Pikes Peak

In The Girl in the Glass, Pikes Peak serves as the backdrop for the Clypeate’s underground headquarters, hidden below the front range of the Rocky Mountains. Pikes Peak towers over nearby Colorado Springs, Colorado, at an elevation of 14,115 feet. It’s one of Colorado's “fourteeners,” a series of peaks that rise over 14,000 feet above sea level. Revered by indigenous peoples such as the Ute, it was known as Tavá or “Sun Mountain.” Additionally, the peak’s prominent position on the eastern edge of the Rockies made it a crucial reference point for westward-bound explorers and pioneers. 

The mountain is famous for its rich history and cultural significance, which includes inspiring the song “America the Beautiful”. It is widely believed that Katharine Lee Bates was moved to write the famous poem after experiencing the sweeping panoramic views from the summit in 1893. For gold prospectors in the mid-19th century, Pikes Peak was an important symbol, with many of their wagons bearing the optimistic slogan “Pikes Peak or Bust.” The mountain was originally known as Pike’s Highest Peak, named for explorer Zebulon Pike, who first sighted it in 1806. On a clear day, the summit offers views stretching across multiple states.

Colorado Springs with Pikes Peak in the background

Pikes Peak

View from the summit