Pike's Peak

Judy Heuman wrote:
> We will be going to Pike's Peak this summer. Looking over the web
> site, I'd like to know if anyone has been there, is it more
> interesting to drive up to the summit or take the cog railway? Is
> it
> a difficult drive? Is it hard to breath at the summit? (We're in
> reasonably good health, but both of us are 65 years old.)

I was there when 68 driving to the top and there when 72 taking the
rail to the top. They are different and well worth the trip either
way. Pike's Peak is nowhere near the highest road you can/will drive
in the Rockies, it's just private. Be aware of weather conditions no
matter the way you go, because there can be white-out conditions at
the top any time of year. As already noted, use low gears instead of
brakes descending by vehicle because it's a constant grade and failed
brakes are common. If you reach the check point with hot brakes, you
will not proceed until the brakes have cooled and been inspected.

Tom J

>  Is it hard to breath at the summit? (We're in
> reasonably good health, but both of us are 65 years old.)

They recommend that you don't go to the summit it if you have cardiac
or respiratory problems. If you're in good health you shouldn't have
any problems but you'll notice that you get out of breath must faster.
And as Mark mentioned, watch out for any symptoms.

In article <13sh40j97q2613d@corp.supernews.com>,
Mark Brader <msb@vex.net> wrote:
>And the tricky thing is that altitude can also impair people's judgement,
>like being somewhat drunk, without the person realizing it. I've felt
>this a bit myself at around 12,000 feet, and different people react
>differently. So if two of you are traveling together, you need to keep
>an eye on each other's mental functions as well as how you're feeling --
>and agree in advance that if either one of you says to go back down, you
>will.

Yeah, man, I was on top of the highest point in Yosemite with 4 other
netters. I gave them a tallying task in little notebooks. None of them
could reach 100. I had to redo their work myself (no problems).
Give yourself sustained math and logic problems and see how do you.
Can be quite amusing.

--

Judy Heuman wrote:
>> Easy to avoid, simply select a lower gear and let the
>> engine slow you down.
>>
>> I'm mildly asthmatic and found no problem breathing - I was
>> probably
>> 50 at the time.
>>
>> I never took the train to my chagrin.
>
> Thanks to everyone who replied to me about Pike's Peak! We have
> decided to drive -- my husband thinks it should be fun and I think
> it
> means if we do develop any bad symptoms from the elevation, we can
> easily turn around to drive down.
>
> This will be just one day of a two week trip from Toronto to Utah.
> I'm sure as time gets closer, I'll have more questions for all of
> you
> who are so knowledgeable.

Make sure you go up before shopping or you may spend all your time in
the Christmas Store. ;-(
Besides, you'll want to spend money in the huge store at the top!!
OH, and be aware that there is an entrance fee!
Tom J

"Tom J" <tomnews@> wrote in message
news:13sjgt76roq3318@corp.supernews.com...
> Judy Heuman wrote:
>>> Easy to avoid, simply select a lower gear and let the
>>> engine slow you down.
>>>
>>> I'm mildly asthmatic and found no problem breathing - I was probably
>>> 50 at the time.
>>>
>>> I never took the train to my chagrin.
>>
>> Thanks to everyone who replied to me about Pike's Peak! We have
>> decided to drive -- my husband thinks it should be fun and I think it
>> means if we do develop any bad symptoms from the elevation, we can
>> easily turn around to drive down.
>>
>> This will be just one day of a two week trip from Toronto to Utah.
>> I'm sure as time gets closer, I'll have more questions for all of you
>> who are so knowledgeable.
>
> Make sure you go up before shopping or you may spend all your time in the
> Christmas Store. ;-(
> Besides, you'll want to spend money in the huge store at the top!!
> OH, and be aware that there is an entrance fee!
> Tom J
>

An entrance fee to go into a STORE??? I will NOT be going there, then.