Since moving to Colorado Springs in the Fall of 2022, I have rediscovered my passion for pushing myself in the mountains. Over the span of my first year in the area, I conceptualized a series of challenges culminating in 505miles and ~204,000ft of elevation change to celebrate everything the Pikes Peak region has to offer. It is called the Pikes Peak (Type 2) Fun Bundle (Pikes Peak Challenge was already taken). In short, the challenges are :
1) The Incline Sandwich (Incline-Cameron Cone-Incline): 15 miles, 16,350ft of elevation change
2) The Cheyenne Canyon Skyline Marathon: 26 miles, 14,000ft of elevation change
3) Barr 2 Craggs 2 Barr (B2C2B) traverse: 39miles, 24600ft of elevation change
4) 3 giants (Rosa, Almagre, Pikes) loop: 50miles, 24266ft of elevation change
5) Ring the Peak Double (Run & MTB): 2x(66.8miles, 20,746ft of elevation change)
6) Pikes Peak Perculator (Run, MTB & Road Bike up & down Pikes Peak): 105.2 miles, 43,200ft elevation change
7) Pikes Peak Triathlon: 140.2 miles, 40,000ft of elevation change
Completed
Challenge 3: The Barr 2 Craggs 2 Barr (B2C2B) traverse
In September of 2023 I attempted the Barr 2 Craggs 2 Barr (B2C2B) traverse for the first time, connecting the east and west side trailheads of Pikes Peak. It was actually on this effort that I conceptualized most of the other list, to keep myself busy. I fell short on that day, quitting on the second summit. In July of 2024 I reattempted this challenge, and I managed to turn obstacles into ways, completing the route in 18 hours. This is a monster challenge consisting of two consecutive Pikes Peak summits, 40 miles and 22,816ft of elevation change. It is the perfect frpnt range smokefest. I have captured my lessons learned and growth during this challenge here.
Attempted
Challenge 2: The Cheyenne Canyon Skyline Marathon
This marathon course is based on the 17.1 mile Cheyenne Canyon 6 Peak Skyline course. Starting from my house and reaching the course through Bear Creek Trail and High Drive adds the approximately 10 miles to make this an epic marathon adventure. I first attempted this challenge on Memorial Day 2024, falling a bit short but having a great time in the canyons with some old friends.
Yet to attempt
Challenge 1: The Incline Sandwich
The Incline Sandwich is one of three challenges in the Fun Bundle that does not actually involve summiting Pikes Peak. It is however the perfect challenge for those who have done the Manitou Springs Incline a few times and are looking for their next adventure. It consists of doing an incline ascent, a Barr trail descent, intercepting the Cameron Cone trailhead, ascending and descending the Cameron Cone trail back to the start of the Incline, and going up the Incline once more, finishing with a Barr trail descent. It is a unique challenge in that when you divide the total elevation change in feet by a thousand, you get a number larger than your total mileage. That is steep! In fact, this is the steepest challenge of the bunch, so even though it does not involving going up to 14,115’, it is a total butt kicker.
Challenge 4: The Three Giants 50 Miler
This 50 miler course is based on the 44 mile Mt Rosa, Almagre Mountain, and Pikes Peak loop first published by Russ Iverson in 2020. It combines the summits of the 3 tallest peaks in the Pikes Peak region, including a south approach from Almagre to Pikes Peak. Intercepting the course at Bear Creek Trail from my front door and back adds a total of ~6 miles, making this an epic self supported 50 miler.
Challenge 5: Ring The Peak Double
As the name implies, the Ring The Peak (RTP) trail circumnavigates Pikes Peak and makes for an epic adventure (and you guessed it, this is one of the other challenges that does not summit Pikes Peak). This challenge will however test both your run/hike legs as well as your mountain bike skills. The challenge is to do the RTP both on foot and via bike (you can do them in the same direction or opposite directions). At 68miles long, this is a serious undertaking.
Challenge 6: Pikes Peak Perculator (Run, MTB & Road Bike up & down Pikes Peak)
The Pikes Peak Perculator challenges you to summit America’s Mountain via three different modes of transport. It involves 1) a run/hike up & down the Barr Trail (25 miles, 15,440ft of elevation change), 2) a hike-a-bike up Barr Trail and mountain bike decent down the Pikes Peak Plummet course, and 3) a ascent & descent on road bike via the Pikes Peak Highway. Obviously you can do these ascents/descents spread out on different days over many weeks or months, but bonus points if you can do all three on three consecutive days.
Challenge 7: The Pikes Peak Triathlon
This challenge started with my desire to combine my passion for triathlon with the mountains. It is an Ironman distance course involving a 2.4 mile swim in prospect lake, a 112 mile bike ride combining the 65 mile Rampart Rager race course (65 miles/ 10,274ft of elevation change) with a ride up and down the pikes peak highway (47.83 miles / 16,278ft of elevation change), and finishing with a marathon run up and down Pikes Peak via the Barr trail. This is the ultimate triathlon adventure. Plus, the run and bike portion will get you 2/3rds done with Challenge #6! My goal is to finalize the bike segment in 2024 and take a stab at this challenge in 2025.
