Colorado Springs hires new director for Pikes Peak Highway
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- For the first time since 1995, America's Mountain has a new manager to replace Jack Glavan, who retired last summer.
On Monday, city officials introduced Skyler Rorabaugh as the manager of the Pikes Peak Highway; he got the job over nearly 80 applicants.
Rorabaugh moved to the city in 2015 and previously was recreation director for the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs where his duties included financial management, community outreach, strategic planning, project and team management, sustainability, programming, and safety and risk management responsibilities.
"I remember racing my dad from the parking lot to the summit house," he said. "i'm excited to be here. I don't have any changes or plans in mind yet. I think there's going to be an opportunity for me to conduct more or less a listening tour with the folks who have been working up there on the mountain, listening to the stakeholders involved with the mountain and just try to figure out the history that's there, and how to build on that history and create new successes."
Rorabaugh also has served in four leadership position in the recreation field, and his mix of skills and experience convinced the city that he's the right candidate for the job.
Last year, despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the Peak had 550,000 visitors -- the third-highest total in history. The mountain set attendance records between 2013 and 2018, with an all-time high of nearly 600,000 in 2019.
With that success, however, comes a fear that the mountain will reflect the negative impacts of too many people already seen at national parks such as Yellowstone and Rocky Mountain. Rorabaugh knows that all too well, having served as executive director of the Estes Valley Recreation and Park District in Estes Park, just outside RMNP.
"We don't know when or if the Peak reaches that point," said city Parks & Recreation director Karen Palus. "We're trying to do what we can to avoid that and be proactive. We think Skyler is the right person to help us do that."
The return of The Broadmoor, Manitou and Pikes Peak Cog Railway and the opening of the new Summit Complex -- both happening last year -- have given more people reasons to visit the Peak and stay longer.
As a result, Peak officials will continue the free shuttle service for a third season this summer.
