The Incline

Colorado Springs is known for a lot of different things: The Air Force Academy, a great zoo, majestic views of Pikes Peak and the Garden of the Gods, home to the US Olympic Team, and a whole lot more. However, there is one thing that Colorado Springs doesn't get a lot of attention for and that is the hike known as 'The Incline.'

I first heard about the incline from a friend while back at BYU. I was told that this was a hike of hikes and that it is something I had to do during my life - and the sooner the better. Great athletes have come to the mountain to prove their athleticism and endurance. The challenge is a personal challenge - how quickly you can summit the hill, and then, can you beat it during your next attempt. As I love hiking, love challenges, and love mountains ... the mention of this climb sank in. And so, during my first work assignment in the Springs several years ago, I made a quick trip from the downtown arena one night and made my first hike to the top of the Incline.

My second hike came while Lisa and I were dating. She came out to Denver for a weekend visit and we discussed the possibility of going down South to Colorado Springs. I warned her about the hike and yet she still accepted the challenge. I must not have told her enough though - because to her dismay, she brought only a pair of levi-capris. Not the best athletic apparel. During that hike, about half way up - for the first time in our courtship, Lisa brought up the 'What if we were to get married' discussion. And so, again, the hike itself will always have an important place for me as I reminisce. And in the case that someone were to read this and decide to make the attempt, I thought it important that I be a little more specific about the realities of the incline.

About the Incline:
The Incline is the remains of an original cable tram that was built in 1907 to support the construction of a hydroelectric plant and waterline higher up the mountain. After use as a construction line, the line was fitted with passenger cars which allowed tourists to be hauled up to the top of the peak, from which they could then branch out into the park's beautiful network of trails and forestry. Today, what remains of the old cable railway are approximately 2800 railroad ties. When viewed from far away, the trail appears as a scar in the mountain side, separating the mountain in half. When viewed from the bottom, these railroad ties form a staircase that seems to reach up to heaven. The property on which the challenge sits is privately owned by a utilities company. In the year 2000, 'No Trespassing' signs were placed at the bottom of the hill with hopes that tourists and athletes would be deterred from using this trail (and furthering its erosion), but those signs go ignored as thousands of people each year give their best efforts at this daunting task.

The climb starts at about 6,600 ft. It is just over a mile long. The rise in elevation for this hike is 2,000 ft. which averages out to just over a 41% grade. The hike itself begins relatively flat and then steepens as you continue to climb to a maximum grade of 68%. In researching the climb, I wanted to find out how my times of hiking compared to the general public. I found the below information. Keep in mind that the average human has a very casual walk on flat ground of about 3 mph - which would result in a 20-minute mile. You can also compare these to the record one-mile run of 3:43.

What's a good time for hiking the incline?

• Unofficial Record: 16:42 by Mark Fretta, a former #1 Ranked Elite Triathlete.
• Under 20 Minutes: Superhuman. Only a handful of professional athletes are known to have broken this threshold.
• Under 25 Minutes: Elite Athletes. Even this pace requires mandatory running or stair skipping. Only a few men in the region can beat this time.
• Under 30 Minutes: Hard-core. Only a few women and a few more men make this time. For a time like this, you must push hard without any breaks.
• 42.5 Minutes: The average recorded ascent time. However, note that this is likely skewed by athletes who hike several times a week at sub-25-minute climbs.
• 55 Minutes: An unscientific guess of the time it takes an average person to make the hike. Still, a big accomplishment.

On Thursday, after our drive to the top of Pikes Peak, I drove the Jenkins by the Incline and told them a little bit of my experiences, including the time that Lisa and I had hiked it last year. I dropped the party off near the bottom of the trail and allowed them to hike up to where they could stand at the beginning and see the hill in its full might. When they returned to the car, it was made known that Kirk wanted to return to give it a try - and Judy, who is now training for a half marathon, could substitute the hike for a 5-mile run on Saturday. So we planned it into our schedule. The below picture was their first real view of the The Incline.

