On this day in 1806, Lt. Zebulon Montgomery Pike sighted a mountain peak that now bears his name. What? All right, who’s the genius out there who said, “Zebulon Peak?” Those in the know, of course, realize that we speak of Pikes Peak.

The massive, towering (elevation 14,110 feet) behemoth had been called “The Long One” by Ute Indians. Its name was changed to honor the young army lieutenant. Zebulon Pike was leading a survey party into the newly acquired Louisiana Purchase when he spotted the snowcapped peak in the distance.

“Pikes Peak or Bust!” was the familiar slogan of many a wagon train settler traveling west in the 1800s. Visitors to the Pikes Peak region (near Colorado Springs) continue to be captivated, inspired, and enthralled by Colorado’s most famous mountain.