Manitou Incline

Historic Trail Restoration

Location: Colorado Springs, CO

Manitou Incline is an incredibly popular hiking destination at the base of Pike’s Peak. It features a one-mile long “stairway” that climbs more than 2,000 vertical feet. This famed, but deteriorated, hiking destination was once a cog railway that shuttled tourists up to hiking trails and the “scenic splendors” of Pike’s Peak. 

Stream worked with civil and geotechnical engineers to design and develop the trail renovation. The project posed significant challenges, including extreme terrain, drainage and erosion issues, and constructability. Stream developed and envisioned the fundamental stabilization concepts and construction details that formed the basis for project improvements, including the cable-anchored runs of timber steps, steep slope catchment walls, and timber drainage chase that collect cross drainage and direct it away from the Incline steps.