Barr Trail: This is NOT a Walk in the Park (pun intended)

It is FLATTERING that some of you want to join us on the hike.  I have spoken with a few of those folks but want to capture in writing what education over the past several months has provided me about this excursion.  I have NOT hiked Barr trail. So 99% of what follows is second hand. I will work to keep it is as objective as possible.  It is intended to EDUCATE, not scare nor deter, there is no undo drama. I have been to the summit of Pike's Peak via vehicle, and it can be difficult to catch your breath if active, and I can assure you this trail will be nothing like those around our lakes!

GEOLOGY

Trail Distance:

12.8 miles sticks in my head but other reports are

13 miles according to National Recreation Trail

11.8 miles according to the Barr Trail website

12.6 miles according to the Wikipedia page of Barr Trail

From the trail head to Barr Camp my understanding is that approximately  6.8 miles.

Elevation / Altitude:

Trail Head: 6500
Barr Camp: 10,200
Pike's Peak Summit: 14115 (Not a typo)

The signs up top have not been updated as of this writing.  I learned this fact well after I came up with the FourteenThousandOneHundredTen name and URL.  So the way I see it if the summit is really 14115 then there must be, by scientific law, a spot that is 14110.  So I have told others I will keep my goal 14110 and then just over achieve once I get there!

There is a such thing as altitude sickness that under certain circumstances could lead to death.

Gain:

The change in elevation is over 7500 feet is what I have always said; other reports

7900 feet according to the Barr Trail website

7615 doing the math Wikipedia page of Barr Trail

Grade:

The average grade is 11% according to Skyrunner from who the below image is from.

CLIMATE

Oxygen Levels:
One of the most profound words of advice I have received is that you can perform all the cardiovascular training you want but it is not going to prepare you for the major decrease in Oxygen percentages.  There are some, what I would consider expensive, methods for attempting to prepare your body for the higher altitude from the comfort of you low altitude
Here is a link to see what the elevation is at your specific location:

VeloRoutes

And below is chart to show you the percentage oxygen at varying altitudes to compare yours against.

Temperature:
No matter the temperature the sun can cause damage to your skin. Make certain to utilize sunscreen and dress appropriately.

Here is a comparison of the Summit of Pikes Peak compared to that of the trail head located in Manitou Springs.

Summit:

Trail head in Manitou Springs:

.
Lightning:
According to the NOAA there are on average 27.5 thousand cloud to ground lightning strikes per year in El Paso county Colorado.  The numbers in the image below are in the thousands and represent an annual average.  Notice El Paso county, home of Barr Trail is by far the second most county for cloud to ground lighting strikes.

Keep in mind too that when hiking up Pike's Peak, based on your altitude, you could end up INSIDE the cloud where lightning is occurring.

Below is table, also from NOAA, that provides statistics on lightening injuries and fatalities. It is critically important  to understand what to look for to avoid being caught in a lightening storm and safety measures to take in the event you do become so.  My eyes did widen a bit when I saw there were 12 injured by lightening last year in El Paso county.  Hovering over that row in the table you will find a link to a story that reports this was a single event on an Army base.

Year	Month	Day	Time	Total Killed	Total Injured
2013	July	31	1345	0	12
2011	July	24	1400	0	5
2010	July	10	1240	0	1
2008	June	24	1420	0	2
2007	May	22	1330	0	1
2007	June	2	1330	0	1
2007	September	2	1758	1	3
2006	July	19	1700	0	1
2003	July	13	1040	0	1
2003	July	25	1330	0	1
2003	August	5	1715	1	0
2003	August	23	1400	0	3
2001	August	5	1620	0	1
2001	May	30	1330	1	3
2000	July	25	1159	1	0
2000	July	28	1630	0	1
1999	August	19	1700	0	8
1999	May	24	1406	0	3
1999	May	24	1420	0	1
1998	August	19	1500	0	1
1997	July	6	1230	1	0
1997	June	13	1800	0	1
1996	September	10	1330	0	1
1996	July	10	1720	0	1
1996	July	20	1900	1	0
1995	July	1	1500	1	1
1995	July	9	1615	1	1
1995	June	2	n/a	0	1
1994	July	14	1500	0	1
1994	June	29	1300	0	1
1991	May	31	1615	0	3
1990	July	9	1615	0	1
1990	July	9	1800	0	1
1989	June	26	1400	0	1
1988	June	23	1845	0	2
1987	August	28	Afternoon	0	2
1987	June	9	1345	0	3
1987	June	13	1400	0	1
1987	June	30	Afternoon	0	1
1985	May	5	1745	0	1
1985	May	18	1600	1	0
1982	August	9	1630	1	0
1981	August	5	Afternoon	0	1
1981	July	1	1715	0	1
1981	May	26	1215	0	1

Source: NOAA

Strategy

• Educate appropriately
• Train appropriately
• Day of the Hikes start out early, beat the afternoon weather, and know that the average person will go from trail head to summit in 6 to 8 hours
• Dress in layers be prepared for the heat, the cold, the rain, the snow
• Pack light and appropriately
• Keep an eye on the weather
• Know your limits and use good judgement in pushing them

Inadequate Preparedness: Real World Example

A fellow's video captured experience and lessons learned:
If you are planning on ever making this hike then I strongly suggest you watch these videos. While performing some practice hikes this gentleman learned he was not prepared. Examples the viewer will see is that he starts late, had no idea of the distance, over-packed, and did not train appropriately.  I intend no insult to this fellow and promote the videos viewing due to the fact they are publicly posted. Another benefit of these videos is some great footage of the trail's views and shots of Barr Camp.

