![]() During summer months, it can warm up, even early in the day. Consider getting there early or reserving a parking spot.Ģ. And on top of that, the view is amazing!!!!!! It is a must do!ġ. Lots of deep breathing and breaks to make sure I could catch my breath. I’m an avid runner/rower… but for me, the what made this hike really challenging is the elevation. It was physically challenging yet highly highly rewarding. What an amazing workout! (Notice I said workout and not hike.). small victories to the top!īeautiful views along the way, both directions! I suggest to take a couple bottles of water and a couple snacks that might give you energy. I believe they desire you to NOT take the steps down but there were several people that did. The hike down were switchback trails which were welcoming to my knees rather than taking the steps down. Definitely noticed my breath thinner and sounding different the higher I went and just assumed that it was more altitude than exhaustion. I'm 44 and in shape (working out 4x a week at a HIIT gym) but this was definitely hard! Once you get higher, more frequent breaks are needed to catch your breath and allow oxygen to get to your muscles. The steps start out shallow and flat but eventually get steep and narrow, at some points almost needing to bear crawl it just to keep your weight going towards the stairs because it would be easy to loose your balance when it gets super steep.Įvery 100 steps are labeled so it's like little small victories along the way. The temps were cool but the clear sky and bright sun made for the need of thin layers for the climb. A friend and I made reservations (done just to keep the people spread out throughout the day - might be a covid thing) for a Friday morning. When researching what to do in COS, I stumbled across this adventure and knew it was a must "attempt" and it quickly became a goal. Don't underestimate the altitude if you are not acclimated. The Incline is quite a workout, especially the middle section which is steeper and has higher steps. Sunscreen a must.ĥ) What to bring: Plenty of water There is none on the incline or at the top.Ħ) Restrooms: At the trailhead only. Keep in mind that you also need to hike down the 4-mile Barr trail. There is hardly any shade.Ĥ) Attire: Wear running or hiking shoes. Online reservations required.ģ) Start time: Go early! I had an 8:00 reservation and by the time I made it to the top of the Incline (9:10) it was already quite hot. Print your confirmation or save it to your phone, because there is poor reception at the trailhead.Ģ) Parking: I chose the Iron Springs Chateau Parking, which is a 5 min walk from the trailhead. So I tried at midnight, then 6 am (because the Incline opens at 6 am) and eventually found out that reservations open at 7 am. They open seven days in advance, but unfortunately the website doesn't say at what time (or at least it didn't at the time I made my reservation). We had a 6:30am reservation and seeing the sunrise on the way up makes for some killer photos!ġ) Reservations: Online reservations are required and free. If you are up to an early wake-up call, go before the sunrise. ![]() On the descent taking the backside trail, we ran the whole way down (highly recommend it, lots of fun if you are a runner and probably much easier than walking slowly so you don't feel it quite as much). I did this in jeans and hiking boots but recommend trail running gear if you have it. While it's the steepest part, there are still a few hundred steps left to get to the top after that. Be weary that when you start and look up, that is a false summit. If you are in fairly good shape you can make it up in about 30-45 minutes easy. I took extra precautions but it paid off in the end as I didn't feel any effects from the elevation and workout. I'll start off by saying that if you're visiting from a flatter city, give yourself at least two days to acclimate and hydrate a lot before going. Add this one to the top of your list if you are visiting CO Springs.
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