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Pikes Peak is the highest summit of the southern Front Range of the Rocky Mountains, in North America. The ultra-prominent 14,115-foot (4,302.31 m) fourteener is located in Pike National Forest, 12.0 miles (19.3 km) west by south (bearing 263°) of downtown Colorado Springs, Colorado. The mountain is named in honor of American explorer Zebulon Pike, who was unable to reach the summit. The summit is higher than any point in the United States east of its longitude.

Pikes Peak is one of Colorado's 53 fourteeners, mountains more than 14,000 feet (4,267.2 m) above sea level. The mountain rises 8,000 ft (2,400 m) above downtown Colorado Springs. Pikes Peak is a designated National Historic Landmark.

"Tava" or "sun," is the Ute word that was given by these first people to the mountain that we now call Pikes Peak. The band of Ute people who called the Pikes Peak region their home were the "Tabeguache," meaning the "People of Sun Mountain." The Ute people first arrived in Colorado about 500 A.D., although their traditions say they were created on Pikes Peak. In the 1800s, when the Arapaho people arrived in Colorado, they knew the mountain as "Heey-otoyoo' " meaning "Long Mountain". Early Spanish explorers named the mountain "El Capitán" meaning "The Leader". American explorer Zebulon Pike named the mountain "Highest Peak" in 1806, and the mountain was later commonly known as "Pike's Highest Peak". American explorer Stephen Harriman Long named the mountain "James Peak" in honor of Edwin James who climbed to the summit in 1820. The mountain was later renamed "Pike's Peak" in honor of Pike. The name was simplified to "Pikes Peak" by the United States Board on Geographic Names in 1890.

Geography and geology

Pikes Peak is composed of a characteristic pink granite called Pikes Peak granite. The color is due to a large amount of potassium feldspar. It is thought that the granite was once magma that crystallized at least 20 miles (32 km) beneath the Earth's surface, formed by an igneous intrusion during the Precambrian, approximately 1.05 billion years ago, during the Grenville orogeny. Through the process of uplifting, the hardened rock pushed through the Earth's crust and created a dome-like mountain, covered with less resistant rock. Years of erosion and weathering removed the soil and rock leaving the exposed mountain.

Soils on Pikes Peak are classified as Cirque Land above timberline; forests at lower altitudes are mostly supported by brown stony sandy loam of the Catamount or Ivywild series.

The first Europeans to discover Pikes Peak were the Spanish in the 1700s. The first American sighting is often credited to members of the Pike expedition, led by Zebulon Pike. After a failed attempt to climb to the top in November 1806, Pike wrote in his journal:

...here we found the snow middle deep; no sign of beast or bird inhabiting this region. The thermometer which stood at 9° above 0 at the foot of the mountain, here fell to 4° below 0. The summit of the Grand Peak, which was entirely bare of vegetation and covered with snow, now appeared at the distance of 15 or 16 miles from us, and as high again as what we had ascended, and would have taken a whole day's march to have arrived at its base, when I believed no human being could have ascended to its pinical [sic]. This with the condition of my soldiers who had only light overalls on, and no stockings, and every way ill provided to endure the inclemency of the region; the bad prospect of killing any thing to subsist on, with the further detention of two or three days, which it must occasion, determined us to return.

The first European-American to climb the peak came 14 years after Pike, in the summer of 1820. Edwin James, a young student who had just graduated from Middlebury College in Vermont, signed on as the relief botanist for Stephen Harriman Long's expedition after the first botanist had died. The expedition explored the South Platte River up as far as present-day Denver, then turned south and passed close to what James called "Pike's highest peak." James and two other men left the expedition, camped on the plains, and climbed the peak in two days, encountering little difficulty. Along the way, James was the first to describe the blue columbine, Colorado's state flower.

Gold was discovered in the area of present-day Denver in 1858, and newspapers referred to the gold-mining area as "Pike's Peak." Pike's Peak or Bust became the slogan of the Colorado Gold Rush (see also Fifty-Niner). This was more due to Pikes Peak's visibility to gold seekers traveling west across the plains than any actual significant gold find anywhere near Pikes Peak. Major gold deposits were not discovered in the Pikes Peak area until the Cripple Creek Mining District was discovered southwest of Pikes Peak and led, in 1893, to one of the last major gold rushes in the lower 48 states.

