This Author's Website is http://www.ultrarob.com
Ever wonder what the Manitou and Colorado Springs lights look like at night from the summit of the Incline? The photo above is from the top of the Incline on February 2, 2012 as light snow fell. The photo below is from December 11th, 2008 on a moonlit evening.
Unfortunately once the Manitou Incline becomes legal to hike, the management plan has a rule for it only to be open from dawn to dusk.
Last fall firefighters hiked up the Manitou Incline in full gear to commemorate their fallen comrades and all who died on 9/11. The firefighters figured each step represented one person who had died that day, and the total height was the same as climbing both of the Twin Towers.
Photographer Ed Barth was shooting photos that day of the Incline and captured the firefighters. He’s selling 2 different photos. One is with the firefighters at the bottom and another as they were making their way up the Incline.
Ed specializes in big prints and has these available from 2 feet tall to 6 1/2 feet tall. He had them on display at the Incline Friends membership drive and they have great detail. He’s donating 50% of sales of these 2 photos to the Incline Friends through February 5th.
With barely any snow since before Christmas, most of the Manitou Incline is clear of snow except above the false summit. The photos are from last weekend on January 22nd, 2012 but conditions were similar on Thursday night.
There still is some ice below where the ties split around halfway but it isn’t too bad. Above the false summit is still very icy. The ties are melted off but slippery ice fills in between them.
With care the upper part can be climbed without traction devices but coming back down the top of the Incline is treacherous. The photo above shows an Incline regular running back down but she’s wearing Kahtoola MicroSpikes and is very experienced on hiking the Incline in winter.
The social trail from the top of the Incline down to Barr Trail is mostly clear of ice. Barr Trail is also mostly clear but icy patches still exist. Some of them are hidden under a thin layer of dirt but are still slippery. The dirt access road to the water intake above Upper Ruxton would be better for bobsledding than for hiking so avoid that and stay on Barr Trail.
The Incline Friends held a successful membership drive Wednesday evening at Phantom Canyon Brewery. About 150 people joined the Incline Friends and received their Incline Friends tech t-shirt.
Money raised by the Incline Friends will go toward matching grants, trailhead construction and trail-building projects. If you didn’t make it to the membership drive at Phantom Canyon, you can join the Incline Friends online here.
Currently the legalization of the Manitou Incline is moving forward well and the Incline could be legal by summer. The Incline Friends is the group that is raising funds to help implement the Manitou Incline Site Development and Management Plan. They are having a membership drive 6 PM to 9 PM. Wednesday, Jan. 25, at Phantom Canyon Brewery.
Members of the Incline Friends committee will be on hand to provide updated information about the legalization process and where the project currently stands.
Community members are encouraged to join Incline Friends, the nonprofit organization dedicated to raising funds, public education and volunteer coordination for the Manitou Incline. Membership cost is $35 per year. All who join will receive a new Incline Friends tech T-shirt. And Phantom Canyon has promised to buy a beer for the first 50 who join.
If you can’t make it to the membership drive at Phantom Canyon, you can join the Incline Friends online.
