How to climb Pikes Peak
How I did it: On Barr Trail (about 26 miles round trip). Hiked up to Barr Camp about halfway up the mountain on day 1 and rested the rest of the afternoon. Started out at 8 a.m. the next morning and reached the summit around 1:30 and headed back down (after eating and resting of course) to camp for the night. Got back to the car around 9:30 a.m. The last day coming down was very painful.
Lessons & tips: Get to the base of Barr Trail parking lot as early in the morning as you can to get a parking spot, like 5 or 6 a.m. Thunderstorms tend to come in the afternoon, so the earlier you get to the top, the better. Train, train, and more training for endurance, especially if you're carrying a heavy pack. If you're not used to the high elevation, get acclimated at 7 - 8,000 feet a few days before hiking the trail.