In July 1860, Clark, Gruber and Company commenced minting gold coins in Denver bearing the phrase "Pike's Peak Gold" and an artist's rendering of the peak (sight unseen) on the obverse. In 1863, the U.S. Treasury purchased the minting equipment for $25,000 to open the Denver Mint.

Julia Archibald Holmes and James Holmes traveled to the Rocky Mountains in Colorado in 1858, and reached the summit on August 5, with J. D. Miller and George Peck, making Archibald Holmes the first European-American woman to climb Pikes Peak. From the summit, she wrote in a letter to her mother: "Nearly everyone tried to discourage me from attempting it, but I believed that I should succeed; and now here I am, and I feel that I would not have missed this glorious sight for anything at all."

Thirty-five years later, in July 1893, Katharine Lee Bates wrote the song "America the Beautiful", after having admired the view from the top of Pikes Peak. It appeared in print in The Congregationalist, a weekly journal, on July 4, 1895. A plaque commemorating the words to the song was placed at the summit.

During 1899, the Serbian physicist Nikola Tesla built his first working version of the Magnifying Transmitter in his laboratory some kilometers away from Colorado Springs, up in Pike's Peak, where he worked on his idea of wireless energy transmission and investigated the ionosphere and the telluric currents in the planets. Here, he proved that Earth is a good conductor, and he produced artificial bolt of 40 meters and millions of volts. He stated that during this year he discovered the Earth' stationary waves.

On July 17, 1913 William Wayne Brown drove his car, the Bear Cat, 20 miles to the summit. The ascent took 5 hours and 28 minutes.

The uppermost portion of Pikes Peak, above 14,000 feet (4,300 m) elevation, was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1961.

Pikes Peak was the home of a ski resort from 1939 until 1984.

There are several visitor centers on Pikes Peak, some with a gift shop and restaurant. These centers are located at the 6 mile, 12-mile (19 km) and the summit itself, and there are several ways to ascend the mountain. The Manitou and Pike's Peak Railway is a cog railroad operating from Manitou Springs to the summit year-round, conditions permitting. Automobiles can be driven to the summit via the Pikes Peak Highway, a 19 mi (31 km) road that starts a few miles up Ute Pass at Cascade. This road, which until October 2011 was unpaved after the halfway point, was made famous worldwide by the short film Climb Dance featuring Ari Vatanen racing his Peugeot automobile up the steep, twisty slopes as part of the annual Pikes Peak International Hill Climb race. The road has a series of switchbacks, treacherous at high speed, called "The W's" for their shape on the side of the mountain. The road is maintained by the city of Colorado Springs as a toll road.

A project to pave the remainder of the road was completed on October 1, 2011. The project is in response to a suit by the Sierra Club over damage caused by the gravel and sediment that is constantly washed off the road into the alpine environment. The road remained open during construction.

The most popular hiking route to the top is called Barr Trail, which approaches the summit from the east. The trailhead is just past the cog railway depot in Manitou Springs. Visitors can walk, hike, or bike the trail. Although the Barr Trail is rated only Class 1 it is a long and arduous hike with nearly 8,000 feet of elevation gain, and a 13 mile trip one-way. Runners race to the top and back on Barr Trail in the annual Pikes Peak Marathon. Another route begins at Crags Campground, approaching the summit from the west.

At the peak, the partial pressure of oxygen is only about 60% of that at sea level, so a faster rate of respiration is required by those not regularly at high altitudes. Those familiar with altitude training know that prolonged exposure to the reduced pressures of high altitudes will produce more red blood cells to offset the lower oxygen availability. For the unacclimated, altitude sickness may develop in those who are sensitive or who over-exert themselves. Since 1969, the summit of Pikes Peak has been the site of the United States Army Pikes Peak Research Laboratory, a medical research laboratory for the assessment of the impact of high altitude on human physiological and medical parameters of military interest. Because of the lower pressure, water boils at 85.5 °C at 14,000 feet.

Conditions at the top are typical of a high alpine environment. Snow is a possibility any time year-round, and thunderstorms are common in the summer.

