Join Francesco Lucarelli and the “Rocky Mountain Challenge Team” on June 27, 2009, as they climb to the top of Pikes Peak to raise funds for the Liggett Breast Center at Van Elslander Cancer Center at St. John Hospital and Medical Center in Detroit, Michigan. Pikes Peak inspired Katharine Lee Bates to write her most famous poem, "America the Beautiful."
PIKES PEAK
Pikes Peak is a mountain in the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains, 10 miles (16 km) west of Colorado Springs, Colorado, in El Paso County. It is named for Zebulon Pike, an explorer who led an expedition to the southern Colorado area in 1806. At 14,115 feet (4,302 m)[1], it is one of Colorado's 54 fourteeners and is number 31 on the list of Colorado's highest mountains. Pikes Peak is the most-visited mountain in North America, and the second most-visited in the world, after Japan's Mount Fuji.
WEATHER
Weather is very unpredictable on the mountain. It may be warm and sunny when you start at the trailhead and miserably cold with dangerous wind chills above treeline. Real temperatures in the thirties and forties are commonplace at the summit during the summer. Wind makes this much worse. Snow and ice can be on the trail into June.
Average June/July Temperatures: High – 79-84° F ~ Low – 50-55° F
COSTS
The Fundraising Challenge
Climb to Beat Breast Cancer ~ Rocky Mountain Challenge 2009 team members will not be required to raise a specified amount of funds for this year’s climb. Team members, however, are encouraged to use this opportunity to increase awareness and visibility of this event by directing friends, business associates and family members to our website at http://www.stjohn.org/Champions/ for more information and to donate online. Through these efforts, we will achieve our ultimate goal of helping to elevate the quality of care at the VECC.
We will not stop breast cancer by standing on a summit alone, but together we will take action toward preventing this disease. Pikes Peak stands tall at 14,110 feet. This climb is for anyone who wants to express his/her own strength in working to prevent breast cancer and at the same time raising awareness and funds for the VECC.
All climbers are responsible for:
· Transportation from your hometown to Colorado Springs, CO, and back
· Medical insurance and evacuation insurance
· Food and lodging
· Clothing/equipment, including items of a personal nature
ITINERARY
June 25, 2009 (Thursday) – Travel to Colorado Springs. Check into your hotel and get a good night’s rest.
June 26, 2009 (Friday) – Orientation, meet and greet. Get to know members of the Rocky Mountain Challenge Team. We’ll have a photo shoot in the morning, followed by gear check. You will have an opportunity to get any last-minute items. That afternoon, you will have time to relax and get focused for our big day.
June 27, 2009 (Saturday) – Summit attempt. We will wake around 5 a.m., eat breakfast, and depart for the summit viaBarr Trail. Barr Trail offers a spectacular route up the peak and is the course for the Pikes Peak Ascent and Marathon races each summer, which attract thousands of runners from all over the United States. The trail offers the greatest base-to-base summit climb in Colorado, with an altitude gain of over 7,000 feet. The one-way hike to the top is almost 13 miles and will take approximately 8-10 hours.
The trailhead is in west Manitou Springs, off Ruxton Avenue, near the Cog Railroad Depot. The other end is on the top of Pikes Peak. The trail itself is a well-marked, packed dirt and decomposed gravel path to the top. However, it is not an easy hike. Four distinct segments of the trail exist, each with its own personality and challenges. The switchbacks up Rocky Mountain are steep and very tiring, so take your time and stop to enjoy the view and rest a bit. You will pass through beautiful forests of ponderosa pine and blue spruce. Wildflowers are abundant.
The trail beyond Rocky Mountain to Barr Camp is the easiest part of the hike, with an elevation gain of 1,200 feet in approximately 4 miles. It goes through gently rolling terrain of aspen forests and meadows with spectacular rock formations and views of the Peak itself.
Barr Camp is approximately halfway up the mountain and is operated under permit from the Forest Service. It was built around 1921 by Fred Barr, the designer and builder of Barr Trail. It is located at 10,200 feet and provides clean water and a place to rest.
After you leave Barr Camp, the next three miles become steeper as you pass through forests of spruce and fir and then enter a region of very old dwarf trees. At treeline (about 3,000 feet below the summit), trees have disappeared and you are entering tundra meadows. The tundra is easily damaged and takes years to repair, so stay on the trail. At the tree line, you will see the A-Frame shelter.
The final miles to the summit are awe-inspiring. This last section provides a view of the Cirque, a spectacular pit carved by glaciers and the 16 Golden Stairs, a series of short, steep switchbacks in the final one-half mile to the summit. When you reach the top, you’ll see the cog train and the tourists; most of them will be awed that you hiked up the peak.
When finished, we return to the hotel for a celebration.
June 28, 2009 (Sunday) – Return home. We’ll say our goodbyes to the mountain and each other and travel home. If you wish, you may choose to make plans to stay on in the Colorado Springs area a little longer.
NEXT STEPS
Apply today!
To minimize climbers’ impact on the mountain, and to provide adequate safety, we are limited to 20 climbers on this expedition. We are actively recruiting a diverse group of climbers and breast cancer survivors so that our climb team reflects the communities that the VECC serves. Please respond with your application as soon as possible.
Meetings
There will be several opportunities for you to connect with the team over the next several months. Meetings will take place once a month with an option of conferencing in.
Questions?
Feel free to contact Lorraine Owczarek at lorraine.owczarek@stjohn.org or 586.582.7509 if you have questions or concerns about any aspect of Climb to Beat Breast Cancer ~ Rocky Mountain Challenge.
Are you ready to climb?
Click here if you want to join the Rocky Mountain Challenge Team
