December 2012 Photos
Here are some photos from a hike up the Manitou Incline on December 16, 2012. It has become a tradition for people to hang Christmas ornaments on one of the trees at the top of the Incline.
With the dry winter there was very little snow on the Incline itself or Barr Trail. With the cold and little snow of the last couple weeks, there’s a little more snow now but still not a lot. Still caution is required and a wrong step on ice or packed snow could send you falling.
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Incline Expected to be Legal February 1, 2013
After 4 years and much hard work by many people the Manitou Incline is expected to be legal for hiking the beginning of next month. The U.S. Senate late Sunday approved a bill clearing up the railway right of way issue for the Incline. Sen. Michael Bennet pushed the bill in the Senate and Rep. Doug Lamborn led the effort in the House where the bill passed back in July.
The Manitou Incline management plan identified 13 key steps to complete before the Incline could be made legal. Now that all of those steps have been taken, the only things remaining are for Colorado Springs and Manitou Springs to pass resolutions making hiking it legal. The Colorado Springs City Council is expected to vote on the resolution at its meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 8. Manitou Springs has indicated it will vote on resolution during a Special Meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 29.
“As we look at closing this chapter of the process with a vote to legalize the Incline from the City of Colorado Springs and the City of Manitou Springs’ City Councils, we can begin the next chapter in our process – improving the Incline,” said Sarah Bryarly, Landscaping Architect and Project Manager for the City of Colorado Springs.
The Incline Friends is the non-profit tasked with fundraising for improving the Incline and have been a big part of legalizing the Incline. Incline Friends will need your help in a major fundraising push. Total cost to implement the plan will run about $1 million and they need $200,000 of that by the first week of March to meet a critical grant deadline. They expect much of this to come from private donors but not all of it.
They’ll start with the Incline Friends Karma Hour, 5 to 9 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 15 at Bristol Brewery (1647 S. Tejon). Bristol will donate $1 to the Incline Friends for every pint sold.
In the meantime, we’d like to encourage you to join Incline Friends and/or make an online contribution (find the PayPal “Donate” link on the main page of the Incline Friends website.) There’s also a donation tube at the bottom of the Incline that you can throw in a buck or more when you hike the Incline.
Manitou Incline – From Utility to Attraction
The Manitou Springs Heritage Center is having a “517 at 5:17” Event tonight, November 8th at 5:17 PM, for the opening of its newest exhibit titled “The Manitou Incline – From Utility to Attraction”. The exhibit relates the story of how the installation of a pipeline for a hydro-electric plant became a famous tourist amusement for 81 years. Now it’s a famous location for it’s extreme physical challenge even though it still isn’t legal to hike.
Based on his comprehensive research of the Incline, Eric Swab created the exhibit featuring photos and artifacts from 1903 to the current day. Mr. Swab’s complete Incline history in booklet form will be available for purchase in the Museum Store. In addition, a special compilation video featuring a historic film, a video of the last ride up the Incline, and still photos has been created by Heritage Center volunteer Ashley Swendsen and is a highlight of the exhibit.
“The Manitou Springs Heritage Center is very grateful that Mr. Swab agreed to put together the exhibit.” stated boardmember Michelle Anthony. “Eric is great to work with and does a terrific job; we are fortunate to be able to present exhibits he is involved in.” Colorado Springs Utilities and the Incline Friends board helped financially with the exhibit. Admission to the Heritage Center is free but financial support is still needed to cover exhibit costs, so please consider making a contribution.
The Manitou Springs Heritage Center is located at 517 Manitou Avenue in Manitou. Hours of operation starting November 2nd will be Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from 12 to 5 pm. To find out more about the Manitou Springs Heritage Center visit their website at www.manitouspringsheritagecenter.org.
In addition to the Incline exhibit at the Manitou Springs Heritage Center, Eric Swab will talk about the history of the Incline at 11 AM Friday, November 9th, at the Old Colorado City History Center, 1 S. 24th St., Colorado Springs. The title of his talk is “The Manitou Incline – From Drinking Water to Tourism”.
Doors open at 10:30 AM and seating is limited. Historical Society members can attend free and entry for others is $5. Find out more on the Old Colorado City Historical Society website.
Incline Friends Jack ‘O Lantern
Trudging up the Manitou Incline is quite the workout. Imagine hauling a Jack ‘O Lantern up it.
That’s exactly what Roger Austin did early Sunday morning when it was still dark out. This is the 2nd year he’s carved a pumpkin and taken it up the Incline for Halloween. This year he used the Incline Friends logo for the design.
Roger says, “I think the people who saw it, liked it, so mission accomplished! It was fun. It’s too bad the weather is so warm. It’s not holding up well.”
Congratulations to Roger on his pumpkin hauling and a big thanks for sharing some photos.
Firefighters 9-11 Memorial Hike
Yesterday Pueblo firefighters hiked the Manitou Incline in firefighting gear as a 9/11 FDNY tribute. Next time you’re struggling up the Incline, think of what firefighters went through to rescue people in the World Trade Center. Thanks to Wendy Carson for the photo.
