Flashback to 2004. I had met this crazy outdoorsy guy (soon to be my husband of 10 years!) and he thought it would be exciting for us to have a "first date" on the Incline. I highly opposed this idea, but as we drove closer and closer to the "slice in the mountain" (or how a non-incliner would describe it...) I realized that I had no choice.

We parked and started the trek. DANG that parking lot was steep! Now for the real trek...I took it slow the first time, knowing that I had not prepared for this at all. It was during the summer, so I was lucky. Later that winter, I was not so lucky as we would hike it again.

Granted, this is before it was "legal" so there was less people but c'mon...all the cool kids did it back then! Now of course, the Incline is legal, open to the public and soon because of amazing construction work...sustainable! All of this will mean increased traffic, especially when it opens next week. If you are a beginner or moderate hiker on the Incline, here's what you need to know about hiking it in winter....read more here...