10 Mind-Blowing Facts About Colorado’s Famous Pikes Peak

Colorado is home to some of the best mountains in the United States. Ultimately, there are so many wonderful trails and wonderful facts about these places. One of the most famous places to explore is Colorado’s famous Pikes Peak.

Pikes Peak is a beautiful mountain that many have explored over the years. Ultimately, it is roughly one hour away from Colorado Springs and 2.5 hours from Denver. It is a magnificent sight for anyone who gets to visit. Therefore, it is great to know some facts about it before you go.

We are here to reveal 10 mind-blowing facts about Colorado’s famous Pikes Peak and a brief history of each topic. Likewise, we will dive into these facts and showcase how they came to be.

10. Pikes Peak Has Had Several Disputed Marks

The current scale for Pikes Peak is 14,115 feet. However, there have been some disputes over if that is accurate. However, it allegedly elevated from its original scale. It was once 14,109 feet. Then, it grew to 14,147 feet with the addition of Summit House. Experts recalculated everything afterward and determined it was 14,110 feet.

The National Forest Service declared they would use the old length of 14,100 feet. Significantly, the height has been debated by several professionals, while the maintained height remains at 14,115 feet. It is one of the mind-blowing facts about Colorado’s famous Pikes Peak that people still discuss today.

9. Someone Once Set It On Fire By Accident

A naturalist named Dr. James was on a hike in 1820. Ultimately, he and his two companions decided to camp on the mountain as they attempted to ascend higher and higher. But they did not anticipate the campfire they set, turning into a full-blown forest fire. Sadly, that was exactly what happened.

The fire spread toward the top of the mountain, and it was a mortifying experience for someone who had called himself a naturalist. Furthermore, it is another in a long line of mind-blowing facts about Colorado’s famous Pikes Peak that people are not aware of.

8. There Are Plenty of Tall Tales About Pikes Peak

People love to tell tall tales. Therefore, Pikes Peak is no different. Legendary tales have been shared about the mountain. First, one of the climbers of the mountain claimed to have seen a sea monster that was about 100 feet long. Another climber claimed he saw man-eating rats living among the caves, and one ate his daughter.

The man who made the claim about the rats even went as far as to design a fake grave to sustain his story. Ultimately, people started to realize it was a hoax because the man was not married and did not have a daughter of record. It is one of the mind-blowing facts about Colorado’s famous Pikes Peak that gives the mountain a stellar reputation.

7. There is No Apostrophe Because of a Law

The U.S. Board of Geographic Names had an issue in the 1800s when it came to mountains. Ultimately, some of them had a full name, and others had an apostrophe in them. They wanted to make everything uniform by removing apostrophes. Therefore, they decided that Pikes Peak would have no apostrophe to make it uniform with other mountains.

6. An Army Tank Once Attacked Pikes Peak

World War I (known as the Great War at the time) had just ended, and emotions were running high. Moreover, the country was preparing to rebound from the war efforts and the Spanish Flu pandemic that had just occurred a year before. Cpt. Howard Brewer decided to create a publicity stunt like no other.

The veteran got in an army tank and drove it up the hill of Pikes Peak. Now, why did he do this? The main reason he did this was to sell Liberty Bonds. In the end, the tank made it 12 miles up the highway and could not go any further as they battled snow and other elements.

5. Someone Pushed a Wheelbarrow On Pikes Peak

Larry Hightower came up with an idea in 1949. Ultimately, he decided to attempt to push a wheelbarrow up the mountain. Hightower made it to the summit of the mountain. In the end, he could not go further. But it was an accomplishment and something no one could have foreseen.

4. A Guy Once Took a Picture of Pikes Peak for Every Day for 365 Days

Shawn Daggett is known as “Pikes Peak Guy.” Amazingly, he started a 365-day journey on June 1, 2010, where he went toward the mountain and took a picture. He experienced many broken-down vehicles, fell down the hill a few times, and encountered wildlife. Still, he managed to take a picture every day for one year.

3. America The Beautiful

Katherine Lee Bates once visited Pikes Peak. Overall, she was so amazed by the mountain that it inspired her to write a classic song called “America the Beautiful.” She claimed that the words for the song came to her when she was looking at the mountain. Amazingly, it is one of the main mind-blowing facts about Colorado’s famous Pikes Peak that has cemented itself into American history.

2. Pikes Peak or Bust

Several travelers wandered near the mountain in 1859. Then, they declared “Pikes Peak or Bust”. This was essentially the hunt for gold, as they believed the mountain contained many traces of gold. It also was an encouraging sign for people who were headed west for greener pastures.

1. It Is The Most Popular Mountain in North America

According to the Colorado Springs Government, Pikes Peak is the most popular and visited mountain in North America. People journey from all over the world to visit this mountain. Amazingly, it is only behind Mount Fiji in terms of popularity. There were allegedly 24 million visitors to the mountain in 2022, according to Visit Colorado Springs. Therefore, it keeps growing in popularity, and people continue finding a way to make their way there to see the world’s amazing natural wonders. There is nothing like the Rocky Mountains, and Pikes Peak is definitely a place to visit.