Rocky Mountain (1)

Statistics

• Date - 04/20/2005
• Elevation - 9,520'
• Route - Manitou Incline
• Miles - 3.4
• Elevation Gain - 2,650'
• ACME Mapper - Link
• CalTopo - Link
• Partners - Brandon Michaels

Description

A friend of mine told me about the Manitou Incline, so I decided to check it while working in Colorado Springs, Colorado.  The Manitou Incline gains approximately 2,000' in one mile.  It was historically the ties and rails for a tourist attraction which would take people up to view Manitou Springs, Colorado.  The business was never profitable and maintenance was relatively expensive.  The attraction closed in the early 1990s.  All that remains now are the railroad ties and a large scar in the side of Rocky Mountain which can be viewed from Colorado Springs, Colorado.  The incline is officially closed and a trespassing sign is posted at the beginning of the hike, but most disregard the warning and use it now as a training ground.

Brandon and I drove up after work and hiked to the top of the ties for a workout.  Once on top, most people either descend the way they came or take the Barr Trail to return to the bottom.  There is a named peak not far from the top of the incline so we continued on.  Once on top, we found the remains of an old staircase that allowed tourists to walk to the rock summit and view the surrounding area.  The stairs were laying on the ground, so we scrambled to the summit and found good views of Pikes Peak.

Photos

Not Applicable