The First Look

Our Climb:

Early Saturday morning, the four of us jumped back in the trusted car and made the trip back down to the Springs. We miraculously found a parking spot right at the base of the Barr Trail (a nearby trail that leads to the top of Pikes Peak and a route most people take to descend from the Incline after having reached its top). We took a couple of pictures near the base of the hike before starting the ascent. When we finally began, the clock read 8:38, we began our climb.

The beginning of the climb is relatively easy. My only complaint is that the stairs are too close together and you don't know if you should take them one at a time or two. But after only a hundred yards or so, the grade increases a little bit and you force yourself into a steady rhythm - taking one stair at a time. You take breaks when you need them and start again when you feel like you can.

I don't have a lot to write about the climb itself, other than that it is tough. The Jenkins, not having yet acclimated to the 'mile-high' elevation of Denver were not as prepared for the reduced oxygen as a lot of the other hikers that joined us on the trail. Lisa, who at the time was almost 20 weeks along in pregnancy, needed to avoid over-exerting herself and required a slower pace which I was happy to match. And so, our climb was a little bit slower than perhaps the superhuman sub-20-minute pace, but we were all pretty tired by the time we got to the top. As you progress, your hands seem to find their way to attach to your quads - pushing on them with each step to provide additional strength to your legs. Looking up can be discouraging, looking back can be inspiring, and looking in front of you is a reminder that your legs still have yet some work to do.

One discouraging aspect of the climb is its false summit. As you hike, the true summit hides itself behind a false summit about four-fifths of the way up. Many people push themselves to complete the hike at this false summit--exerting the last of the strength and will, only to realize that there are still several hundred yards of steps to be had at a steeper grade than what they had just completed.

One of the fun things about the hike is the people that you see. On the trail we watched as individual after individual made the climb up. Some by themselves, and others in large groups of friends. Some brought their dogs along, which for the most part seemed to climb with ease. Some of the people were doing it for the first time, struggling and wondering how they let someone talk them into it while others were excited for the adventure and were pushing themselves to the limits. Many use the hike as a training exercise. We passed one man as he came down, who looked to be about 70 years old, who mentioned that he had just summited the top for his 8th time that morning. Another younger man that we passed had a 50-60 pound backpack on, full of water, to help him develop greater strength.

At about 9:48 we finished our climb. Our time: 1 Hour and 10 Minutes. To be sure, Judy came in first a couple of minutes before the rest of us with Lisa and I pulling in at the rear. As proof of our accomplishment, here is our picture at the top.

Lisa and Judy along the Hike

A man we passed - his pack holds 50-60
pounds - and this was his 3rd time up that morning!

Lisa and Kirk - at the 'False Summit'

We made it! And Judy reminding us who made it first!

After a little bit of a rest, some hydration, and a granola bar - we began our descent. Most people don't climb down The Incline to return to the base as the stairs are gravel-covered and slick. Most people take a small trail to the side which connects with the Barr Trail. From there, the return is about 2.5 miles as the trail zig-zags back and forth in the mountain side. It is during the easy descent where the beauty of the area is fully appreciated. Beautiful pine trees line the mountain sides with new life all around as Spring really sets in. On the one side, you can see the Garden of the Gods with Colorado Springs in the distance, and on the other, the large and beautiful mountains with Pikes Peak at their head. Gravity's pull invites most hikers to jog this section of the climb and the dirt trail provides a cushioned surface to make the jog less impactful to the knees and other joints.

Lisa and I about halfway down the Barr Trail.
If you look closely, you can see the Garden of the Gods.

We eventually returned to the car. All accounted for and no injuries to report other than some muscle soreness that would continue into the next day. I would report that the trip was a success. This was my third time to the top of The Incline and I would recommend it to anyone. It is an experience different from any other. Maybe next time, I'll be able to beat my first time of 32 minutes.