Near Woodland Park in Teller County, Colorado — The American Mountains (Southwest)
Race to the Clouds
Glen Cove Lodge
The Pikes Peak International Hill Climb rich with racing tradition
Photographed by Craig Baker
1. Race to the Clouds Marker
Inscription.
Race to the Clouds. Glen Cove Lodge. Can you imagine racing up a mountain that has 1,000 foot drop-offs? Thats exactly what daring drivers have been doing since 1916. That was the year mining magnate Spencer Penrose announced the first Pikes Peak National Hill Climbing Contest to publicize his new mountain auto highway. The first sinner, Rea Lentz, sped to the summit in 20 minutes and 55.6 seconds. The Hill Climb is the second oldest race in the United States behind only the Indianapolis 500. Many of the races champions have come from the Unser family. Louis Unser, the Old Man of the Mountain, raced in 36 Hill Climbs. His last race was at the ripe age of 71. Bobby Unser claims the most victories with 13 Hill Climb records. In all, eleven Unsers from three generations have challenged Pikes Peak. All drivers race against the clock over the treacherous 12 ½ mile course. They may face rain, fog or snow between the starting line at 9,390 feet in elevation and the checkered flag at the 14,110-foot summit. Drivers must also maneuver around 156 turns. Today, the fastest racers zip up the mountain in about ten minutes. Thats approximately 25 minutes faster than the average traveler. Think about drivers racing 120 miles per hour as you enjoy your leisurely trip up the peak!
Can you imagine racing up a mountain that has 1,000 foot drop-offs? Thats exactly what daring drivers have been doing since 1916. That was the year mining magnate Spencer Penrose announced the first Pikes Peak National Hill Climbing Contest to publicize his new mountain auto highway. The first sinner, Rea Lentz, sped to the summit in 20 minutes and 55.6 seconds. The Hill Climb is the second oldest race in the United States behind only the Indianapolis 500.
Many of the races champions have come from the Unser family. Louis Unser, the Old Man of the Mountain, raced in 36 Hill Climbs. His last race was at the ripe age of 71. Bobby Unser claims the most victories with 13 Hill Climb records. In all, eleven Unsers from three generations have challenged Pikes Peak.
All drivers race against the clock over the treacherous 12 ½ mile course. They may face rain, fog or snow between the starting line at 9,390 feet in elevation and the checkered flag at the 14,110-foot summit. Drivers must also maneuver around 156 turns.
Today, the fastest racers zip up the mountain in about ten minutes. Thats approximately 25 minutes faster than the average traveler. Think about drivers racing 120 miles per hour as you enjoy your leisurely trip up the peak!
Erected by City of Colorado Springs.
Topics. This historical
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marker is listed in these topic lists: Roads & Vehicles • Sports. A significant historical year for this entry is 1916.
Location. 38° 52.537′ N, 105° 4.385′ W. Marker is near Woodland Park, Colorado, in Teller County. It can be reached from Pike's Peak Toll Road. Located at Glen Cove Lodge. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Woodland Park CO 80863, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in the Colorado High Rockies and in Pikes Peak Region. It is also in the American Mountain West. Globally, it is in North America, the Rocky Mountains, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere.
The back of the marker can be seen on the wooden handrail to the left of the entry.
Credits. This page was last revised on August 26, 2025. It was originally submitted on August 8, 2011, by Charles T. Harrell of Woodford, Virginia. This page has been viewed 967 times since then and 10 times this year. Photos:1. submitted on August 25, 2025, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. 2. submitted on August 8, 2011, by Charles T. Harrell of Woodford, Virginia. 3. submitted on August 25, 2025, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.
