PIKES PEAK — There is an electric-powered addition to the fleet of patrol vehicles on Pikes Peak. E-bikes are the newest tool for rangers working on the north slope of Pikes Peak, changing up and expanding the way they can patrol.
An e-bike equipped ranger rolling down the ramp of South Catamount Reservoir draws attention from a fisherman who notices the new ride.
"It'll get you guys around faster, that's for sure," the fisherman said.
"If we've got to go somewhere far on foot it only takes a little bit instead of an hour," said Ranger Supervisor, Angela Tolfa.
The idea that led to the two new e-bikes now part of patrols, came about during some brainstorming among rangers.
"They kind of had a lot of ideas and I think one of the parts of patrol that was hard was getting further back to the reservoirs where we couldn't drive and it takes an hour to walk and I just thought why not bikes?" Tolfa said.
E-power is also quieter, and with no emissions it supports the environmental education part of a ranger's job.
"One of our key missions is to just be good ambassadors of the natural area, to steward the land and teach folks," Tolfa said.
The pedal assist helps with extended patrols. Working outside the cab of a vehicle, makes rangers more approachable.
"I think I have more verbal interactions with folks when I'm walking than on the bike, but definitely more on the bike than when I'm in a vehicle," Tolfa said.
More ranger-to-visitor face-to-face time is considered a good way to protect the future of America's Mountain. With hundreds of thousands of visitors every year, even small amounts of damage can add up.
"800,000 to a million visitors every year, they can do a lot of damage even if it's a small amount," Tolfa said.
If necessary, the e-bike rangers can be called to other parts of the mountain to help. For the most part they will focus mainly on the north slope recreation area.
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