“Holy Crap” is a very common phrase among mountain hikers when confronted by an intimidating slope. After plodding along at a nice five degree incline, a sudden rise in elevation can seem like either a daunting task or an irresistible challenge. I personally like sharp inclines because it means you can get more of the climb out of the way in quicker time. But sometimes that intimidating slope is not quite what it seems. According to a new study in the journal, Psychological Science, people routinely overestimate slope, whether they stand from the top or bottom. Our brains are hardwired to believe the incline is worse than it actually is.