• Night before
• Morning of
• Hike video 1
• Hike video 2 
• Hike video 3 
• Hike video 4 
• Hike video 5 
• Hike video 6 
• Barr Camp 1 
• Barr Camp 2
• Barr Camp 3 
• Barr Camp 4 
• Barr Camp 5 
• Hike Cancelled 

Conclusion

I encourage people to assess their health, abilities, knowledge,and time to prepare. Do not underestimate this challenge.  If there is a desire and commitment to complete this hike, either by gifting us with your companionship on 8/9/14 and 8/10/14 or any other time in your life, then GO FOR IT!

Open Invitation and High Level Itinerary 8/6/14 to 8/12/14

With the hip replacement milestone met I would like to offer an open invitation to those family, friends, and supporters that would like to celebrate life, each other, and the majesty of Pike's Peak to join us!  Whether it is the early morning kick off at the Barr Trail trail head August 9th, the summit of Pike's Peak August 10th, or ANY part in between it would be a joy and an honor to have others share in building what I hope will be one of my son's greatest memories!

I will begin posting to the blog more frequently covering topics in more detail such the trail itself, Barr Camp, the summit, Cog Rail, training/hiking/preparedness, Colorado Springs, and Manitou Springs; among others...

Our high level intermarry so far:

8/6/14 - per a suggestion to allow our bodies time to acclimate to the altitude we plan to arrive in Colorado Springs
8/7/14 - Get a lay of the land, trail head, Pike's Peak entrance, restaurants, begin rounding up those that have said they would join us, practice hike / site seeing in one of the many trails suggested to us, perhaps something a Garden of the God's.
8/8/14 - A day on top of Pike's Peak, per a suggestion we will drive to the top of Pike's Peak to help our bodies become even more acclimated to the altitude.  We will picnic, site see, practice hikes, and over all relax and enjoy each other's company.
8/9/14 - Hit the Barr Trail trail head by early, 6 or 7 a.m.'ish local time.  Ascend to Barr Camp taking in the beauty and reveling in the experience.  The afternoon and night will be spent on the side of the mountain at the  Barr Camp level.  We have purchased the private large upper cabin which sleeps 12.  family and close friends that wish to spend the night may sleep with us in there on the 9th.
8/10/14 - leave Barr Camp early and attempt to summit Pike's Peak!  Enjoy the moment! later descend via car either by either a relative, friend, or car service.  That night celebrate, if enough energy, at a location to be determined!

Contingency Plan
There is NO GUARANTEE that the peak will be accessible via foot, train, or car!  There is ALWAYS the chance the only way off the mountain is to HIKE back down.  That being said we have booked 3 spots for Simon, Trish, and I in the main cabin the night of 8/10/14 in case we cannot summit the day of the 10th.  We plan to make another go of it on the 11th.  If we cannot summit the 11th we will head off the mountain either that day or the 12th camping where we can until we make the hike back down to the trail head.

Ton's of places and ways others can join us!
If we are blessed enough for others to want to participate in some fashion there are many opportunities beyond performing the entire hike!
Other ideas are:

• Join us on the 8th to hang out on Pike's Peak!
• Join us at the summit as we complete our goal!
• Head to the summit on 8/10 and hike down the Golden Staircase, then hike back up the Golden Staircase with us! (Another post will review the Golden Staircase)
• Take the Cog Rail to meet with us and visit Barr Camp, Do the same for the summit!  (Other posts will cover Cog Rail and Barr Camp)
• Join us at the trail head and hike part way up!
• Join us the night of the 10th or any other time in Colorado to enjoy this wonderful state!

RSVP's would be greatly appreciated so we know where to look for you!  Contact me with questions, concerns, ADVICE, encouragement:
Follow my account on Facebook: Fourteenthousand Onehundredten
Or email me: joseph@whyjoseph.com

PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD! It motivates me and I hope to inspire others!

14110 Gear is here!

I used vistaprint.com. 2 sided printing on hats with shipping were $20.00 and the T-Shirts $15.00.

Milestone Complete: Hip Replaced

It is amazing that 48 hours after having a total hip replacement I am on my way home.   These medical advancements are incredible.  The procedure I had was an anterior approach as opposed to a posterior.  Meaning the surgeon went through more of the front of my leg and was able to pull my muscles aside as apposed to the posterior where the glute muscles are cut through.  Pain management has also come a long way.  Before I even entered the operating room they started me on multiple time release pain meds and nerve ending relaxers.  Something else that was great was the training video and book provided months before the procedure that literally showed how to train to prepare for the surgery and strengthen ancillary muscles that would be needed to move around and compensate for those that were traumatized during the surgery.  

I am so excited to have such an increase in my quality of life, everything from being able to tie my right shoe again, ride a bike, and then hike Barr Trail with beautiful wife and incredible son!  

I want to give a special thank you to all those who are providing prayers and support!  There have been offers and questions if others can join us on our adventure August 9th and summit August 10th and the answer is OF COURSE!  IT WOULD BE AN HONOR!  Even if others are there to see us off at the trail head on the 9th or meet us on the top on the 10th!

Photo In

It shocked me, realizing how overweight I still am, just how much worse I was.  There is still a long ways to go.  This Friday is my total hip replacement and from there it is going to be an INCREDIBLE ride of rehab, exercise, and reduced diet all the way to August 9th when we hit the Barr Trail trail head.  PIKE'S PEAK OR BUST!

Thank you so much those that are supporting.  Thank you VERY much to those following, liking, and sharing my story on Facebook. PLEASE CONTINUE TO SPREAD THE WORD.  It motivates me to live so out loud and I hope to be an inspiration to others.  

Weigh in

Surgery is 3/21 going to push hard to get down to 250 by then.