We used to live in Colorado Springs during the 1990's. Colorado is a beautiful state--lots of mountains, including many peaks that rise higher than 14,000 feet/4.3 km.
One of these "14ers" (as everyone there calls 'em) is Pikes Peak, which lies due west of Colorado Springs. Pikes Peak lacks the jagged, rugged look of the mountains of the San Juan Range in southwestern Colorado, BUT it does have the advantage of having a road that runs all the way to the top. (The more physically fit in the area hiked or jogged to the top and back, but we were not among that group!) The "peak" is not peaked, but is slightly rounded.
If you're used to that elevation (or if you're not physically fit), it's difficult to want to stay there for long. We felt constantly that we were going to faint at any moment. A "black cloud" obscured our vision. Still, we enjoyed a fantastic view of the area; in fact, people there know the song, "American the Beautiful" by Katherine Lee Bates was inspired after she made a trip to the top.
I've made a few paintings that shows Pikes Peak and another local attraction, the Garden of the Gods (a painting of the Garden appears on my Website, http://www.southwestspaces.com). I've included one of the paintings here, in early autumn with the Garden of the Gods in the middle distance and after snow fell on the mountain.
BTW--we HATED the snow with a passion! I guess you can't take a couple of southern California kids away from the beach and transplant them into snow country!
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