View From Peak: Visitors can enjoy views in every direction from the summit of Pike Peak. This view from a deck at the peak shows the mountains and scenery looking toward the northwest. The steel plaque encased in stone at the lower right portion of the photo honors a notable soldier and pioneer explorer who first saw Pike Peak when exploring the west in 1806. Photo by Gary Warren/ladailypost.com
City View: A visitor views the city of Colorado Springs from a viewpoint near the tracks where the Pikes Peak Cog Railway comes to a stop. The elevation at the summit is 14,115, which is about 7,800 feet higher than the train depot in Manitou Springs and over 8,000 feet higher than Colorado Springs. Photo by Gary Warren/ladailypost.com
By GARY WARREN
Photographer
Formerly of Los Alamos
We enjoyed a weekend visit with friends from Los Alamos last September and while we were discussing possible adventures for the day, we all decided to ride the Pikes Peak Cog Railway.
Officially known as the Broadmoor Manitou and Pikes Peak Cog Railway, the railway is commonly known as the Pikes Peak Cog Railway. Four tickets were available as September is beyond the peak tourist season and we were on our way to Colorado Springs.
As we discussed what we wanted to do that morning, it occurred to me that we travel across the country and visit many museums, attractions, and events but we had never been to Pikes Peak via the railway or by car. We see the peak daily and the depot is less than an hour away. I can’t explain why we do not make the time to enjoy local attractions until we have visitors who wish to go but this is not the first time that the thought has crossed my mind!
The depot for boarding the railway is in Manitou Springs which is a small community just west of Colorado Springs. We arrived ahead of our departure time so that we could browse around the depot which was upgraded and remodeled less than five years before.
The railway takes riders from the depot, which is 6,305 feet in elevation on a nine-mile route to the top of Pikes Peak, which is 14,115 feet in elevation, a gain of over 7,810 feet. The railway takes about 1 hour and 10 minutes each direction and passengers are given 40 minutes to explore while on the peak. The entire trip is about three hours.
This trip takes visitors through conifer and aspen forests, by streams and waterfalls, and offers many vast views as it travels in each direction to and from the peak. The tracks rise above the tree line and passengers view the massive rocky terrain of the mountain top. The views and vistas from the peak area are magnificent is every direction. Many animals, including elk, deer, bighorn sheep and others can be spotted from the train.
In 1893, English teacher Katharine Lee Bates stood on the grounds atop Pikes Peak, taking in the breathtaking views of the mountains and distant plains. She later wrote the beloved anthem “America the Beautiful”. Today a beautiful memorial with the words that she wrote sits at the peak for all to admire and enjoy.
The railway was built beginning in 1889. The first trip was powered by a small steam locomotive that pulled a single car. It took passengers to a Half-Way House Hotel. It was in June, 1891 that the first passengers rode the railway to the peak.
The railway ran every year from 1891 to 2017, 126 years. The railway changed with new and different technology and equipment over the years but much of the rail and other components needed repairs or replacement. Following the 2017 season, the train was closed for what were to be repairs to the tracks and locomotives and train cars. However, it was determined that the entire system needed a major upgrade.
What followed was tearing out the old track and infrastructure and replacing it with new track, upgrades and repairs to the entire railway fleet. Additional new locomotives and cars were purchased and the entire system upgraded and modernized. The depot in Manitou Springs was enlarged and remodeled and a new visitors center was built on the summit. In all, $100 million were spent on the project, which lasted over three years.
On May 20, 2021 the railway reopened as it is today with sleek, modern cars, new infrastructure and tracks, and new facilities to accommodate the number of riders who enjoy the railway today. The Pikes Peak Cog Railway will be carrying passengers to the summit of Pikes Peak for years to come.
There are other options for those who can’t take the train. There are trail systems for the hikers who love to summit the mountain on foot, one could bicycle to the summit, and one could drive the 19 miles of paved, two lane roadway to the summit, and there is a shuttle service on the paved road beginning at mile marker seven. The paved road is on a different side of the mountain from the railway and the two routes never cross each other.
The summit of any of the Colorado 14ers (mountains above 14,000 feet) will offer spectacular views of the surrounding area. Pikes Peak is a special summit as it sits on the front range of the Rockies and offers views toward the plains and fields to the east as well as nice views of Colorado Springs. It also has mountain views in all other directions, which are breathtaking. If you have a chance to visit the summit of Pikes Peak, it will never disappoint, whether you hike, bike, take the train, or drive the road. Watch the weather forecast and try to make the trip on a nice day and the experience will be spectacular!
Editor’s note: Longtime Los Alamos photographer Gary Warren and his wife Marilyn are traveling around the country, and he shares his photographs, which appear in the “Posts from the Road” series published in the Sunday edition of the Los Alamos Daily Post.
Southern View: The view looking in a southerly direction offers breathtaking views of the mountains, some lakes and some aspen trees as they showed off their golden fall coloring. While clouds were present, we had beautiful weather the day of our visit to the summit. One should check the forecast and be aware of the weather when making this trip as the temperatures are much cooler and the weather can change quickly on the summit. Photo by Gary Warren/ladailypost.com
Viewing Deck & Train: Passengers pause to enjoy their first views from the summit of Pikes Peak after stepping out of the bright red train cars. A bit of snow from an early snowfall a few days before we rode the train remained on the ground in shady areas. Photo by Gary Warren/ladailypost.com
View & Roadway: A view looking toward the north reveals some of the jagged ridges near the peak as well as portions of the 19-mile paved road, which allows visitors to drive their own vehicles to the summit. It does not matter where you stand on the viewing deck at the summit, the views will be amazing. Photo by Gary Warren/ladailypost.com
Train & Visitors Center: A view from a viewing deck looking back toward the Visitors Center shows visitors on decks built at different levels. In addition to a completely new rail system and new or remodeled train cars and locomotives, the entire area at the summit was rebuilt during a three-year remodeling project between 2017 and 2021. The Visitors Center was built during that time to offer more convenience for visitors. The center offers light food and snacks, drinks, souvenirs, as well as restrooms and a place to warm up on cold days. Photo by Gary Warren/ladailypost.com
America the Beautiful: In 1893, English teacher Katharine Lee Bates stood on the grounds atop Pikes Peak, taking in the breathtaking views of the mountains and distant plains. She later wrote the beloved anthem ‘America the Beautiful’. This memorial was constructed in honor of Bates and ‘America the Beautiful’. Photo by Gary Warren/ladailypost.com
Fall Color: We rode the train during the latter part of September last year, and the fall color was on brilliant display as the train passed through the aspen forest during the journey. Not only did we enjoy great weather, but we also had a taste of fall color to top off the experience. Photo by Gary Warren/ladailypost.com