“Once in a lifetime experience:” Travelers come from 4000 miles to see Pikes Peak at sunrise
Bradley Davis
CASCADE, Colo. (KRDO) – Friday morning was one of just five days this year that Park Rangers will open the Pikes Peak highway early enough for visitors to see the sun rise from over 14,000 feet in the sky.
It’s the first season Park Rangers have introduced “Sunrise Shuttles,” providing more transportation options for people to get to the top before the sun comes up.
One onlooker traveled over 4000 miles to see the sun rise above Pikes Peak with his friends.
“It’s unreal. A once-in-a-lifetime experience. Unlike anything I’ve ever done before,” United Kingdom native Adam Newton said.
The Gateway opened at 4:30 a.m. on Friday.
It will open again at 4:30 a.m. on August 1, followed by a 5 a.m. sunrise opening September 27 and a final early-morning viewing experience at 5:30 a.m. on October 13. Tribal Nation Elders will perform a sunrise blessing on the mountain top on October 13 in honor of Indigenous Peoples’ Day.
A timed entry permit or a shuttle ticket is required to enjoy the Pikes Peak Sunrise openings. A 2-hour timed entry permit is $2. A standard shuttle ticket is $35 for adults and $10 for children.