Chasing Sunrise at 14,115 feet: A Morning Above the Clouds
There’s something inexplicably magical about the high country before dawn. The world is asleep, yet you feel more alive than ever. On July 18, 2025, I set out to witness something few ever do - a sunrise from the 14,115-foot summit of Pikes Peak, one of Colorado’s most iconic mountains. It was cold. It was windy. It was early. But it was worth every second.
The Wake-Up Call
My alarm cut through the silence at 2:30 AM - a cruel, abrupt sound after just three hours of sleep. But there was no hesitation. I knew what I was chasing. Groggy-eyed but fueled by purpose, I threw on my gear, grabbed my camera bag, and hit the road.
By 2:45 AM, I was cruising through the sleeping streets of Colorado Springs, city lights twinkling beneath a black sky. The 30-minute drive to the Pikes Peak Highway toll gate was quiet, eerie even. No traffic. No noise. Just the hum of my tires and the anticipation building in my chest.
First in Line
The toll gate wasn’t scheduled to open until 4:30 AM, but I wasn’t taking any chances. I wanted to be first. I needed to be first. And I was. Mine was the only car at the gate as I pulled up in the 3:15 AM darkness. I killed the engine and stepped out into the silence. I even watched a young black bear tip over a trash bin and run off into the darkness of the forest.
Slowly, the line began to grow behind me - headlight after headlight filing in. People with the same idea. All of us chasing that same golden moment. By 4:00 AM, the line stretched far down the road, and the gate staff began checking reservations and tickets.
I mounted my GoPro to the hood of the car, its lens aimed into the darkness, and hit record two minutes before 4:30 AM. The anticipation was palpable. But then came the twist.
The Buses & the road
Despite being first in line, I found myself following three full-sized school buses - shuttles filled with other eager sunrise watchers - as the gate opened at exactly 4:30 AM. Disappointing? Sure. But there was no time to dwell. The road to the summit awaited.
The mountain road twisted and climbed, each turn cloaked in black. I’d driven this route before in daylight - countless times - but in the dark, it was something else entirely. Every curve felt more mysterious, every drop-off more dramatic.
Above, stars shimmered like diamonds scattered across black velvet. Below, the city of Colorado Springs glowed softly, with glimpses of its distant lights shining through the trees. And to the east, a faint orange hue teased the horizon - the first whisper of dawn.
Reaching the Summit
By 5:30 AM, I reached the top. The temperature had plummeted - the wind chill was well below freezing, even in mid-July. And while many of the folks who had followed me up were hopping out in shorts and T-shirts, only to flee to the shelter of the visitor center moments later, I had come prepared: thick winter jacket, gloves, hat. The works. A few other dedicated photographers joined me, each prepared more than the average person for the conditions.
As crowds gathered around the main lookout next to the parking area, I had a different idea. I forged a quiet path of my own, climbing down behind the visitor center over large boulders, finding a secluded perch with an unobstructed eastern view and the tracks of the world’s highest cog railway visible below. No noise. No people. Just me and the mountain.
The Sunrise
The horizon glowed deeper by the minute - oranges and reds seeping into the sky like watercolor. Then, finally, the sun appeared. A hazy ball of fire rising slowly through a layer of atmospheric smoke. I could stare straight at it - a rare and surreal effect caused by the haze - and it grew brighter with each breath.
To the west, the scene was entirely different. Though the distant Collegiate Peaks and Sangre de Cristo Range were obscured by smoke, the Front Range stood boldly in the early light. Golden rays splashed across the ridgelines, painting the rock in brilliant morning light. The shadow of Pikes Peak loomed over west, stretching for miles in perfect pyramid fashion.
I snapped photos feverishly, trying to capture both faces of the morning - the fiery rise to the east, and the glowing peaks to the west. Below me to the south, the South Slope Recreation Area came into view - a rugged mosaic of alpine lakes and untouched wilderness. A hidden gem, quietly basking in dawn’s embrace.
The Afterglow
Once the sun had cleared the haze and rose higher in the sky, I made my way into the visitor center. The crowds had already moved through, so I walked right up to the counter and grabbed two of Pikes Peak’s legendary high-altitude cinnamon donuts. Still warm. Sweet. A reward well earned.
I found a quiet spot to sit and reflect. On the lack of sleep. The cold. Those damn buses. The stars. The wind. The reward. These are the mornings that stick with you - the kind that fill your lungs and heart in equal measure.
Before heading back down, I wandered around the summit a bit more. Off in the rocks, a marmot stood watch - curious and unbothered, observing the strange two-legged visitors that had arrived so early. I took a few more photos, smiled, and finally decided it was time.
The Descent
As I began my slow descent, winding back down the mountain highway in the morning light, I felt a deep sense of calm. I had stood above it all - above the treeline, above the noise, above the rush. Pikes Peak is known as “America’s Mountain,” and on that morning, it felt entirely mine. I made a few stops in the early morning light, enjoying the experience without the crowds.
There’s something special about chasing a sunrise in the alpine. You trade sleep for stillness, comfort for clarity. And if you’re lucky - if you’re prepared - you’re rewarded with a moment that reminds you why you do what you do.
This was that moment.
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