Record Setting Year At Pikes Peak
In 2018 Pikes Peak welcomed over 500,000 visitors.
It's a first for the fabled mountain. Through the end of September, Pikes Peak had 527,696 make their way up the highway. That's an increase from the 498,722 visitors last year. “We are extremely pleased to break the half million mark so early in the season,” says Jack Glavan, Pikes Peak manager. “While we anticipated an increase of visitors this year due to both steady growth the last few years, plus the closure of the Pikes Peak Cog Railway, this is a monumental season for Pikes Peak.” This year's total is nearly double the number that made the treck back in 2009. That year 273,005 people visited the peak.
The growth is somewhat surprising in that Pikes Peak is currently under construction. A new Summit Complex is being built. Planned for completion in 2020, the new facility will house an interactive and interpretive education area focusing on the mountain's history and geology. The Complex will also feature an improved kitchen with a larger dining area and improved retail space. During the construction, a shuttle service was implemented to haul visitors to the top. The shuttle launched back in June and has been a big success. The shuttle certainly benefited too from the closing of the Pikes Peak Cog Railway that shut down operations before the start of the summer season.
Credit: The Know Outdoors