Manitou Incline
Manitou Incline Photos February 7th, 2014
Here are photos from hiking the Manitou Incline on February 7th, 2014. It was a beautiful, sunny day with lots of snow from the last week and a half. The upper section had about as much snow as I’ve seen on it and it wasn’t any good footholds between some of the ties.
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Signed Broncos Football Benefits Incline Friends
Last fall the Incline Friends asked the Denver Broncos for help in raising money to stabilize the Manitou Incline. The Broncos came through in a big way and donated an autographed football. Peyton Manning and 50 other players signed it.
The autographed Denver Broncos football is currently listed on eBay. All the proceeds will go to the Incline Friends for Manitou Incline maintenance. The auction will end Feb 05, 2014 at 9:12 AM PST.
To bid on eBay, click here now.
Manitou Incline Needs You!
Between July 20 and December 28, 2013, hikers have made 114,619 trips up the Manitou Incline according to the Incline Counter. With years of neglect, lot of use and the heavy rains this summer and fall, the Incline needs a lot of work to stabilize it.
The plan for stabilizing the Incline calls for preserving the character of the Incline. That increases the cost of the work. $550,000 is needed to more forwarded with the needed work.
The good news is that Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) which disburses funds from state lottery proceeds awarded a generous grant that will help in restoring and stabilizing the Incline. The grant is in the amount of $350,000. That leaves another $200,000 that needs to be raised.
The next couple days is the best time to make a donation to help with Manitou Incline restoration. At the end of each year Indy Give! helps several local non-profits raise money. This year the Incline Friends was selected as one of the non-profits.
Until the end of the year, your donation through the Give! will unlock matching money. Donations of $100 or more will receive a sweet pair of socks with the Incline Friends logo AND you’ll be entered into a drawing to win a FREE parking spot for an entire year, courtesy of the Iron Springs Chateau. You also can receive cool rewards for donating through Indy Give!
There are also Give! competitions between the non-profits that could earn Incline Friends extra funds. The Give! covers all processing fees so 100% of donations go directly to Incline Friends and the other non-profits.
You love the Manitou Incline so donate now and make your donation go farther.
Winter Morning on the Incline
I hiked up the Incline yesterday morning, December 22, 2013, early to catch sunrise from the top. About an inch of snow had fallen overnight and there were still clouds off to the east. It was a beautiful morning to be on the Incline! Below are photos from the hike.
I could tell there was ice under the fresh snow in the shaded area a little above the old no trespassing sign and also above the false summit. I had heard it was mostly melted off on Saturday but I always recommend taking traction devices this time of year. If you don’t have any, check out Yaktrax, Kahtoola Microspikes or DIY screw shoes.
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Christmas Ornaments for Tree at Top
If you haven’t seen it, there’s a tree at the top of the Manitou Incline that people decorate for Christmas. It’s a nice tradition that has grown over the last few years.
This weekend (December 14 and 15), the Incline Friends will help you add to the decorations on the tree. The Incline Friends will be at the bottom in the mornings before noon. If you donate, they will give you an ornament that you can take to the top and put on the tree. You’ll be able to write your name and time on it.
Their email said that they’d be at the bottom of the Incline. A couple weeks ago they had their table over at the Barr Parking lot so if you don’t see them at the actual bottom, check in the Barr Parking lot.
Thanksgiving 2013 Conditions
Thinking of burning of some calories on the Incline before stuffing yourself for Thanksgiving? You aren’t the only one and people have been asking about the current condition on the Incline.
I haven’t made it up the Incline in the last couple of days but have heard some reports of the trail conditions. Conditions sound typical for this time of year after it snows and we get a couple warm days.
The bottom of the Incline melts off and is mostly bare. The center and top have packed snow and ice. As often happens, it is slicker now that some of the snow has turned to ice. I heard of an experienced Incline user falling on the ice this morning even with screws in his shoes.
Conditions on Barr Trail are likely similar to what’s on the Incline. Some sections may be melted off but others will be packed snow or ice.
It’s definitely not safe to be doing the Incline in these conditions without traction devices. If you don’t have any, check out Yaktrax, Kahtoola Microspikes or Stabilicers Lite.
The Great Incline Pumpkin Escape
This past weekend I carved up a Manitou Incline jack-o-lantern. I’ve had this shot as the cover photo on the Manitou Incline Hike Facebook page for a few days.
I was inspired by the great Incline Friends pumpkin that Roger Austin took to the top of the Incline last year. Roger also did another Incline pumpkin the year before.
Like Roger I planned to take the pumpkin to the top of the Incline. It was a fair sized pumpkin and barely fit into my large backpacking pack.
Last evening I loaded up the pumpkin and hit the Incline a little before dark as the last few hikers of the day were coming down. I knew it would add to the challenge of the Incline but I used to carry my daughter up in the backpack. The pumpkin wasn’t as heavy as my daughter when I quit carrying her up but I still definitely felt it.
I got to the top of the Incline and prepared to shot some photos of the pumpkin. I had it sitting just above the top tie. I was trying different camera angles before setting up the tripod.
As I was looking into the camera view finder, it appeared the pumpkin was moving. Sure enough it fell over and started rolling. It quickly disappeared into the darkness and I could hear it shattering into pieces on the ties below.
Once again Roger carved a great Incline pumpkin and hauled it to the top this morning. He takes better care of his pumpkins and got this shot of his latest one.
What’s Important to You in Colorado Springs?
Nick Kittle wants to know what’s important to the people of Colorado Springs. Nick used to work for Colorado Springs doing sustainability stuff but now runs his own company, Sustainovation LLC.
To find out what’s important to Colorado Springs residents, Nick created a survey with 22 possible local projects. You can chose up to 5 and rank them in importance. There’s also a box to add something that’s not on the list. It’s not an official survey but Nick likes to get things done and has connections so it’s a good way to get your voice heard.
There are several outdoor related projects including Manitou Incline improvements. I’m not sure the Incline needs to be improved but it does need to be stabilized and maintained so it doesn’t deteriorate further. Other outdoor projects include Ring the Peak (Pikes Peak), Implement the Bike Master Plan, Bike share program and Pikes Peak Greenway improvements (including waterway fixes/trail, etc).
Deadline to complete the survey is Friday October 25th at midnight. Go fill out the survey and get your voice heard!
Incline Work Day October 2013
Last Saturday, October 12, 2013, I got up early and headed up the Incline at 6 AM to get some Incline sunrise photos. I ran down the Incline to get back for the Incline Friends work day.
Volunteers filled erosion gullies on the lower part of the Incline. Gravel that has made the Incline narrow through the hill cut was removed and made that area the widest it’s been in several years. Some social trails were also blocked off and seeded. Please stay on the trails!
A big thanks to everyone you came out and to La’au’s Taco Shop for the yummy lunch!
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Fall Manitou Incline T-Shirts
Fall Manitou Incline t-shirts are available to pre-order now through Thursday afternoon.
I’m using a t-shirt site that does pre-orders and then they print and ship them. It should make it simple for you and me. Order one now as they won’t be available after Thursday!
