The Journey up the Mountain
Just a few times a year, the Pikes Peak Highway is open for the Pikes Peak Sunrise Opening. This event is open to everyone with a reservation, but it is attended by many fanatics, I'd say. I use the term "fanatics" because my 3:30 AM alarm wake-up was pretty rough. Thankfully, I set my coffee maker to automatic and had a nice fresh cup of coffee ready to go when I woke up for this event. After making an egg burrito, I packed up my gear and hit the road.
I met up with some friends at the local grocery store parking lot. After the initial handshakes and "how do you dos", we piled into a quintessential Colorado 4Runner and headed up the mountain. Our sleepy enthusiasm was quickly met with a long line of cars. After waiting what seemed like forever, the cars started to slowly roll up to the guard gate. As the altitude quickly ascended into the darkness, so did my enthusiasm.
The hope for this mid-summer event is to capture epic photos of Colorado's grand eastern landscape bathed in golden hour light with a dreamy sunrise sky. It was pretty evident on the way up the mountain, however, that this was not going to happen today.
The Opening Scene
When we arrived at the top, it was still a little dark, and there was mostly heavy cloud cover over us.
There was also a break in the clouds on the horizon to the east. But with the looming storm over us and more coming in from the northwest, our dreamy sunrise was not looking good. In fact, something odd was brewing on my radar app. Those dark clouds were an inbound thunderstorm.
I wandered around, gathering a few views and taking what photos I could before the storm hit us. Within a little bit, it was now snowing in the middle of summer on top of Pikes Peak! And yes, there was thunder, so on this morning there was "thundersnow." I wandered around a bit more, trying not to slip and fall on the ice and snow on the pathways.
Weather Challenges
Finally heading back to shelter under an overhang, I met back up with my friend. While we chatted and watched the snowfall, another friend came up, which is typical around here in Colorado. There are lots of landscape photographers in these parts.
The sky was starting to open in the distance on the southern horizon and shine a bit over Colorado Springs to the west. I decided to leave the protection of the building and headed out to the rocks overlooking the canyons below, with views of the distant cities. I snapped some photos, and an electrifying event took place.
Somewhere nearby, lightning struck the ground. I saw the light flash but not the actual bolts.
A few minutes later, one of the park rangers came out from the Visitor Center to let everyone know there was a lightning warning, and we should all come inside the building to wait out the storm. I like capturing lightning bolts; however, this was not the time or the place. So, we went inside to wait out the storm.
I felt too anxious to get back outside and was not interested in the famous Pikes Peak donuts or coffee on this morning. I don't remember how long we waited, but we finally got the go-ahead and went back outside.
Photography Opportunities
I snapped some photos looking down south towards Pueblo. Then I noticed some nice colorful light peeking through the clouds over downtown Colorado Springs. The light was really interesting, and although we were under some dark clouds and it was fogged down below, that light was persistent.
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The sunrise light and color were shining bright on the rain falling from the storm. I tried to capture the drama unfolding below us over the hills. This view is looking west with Colorado Springs in the distance.
I decided to process some of the landscape photos in black and white because I like how the tones emphasize the drama.
The next two photos show different views of Lake Moraine in the South Slope area.
The whole event was a lot of fun, and I would definitely do it again. Even if you aren't a photographer, I'm sure you would have fun too.
Tips for Your Trip
A few tips if you go up to the top of Pikes Peak for a Sunrise Opening:
Be prepared for any weather. It was hot down in town, but cold enough to there to be ice and snow on the ground and falling from the sky :) I wore multiple layers and had a windbreaker that helped a lot.
Expect there to be slow drivers and getting stuck behind them, on the way and up down the mountain. If you want to capture the sun as it crests the horizon, get to the guard gate early.
Explore a bit. There are amazing views from just about every direction, from the top of the mountain and at many stops along the road.
Keep an eye out for wildlife. We saw a group of Bighorn Sheep and you never know what else you might run into up there.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: What are the specific opening dates for 2024?
A: Weather permitting, Pikes Peak will be open for sunrise on the following dates:
July 21, 2024 - National Parks and Recreation Day
August 1, 2024 - National Mountain Climbing Day
September 11, 2024 - Patriot Day
October 14, 2024 - Indigenous Peoples’ Day
Q: Does the new Pikes Peak Summit Visitor Center still have their famous donuts?
A: Yes, they do and the whole building was filled with their smell :)
Q: Do I need a ticket to drive up the Pikes Peak Highway for the Sunrise Opening Event?
A: Yes, each person in your vehicle will need a ticket. Additionally, the driver of the vehicle will need a "Timed-entry Permit". More information can be found here: https://coloradosprings.gov/drivepikespeak
Q: Can I take the Cog Railway to the top of Pikes Peak for the Sunrise Opening?
A: I would check with the Railway for dates and reservations, but they typically are running for the Sunrise Openings. Here is their web site: https://www.cograilway.com
Q: What Camera and Lens do you use?
A: I shoot mainly with Sony Camera gear. You can find out the details here: https://www.danielforsterphotography.com/gear
Q: Do you Sell Landscape Photography Prints of Colorado?
A: Yes! Thanks for asking. Please see my portfolio of my Colorado Landscape Photography Gallery to see my photos I have for sale.
More questions, comment below or reach out to me.
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