In July 2025, an idea was born between two Dungarvin Oklahoma Human Resources professionals: Complete the Manitou Incline in Colorado Springs. For those who are unfamiliar with the Manitou Incline, it’s a beautiful trail that leads you up to a 8,550-foot vista — but first, you have to ascend 2,000 feet on 2,768 rugged, uneven steps in less than a mile. Yes, that is steep.
It was a wild idea, especially for me and my team member, HR Business Partner (HRBP) Diana Harris. The highest elevation in our state reaches 4,973 feet. Yet, we leaned into our collective stubbornness, added a sprinkle of audacity, and agreed: We would summit the Manitou Incline in July 2026!
Diana and I decided we needed a local partner. So, we called on Dungarvin Colorado HRBP Andrea Pineiro to join us in our quest. With limited training but a plethora of snacks and a few CamelBak hydration packs, we took those first few of 2,768 steps toward the summit on July 31. And we kept going.
More about the Manitou Incline: The official website says the hike is “extreme (we promise we’re not kidding),” and outside of those unique individuals who complete the hike on their lunch break, most people take at least three hours to finish the entire loop.
For us Oklahomans, the cardiac stress from climbing a 1-mile staircase, in altitude, proved intense. But we persevered, and we left the mountain knowing nobody could say we skipped leg day. Our Colorado partner, on the other hand, demonstrated a level of patience and endurance we should all aspire to. Andrea was our beacon of hope and determination as we climbed (and sometimes crawled) up the steep staircase.
During our adventure, we learned patience, resilience, compassion for ourselves by acknowledging our limits, the importance of celebrating amidst hardship, and to remember to check the map occasionally.
Most importantly, we learned that sometimes you have to stop and look back to realize just how far you’ve come.
We also experienced beautiful sights, a strong sense of accomplishment, great snacks and a truly meaningful and rewarding time together.
Laura Johnson is a Dungarvin Human Resources Director in Oklahoma City.