Manitou Incline/Barr parking changes

[mtgirl]

Highly recommend Cameron Cone. More elevation gain, great scenery, and much, much more solitude. Mt. Rosa is also a cool little peak.

[jrs1965]

Highly recommend Cameron Cone. More elevation gain, great scenery, and much, much more solitude. Mt. Rosa is also a cool little peak.

How's the route finding on Cameron? I found a route description on SummitPost but I assume there's not much of a trail since it does not get much action?

[CorduroyCalves]

None of this motivates me to ever drive down to hike the incline. Ever. I'll stick with Mt. Morrison.

[Corn]

It really is a great tool to keep in shape and get some elevation whenever you want, but the weekends from spring through fall are a madhouse!

[Tommy Dorr]

They're not "shutting the lot for the Cog", they're opening it for the Incline when they can. Get used to it, the Incline is too popular for the available parking on Ruxton and it's going to stay that way.

The place to park for free is behind Tajine Alami just east of Memorial Park. The first stop on the Ruxton shuttle is there, so it's also the best place to get a seat on the bus. We've just been walking up to the trailheads from Memorial since last year's change in the fees; it's only a bit over a mile each way, so (bonus!) you get a warmup at the beginning and a cooldown at the end. And you're there for the exercise, right? This way you get more (double bonus!).

Shuttle info: http://transit.coloradosprings.gov/tran ... er-shuttle" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
The Incline/Cog shuttle leaves the Tajine Alami every 20 minutes (x:00, x:20, x:40) early, then every 10 minutes mid-day.

Correct, correct, annnd correct. Well put, Jim.

Parking is actually less of a problem now. Especially for the residents of Manitou Springs (I noticed that no one mentioned that yet). These days I just park (for free), hop on the shuttle and I'm on the trail in less time than it took to park in years past. Much less chance of someone bumping into my car now. Also I've noticed that, even though there are more people on the incline itself there is a lot less dog s**t. That's the best improvement that could have been made in that area. You guys know that there are plans to give the incline a face lift too, right?

Concerts, shows, ballgames, festivals and ski resorts all have paid parking and usually charge a lot more. RMNP and Zion have to use shuttles due to high volumes of traffic. This situation has more similarities than differences.

Oh and for the record, the traffic enforcement just gave out warnings for about six months in the beginning. Jus' sayin'

[mtgirl]

Highly recommend Cameron Cone. More elevation gain, great scenery, and much, much more solitude. Mt. Rosa is also a cool little peak.

How's the route finding on Cameron? I found a route description on SummitPost but I assume there's not much of a trail since it does not get much action?

There is actually more of an established trail than I expected. Search trip reports here. Ihikelikeagirl has a very informative route description in her trip report.

[djkest]

. Especially for the residents of Manitou Springs (I noticed that no one mentioned that yet).

Actually I mentioned it in the very first post.

Concerts, shows, ballgames, festivals and ski resorts all have paid parking and usually charge a lot more.

I didn't complain about the cost of the parking, just that there was less of it. (edited to add>>>) and that it was less convenient.

[Tommy Dorr]

Yep, I suppose you did. That's what I get for merely skimming over the description of your plight.

It's simple. Rush hour in a city has too many cars, gyms at 5pm have too many people, restaurants are packed on Friday nights. 730am on a Saturday is a pretty busy time for getting to the Incline.

Perhaps your next visit will go more smoothly.

[pbakwin]

<rant>I haven't been there in a year - just when they started the new parking system.
When we parked along Ruxton on 6/15/2013 the meter said
"Paid parking begins at [sic] Mon, Jun 17/2013, 8:00AM. You are not required to pay for parking before that time."
Which seemed clear. But when we got back to the car there was a parking ticket. I contested
it via mail, sending a pic of the sign on the meter, but my request for the ticket to be canceled was
denied. Basically, extortion. I'm annoyed with the City of Manitou. Hopefully the signs are clearer now.</rant>

[TallGrass]

<rant>I haven't been there in a year - just when they started the new parking system.
When we parked along Ruxton on 6/15/2013 the meter said
"Paid parking begins at [sic] Mon, Jun 17/2013, 8:00AM. You are not required to pay for parking before that time."
Which seemed clear. But when we got back to the car there was a parking ticket. I contested
it via mail, sending a pic of the sign on the meter, but my request for the ticket to be canceled was
denied. Basically, extortion. I'm annoyed with the City of Manitou. Hopefully the signs are clearer now.</rant>

Sounds like what you got was an administrative decline (who seldom if ever declines, no incentive to), and where you would have gotten it tossed is in court. Many parking tickets are handled thusly by placing addition hurdles, hoops, and steps to distance people from an actual "impartial" judge and retard revenue loss regardless of appropriateness. Effectively, contesting to the ticketing agency is like asking for a discount of 100% or a refund from a business. Much easier to involve a third party like a credit card company or judge (higher up, the better and more professional they are).

[Spivey]

I'm sorry, but I think I need to say something here. If you are heading to do the Incline or hike up Barr Trail, then why are you short changing your workout. I have never paid a single penny to park for this trail. It is simple, just park at Memorial Park, and start running. Your workout starts at M/P not at the trailhead, and it does not end until you are back at M/P. It is only a mile and change away, takes 15 minutes to run it, maybe 20 if you power hike it, and now you are warmed up for the Incline, or the W's of Barr trail. At the end of the trail, you just cool down and run back to your car, or stop and enjoy a cool down walk back... It should take no more than 10 minutes if running, or 15 to 20 minutes if walking. I am only saying, if you are heading to these trails for a vertical workout, then why cheat yourself the extra mile of climbing... You should be a shame of yourself for even considering cutting your workout short. And with this $5.00 you just saved, well you could stop and justify that adult beverage of your choice at your local watering hole. I am not an old badger, I am just trying to challenge you to get the full workout of the Incline. Just think about it...