Incline Beer Mile
For most people, just hiking up the Incline is hard enough. On September 8th, some people made it extra challenging by doing it as a beer mile. The rules were as follows.
- No “light” beers
- Carry your own beer
- Drink every 400 meters (or what seems like 400 meters)
- Keep track of your own time
- If you puke, you must go back to the beginning if you haven’t passed the halfway point or back to the halfway point if you have breached that point
- Don’t kill yourself!
WARNING: It’s not recommended to drink alcohol while hiking the Incline.
The Incline Beer Mile was won by Peter Maksimow in 25:45. Not surprisingly JT was also involved. You can read more on the Team Colorado Website.
Manitou Incline Photo Essay
Chris Carruth sent over this Manitou Incline Photo Essay. A big thanks to him capturing a morning of hiking on the Incline. Enjoy!
See rest of photos
Incline Work Day May 12, 2012
Last weekend the Incline Friends held a Manitou Incline workday and about 60 people helped out. Hiking the Incline is still illegal and most likely will continue to be so at least for another few months. In spite of the Incline still not being legal, the focus of the workday was implementing some of the provisions of the Incline Management Plan.
A fence was built around the Barr Trail parking lot. The social trail from the parking lot up to the Incline was covered up. A sign was put up at the bottom of the Incline with the Incline rules. The rules include the controversial no dogs allowed and dawn to dusk rules. The base for a donation tube was also installed.
Thanks to Tim Bergsten of Pikes Peak Sports for these photos of the workday.
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Incline Work Day May 12
The Incline Friends have a major volunteer work day planned for the Incine for May 12th. You’ll have the opportunity to be one of the first volunteers to help improve the Maintou Incline. Join the Cities of Colorado Springs and Manitou Springs, REI, Incline Friends, Trails and Open Space Coalition, and Friends of the Peak to help
- Prune vegetation and remove rebar from the trail corridor
- Install fence around the Barr Parking Lot
- Close social trails
- Install wayfinding signs
- Rehab portions of Barr Trail
Parking is only available at Manitou Springs High School. Buses will transport volunteers to the Barr Parking Lot. Do not park at the Barr Trailhead parking lot as this parking will be reserved for recreational users.
Registration will begin at 7:30 a.m., with work starting at 8 a.m. Work will finish around 3 p.m.
The first bus will leave the high school’s parking lot at 7 a.m., with the second bus leaving at 7:20 a.m.
Please dress in layers so you’re prepared for our Colorado weather; closed toe shoes, water, work gloves, and lunch are a must! Sunscreen and hats are recommended.
Trail work is no fun for dogs, so please leave your pooches at home. This project is limited to those 12 years and older, children under 18 must be accompanied by an adult and have a waiver signed by a guardian. Sign-up for the work day at on the REI site.
Please note the Incline is not officially open or legal, hiking the Incline is still considered trespassing. Due to the nature of the Incline, trail work will range from moderate to difficult. If the weather is inclement please visit Incline Friends or Trails and Open Space Coalition that morning to see if the project has been canceled. If canceled the make-up day will be May 19th.
21 year old and over volunteers will get free coupons to enjoy a “tasting” of “Manitou Incline Malbec Wine” at D’Vine Wine in Manitou Springs immediately following the volunteer project.
The Incline Friends ask that you arrive prepared to work since you can hold up your whole group if you aren’t prepared. You shouldn’t have to run back to your car for anything. In the case of this work day, that would mean a long trek from the Barr parking lot back to Manitou High School. Being prepared means having your sun screen already applied, being appropriately dressed in long pants, sturdy footwear (no sandals), gloves to wear and (in your pack) another clothing layer or two, including rain gear, maybe a hat. You should have everything with you that you will need for that day: water, snacks, cell phone, sunglasses, sun screen (for re-applying as perspiration takes a layer away), anything you feel is important to have with you out on the trail, medicine, bug dope, etc.
Death on the Incline
This afternoon El Paso County Search and Rescue and the Manitou Fire Department responded to the Incline after an off-duty paramedic reported he had ceased CPR on a woman. She was about 1/3 of the way up the Incline. Search and Rescue reported that it was an apparent cardiac arrest and that they were unable to revive her.
At this point, the only thing known about the lady is that she was 58. Some people may assume she wasn’t in the best of shape but fit athletes have dropped dead from heart attacks. In fact it is now being reported that Ultra-marathon runner Micah True, who went missing in New Mexico in March, died of heart disease.
Our thoughts and prayers are with her family and friends.
A week and a half ago, search and rescue responded to a call for a hiker on lower Barr Trail. From what they reported, it sounded like he was having chest pains and had a cardiac arrest after they reached him. Fortunately they were able to successfully defibrillated him. It is unknown if had hiked the Incline or just been on Barr Trail.
On June 15, 2009, a man suffered a heart attack near the top of the Incline. Other hikers administered CPR but he was dead when search and rescue reached him.
