MANITOU SPRINGS – For nearly a century, an adventurous and determined group of mountaineers have scaled Pikes Peak to set off fireworks on New Year’s Eve. On Sunday Morning, the 32 climbers led by members of the AdAmAn Club began that annual journey for this year’s celebration.
Group members gathered at the trailhead to Barr Trail in Manitou Springs to take photos and say goodbye to friends and relatives. The party will camp for the night at Barr Camp before continuing their ascent on Monday.
Climbing conditions will deteriorate on Monday when temperatures are expected to plunge and blowing snow will complicate the climb. The forecast temperature for midnight on New Year’s Eve at the summit is -17 degrees Fahrenheit. Veteran mountaineer and club member Phil Stafford said they take the weather reports very seriously in planning these climbs.
“It does change your plans as far as how much gear you take, and the amount of layers,” Stafford explained. “Other than that, we have a climbing plan. We try to stay together as a group. Safety first, and with the cold temperatures, it just causes more layers.”
The group calls itself AdAmAn because every year they add a new member. There have been 100 members in the group’s history and another 392 guest climbers who made the 96 New Year’s Eve climbs.
We are all safe at the summit. The hot chocolate machine is spectacular.
— The AdAmAn Club (@TheAdAmAnClub) December 31, 2018
