# Pikes Peak Cog Railway-Expensive?



## Swadian Hardcore (Jun 30, 2014)

I was thinking about taking a few people onto the Cog Railway but it seems really expensive at $36. Is that one-way or round-trip? I'm wondering whether it's worth it or, in Colorado Springs, to just visit Garden of the Gods, Air Force Academy, and/or the Air Force Museum.

Looking for some quick opinions. Thanks.


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## train person (Jun 30, 2014)

$36 for 14,100 feet seems like a good deal, as long as the weather is good....


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## NS VIA Fan (Jun 30, 2014)

Seems a reasonable fare to me for the experience. Go for it!

We did the Mt. Washington Cog Railway in New Hampshire last year and it was $65 roundtrip. The railway is 3 miles to the top (elev 6,288’).....or 6 miles return.....so about $10/mile and the view from the top was well worth it!


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## train person (Jun 30, 2014)

The Jungfrau railway in Switzerland costs $212 round trip.

I think the first thing you need to do is adjust your definition of 'really expensive.........'


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## Bob Dylan (Jun 30, 2014)

The ride up Pikes Peak is a must see and $36 is cheap for a ride like this!

If you had a car you could also drive to the top but the Cog Railway is the way to go!

Book it Danno!


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## Swadian Hardcore (Jun 30, 2014)

All right, cool, just want to know if that's one-way or round-trip. Thanks for the replies.


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## MikefromCrete (Jun 30, 2014)

Swadian Hardcore said:


> All right, cool, just want to know if that's one-way or round-trip. Thanks for the replies.


It's round-trip! Unless you decide to walk down!


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## Swadian Hardcore (Jun 30, 2014)

Thanks. Then it's not a bad deal at all. I'm going to start booking now.


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## XHRTSP (Jun 30, 2014)

Swadian Hardcore said:


> I'm wondering whether it's worth it or, in Colorado Springs, to just visit Garden of the Gods, Air Force Academy, and/or the Air Force Museum.


Garden of the Gods is really neat, but there is a lack of shade so if it's warm and you're a sun burner like myself take appropiate precautions.

If you visit the Air Force Academy, you're pretty much going to be confined to a small museum and the chapel. The chapel itself is absolutely beautiful, even more so on the inside, so if you're into church architecture it's a definite must. The rest of the cadet areas are off limits to anyone not having official business. Not that you would want to venture down into there, it's depressing, just like the lives of most of the inmates there...


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## Swadian Hardcore (Jul 1, 2014)

I'll just stick with Pike's Peak and Garden of the Gods, I think. How do you get to Garden of the Gods by transit?


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## MattW (Jul 1, 2014)

If you go up Pike's Peak, take a jacket. My family and I visited a number of years ago around this time of year (yes, July), and they had had a blizzard a day or so before up there. During the day a jacket will work just fine, there was snow still left in areas, but that's because it was packed and somewhat shaded.


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## railiner (Jul 1, 2014)

Swadian Hardcore said:


> I'll just stick with Pike's Peak and Garden of the Gods, I think. How do you get to Garden of the Gods by transit?





Swadian Hardcore said:


> I'll just stick with Pike's Peak and Garden of the Gods, I think. How do you get to Garden of the Gods by transit?


There's this http://transit.coloradosprings.gov/transportation/public-transportation/bus-service/manitou-springs-free-summer-shuttle

and this http://www.springsgov.com/units/transit/Maps/2014SYSTEMMAP4_9_11x17.pdf

Hope that helps....


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## Swadian Hardcore (Jul 2, 2014)

Thanks for the maps. Is the 3, 14, or 16 better for accessing Garden of the Gods.

By the way, is Boulder Falls still closed?

Denver pretty much has nothing they would want to see, so I need to get out and around, Maroon Bells is on the list, Lost Lake by Nederland is q bit problematic outside of weekends.


