Approaching the Colorado foothills of the Rocky Mountains during his second exploratory expedition, Lieutenant Zebulon Pike spots a distant mountain peak that looks “like a small blue cloud.” The mountain was later named Pike’s Peak in his honor.
Pike’s explorations of the newly acquired Louisiana Territory of the United States began before the nation’s first western explorers, Lewis and Clark, had returned from their own expedition up the Missouri River. Pike was more of a professional military man than either Lewis or Clark, and he was a smart man who had taught himself Spanish, French, mathematics and elementary science. When the governor of Louisiana Territory requested a military expedition to explore the headwaters of the Mississippi, General James Wilkinson picked Pike to lead it.
Although Pike’s first western expedition was only moderately successful, Wilkinson picked him to lead a second mission in July 1806 to explore the headwaters of the Red and Arkansas Rivers. This route took Pike across present-day Kansas and into the high plains region that would later become the state of Colorado. When Pike first saw the peak that would later bear his name, he grossly underestimated its height and its distance, never having seen mountains the size of the Rockies.
He told his men they should be able to walk to the peak, climb it, and return before dinner. Pike and his men struggled through snow and sub-zero temperatures before finally taking shelter in a cave for the night, without even having reached the base of the towering mountain. Pike later pronounced the peak impossible to scale.
The remainder of Pike’s expedition was equally trying. After attempting for several months to locate the Red River, Pike and his men became hopelessly lost. A troop of Spanish soldiers saved the mission when they arrested Pike and his men. The soldiers escorted them to Santa Fe, thus providing Pike with an invaluable tour of that strategically important region, courtesy of the Spanish military.
After returning to the United States, Pike wrote a poorly organized account of his expedition that won him some fame, but little money. Still, in recognition of his bravery and leadership during the western expeditions, the army appointed him a brigadier general during the War of 1812. He was killed in an explosion during the April 1813 assault on Toronto.
It is my sincere desire to provide readers of this site with the best unbiased information available, and a forum where it can be discussed openly, as our Founders intended. But it is not easy nor inexpensive to do so, especially when those who wish to prevent us from making the truth known, attack us without mercy on all fronts on a daily basis. So each time you visit the site, I would ask that you consider the value that you receive and have received from The Burning Platform and the community of which you are a vital part. I can't do it all alone, and I need your help and support to keep it alive. Please consider contributing an amount commensurate to the value that you receive from this site and community, or even by becoming a sustaining supporter through periodic contributions. [Burning Platform LLC - PO Box 1520 Kulpsville, PA 19443] or Paypal
-----------------------------------------------------
To donate via Stripe, click here.
-----------------------------------------------------
Use promo code ILMF2, and save up to 66% on all MyPillow purchases. (The Burning Platform benefits when you use this promo code.)
Thanks! Saw his peak every morning for seven years, took family to the visitors center. Colorado was great and beautiful until Californians redesigned the state.
From the day it was named until the 1900’s it was referred to as Pike Peak.
I still look at it everyday but you are right about the Californians. I will not leave as long as it is in my power to stay. I will not surrender this incredible state to the left. They may very likely kill me but they won’t make me quit or submit.
He was just west of the current Town of Cheyenne Wells and not very far from the Colorado and Kansas border (27 miles west on US 40). The spot is known as First View, a wide spot on the road with a small grain elevator. From the top of Pikes Peak it’s a 135 miles away by direct line of sight. Did a small bit of herd work down that way many moons ago.
I used to pull over in First View and take a nap on my way back from goose hunting.
One bit of Pikes Peak lore: there is a 150 watt light bulb on the roof of the visitors center at the top of the mountain that often is visible from far away at night. Unlike other “forteeners” in Colorado, PP stands by itself and as such is stunning in its appearance-no nearby mountains of any size to take away from its splendor. Katherine Lee Bates penned “America the Beautiful” after witnessing the views at the summit many years ago. Was glad to be part of the Pikes Peak saga for 40 years; miss it every day, though on clear days can see it off in the distance.
I have lived here in Colorado Springs since 1963 (was born in Shitago but my parents moved back the same year). My grandparents arrived here in 1951. The current median sales price of a home is now at $457,500. Our kids have degrees from the local colleges but can’t get the tech jobs related to their degrees because the Californians with years of experience are are willing to take the starter jobs in order to live here. The jobs they got don’t pay enough to rent apartments here. With much sadness we have started looking at homes in NE, KS, and OK and are making plans to get out in spring or early summer. It has become so big and colonized that it doesn’t even feel like home anymore. This place has become a California shithole.
No One…plus your homeless population has exploded due to legalized reefer
The city fathers in Denver are often accused of giving the homeless a one way bus ticket to the Springs.