I would venture to guess that the No Tresspassing sign on the Incline, located in Manitou Springs, Colorado, was that most photographed sign in the Colorado Springs for years. It was probably the most ignored sign also.
The Incline is .9 mile long stretch of an old cog railway that goes up the side of Mount Manitou. The trail is very steep and the terrain is so rough in a couple of places that you almost have to bear crawl to make it up those parts.
Hiking or running up the Incline is a workout that challenges even Olympic athletes. and military members. It is also very humbling because inevitably their will be some 60 or 70 year old guy that passes you up as if he was just taking a stroll in the park.
Until today everyone that was going up the Incline was trespassing.
There was so much red tape involved to legalize the Incline even President Obama had to get involved and sign a bill that authorized it's opening. Part of the Incline was on National Forest Service Property. For more information about the struggle to legalize the Incline, see the Gazette's article, "One Step Closer on Incline."
This morning, Feb 1, 2013, Colorado Springs city councilman Scott Hente celebrated the legalization of the Incline by smashing a bottle of apple cider against the No Trespassing sign.
I'd like to say thank you to the everyone that has worked so hard for years to make the Incline a legal place to hike. Your hard work paid off today.
If you decide to do the Incline, just remember that when the going gets tough and you want to quit.....just take one step at a time.
Sincerely,
Sondra Meyer, CPA
Colorado Horse Property Specialist
Colorado. See It. Experience It. Live It.
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