Now this is a real hiker’s challenge! Yes we all love a nice relaxing walk, or even a more adventurous climb up a scenic hill, but the Manitou Incline in the Rocky Mountain area of Colorado is a truly daunting prospect.
This hiking trail takes you 8,600 feet above ground level and includes a massive 2,744 step staircase, so you are certainly in for a work-out! In fact the incline at one point in the trail is so steep that it gains over 2,000 feet within the space of a mile. Many who have attempted the climb have made it up to the last 300ft and turned back, why? Because at the last 300ft there exists a ‘false summit’ and after that the climb is even more steep until the summit proper is reached. While the average incline of the hike is 40 degrees in places such as the final 300ft the incline can be as much as 68 degrees – that’s no joke.
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Throughout the climb and at the summit hikers are met with beautiful scenery looking out over the Colorado landscape, so it is certainly not a simple task of endurance and determination, but a chance to really experience the wild beauty of nature. You won’t be the first person to notice it, the view from the summit has been captured in the photos of thousands of hikers down the years.
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While some do enjoy the sight-seeing, others see it as a race - and it is believed that while the average climber can complete the entire hike in anywhere between 45 minutes to 2 hours, it can be completed by high-level competitive hill runners in under 20 minutes. Wow! We certainly think it is impressive that anyone could complete the challenge in this time, but we reckon that we would much more enjoy the casual stroll, with maybe a few stops along the way for refreshments.
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The history of the mountain is also interesting, it was purchased by the American entrepreneur and philanthropist Spencer Penrose in 1923, as it had originally been used mostly as a basis for a hydroelectric plant at Pike’s Peak. A cable car formerly moved up the mountain taking workers to the hydroelectric plant, and the steps in a staircase like structure we see today were formerly part of the rail track system used to carry the cable car.
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So maybe it is time to invest in some good hiking shoes!
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