Overview: Join Coach Amy for a group workout at the Manitou Incline! It gets super hot in the Springs in the summer, so the earlier we start the better. The Manitou incline can take anywhere from 30 min (advanced) to 1 hr 15 min (beginner) – we will all start as a group together, but please stay at a pace that is comfortable to you and where you are that day.
About the Hike: The crown jewel of outdoor recreation in Manitou Springs and referred to by the locals as simply ‘the Incline’, this popular but strenuous hike is not for the faint of heart. It climbs over 2,000 vertical feet in less than a mile and sections as steep as 68% grade. Don’t forget to watch your step; they range in size and height to keep you on–or knock you off–your toes. At the summit, the Incline Trail connects to Barr Trail, which offers a steep but scenic 3-mile path back down to the base. Downhill use of the Incline is strongly discouraged (can you imagine tripping down 2,744 steps?).
The Bailout: A false summit ⅔ of the way to the top is the closest some come to tackling the incline. Here, the Incline Trail meets up with Barr Trail for the first time and offers exhausted hikers a reprieve. If you think you need to bail, we won’t tell anyone. But if you can muster enough energy, you’re almost to the top!
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