The summit of Pikes Peak has a polar climate due to its elevation, with snowfall possible year round. Surrounding areas have different climatic variations depending on location and elevation. Much of the area near Pikes Peak has a continental semiarid climate, while other areas would be classified as hemiboreal.

Historical names

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Pikes Peak is the highest summit of the southern Front Range of the Rocky Mountains, in North America. The ultra-prominent 14,115-foot (4,302.31 m) fourteener is located in Pike National Forest, 12.0 miles (19.3 km) west by south (bearing 263°) of downtown Colorado Springs, Colorado.

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The Garden of the Gods Park History and Ecology

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Learn about the very beginning when the rocks were formed and how over many years and a few different owners the Garden of the Gods was born.

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Garden of the Gods History - Visit Colorado Springs

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Learn about Garden of the Gods history including how Garden of the Gods was formed, Native American history, and the founding of the park.

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The United States Air Force Academy is a federally supported four-year institution of higher education that was founded in 1954. It primarily trains students for careers as Air Force officers. The academy is located on 18,000 acres (7,300 hectares) just outside of Colorado Springs, Colorado. Males make up the majority of the more than 4,000 students, who are known as cadets. Women have been admitted as cadets since 1976.

Admission is highly competitive. Applicants must receive an official nomination, usually by a member of the U.S. Congress from their home state. Besides demonstrating academic excellence and leadership potential, cadets must be between the ages of 17 and 22, United States citizens, unmarried, without dependents, and in good physical condition. Incoming freshmen undergo a mentally and physically challenging summer training session before classes begin.

During the first two years, all students take part in a core curriculum, which includes military, physical, and leadership training in addition to academic studies. Students complete an academic major during the last two years. Areas of study include science, engineering, social sciences, and humanities. Air Force officers make up most of the faculty. Graduates receive a bachelor of science degree and a reserve commission as a second lieutenant in the Air Force. Cadets also receive flight training, which qualifies graduates in aerial navigation, entitling them to the position of an aircraft observer. If physically qualified, most graduates of the academy go to Air Force pilot training schools.

All students of the United States Air Force Academy are on full scholarship and receive a monthly stipend to cover supplies and personal expenses. Cadets wear uniforms and must live on campus for all years of study. All cadets must participate in athletics every semester, either through intramural sports or National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) intercollegiate competition. The intercollegiate teams compete in the NCAA's Division I. The football team plays in the Football Bowl Subdivision. The school's nickname is the Falcons, and their colors are blue and silver.

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The United States Air Force Academy is a federally supported four-year institution of higher education that was founded in 1954. It primarily trains students for careers as...

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United States Air Force Academy facts for kids

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United States Air Force Academy facts for kids

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United States Air Force Academy Facts for Kids

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Learn United States Air Force Academy facts for kids

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National Historic District Old Colorado City

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National Historic District Old Colorado City

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Old Colorado City History — Old Colorado City

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National Historic District of Old Colorado City

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Manitou Springs, Colorado facts for kids

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Manitou Springs, Colorado facts for kids

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Manitou Springs is a home rule municipality located at the foot of Pikes Peak in western El Paso County, Colorado, United States. The town was founded for its natural mineral springs. The downtown area continues to be of interest to travelers, particularly in the summer, with many shops and restaurants, as well as a creekside city park. The main road through the center of town was one of the direct paths to the base of Pikes Peak. Barr Trail, which winds its way up Pikes Peak, is accessible from town. The subdivision Crystal Hills was added to the municipality in the 1960s.

The city population was 4,858 at the 2020 United States Census. Students are served by Manitou Springs School District 14 and Manitou Springs High School.

General William Jackson Palmer and Dr. William Abraham Bell founded Manitou Springs in 1872, intending the town to be a "scenic health resort". Bell's home, Briarhurst Manor, is open to the public as a fine dining restaurant, which is listed on the National Register of Historic places. In 1876, the town was incorporated. "Manitou Springs has been the quintessential tourist town since the 1870s, when visitors discovered the healing waters the Ute Indians had been drinking for years. Many of the town's mineral springs still function today and the water is free."

Historic district

In 1980, the Manitou Springs Historic District was formed by the Historic Preservation Committee to manage development, renovation and preservation within the town. It is a National Register of Historic Places listing and one of the country's largest National Historic Districts.

