Summary
Tucked between Woodland Park and Pikes Peak, this blocky granite summit is known for delivering great views. The somewhat unusual trailhead described here is a fresh approach that should delight even the most jaded connoisseurs.

Location
Near Woodland Park

Hike
The way to Raspberry Mountain follows a long, left-tending ridge. The ridge has few views, but the shortfall is more than made up for at the end. Start by following the doubletrack pull-off where you parked. In a few feet it crosses a small creek and comes to a gate. Instead of going through the gate, follow a clear trail up a steep hill along some utility lines. In less than a quarter of a mile, the trail runs into a Jeep track on the top of the ridge. Turn left. From here, the trail stays on the ridge, though a few lateral trails lead down to either side. The Jeep track climbs for about two miles, tending northeast. Look for a rest stop in an aspen grove on the right, where someone has made a memorial bench out of a giant pine trunk. As the trail gets close to the pink granite summit, it turns due north and dips into a saddle. This is the only decline until hikers turn around at the summit. From the saddle, the trail becomes singletrack winding up through large boulders. It continues past the summit to the Catamount Ranch Open Space, so make sure not to go too far. Stop at a solid granite crown lofted above the trees that gives hikers an unobstructed view. Return the way you came, remembering to turn right off the ridge at the utility poles. Pikes Peak's broad western back dominates the scene at the top. To the south, the near-perfect cone of Mount Pisgah rises above Cripple Creek. Beyond it small hills and minor peaks are penned in by the blue walls of the Sangre de Cristo and Sawatch mountains. Pikes Peak Atlas cartographer Robert Houdek prefers to call Raspberry Mountain "Sleeping Giant" because he has never seen a raspberry along the trail. On a recent afternoon, however, the wild berry bushes filled every crack on the rock summit. The few remaining fruits have an intense, wild tartness.

To get there
Drive west on U.S. Highway 24 to Divide. Turn left at the light on Colorado Highway 67. Drive 1.9 miles to Canteberry Road. Turn left and follow Canteberry a few miles to its end. You'll pass a "Private Road, No Access" sign, but drive on; the road is through Pike National Forest. In about a mile, the road ends at a locked gate (where the private road begins). Just before the gate, use a meadow with a small pull-off on the right to turn around. Park downhill on the road, making sure to leave room for passing traffic.

Trip Log
3 boots, 6.5 miles round-trip, 1,200-foot elevation gain.

Details
Dogs, bikes welcome. Parking is limited. Information: Pike National Forest, 636-1602.
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