Date: 11/3/2012
Who: myself
Length: 25 miles
Time: 13 hours
Weather: 20-45 degrees, clear, moonshine/sunny, calm

On this hike, I followed Barr Trail to the summit of Pikes Peak and back. I started at 2:30 AM, hiking by moonlight, and made it to timberline for sunrise. I reached the summit at 9:00. I saw no one on the trail all the way up, but there was a guy camping on the summit. He was just packing up as I arrived. I was the only person on the summit for about 20 minutes. Then the summit house staff arrived and opened up shop. I rested for 30 minutes inside. I started back down at 10:00 AM, and made it back to the car at 3:30 PM. The last three hours were the most difficult–my legs are still sore one day later.

I have been looking forward to hiking Pikes Peak for awhile. This occasion was a sort of celebration that I have been exercising and maintaining healthy eating habits for one year. Hiking by moonlight was very interesting. The video looks very dark, but actually, the moonlight illuminated the trail quite well. For the most part, I did not need the headlamp. Watching the sunrise from treeline was my favorite part of the day–very exhilarating!

This hike followed the BLUE line:

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