Tunnel Closed

Today Nik, Candy and I headed out to investigate the Oil Creek Tunnel. We met up at 10AM and headed up the 24 to Pikes Peak. Dam they get you with the toll charge, all together it was $36.00, $12.00 per head. So we paid the money and proceeded up the Peak to the Elk Knoll parking lot. It was breezy but not to bad and the temperature was cool. We loaded on the packs and headed down trail #652. There were a couple folks coming up the trail as we started but other than them we didn’t encounter anyone else.

We made our way down and found the junction to take you up to the Oil Creek Tunnel and the old ruins that still remain. We had to make our own trail at one point as the snow banks had it covered. One of the great things about this hike is that you start above tree line and work your way down into the trees and then up against the Peak. So you have a variety of scenery to enjoy as well running water from the snow melt.

As we came around the trail and in view of the tunnel entrance I was getting excited and ready to start digging out the flashlights. All of sudden there it was, a steal barrier that had been installed within the last two years, barring your way into the tunnel. Major disappointment! I am just glad that I had been able to make this trip before and actually get into the tunnel and been able to check it out. So I apologized to everyone, even though it wasn’t my fault but I had built up the expectation of going in. Who knows maybe they were relieved. :-)

We checked out the ruins and snapped off some pictures. Now it was time to start making our way back up the mountain. It is a fairly steep area that you have to go back up and secondly hiking at 12k feet is different than hiking at 6k to 10k feet. You can tell the difference if you are not used to it. The elevation climb is about 900ft and the trail up is about a mile and three quarters. All together roundtrip is 3.5/miles. Not a long hike but a very enjoyable one with a good cardio workout.

I don’t know how many different types of wild flowers we came across but the vegetation was spectacular to look at. Candy really enjoyed checking out the plants and flowers. She got some really good pictures.

Once we got back to the parking lot we drove on up to the Peak. The place was packed! The Cog Railway had just arrived and the parking lot was packed with local and numerous tourists from out of state. I saw license plates from TX, VA, and MS.

All in all, even with the tunnel closed I had a great time.

Happy Hiking

All pictures can be found at: http://picasaweb.google.com/drobincorvette/20100619#

Happy Anniversary

I was looking back on the early days when I started blogging about the hiking I have done and realized that at just passed my two year anniversary. Where does the time go! I was a lot more active and more descriptive with my entries in the early days. Because I had a goal and it was all new to me.

I started keeping track of my miles again as well as what I have been eating and drinking. It’s been good for me as it has got me back the trails. With the weather warming up that’s made it easier because you just want to get out and enjoy the sunshine.

Today I did the treadmill for my lunch break and got 2/miles in. I had a 7:15AM call that I needed to do be on so I ended up driving and getting in at 6:30AM. It takes MS Windows a good 10 minutes to boot up and had to do a quick review on some work items.

For the month of June, I am up to 51.5/miles. So far so good, just need to keep it up. But it has been tough with a lot going on at work. I have a big weekend planned. Thinking about doing Oil Creak Tunnel on Saturday and for Fathers day I thought I would head up St. Mary’s Falls and if I have it in me keep going up to Mt. Rosa. This one will be a long one if I do the loop but I think I am ready.

Oil Creek Tunnel

Today’s hike was pretty cool. I got a chance to check out the Oil Creek Tunnel. It was started in the 1890’s to build a route through Pikes Peak in order to be able to get back and forth to Cripple Creek. The best article that I have found to give you some history about the tunnel is: http://www.skyrunner.com/story/oilcreek.htm .

I left the house at 6:20am to be able to be one of the first on the Pikes Peak Toll Way. I arrived at the toll gate, at about 6:40 and was already about the 6th car in line. One of the reasons why I don’t spend more time on the Peak is the number of people and that you can’t get into the park until 7am, which is a little late for me.

The toll charge is normally $10 per person. A little secret let them know your going fishing. You will save your self a few bucks. I passed the toll gate and headed up to the Elk Park Overlook. It’s about 14/miles from the Toll Gate. When I reached the Glen Cove gift shop area, they had the road blocked off. Turns out that were letting race cars use the upper portion for tire testing. Race cars, you ask, well the Pikes Peak Hill Climb is coming up towards the middle of July.

I was the only car up their as no one else had driven up this far yet. I parked and got out and talked with the Ranger. Told him I wanted to get to the Elk Grove Overlook. It was only about another mile up the road. He let me through and said if I went any further they would kick me off the mountain.

Got to the parking lot, loaded up and headed off down the trail. It was windy and cold this morning, glad that I had dressed appropriately. It’s a relative short hike, 5/miles round trip. You start above tree line for this hike. Catch the Elk Park Trail (aka Trail #652). It is a gradual decent and then gets much steeper in sections. So at least with this hike you start it going down with all the work, being on you way back up.

When you catch the Oil Creek Tunnel Trail (aka #652a), you may have the chance to run into some snow still hanging around from winter. Follow the trail the best you can, it’s not very well defined in sections.

I wish today I would have had a buddy with me. The tunnel is 1800ft deep into the mountain. I probably was only in about 250/ft. I had a headlamp on my head and another attached to my breast strap on my backpack. Coming out of the tunnel is running water, actually a pretty decent stream. At least with another adventure seeker I may have made it all the way to the end.