Welcome to the Bougie Barr Camp to Pikes Peak Trail Series — a set of 2 mini episodes from a low-key, high-comfort backpacking weekend in Colorado with my friends Meg and Charlie.
Day 2 was summit day — the whole reason for the bougie detour.
We were up at 4am and on trail by 5:10, climbing through overnight storm leftovers, a sunrise cloud inversion that put us "in the meat of the sandwich" between two cloud layers, and every kind of weather in small doses — wind, snow, thunder, rain, each lasting about two seconds.
Above treeline the switchbacks felt endless, mild altitude sickness showed up uninvited, and the microspikes came out for the last snowy mile. We summited just as the cog train pulled in and sprinted for the visitor center to beat the crowd to donuts. 3,700 feet of gain, almost 12 miles, and a well-earned nap back at camp before spaghetti and the best bread of the trip.
In this episode:
- A sunrise cloud inversion and back-to-back microclimates
- Altitude nausea above treeline (even for a Colorado Springs local)
- Microspikes, switchbacks, and a summit photo finish vs. the cog train
- Donuts, coffee, and hot chocolate standing in for pancakes
- Reflections on bougie backpacking, mom-life perspective shifts, and planning the next "insane" trip
🎧 Hit play for summit views, weather roulette, and a well-earned donut victory.
Where to learn more about Allison:
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