Once a year, racers from around the world descend on the Rocky Mountains for the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, a hair-raising run up the 12.42-mile, 156-turn highway that finishes at the peak of the 14,115-ft mountain.
Carving their way up the mountain along sheer cliffs, drivers push their cars to the literal edge, while also fighting erratic weather, high elevation and occasionally a mountain goat or two.
To get an idea of just how perilous the race can be, Business Insider spoke with a couple of Race to the Clouds veterans, Tommy Boileau and J.R. Hildebrand, who offered up an insider’s perspective on the most dangerous race track in America.
Check it out in the video above.
