Climbing to the Summit of Pikes Peak

On August 15, 2017August 15, 2017 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Colorado10 Comments

One of the most difficult hikes that we have ever done was our hike from the base of Pikes Peak to the summit. The entire hike is over twelve miles and has an elevation gain of over 7,000 feet (2,100 meters) to the peak, which is at 14,114 (4,301 meters). It certainly is not a hike for novices and was very much a challenge for us and we hike on a routine basis. Barr trail starts in the town of Manitou Springs and quickly ascends into the Pike National Forest. It was important to time when we did the hike because even in the middle of summer it can snow on the top of Pikes Peak, so we hiked in August on a day when we knew that the temperatures would be fine at the base as well as the summit.

Sign on Barr Trail, about 3 miles into the hike

The hardest part of the trail was when we reached the tree line at 11,000 feet (3,350 meters) and the air thins out. The Summit House sits on top of Pikes Peak and is a restaurant and souvenir shop, which is visible from the base on a clear day. Once you reach the tree line, the point where the air is too thin for plants to grow, the Summit House seems like it should be close, but it is still a couple of hours away. The total hike took us about 8 hours, although we took our time and paced ourselves.

View from Barr Trail, Garden of the Gods at the Base of the Mountain

For this week’s Cee’s Which Way Photo Challenge, we thought that we would share a few photos from that strenuous hike. As we prepare to return to South America and hike in the Andes Mountains, our minds have returned to this hike several times.

We Were Exhausted When We Reached the Summit

The Forces of Nature

On August 10, 2017 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Photo Challenge9 Comments

As you travel and see different parts of the world, seeing the way that nature has shaped the land that we live on is amazing to see. Water shapes the land through erosion both from rivers as well as the oceans. Volcanos add new land where there once was nothing. Mountains are formed over time, rising ever higher towards the skies. The sun beats down on the deserts, leaving scorched earth and drought for those who live in those areas. This week’s Daily Post Photo Challenge is Elemental, observing the effects of earth, air, water, and fire. We have chosen a few photos representing the forces of nature from different locations that we have visited.

Life is a Series of Transitions

On August 9, 2017 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Photo Challenge2 Comments

Everyone is constantly evolving, growing, and changing. Whether transitioning from adolescence to adulthood, from being a student to working on a career, from working to retirement, or from being a tourist to becoming a traveler. Every phase of life has its own unique challenges and opportunities. It doesn’t matter how young or old you might be, life is always in flux. We are going through our own transitions at the moment and there are days that it invigorates us and other days when the stress seems to wear us down. This week’s Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge is Tombstones and Cemeteries, which is obviously the ultimate transition. Hopefully we won’t be making that transition for a long time to come, but we do find historic cemeteries to be fascinating to see.