Pikes Peak Cog Railway, Colorado
Location
The massive mountain called Pikes Peak is located west of Colorado Springs.
The lower terminus of the Pikes Peak Cog Railway is in Manitou Springs,
a small town on the western outskirts of Colorado Springs. The lower terminus
of the cable-drawn Manitou Incline is just a few yards from the Cog Railway
terminus.
Description
The Cog (i.e. rack and pinion) Railway runs for approximately nine miles
from Manitou Springs to the summit of Pikes Peak.
The summit is over 14,000 feet and with the relatively rapid ascent
the lack of oxygen is very apparent. Also, even in summer, it is extremely
cold at the summit. When we visited in mid-June there were walls of snow
well above our heads alongside the short path from the summit station to
the small gift shop.
The whole of the railway journey is extremely scenic and the views from
the summit of the surrounding mountain ranges in the distance are truly
spectacular.
There is also a toll road to the summit. This runs from a point on US24
a short distance west of Manitou Springs. This road is closed in winter.
I believe I read somewhere that this is the highest
road in North America. I suspect that this is an unpaved
road. We haven't used this road, so unfortunately cannot provide any
further description.
Pikes Peak was named after its European discoverer, the explorer Zebulon
Montgomery Pike.
In the Area
Colorado
Home | States/Provinces
| Subjects
