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Manitou Incline Photos February 7th, 2014

Manitou Incline 2/7/2014

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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Winter Morning on the Incline

Manitou Incline Sunrise

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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Cold, Snowy and Beautiful on the Incline

Manitou Incline Sunrise December 8, 2013
Manitou Incline Sunrise December 8, 2013 by Reece Hein

With the sub-zero temperatures the last few days, few people have been hiking the Incline. No weather though stops everyone. Guys like Roger Austin who made his 637th trip of the year up and Joe Monger who hit #500 for the year the day after Thanksgiving don’t let much stop them from being on the Incline.

The adverse winter conditions can create some of the most beautiful scenes of the year. Thanks to Reece Hein for permission to share the photo above. Thanks also to Roger Austin for the photos below including the tree at the top that is looking great with all the Christmas ornaments.

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, Stabilicers Lite or DIY screw shoes.

Christmas Tree at Top of Incline
Christmas Tree at Top of Incline from Roger Austin.
Snowy Incline on December 7, 2013
Snowy Incline on December 7, 2013 by Roger Austin
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Incline Work Day October 2013

Manitou Incline Work Day

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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Incline Photos October 12, 2013

Sunrise from Manitou Incline

I went up the Incline on Saturday October 12, 2013 before the Incline work day to try getting some sunrise photos. The ties were frosty so I had to be extra careful.

At first it didn’t look promising for sunrise but then the sun popped up from behind the low clouds. Some great color for a few minutes as the sun rose through the lower and upper layers of clouds.

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Manitou Incline February 10, 2013

Manitou Incline

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.

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Incline Friends Karma Hour Photos

Incline Friends Karma Hour

Bristol Brewing held the Incline Friends Karma Hour fund raiser Tuesday evening. They donated $1 of every pint to the Incline Friends. Lots of Manitou Incline lovers came out to support the Incline Friends.

Other ways to help the Incline Friends is to join them, donate using the donate link on their website or putting money into the tube at the bottom of the Incline.

Here are some photos from the Incline Friends Karma Hour.

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December 2012 Photos

Manitou Incline Christmas Tree

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 Friends Jack ‘O Lantern

Incline Friends Jack O Lantern

Photo courtesy of Roger Austin

Manitou Incline PumpkinTrudging 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.

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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!

Daybreak has yet to occur, yet hikers and runners are already starting their trek up the ~2,000 steps.

Daybreak has yet to occur, yet hikers and runners are already starting their trek up the ~2,000 steps.

After topping the first rise, one can look back and get a sense for the elevation that Manitou Springs rests.  At 6,412 ft. this small municipality is at the very foot of Pikes Peak and acts as its gateway.

After topping the first rise, one can look back and get a sense for the elevation that Manitou Springs rests. At 6,412 ft. this small municipality is at the very foot of Pikes Peak and acts as its gateway.

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