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Base Camp
Up
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- Statistics:
- Date Hiked: April 20, 2005
- Miles Hiked: 3.4
- Elevation Gain: 2,650'
- Hiking Partner(s): Brandon Michaels
- Description:
- I can only assume most moderately serious hikers wish they had a
Manitou Incline in their backyard. A friend of mine told me about
the incline, so I decided to check it while working in Colorado
Springs. 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. The
business was never profitable, and maintenance was relatively
expensive. The attraction closed in the early 90's. 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. 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 Manitou
Springs. There is a named peak not far from the top of the incline
so we continued on to check is out. 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.
- Maps:
- Click here
to view a 2D
map of the area where this hike is located.
- Photographs:
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www.
just
hiking
.com
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