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AdAmAn Club completes climb of Pikes Peak |
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Saturday, December 31, 2011 11:59 |
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Photo by the AdAmAn Club
THE GAZETTE
The AdAmAn Club is atop Pikes Peak this evening, completing a two-day journey to 14,115 feet to set off New Year's Eve fireworks.
Photos of this year's trek up America's Mountain
A member of the AdAmAn Club posted on its Facebook page that the fireworks show still is planned despite high winds on the peak. Five shells will go off at 9 p.m. and the full show is slated to begin at midnight.
One hiker in the 33-person group will get a ride down after his leg was injured, said El Paso County Search and Rescue.
The man, whose name and age was not released, reached the summit with the group, which has been hiking the peak in often adverse conditions since 1922. A leg injury prevented him from walking, and when the group reached the summit at 4:30 p.m. they called search and rescue from the safety of the ranger hut there, at 14,115 feet.
Photos from AdAmAn ascents over the years
Search and rescue teams drove to the summit, said Chief Larry Dunn. Teams expected to have the hiker at the bottom of the icy Pikes Peak Highway in two hours, Dunn said.
When the hikers reached the summit they told search and rescue teams that there were 80 mph gust whipping across the peak. An hour later the winds had died down to a mere 40 mph.
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