From climbing the Incline in full gear to biking across the country, first responders in the Pikes Peak region dedicated their mornings to remembering the 343 firefighters lost in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

Hundreds of first responders and military personnel met at the trailhead of the Manitou Springs Incline just after dawn Thursday, American flags in hand, before climbing over 2,700 steps, joining dozens of national memorial stair climbs commemorating the attacks. 

By 7 a.m., dozens of first responders were at the summit, and at 8 a.m., over 250 people — first responders, family members and those serving in the military — began their trek.

Along the way, firefighters in full gear, which can weigh up to 80 pounds, placed 343 flags along the trail — each flag representing the lives of firefighters who died in the collapse of the Twin Towers. 

Two fire trucks were stationed at the bottom of the trailhead, sounding their sirens at 8:46 a.m., for the exact East Coast time that Flight 11 hit the World Trade Center’s North Tower; at 9:03 a.m., for Flight 175 hitting the South Tower; and again at 9:37, for Flight 77 crashing into the Pentagon. 

The 9/11 Incline hike was inspired by fewer than 10 first responders who were dedicated to remembering their fellow public servants in 2015, according to previous Gazette reporting. Each year, it has grown in size; now, hundreds of people participate in the commemoration climb.

Thirty minutes away from the trailhead, John Martin began his 2,980-mile journey biking from Colorado Springs to ground zero in New York City.

The retired firefighter from San Bernardino County in California said he received a calling three years ago to start the trek as a way to honor the victims killed in the attacks. 

Martin will travel 9.11 miles a day, and he said he will place a dog tag on a nearby sign for every mile. Each tag has the name of a victim.

During a ceremony at Mitchell High School, Martin gave a dog tag to the father of Kathryn Yancey LaBorie, a 1975 graduate of the high school who was a flight attendant aboard United Airlines Flight 175 when it was hijacked and flown into the South Tower of the World Trade Center.

“I had to remember the victims. It was just a no brainer. Never forget. Those aren’t just words to me — it’s a way of life,” he said. 

The entirely self-funded mission started at Memorial Park, and will continue for 343 days, the same number of firefighters killed on 9/11. He will share his journey through Facebook posts and clips on YouTube.

To prepare for the trip, Martin has been training for about a year by riding his bike regularly. He said he’s also been planning for every possible scenario, though he acknowledged that he’s likely going to have to adapt to unknown situations. 

He’s determined to make the trek despite the unknown.

“Even though I’m not walking, I’m riding a bike, I’m gonna walk the walk by actually showing up where this happened in their honor,” Martin said.