Waldo Canyon fire

In June 2012, the entire city was evacuated due to the Waldo Canyon fire nearby. Parts of western Colorado Springs were also evacuated. Manitou Springs did not suffer any fire damage, and the city was under evacuation orders from only 1:30 a.m. Monday until 8 p.m. the same day. There was no fire damage visible from Manitou Springs, and all businesses reopened.

Waldo Canyon flash flood

On the afternoon of August 9, 2013, the city was inundated by a flash flood entering the northern edges of the city via roadways and natural channels as it descended from the flooded-out US Hwy 24. Traffic was stopped in both directions as the highway barriers formed a river drifting several occupied cars down a runoff ditch. The strong current made a path down Manitou Avenue from Cavern Gulch, as well as Canon Avenue, meandering turbulently through streets, homes, businesses, and spillways, damaging 20 homes, 8 of them significantly. The flood water threatened buildings and parking lots along Fountain Creek, and closed a portion of Manitou Avenue, which reopened later that evening.

Situated directly along U.S. Route 24 just west of Old Colorado City and Cave of the Winds, the town is bordered by Mt. Manitou to the west, Red Mountain to the south, and Englemann Canyon, south and west. It is near Garden of the Gods, with the same red stone as Red Mountain, and is at the base of Pikes Peak. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 3.2 square miles (8.2 km ²), all of it land.

Manitou Springs has a humid continental climate ( Koppen: Dfb), categorized by four distinct seasons. Summertime is hot, and wintertime is cool, sometimes cold. Spring and fall are generally very pleasant.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 4,980 people, 2,452 households, and 1,255 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,642.6 inhabitants per square mile (634.2/km ²). There were 2,654 housing units at an average density of 875.4/sq mi (338.0/km ²). The racial makeup of the city was 93.98% White, 3.65% Hispanic or Latino, 0.50% African American, 1.06% Native American, 1.12% Asian, 0.12% Pacific Islander, 0.94% from other races, and 2.27% from two or more races.

There were 2,452 households, out of which 22.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them; 40.2% were married couples living together' 8.2% had a female householder with no husband present; and 48.8% were non-families. 38.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.03 and the average family size was 2.73.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 18.6% under the age of 18, 7.2% from 18 to 24, 31.6% from 25 to 44, 32.2% from 45 to 64, and 10.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.5 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $40,514, and the median income for a family was $57,260. Males had a median income of $39,102 versus $24,286 for females. The per capita income for the city was $24,492. About 4.7% of families and 7.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.3% of those under age 18 and 10.1% of those age 65 or over.

Attractions and community events

Attractions

Attractions include:

Mineral springs and parks

The Springsabouts Walking Tours, a tour of nine of the Manitou Mineral Springs sites offered by the Mineral Springs Foundation. People can also take their own tour of the springs by visiting The Manitou Springs Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau to pick up a free mineral-springs brochure, content chart and a sampling cup.

Parks, from east to west along Manitou Avenue, include Schryver Park, Memorial Park, Mansions Park, and Soda Springs Park. Fields Community Park is located on El Paso Boulevard. Seven Minute Gazebo is located behind Mansions and Memorial Parks.

There are a total of eight springs throughout town, each with their own mineral properties.

Manitou Incline, a former incline railway bed that rises over 2,000 feet above Manitou Springs is a popular hiking and fitness activity.

Annual events include:

January

February

March

April

9 News Health Fair

Historic Speaker series

June

Colorado Wine Festival

Garden of the Gods 10 Mile Run

Clayfest, Potter's competition

Pikes Peak International Hill Climb

Summer concert series at Soda Springs Park

July

July 4 Fireworks

Ice Cream Social and Pie Baking Contest

Pikes Peak Cycling Hill Climb

Summer concert series at Soda Springs Park

August

September

Commonwheel Arts and Crafts Festival

Pikes Peak Challenge

ArtWalk Weekend

October

Emma Crawford Memorial Coffin Races.

