A couple of years ago, while I was living in Los Angeles, a dear friend recommended that we go climb the Culver City Stairs. I agreed, halfheartedly, only to chicken out and instead walk the trail that winds around the stairs. Those 282 seemingly impossible stairs were the first that came to mind when I discovered one of the peaks in the Six Pack challenge included the infamous Manitou Incline: 2744 steps of various shapes and sizes climbing approximately 2,000 feet in elevation in just under a mile.
Begrudgingly, my boyfriend and I decided to “get this one over with” before summer was full-blown here in Colorado. We made the long trek from Denver to Colorado Springs on a Thursday morning, fighting through traffic and considering turning back every time we came to a slowdown in traffic. But we pressed on and made it to the trailhead at about 9AM.
Despite the early start, the sun was already beaming down on us from behind as we began our ascent up the incline. Dozens of people began the incline around the same time as us, and it was encouraging to see that even some of the most “fit” people we saw were out of breath and struggling a bit. We set up a good rhythm, took plenty of short breaks for water and to catch our breath, and pushed ourselves to AT LEAST make it to the bail out trail. Once we reached the “bail out” point, we knew we could finish the whole incline and kept going.
It wasn't easy, but we made it to the top of the incline in about an hour and a half. At this point, all of our new friends were turning back to descend the incline or the Barr trail. As tempting as it would have been to turn around at that point, we knew that our challenge wasn't just the Incline. So we stopped for a quick photo opportunity and to orient ourselves towards the peak of Rocky Mountain.
There were a few hiccups on our way to the peak of Rocky Mountain, and I have never been more grateful for a GPX file being saved on my phone. If we did not have reception, I would have been completely lost. We met a few people who had paper directions printed out and with them, and from now on I think I will be doing the same (although I feel I will still get lost…)
Once we made it to the peak of Rocky Mountain, we tried to find where the broken down ladder was that is mentioned on the Six Pack route page, but could not find any sign of this. Because there were MANY boulders hanging around at the top, we took as many pictures as possible and found the highest point we could before turning back.
While the hike back down the Barr trail was long and could not have ended soon enough, the Manitou Incline and the hike to the peak of Rocky Mountain was an experience I would recommend to anyone who is able. Make sure to bring plenty of water and patience, and remember to have a good time!
Responses
Way to go, @gogoclaws!
I imagine the trail to the top of Rocky Mountain saw a lot more foot traffic back when the incline rail was still running. Today, most people are satisfied just to make it to the top of the stairs. Glad you found your way!