Pikes Peak Is My Mountain: “It Inspires Me To Never Settle, Always Become Better”

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1min 24sec

The city of Colorado Springs is gathering reflections from community members on their personal connections to Pikes Peak. It’s part of a campaign called “My Mountain” leading up to completion of the Pikes Peak Summit Complex later this year. The city has shared audio versions of several stories with 91.5 KRCC, which we have edited for broadcast.

Today we hear from Atharva Vispute, a student at Rampart High School and one of the city’s 2019 Young Champion Ambassador. That means he’ll represent Colorado Springs during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Torch Relay in our Sister City of Ancient Olympia, Greece, in March.

Personally, I think that Pikes Peak represents this ideal that we can do pretty much anything; as long as we're not willing to settle; as long as we're willing to keep going and keep forming new memories. It inspires us to be better as people.

That's what Pikes Peak really means to me.

In fifth grade, we learned about Pikes Peak, and it's not something that I ever forgot because it's such a symbol of Colorado Springs and the community that we have here. My dad and I were actually planning to climb it this past year, but we just never found time. Next year is the year that we're going to do it.

Artharva Vispute, a junior at Rampart High School, was named the 2019 Young Champion Ambassador.
Credit City of Colorado Springs / https://coloradosprings.gov/mayors-office/article/news/local-student-represent-colorado-springs
Artharva Vispute, a junior at Rampart High School, was named the 2019 Young Champion Ambassador.

I've been to the summit with my grandparents and some of my family. When we all went up there, I think it's a very surreal experience — you're standing on top of Pikes Peak and you're looking down on the community and you really realize that the community represents more to you than you'd ever think.

Being so far above it gave this perspective that Colorado Springs is really the place where I grew up and it's a place where I really aspire to be. I've just loved every second of being here.

Pikes Peak is my mountain because it inspires me never to settle and always become better.

We’ll have more reflections as part of the “My Mountain” campaign over the next few months. Learn more about the campaign and ways to support the new Summit Complex here.