Dedicated to maintaining and sustaining the Manitou Springs Incline
Incline Friends is a registered 501(c)3 non-profit community organization dedicated to maintaining and sustaining the Manitou Springs Incline as an athletic and outdoors destination for the Front Range. As the Incline continues to function as one of the main gathering points for Manitou and Colorado Springs, we work with fellow stakeholders, users and supporters to ensure that the Incline remains a treasure of our community.
“We encourage future generations to remain stewards of the Incline as well as other outdoor resources.” – Board President Renee Marinelli
Key Functions of Our Organization:
- Trail Maintenance: Funds critical projects like stair repair, erosion control, and building new trails.
- Hiker Support: Offers free water, bananas, and protein bars at the trailhead to help all Manitou Incline hikers stay hydrated and fueled for the extreme trek ahead.
- Community Engagement: Deploys volunteers to educate hikers on safety and rules, manages social media for updates, and hosts local events for awareness and donation opportunities.
- Environmental Stewardship: Promotes responsible use of the trail and its surrounding wildlife in order to help manage its sustainability for many future generations.
- Scholarships: Provides scholarships for local Colorado Springs or El Paso County high school seniors pursuing outdoor recreation or environmental fields alike.
How Our Non-Profit Operates:
- Volunteer-Driven: We solely rely on volunteers for on-the-ground support, community outreach, maintenance projects, and donation organization while working alongside our Colorado Springs city partners.
- Fundraising & Donations : We sell merchandise, like our fun t-shirts you can purchase HERE, and receive monetary donations in order to keep the Incline safe and useable. All profits we make from any avenue directly benefit the trail and its users.
- Partnerships: We collaborate with several other local organizations and businesses to help the cause going, in addition to directly working with the City of Colorado Springs, which manages the trail, to accomplish the larger goals of keeping this beautiful landmark alive.
- Scholarships: Our scholarship program provides local college students with scholarship funds who have shown an interest in outdoor recreation, environmental stewardship, and/or community involvement to preserve natural resources. Learn more on our Scholarship page HERE.
We are a completely volunteer-based organization dedicated to preserving the Incline for generations to come. We dedicate our time, money and effort to the goal of sustaining the Incline and ensuring a positive experience for users and the surrounding community. If you would like to donate to our efforts, please visit our donation page here.
Meet our current team at: Board of Directors, or learn more about the Manitou Incline hike itself here: About the Manitou Incline
Thank you to everyone’s hard-work, dedication, and donations!
