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Who is looking for a fitness goal to achieve? How about hiking up Pikes Peak in 2015?

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  • Who is looking for a fitness goal to achieve? How about hiking up Pikes Peak in 2015?

    In 1893 Katherine Lee Bates wrote a poem called "Pikes Peak" shortly after summitting the iconic Colorado mountain. The words to this poem later became "America the Beautiful".

    In 2010, 117 years after Ms. Bates wrote that poem, something else happened on Pikes Peak. Granted, it did not inspire the next America the Beautiful to be sung by Ray Charles or referenced in a presidential inauguration.

    In 2010 yours truly, 15 years post MS diagnosis, stood at the top of Pikes Peak. No, I did not take the very convenient road up. I had just hiked up with 4 wonderful college friends all of us with varying degrees of physical fitness (from not very good to very good). For myself, two years previous to this I had lost all function on my left side and had been using a walking cane. I honestly did not know at the time this happened if I would be able to ever regain the function I had lost. I was very fortunate, I did. And hiking up Pikes Peak was part of proving to myself that I still could. It was also a fun experience, with just amazing views!

    I am in the early efforts of planning a repeat of this hike up Pikes Peak, this time in the summer of 2015. I am hoping that I can persuade fellow MSers and their families and friends to participate in the venture and set the goal of reaching the summit of Pikes Peak....and prove to yourself that you still can do something like this despite living with MS.

    For planning purposes, below is some initial (subject to change) planning information:

    - Plan for a total of 4 days over a weekend (probably the weekend of July 4, 2015)
    - Arrive in CO on a Thursday, camp beginning Thursday at 10,000 ft in Divide, CO (to acclimate to the altitude), summit on Saturday, depart Sunday
    - Distance: about 13 miles round trip on planned route, with a 4,000 ft elevation change
    - gear to bring: tents and food will be provided - you will need to bring personal stuff such as hiking boots, rain gear, clothing etc..
    - cost: your travel costs to Divide, CO (nearest airports are Colorado Springs or Denver), plus a share in the cost of camping and food (which will likely be in the range of tens of $ per person
    - The hike will be accompanied by someone very experienced in hiking 14,000 ft mountains in CO
    - We will also be accompanied by either a neurologist or a primary care doctor
    - A training program will provided to help you physically prepare

    NOTE: This is a hike NOT a climb. By hiking standards, the route is reasonably easy with much of distance being a gentle incline on wide hiking trails.

    If this idea remotely appeals to you and you would like to be kept informed about this going forward - let me know through responding to this forum post or send me an email at msthrivers@gmail.com. I will be creating a google mailing list for those who are interested.

  • #2
    Sounds interesting. I may be living in the Denver area by then. I'll be in touch!

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    • #3
      Sounds like a great challenge! Count me in for now. If nothing else, it's a great excuse to get out of the Arizona summer heat.
      Last edited by AZgal; 09-24-2013, 09:42 AM.

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      • #4
        Me too, like AZ says, at the very least it'll be a great excuse - to see if I can get my hiking legs back.

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        • #5
          Great idea, Gary! While I might not be ascending, I may be a base-camp invader and harass all other climbers. Maybe there will be a pack of us who will be there climbing in spirit....
          Dave Bexfield
          ActiveMSers

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          • #6
            Count me in, too.

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            • #7
              Fantastic...6 people with interest already!

              So, I have setup a google email email which I will utilize to communicate with those interested/committed.

              As this group is private you cannot subscribe to it directly - so I have to add you individually. To do that, please send me your email address to msthrivers@gmail.com. Dave I already have yours, so will add you now. Sparky10 I have your email address and you were the first added to this list

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              • #8
                I'll be there in spirit. I'm usually on Cape Breton Island,Nova Scotia at that time. But in life you never know. You've done an amazing job of organizing.

                Teena Marie

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                • #9
                  Normally I take the cog railway! I recommend that to everyone. Tried to drive up in August many years ago but was stopped at the 10,000 foot level by a sleet storm.

                  How long do you think it will take a weak hiker like me to get to the top? Is there a time limit? I have bad memories of being left behind on the one and only WalkMS event I tried. If I'd been alone I'd probably still be sitting on the side of the road. Poorly organized and/or thoughtless - they did NOT go looking for anyone who might be bringing up the rear (like me).

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                  • #10
                    Time to hike up

                    Robin/Sparky10:

                    The round trip distance is about 13 miles.

                    When I did it with my 3 friends a few years back - we hit the trail probably around 7am...and returned to the start point probably around 7pm, so a total of 12 hours. One person in our group was not in particularly good physical condition plus he had a knee problem - so during the step ascent parts (the first hour and last hour of the ascent) we were stopping every 20 minutes so he could rest. If I recall, we did not get to summit until around 2pm. We were a lot faster coming down obviously, and I think we spent about an hour in the gift shop and taking pictures at the summit as well.

                    A friend of mine up who runs marathons (but was battling cancer at the time) once did it in about 5 hours ) I think.

                    Click here and you can recent self reported times (there are 3 pages of times reported here):

                    http://www.14ers.com/php14ers/timesm...k=Pikes%20Peak

                    There is no time limit. If do this in June when days are the longest, sun will rise at 5:30 and set around 8:30pm so about 15 hours of daylight.

                    As there is a road up to Pikes Peak...those who get to the top and do not have the energy to hike down can take a car down. I am probably going to arrange for car to meet us at the top for those who want to drive down.

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                    • #11
                      Thanks for the info. Wow, will that be tough but I think doable. And Oh What a Feelin' to reach the summit!

                      Originally posted by garyp View Post
                      I am probably going to arrange for car to meet us at the top for those who want to drive down.
                      Probably??!

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                      • #12
                        My friend and I are in! I've been looking for a reason to do this hike and this gives me the perfect excuse! I'll send you an email to be added to the email list.

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                        • #13
                          My non-MS sister in Dallas wants to join in!

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                          • #14
                            Sparky 10...

                            ...is your sister have a first name of Karen? If so..did here from her today and she has been added to the google list of interested people.

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                            • #15
                              That's her, Gary.

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