The Newtown bee., 1904-02-05
TOWN TOPICS A TRIP UP PIXIES PEAK AND BACK TO COLORADO SPRINGS.
 BY w. T. KASSON.
BY W. T. KASSON.

Pike's Peak lies little to the north ,f west from Colorado Springs and to jhe eye of an eastern visitor, seems to oe but mile or two away, and little l higher than the other peaks in the | range. After having been here for | some years, had heard enough, and | had some experience in climbing so that I realized some l thing of the task before me, when I decided to climb to the top of the of which Gen Pike, after several days, and at last giv- ing up the attempt to go farther, said the mountain was so high that no man would ever be able to reach the top. It was in August near the time of full moon when a party of three besides myself decided to go up. Saturday noon the thermometer registered 96 degrees and that night at o'clock we took the electric car in Colorado Springs, going through Colorado City to Manitou, six miles, which lies at the base of the mountains Two of the party were young men, and they were going to break the record in go- ing up, the distance being eight and nine-tenths miles, by the Cog railroad track, which we followed all the way, and description of which would make a story by itself. Although the day
 had been so warm, we ha3nput on our winter clothing and took my heavy ulster overcoat; also each of us had a box of food. AS the night came on, dark clouds gathered on the noun tains and we feared what the result might be-but we decided to start and at o'clock we were off. The boys were soon out of sight, but we men started slow, and soon overlook other parties on their way up. Soon a large company on "burros" passed us and their laughter and jokes cheered us for some little time. We soon felt the change in temperature but we did not stop to rest, not yet, though we had passed number who were about play ed out. About two and one-half miles
 there is an electric plant established,
 and the lights ahead were beacon to
 help us on our way, and reaching the
 plant, we found 30 or 40 people who
 were resting and eating and wonder
 if they "were not near the Half Way
 House." After little time, on we
 went, and the grade was sleeper than
 we had met before, and by and by we
 came to a cottage built among the
 rocks, and occupied by some people
 from New York City in the summer
 time. Then onward until the Half
 Way house is reached. The name is
 only blind, for in truth it is only
 three and one-half miles from Mani
 tou, but place of resort to many in
 the summer. With our tin cups we
 refreshed ourselves with the clear cold
 water from the melting snow above us, and starting on, we wondered where
 the boys were, but soon found them lying flat on the ground by fire
 which other people had started, as the night was getting cold and many were
 not prepared for such a change. Af- ter good rest we went on together, for the boys had learned something and their breath did not hold out so
 well. Coming to another fire we all felt hungry and so took lunch, it be- ing Il o'clock. We soon met a track walker who said there was an eating hOI1Cn
 Reaching this, we found lot of peo- pie there and that all who reached this point and registered, would find their names printed in the issue which
 would be ready for them when they came back. After leaving here there is about one-half mile of easy grade, and then it is steep, but though the clouds are all around us and the rain is falling little, we feel fresh and start with a new vigor. But Oh! How steep it is, and now in party of four, we find two young ladies who are bound to go on, but with our help for a time, they at last give up and turn back, disgusted with the road, the mountains, the weather, their efforts, and themselves. We had thought we had been climbing before, but this was sleeper than ever and as one of the party had been up before, and as after while he told us that in about 800 feet we would be up this hard part, we had lot of courage and kept on. But 800 feet, goodness, it turned out to be nearly three miles, and long before this grade was passed the fre- quent fires were all left behind and do you wonder why? Because we were past "timber line". and there was
 not a thing, to build any more of them. The rain had turned to snow-and we sought fre- quent cover behind rocks, that we might rest, and to keep from freezing if we could. A young man passed us on his way down, and we asked him if he had been to the top. He said but one word, and that was ''No." We learned farther on that his nose bled so badly that he had to turn back. The snow had stopped falling, and the frozen ground and snow and ice made our feet slip, but at last we reached
 Windy Point, near which, in winter time, the snow is 40 and 50 feet deep. A time after tbis we came to build- ing where the Colorado Springs Water Supply com pany store cement for use around their large reservoirs, which are in this region. We found the door to be unlocked, for no one would ever