Emma's Wake

Ghost Tours

Authorfest of the Rockies

November

MSVFD Turkey Shoot

Salvation Army Community Dinner

Victorian Christmas at Miramont

December

Breakfast with Santa

Santa at the Town Clock

Salvation Army Community Dinner

Inns and hotels

Barker House, (a private Residential Apartment building for many decades) was one of the first hotels in Manitou Springs and due to its long history, Barker House is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Briarhurst Manor, Victorian manor house built by the founder of Manitou Springs, Dr. William Bell

Cliff House at Pikes Peak, a small luxury hotel and dining room, on the National Register of Historic Places

Notable people

Justin Armour, NFL football player for the Buffalo Bills and Denver Broncos

Matt Carpenter, athlete in the Pikes Peak Marathon.

Actors George Stults and Geoff Stults attended Manitou Springs High School.

Clarence R. Wallace, Brigadier general, USMC; was born in Manitou Springs

Atiba Jefferson, photographer

In Spanish: Manitou Springs para niños

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Manitou Springs, Colorado Facts for Kids

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Learn Manitou Springs, Colorado facts for kids

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Glen Eyrie is an English Tudor-style castle built in 1871 by General William Jackson Palmer, the founder of Colorado Springs. There are 17 guest rooms (12 Deluxe guest rooms and 5 premier guest rooms) in the castle, as well as 7 meeting rooms including the Castle Great Hall (2200-square-foot room that can hold up to 240 people) and 2 dining rooms (the Castle King James Hall has seating for 180 people and the Castle Music & Library rooms for seating for up to 58 people). This house was his and his wife's dream home, and is near Colorado Springs in the northwest foothills just north of the Garden of the Gods rock formations (now a city park). After building a large carriage house where the family lived for a time, Palmer and his wife Mary "Queen" Mellen built a 22-room frame house on the 800-acre (3.2 km ²) estate. This house was remodeled in 1881 to include a tower and additional rooms, and made to resemble a stone castle in 1903, reminiscent of those native to England.

Queen Palmer, at age 21, opened the first public school in Colorado Springs in November 1871. The Palmers had three daughters, Elsie, Dorothy, and Marjory.

In 1880, Mrs. Palmer suffered a mild heart attack and was advised to move to a lower altitude. She and the girls moved to the East Coast and then to England where General Palmer visited them as often as he could. Queen died on December 27, 1894, at the age of 44. In sorrow, General Palmer went to England to return Mrs. Palmer's remains and the girls to Colorado Springs. At that time they decided to tear down their home and, in memory of his wife because she so enjoyed the feel of a castle home, they re-built the 33,000-square-foot castle.

Glen Eyrie's use today

Glen Eyrie is an English Tudor-style castle built by General William Jackson Palmer, the founder of Colorado Springs. There are 17 guest rooms in the castle, as well as 4 meeting rooms, 2 dining rooms, and 24 fireplaces. The castle has several features that were advanced for its time, including a primitive intercom system and a two chimney system operated by a lever that would direct the smoke depending on what direction the wind was blowing to take the smoke out of the valley. And in case of fires there also were fire hose stations places throughout the castle. Glen Eyrie is on the National Register of Historic Places.

The castle is now owned by The Navigators. It is open for public tours and events, and can be rented for private programs.

Events hosted at the castle include English and Victorian teas throughout the week and Christmas Madrigal Banquets beginning after Thanksgiving. Glen Eyrie also puts on marriage getaways, men's retreats, women's retreats, family conferences, and much more. To check on their upcoming programs and different retreats, visit their website.

Glen Eyrie's location at the base of Queen's Canyon leaves it vulnerable to flash floods, a risk that increased after the 2012 Waldo Canyon Fire. The fire did no damage to the Glen Eyrie grounds, but it stripped the vegetation from Queen's Canyon. Over a million dollars in flood mitigation has since provided two debris nets and a wider, deeper, concrete-and-cinder-block-reinforced creek bed, which allows water to flow at 2,000 cubic feet per second through the grounds at Glen Eyrie.

In Spanish: Glen Eyrie para niños

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Find yourself lost in wonder as you are immersed in the soul-stirring beauty of Glen Eyrie!

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Historic Glen Eyrie Castle in Colorado Springs - Visit Colorado Springs

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Glen Eyrie Castle in Colorado Spring is a historic western estate with fantastic tours and teas open to the public. Tea and tour hours, schedules and ticket information.

