Manitou Incline

While in Colorado on a summer road trip, I wanted to stop by the Manitou Incline for a hike. The incline was at one point a scenic train ride, before being decommissioned. It later grew a cult following among the running and hiking community to see who could hike it in the fastest time. That culture remains, and has been supplemented with more casual hikers like myself.

Halfway Up

The incline is only a mile in length, but climbs over 2,000 feet in that time, for an average slope of 45%, or 24 degrees.

The top provided a view above the clouds

Colorado, and Colorado Springs specifically, had been unusually wet and humid this spring, receiving more rain before June than even Seattle. This made the hike appear much greener, and feel more magical, than it might otherwise.

A hike down in the mist