PIKE COUNTY, Mo. — As with many Pikers, Brent Engel of Louisiana recently found his way to the summit of Pike’s Peak in Colorado. The 14,115-foot mountain is named for Zebulon Pike, who also lent his name to Pike County. The explorer is credited as the first American to see the peak. Pike and his men never reached the top, although they tried. Engel encountered 35-degree temperatures, winds and a lot of snow. In 1806, Pike described conditions as rough and that he “believed no human being could have ascended to its pinnacle.” The mountain later was the inspiration for “America the Beautiful” by Katharine Lee Bates.