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## Swadian Hardcore (Jul 20, 2014)

How long before departure should we get to the Cog Railway base station?


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## Green Maned Lion (Jul 20, 2014)

Early if you don't have a reservation.


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## rrdude (Jul 20, 2014)

Swad, you will be amazed at Pike's Peak, I did it with Scouts a few years ago. May hit some fog, but look and listen closely (or read up ahead of time) to the narration, fascinating (to me) to learn of the history of the route, and the "towns" that it helped build and serviced over the years.


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## Swadian Hardcore (Jul 20, 2014)

rrdude said:


> Swad, you will be amazed at Pike's Peak, I did it with Scouts a few years ago. May hit some fog, but look and listen closely (or read up ahead of time) to the narration, fascinating (to me) to learn of the history of the route, and the "towns" that it helped build and serviced over the years.


Thanks, but when should I get to the base station? I do have a reservation.


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## JayPea (Jul 20, 2014)

Their website says you need to be there at least half an hour before departure to pick up your ticket.


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## chakk (Jul 21, 2014)

Temperature at the top of the Cog Railway will very likely be AT LEAST 35 degrees Fahrenheit colder than what it is at the base station, based on the temperature gradient in the U.S. Standard Atmosphere.


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## Ispolkom (Jul 21, 2014)

chakk said:


> Temperature at the top of the Cog Railway will very likely be AT LEAST 35 degrees Fahrenheit colder than what it is at the base station, based on the temperature gradient in the U.S. Standard Atmosphere.


I rode the Pkes Peak Cog Railway a couple of weeks ago, and it was about 30 degrees colder at the summit.

I'd recommend reserving a morning train. Every day we were in the mountains clouds, and occasional thunderstorms, developed in the afternoon. The view from the summit was as clear as possible for those of us on the 8 am train. The 4:00 pm train got to see the inside of a cloud.


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## Swadian Hardcore (Jul 21, 2014)

I'm going to be on the 12:00 PM. Hopefully the weather is good. To me, standing in the middle of a cloud could be pretty cool.


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## Green Maned Lion (Jul 21, 2014)

I'd suggest packing some food. You'll want some at the summit and the prices are Disney squared at the summit.


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## caravanman (Jul 22, 2014)

I just looked up this jaunt as something I would like to do on my next visit. The website states that only food and drink purchased from their shop at the base will be allowed on the train, or buy from cafe at the peak... seems they want to maximise every cent from their clients!

You only get about 40 minutes at the top, so not much time to both wait in line for food and enjoy the view!

Ed


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## Ispolkom (Jul 22, 2014)

caravanman said:


> I just looked up this jaunt as something I would like to do on my next visit. The website states that only food and drink purchased from their shop at the base will be allowed on the train, or buy from cafe at the peak... seems they want to maximise every cent from their clients!
> 
> You only get about 40 minutes at the top, so not much time to both wait in line for food and enjoy the view!
> 
> Ed


I was amazed at how many passengers made a beeline from the train to the gift shop at the summit, though I suppose some of that was to use the toilet. In my experience any ban on outside food and drink isn't enforced. Mrs. Ispolkom and I brought a couple of granola bars and several bottles of water, no problem.


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## Bob Dylan (Jul 22, 2014)

Ditto on taking your own water and snacks to the top! I carry a day pack on my travels and had no problem doing this! Don't forget a jacket or sweater even on a clear sunny day it can be cold!


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## chakk (Jul 22, 2014)

Green Maned Lion said:


> I'd suggest packing some food. You'll want some at the summit and the prices are Disney squared at the summit.


I'd be very careful about eating anything signifcant when on top of Pike Peak, given the very high altitude. Before the restaurant at the top burned down many years ago, I observed people eat a big meal in it, step outside, and promptly pass out. All that blood going to the digestion process left little for the respiration process.


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## Green Maned Lion (Jul 23, 2014)

For me if I hadn't been able to eat I would have passed out.


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