Go For a Hike: Mt. Rosa Traditional Cache

Mount Rosa isn't the biggest or most recognized peak in the southern Front Range, but that's what makes it so special. Rosa is the cone-shaped mountain in the Colorado Springs skyline south of Pikes Peak. Mount Rosa shares the distinction of being in the Pike National Forest just south of Pikes Peak and is one of the few pointy mountains in the Front Range.

This mountain is now thought to be the actual mountain climbed by Zebulon Pike in 1806 rather than the nearby Pikes Peak. He set out from the south trying to reach the tallest point in the southern Front Range, and it is believed that he mistakenly climbed and camped in a cave just on the east side of Mount Rosa beneath the summit. As he reached the top, he discovered that the tallest point, Pikes Peak, was actually miles away to the West and many more mountains stood in his way. Look for a book (currently being written) entitled, "Tracking Pike Across Colorado" by John Murphy where he goes into detail about this research.