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Antlers Hotel (Colorado Springs, Colorado) facts for kids

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Antlers Hotel (Colorado Springs, Colorado) facts for kids

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Antlers Hotel (Colorado Springs, Colorado) Facts for Kids

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Learn Antlers Hotel (Colorado Springs, Colorado) facts for kids

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History Of The Antlers | Antlers Wyndham Hotel

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Over 100 years later, the third rendition of our historic ancestor, The Antlers Wyndham Hotel still maintains its prominence as leader in Colorado Springs.

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Learn Cheyenne Mountain Zoo facts for kids

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Zoo Chronology; past to present. 1916 Spencer Penrose receives a bear as a gift, sparking his passion for collecting animals. 1926 Penrose begins relocating animals from his ranch and the Broadmoor Hotel to the present site of Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. 1937 Will Rogers Shrine of the Sun is dedicated. A miniature railroad, The Zoo Special, . . .

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Get the book and go to page 30-31

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Get the book and go to page 30-31

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Seven Falls has been a destination to visitors and locals alike for more than 135 years! See for yourself why this is the "Grandest Mile in Colorado!"

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History & Legacy

South Cheyenne Canyon is known as "The Grandest Mile of Scenery in Colorado."

One mile in length, it is a box-type canyon that the Ute Indians would use to stampede buffalo into to capture for food. The main canyon ends in a natural amphitheater down, which one side the Seven distinct falls plunge from with a height of 181 feet. The Seven Falls are named Ramona, Feather, Bridal Veil, Shorty, Hull, Weimer and Hill.

Upon entering the canyon, one sees massive walls of Pikes Peak granite and rock formations with names like Eagle's Cliff, Half Dome, Alligator's Head, Prospect Dome and Washington's Profile. As one passes the old mule barn, the Pillars of Hercules rock formations are steep cliffs of pink granite that rise to 940 feet on the right side and 790 feet on the left, with only 41 feet at the narrowest point on the road.

Before 1872 the land was government-patented, and on December 5, 1872, Nathaniel Colby homesteaded and received the patent for 160 acres, including the falls. One year later, Colby sold the patent for $1,000 to the Colorado Springs Land Company, and on December 18, 1882, James Hull bought the property for $2,500. Hull already owned 160 acres west of Seven Falls. He secured 80 additional acres in 1885 for a total of 400 acres in the heart of Cheyenne Canyon.

On March 9, 1883, Hull began to build a road to Seven Falls, added a toll gate made of barbed wire fence, and charged a toll of 10 cents. Hull died in 1890 before the road was completed, and his sons took over the property, built the first wooden stairway up the falls, and finished the road.

In 1891 the wooden stairway was changed to 224 steps of iron, and in 1904 C. D. Weimer purchased the land and owned the property until 1946. The Falls became quite the tourist attraction as visitors arrived in Colorado Springs by train and then took an electric car or a carriage to view the falls. It was advertised as a half-hour drive from the city or a 1.5 hour drive from Manitou to Stratton Park. There, one could either walk thru the canyon or ride one of the burros of the "burro brigade" to the observation point. The winding road made its way thru the scrub oak, pine, fir, spruce and juniper trees, following the path of Cheyenne Creek. Lovely wildflowers of columbine, penstemon, asters, sunflowers and sumac changed throughout the seasons. A photographer would take a photograph of a tourist at the base of the falls with a pair of burros, one white and one black, named Rags and Satan. There was also a taxidermy reindeer that became a prop for tourists to sit on for photographs.

The pool of water at the base of the falls was home to Brook and Rainbow trout, and people would often fish there. Chipmunks, Abert squirrels, Mule deer, coyotes and other wildlife were nearby, along with hummingbirds, blue jays and the American dipper.

Above the falls lies a beautiful valley, a shady nook, and other smaller waterfalls. This was a favorite spot for author Helen Hunt Jackson who came to Colorado Springs in 1873 when she contracted tuberculosis. Called Inspiration Point, this place was her catalyst for one of her most famous poems titled Cheyenne Mountain and inspired her to write some of her most famous works. Her book Ramona has been reprinted over 400 times and is considered one of the best works written by a female American author. Hunt was an activist for the Native American Indians and their treatment by the U.S. Government. She was buried at the top of Seven Falls in 1885, and her remains were later moved to Evergreen Cemetery in Colorado Springs.

