For me, hiking the Barr Trail feels like visiting a good friend. Over the years, I have spent a lot of time hiking and working on Barr Trail, and it is a place I return to often for both adventure and relaxation. As a RMFI Project Manager, I coordinated trail work on Barr in 2025. Caring for and repairing this trail is especially meaningful for me since it holds so many wonderful memories. 

Barr Trail has a deep history and a devoted community of people who love it. One of the local traditions is the New Year’s Eve fireworks launched by the AdAmAn Club from the summit of the mountain. This AdAmAn Club hike and fireworks have been an annual tradition since 1922, when the original “Frozen Five” ascended Pikes Peak to launch fireworks at midnight on the 31st. Each year, despite often harsh weather, AdAmAn Club members and guests hike Barr Trail to continue the tradition and to launch a fireworks show at midnight to dazzle everyone who can see the Pikes Peak summit. 

In December 2025, I had the honor of guest hiking with the AdAman Club for their annual New Year’s Eve trek up Barr Trail. It was truly joyful to participate in this hike, to hear the stories and memories of club members who have been hiking Pikes Peak for decades, and to show the work that RMFI has done on the trail over the last several years. The weather for our hike was unusually warm, more akin to a summer day than a winter ascent. We hiked under a bright blue sky, with only occasional patches of ice and snow beneath our feet. The warm weather inspired local wildlife to make an appearance during the hike—we found a tiny snake, spotted bighorn sheep above 13,000 feet, and saw an ermine (stoat) scampering around the rocks.   

One of my favorite moments during the hike was participating in the mirror flashing at the A-Frame shelter. It is a tradition for the AdAmAn Club hikers to flash signal mirrors when they reach this point in the journey and see if anyone in the city flashes mirrors back. This year, we had quite a showing of signal mirrors from the city. It was inspiring. I couldn’t help but feel a sense of kinship through those mirrors—it was like the community found a way to be a part of the experience even if they could not be on the mountain itself. When we flashed our mirrors, hundreds flashed their mirrors back, as if to say, “We see you. We are all a part of this.”  

Watching the midnight fireworks at over 14,000 feet was spectacular. It was also a moment for reflection. I have been honored to care for the trail that allowed us to be a part of this AdAmAn experience. I am also grateful for the support of the community that empowered that work. Several AdAmAn Club members volunteered last summer to pack supplies in and out for RMFI’s project work on Barr Trail, and many donors have provided support for the stewardship of Barr Trail. We truly appreciate you all! We at RMFI are honored that you are a part of this, and as we enter 2026, we look forward to continuing this journey together. 

Wishing you all a Happy New Year! 

Elizabeth Barber