Colorado Mesa University has several buildings that reach three floors. The most known and dreaded walk to class is the Escalante stairs. With 63 stairs up to the third floor, students usually frown when they realize that their class is on the third floor. Of course there are elevators, but most people take the hike.

Advice from doctors say take the stairs instead of the elevator to get more steps in. Well, CMU definitely helps students get their steps in.

When a student walks into the front of Escalante, they are greeted by the stairs. They go straight up, and these stairs are one of the more daunting looking ones campus. One could say it is a smaller representation of the Colorado Spring Manitou Incline. 

Walking up stairs is a good way to get your heart rate up and it is an exercise. LIVESTRONG.COM says that, “Your heart, lungs and even your waistline all benefit when you perform aerobic exercise. While walking on a level surface represents a safe form of aerobic activity, trainers often recommend deviating from your normal walk to climb stairs. Stair climbing burns more calories than a traditional walk.”

Walking up and down the Escalante stairs students burn calories. One time up the stairs can burn at least five calories. By March 30, if a student walked up the stairs to the top of the third floor every school day they would burn 270 calories, and that is just from walking up it once.

Going down the stairs students can burn up to at least two calories. Add that in with going up to the third floor and get a total of seven calories. This is a total of 595 calories a semester students can burn walking up the Escalante stairs.

Some students go up and down that staircase multiple times in a day. This would of course increase how many calories are burned.

LIVESTRONG.COM explained the benefits of stair climbing. It said, “Aerobic workouts that feature stair climbing offer a variety of benefits to your overall health. Your body releases natural pain relievers, or endorphins, during a stair climb, so you’ll feel better and have less tension. Doctors also recommend stair climbing as an ideal way to improve your energy, increase the function of your immune system and lower your risk for diabetes, high blood pressure, osteoporosis and heart disease.”

If students want to start of their morning getting their heart rate up to wake up, then they should head over to the escalante stairs and take a climb.

It is proven that stairs are hard and work for everyone, no matter how in shape one is, which is why walking up stairs can benefit everyone.

There are plenty of staircases on campus to climb, but none are as steep and as daunting as the Escalante stairs.