hiking
Manitou Incline Erosion from Summer Rains
Heavy rains in the Pikes Peak region the last few weeks have created rumors that the Manitou Incline is closed because of the rain. The rains haven’t closed the Incline but a plan to close the Incline for repairs was announced earlier this year. The current unofficial plan is for it to close on August 18th, 2014 for about 4 months. More details on the Incline closure and repairs is here.
Although the plan is for the Incline to be open until August 18th, it would be best not to wait until the final weekend to hike it. The Pikes Peak Ascent is on August 16th and the Pikes Peak marathon is on the 17th so Manitou and Barr Trail will be crowded that weekend.
I hiked the Incline on July 23, 2014. I’ve been focused on training for the Leadville 100 mountain bike race so haven’t been hiking the Incline much this summer. There has been considerable erosion since I last hiked it the beginning of the summer.
Most of the damage has been in the gullies along the sides of the Incline and not to the ties themselves. There were a few more ties missing and the gullies are cutting under the end of several of the ties. This was the first time I’ve seen the pipeline for the hydro plant exposed above the Barr bail trail.
We all love the rugged, jumbled character of the Incline and don’t want to see it changed. However, it won’t stay the same as it’s constantly eroding. Take a look at the old photos on the Incline closure page. It’s clear that repairs need to be made so we can continue challenging ourselves on the Incline for years to come.
Emma Crawford Races October 26, 2013
The Emma Crawford Coffin races are tomorrow October 26, 2013. The races are noon until 3 PM. I don’t know when Manitou Avenue will be closed but I’d expect by mid morning it’ll be tough to find parking in Manitou.
If you plan on hiking the Incline tomorrow, go early or late or plan on some craziness. Of course if you’re spectating or participating in the coffin races, you’ll already be in Manitou so you should make a trip up the Incline.
Bear Creek Watershed Trails Could be Closed
While this isn’t Manitou Incline news, it affects trails in the Colorado Springs area. The Forest Service is proposing closing 3.5 miles of trails along Bear Creek near Jones Park because of greenback cutthroat trout.
There is an open house tonight, Thursday, April 4th. You can also provide comments through email, by fax or through snail mail through the end of the month. Get the details on the UltraRob blog.
Snowy Incline 2013
After a dry winter, the snows the last couple weeks have finally made the Incline snowy and icy. The rules for the Manitou Incline don’t address conditions on the Incline. They do however say the Incline is an extreme trail and you use it at your own risk.
The awesome photo above was taken this morning, February 22nd, 2013, by Incline regular Roger Austin. It shows just how snowy the Incline is now. It will only get icier and more slippery as the snow melts and refreezes. With the current forecast, it looks like parts of the Incline and Barr Trail will be icy for at least the next week and probably longer.
To be safe hiking in these conditions you’ll need traction devices such as Stabilicers Lite, Yaktrax or Kahtoola Microspikes. If you want something cheaper but more work, you can use Matt Carpenter’s instruction for creating screw shoes. Whatever you choose to give you traction, first try them out on a less extreme trail than the Incline.
You can see more of Roger’s photos from this morning on PikesPeakSports. You can also check out some snowy Incline photos from December 2011.
Manitou Incline February 10, 2013
I made my first legal trek up the Manitou Incline late this afternoon. It snowed off and on as I hiked. Although it didn’t snow much Wednesday night, there was ice from that storm under the small amount of new snow on the upper section of the Incline.
Going down the social trail to Barr Trail there was a section where it looked like people had sat down and slid. I’m not sure if that was intentional or not. It definitely is good idea to have traction devices in these conditions. If you don’t have any, check out the Kahtoola Microspikes, Yaktrax and Stabilicers Lite.
Here are some photos from today.
UpaDowna Incline Happy Hour
This is the first Thursday since the Manitou Incline was legalized. It means there will be the first legal UpaDowna Incline Happy hour. However until time change next month, the dawn to dusk rule will be broken.
The Incline Happy Hour was started a few years ago by the great folks at UpaDowna. Their motto is “Up a Mountain, Downa a Beer”. Their goal is to get more people in the outdoors.
Now that the Manitou Incline is legal, UpaDowna is encouraging more people to join them. They start at the bottom tie of the Incline (directions) at 6 PM and hike to the top of the Incline.
The hike takes place year round but know your limitations as the Incline can get icy and treacherous in the winter. It’s a self paced hike and not a race. It doesn’t matter what your fitness level. Generally people hang out at the top for a bit and then most head down Barr Trail.
Until time change you’ll need a headlamp to be able to see in the dark. You can also get by with a flashlight but then your hands aren’t free for balance.
Afterwards head to Kinfolks Mountain Shop in Manitou Springs. Enjoy one of the micro brews they have on tap or us hang out with other outdoor lovers. It’s located just east of Ruxton at 950 Manitou Avenue.
Although it’s free to join the Incline Happy Hour, you need to register and sign the waiver on Eventbrite. Not only is it a fun time, but there may be prizes for signing up and staying motivated throughout the year.
Legalized After Long Climb!
Last night the Manitou Springs city council voted 6-0 for the resolution allowing recreational use of the Manitou Incline. Now there’s only a couple days left for normally law abiding citizens to break the law by trespassing on the Incline. The Manitou Incline will be legal for hiking starting Friday, February 1st at dawn.
The Incline Friends are planing a celebratory hike of the Incline Friday morning at 7 AM. Meet at the bottom of the Incline to join them. An official celebration is being planned in March.
Many thousands of hikers and fitness enthusiasts have passed by the no trespassing sign on the Manitou Incline. This first no trespassing sign was put on the Incline in the summer of 1999. The first sign was right in the middle of the tracks and kept being pulled out.
The following summer the metal sign that is familiar to so many people was installed and was more to the side instead of right in the middle. Whether it was because the sign was to the side or it was installed better, that sign has withstood over a decade of trespassers.
There were a few years when the metal sign had a red and white sign bolted over it. It eventually disappeared and it was back to the bare metal no trespassing sign.
The sign belongs to the Pikes Peak Cog Railway and is to be donated to The Pioneer Museum. There was a rumor that the no trespassing sign that has stood for so many years didn’t quite survive to the opening of the Incline and disappeared over the weekend. Fortunately the rumor seems to be false and there are plans to remove it before it does disappear.
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.
Incline Conditions Mid February 2012
The trail conditions on the Manitou Incline haven’t changed much in the last few weeks since there hasn’t been much new snow. There has been a bit more snow for a day or 2 after newsnow and then it melts.
There still is ice left from older snows just below the track split about half way and then above the false summit. There isn’t much ice on the lower section but above the false summit is quite icy in spots.
The photos on this page were taken in the afternoon on Sunday, February 12th. There wasn’t quite as much snow on the upper section on Thursday but it was still quite icy and required caution to keep from slipping without traction devices. Carrying Kahtoola MicroSpikes, YakTrax, or Stabilicers Lite would still be a good idea if you aren’t comfortable on ice.
The social short cut down to Barr Trail is mostly clear. Barr trail has a few short, icy sections but it is also mostly clear.
Top of Incline Still Icy
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.
