbles, if you’re not listening to me, going over that double yellow a lot, I’m pulling you in the van.”
Over the course of two hours or so, we made our way down the mountain at speeds of up to 30 mph. The views were magnificent, and we felt more connected to the mountain than we would have been if we were enclosed in an automobile. Our tour ended at the Crystal Reservoir Visitor Center, about five miles up the road from the highway toll gate.
“It was just breathtaking,” said Julia Clark of Grand Rapids, Mich. “I was very nervous at first, but it was great. I thought we were going to have to ride way on the side of the road while cars passed us, and we didn’t because they blocked the cars. We could ride in the road, and I just felt safe. They went at a decent pace. I didn’t feel like I was going to wipe out.”
Floridian Chuck Bosworth had done Pikes Pike bicycle descents twice before with Boy Scout groups, but this time he did it with his wife, Candy.
“It was fantastic,” Bosworth said. “It’s amazing to see Pikes Peak from that elevation, and coming down, a real thrill. I recommend it highly. I definitely felt like, ‘Where’s the oxygen?’ But there isn’t much climbing. Any basic biker can do this.”
Bosworth acknowledged the pace of descent was slower than he would have liked at times.
“But I understand the need to keep the speed in check,” Bosworth said. “You’re not out here trying to set any records. You’re out for the experience and see some incredible views that maybe you can only see in this way. Inside a car, you don’t have the same experience as being out in the open, in the elements.”
Ohioans Derek Burdick and wife Libbey did the descent as part of a Colorado vacation that included visits to Garden of the Gods, Great Sand Dunes National Park, Grays and Torreys peaks and Rocky Mountain National Park. She had done a Pikes Peak bike descent once before while visiting Denver for a wedding and wanted him to have the experience.
“The thing I like most about the bike is, it forces you to look at the views – you get to really appreciate the mountain,” Burdick said. “And the safety net behind you, knowing there is a backup option. I think if you were stuck at the top of a mountain with a bike, you’d maybe second-guess going up there, but the van is going to follow you down if you ever need that safety net.”
When Libbey did it the first time in 2015, she was intimidated at first.
“We were driving into Colorado Springs, looking to see which one was Pikes Peak, because we were all really scared,” Libbey said. She was glad she did it, though. “I’ve been to Denver twice and I’ve done it twice, so I would absolutely say it’s worth it.”
Two other outfitters offer Pikes Peak bike descent tours which involve ascents by van. They are Challenge Unlimited ($179) and Pikes Peak Bike Tours ($180). Broadmoor Outfitters is the only one that utilizes the cog railway ($209). A fourth operator, the Air Force Outdoor Adventure Program, offers tours for Air Force personnel and their families.
Another option for Pikes Peak adventure seekers is to hike the peak from Manitou Springs. It’s a long way, but it can be done as a two-day adventure by spending the night at historic Barr Camp at 10,200 feet. The hike from Manitou Springs to Barr Camp is about 6.7 miles with 3,500 feet of elevation gain. The hike from Barr Camp to the summit is 6 miles with another 4,000 feet of elevation gain. Barr Camp, which dates back to 1918, has a bunkhouse ($35 per night) and lean-to shelters ($25).
It is possible to hike up and take the cog railway down, but you have to buy a roundtrip ticket ($68.50).
