Exciting Goal Crushing Post!
Manitou Springs Incline is a fitness challenge for most Coloradans. Since visiting Colorado last year, the Manitou Springs Incline, the Eastern flank of Pike's Peak, has been sitting on my bucket list growing spider webs. This past weekend, while trying to escape the raining ash from the forest fires, I had an opportunity to crush this goal while traveling through Manitou Springs!
Before it was a workout, it was a cable car! It started as a cable tram during the construction of the hydroelectric plant and waterline. Later it was purchased to become a tourist attraction, hauling tourists up and down Mount Manitou in 16 minutes. In the 1990's it got entirely too expensive to maintain; and thus, the railway was removed. However, the railroad ties left behind became inviting for hikers and fitness enthusiasts.
Hiking the Incline only became legalized in 2013. The Manitou Springs Incline was closed earlier this year for public health concerns and in an effort to maintain social distancing. It reopened in August 2020 and is currently only available by reservations made online. You get a wrist band after giving your name, email address and phone number. We didn't have reservations; however, a friendly face with a smile goes a long ways. We got our wrist bands and onward we went.
A few facts to start:
There are a total of 2,744 total steps to the top of the Incline.
Hiking the Incline is comparable to climbing up:
The Empire State Building ONCE
The Eiffel Tower TWICE
The Washington Monument THREE times
The Statue of Liberty SIX times
The total elevation gain is 2,011 feet from bottom to top. Be sure to bring some lightweight supportive shoes. A lot of people had hiking poles, but for me, they would have gotten in the way. I found myself having to use my hands to pull up quite frequently. The hours to climb are from 6 a.m. until 6 p.m. and there is not night use allowed. Also, no dogs are allowed on the Incline.
The Incline, while built up steps, are not the usual steps you'd think of. The Incline is constructed from railroad wooden and most of the incline is a steep at 45%...however, towards the top, as your legs fatigue and your lungs start to feel the burn, the grade increases to 68% where you are literally bouldering the climb in some areas.
Barr Trail is also nearby. Barr Trail takes you to the summit of Pike's Peak. However, on the way up the incline there is what is known as a "bail out" trail. This trail is a series of serious switchbacks that will take you back down to the bottom if you either get tired or get weak kneed from a fear of heights. Also, climbers who make it to the the summit have the choice of either going back down the Incline (which is roughly 2.1 miles) or a 4.1 switchback which merges into Barr's Trail. We took the trail down to save our knees and avoid a nasty fall. It's a beautiful trail with large boulders and scenes straight out of JR Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings."
My pictures below include the climb into the clouds, the summit above the clouds, and some shots on the switchback trail back down...
Kimmie
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