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.
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