Unpacking my day pack after a solo hike up the Colorado Springs area’s go-to fitness challenge: the Manitou Incline in Manitou Springs.! Over 2,700 stairs up the former railroad in less than a mile and a bit over 2.5 miles down on trail. It’s definitely a challenge, but a fun one.
Here’s exactly what I packed in my day pack for a solo hike up the Manitou Incline and down the Barr Trail. I bought a significant amount of these items from REI.
What’s in My Pack: Manitou Incline
If your not the YouTube type, here’s a quick break-down of what was in my day pack – a CamelBak 22L hydration backpack – for the Manitou Incline. You can click the links to browse the items.
For the relatively short hike, this was admittedly overkill, but when solo-hiking I’d rather be more prepared than less. Plus extra weight = extra workout.
- Yaktrax Pro
- Trekking Poles (BlackDiamond)
- Bear Spray
- Headphones (didn’t use, rarely do)
- Knife (Opinel)
- Mid-Layer Jacket
- Waterproof Jacket
- Hiking Snacks (Cliff Bar, HoneyStinger Waffles)
- Hydration Salts
- Dry Sack (Sea to Summit)
- Empty Plastic Bag (for trash or wet items)
- Bug Wipes (Ben’s)
- Clear Zinc Sunscreen
- Headlamp (Petzl)
- Aqua Tabs
- Ultralight First Aid Kit (Adventure Medical Kits)
- CamelBak Bladder (3L)
- Canon Rebel Camera & Lenses
What Should Be in Your Pack
Want to know what 10 items you should pack for all your day hikes? Check out: The Ten Essentials for Day Hikes and Why You Need Them (As you can tell, do I always get all 10, nope, but it’s a great checklist.)
Want to try the Manitou Incline?
Check prices for flights to Colorado Springs
Check prices for hotels in Manitou Springs