Al Hill of Dallas, Texas, purchased Seven Falls in 1946 and added a tunnel and elevator to the falls for viewing from Eagle's Nest. He also added the beloved lights to Seven Falls for nighttime viewing, and tourists would visit the Falls and climb the stairs to feed the famous chipmunks and see Native American Indian dancers perform.

The Hills owned the property until they sold it on April 11, 2014, to Mr. Philip Anschutz and The Broadmoor. On June 22, 2015, The Broadmoor Seven Falls, Restaurant 1858, and the Woods course of The Broadmoor Soaring Adventure opened. In the 2016 season, the second adventurous zipline course was added. The Fins Course, featuring several custom-built suspension bridges and a controlled 180-foot rappel to the canyon floor. Offering a different perspective of the canyon, tickets for Soaring Adventure are purchased separately.

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History & Legacy | The Broadmoor Seven Falls

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The South Cheyenne Canyon dates back to the days of the Ute, and the development of Seven Falls as a tourist destination started in 1883.

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Helen Hunt Falls (Full Details) - Colorado Springs

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Visit Helen Hunt Falls to enjoy a scenic 35-foot waterfall, just west of Colorado Springs. Here is all the info you’ll need about Helen Hunt Falls, the visitor center and gift shop, as well as other things to do nearby.

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The Incline Becomes an Attraction

After construction finished the railway was purchased by Dr. Newton M. Brumback who converted it to a 16 minute tourist ride to Mount Manitou Park. The Incline's original summit house was built from leftover construction materials. Seven years after its creation the summit house burnt down. That same year, in 1914, a new summit house was built to be more comfortable and a safe place to shelter visitors from the elements.

Spencer Penrose, a Colorado Springs entrepreneur, known for building The Broadmoor and constructing Pikes Peak Highway, purchased the Manitou Incline in 1923. He upgraded the operation adding new cars with nicer benches and retractable roofs. Then, in 1958, the summit house was rebuilt again and remained until the Incline closed, then it was dismantled.

The Incline operated under Pikes Peak Cog Railway until a rockslide washed out the rail bed. Due to its location and grade, it incurred high maintenance costs and ceased to operate in 1990. At this time rails were removed creating a natural staircase of railroad ties.

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History of the Manitou Incline - Visit Colorado Springs

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Learn about the history of the Manitou Incline and discover why the railway was built, why it was dismantled, and how it became a popular workout spot.

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In 1794 Zebulon joined the Army at age 15. By 1799 he was a second lieutenant. He became a full lieutenant 8 months later.

In 1805 Pike led an exploration of the upper part of the Mississippi River. He was supposed to find the river's water source. Along the way he tried to make peace treaties with Native American tribes. He also tried to show others that the United States had claimed the area. Pike traveled 2,000 miles (3,200 kilometers) by boat and on foot. He went from Saint Louis, Missouri, to Leech and Sandy lakes in northern Minnesota. He mistakenly reported Leech Lake as the Mississippi River's water source. The source is Lake Itasca.

In 1806 Pike led another expedition. He was supposed to explore the Arkansas and Red rivers in what is now the southwestern United States. He also wanted to learn more about the neighboring Spanish territory. Pike camped near what is now Pueblo, Colorado. Then he led his party northwest to the Rocky Mountains. He discovered the peak now known as Pikes Peak that November. He gave up climbing it because of the snow and cold.

Next he went south toward northern New Mexico. At the time, the area was Spanish territory. Pike and his men were arrested there by Spanish officials. The officials said that Pike and his party had entered Spanish land illegally. They took Pike's group to the Spanish-American border in Louisiana and released them in July of 1807. Pike's reports about the Spanish military and about chances to trade with Mexico encouraged the United States to expand into Texas.

Pike later served in the War of 1812, the second war between the United States and Great Britain. He became a brigadier general in 1813. Pike was killed during a battle in York, now Toronto, Ontario, on April 27, 1813.

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In 1794 Zebulon joined the Army at age 15. By 1799 he was a second lieutenant. He became a full lieutenant 8 months later. In 1805 Pike led an exploration of the upper part of the Mississippi River. He was supposed to find the river's water source.

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The Garden of the Gods Park History and Ecology

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Learn about the very beginning when the rocks were formed and how over many years and a few different owners the Garden of the Gods was born.