MANITOU SPRINGS, Colo. — An individual on the Manitou Incline has died after experiencing breathing problems while climbing the popular hike, deputies with the El Paso County Sheriff's Office said Saturday.
Officials from both the City of Manitou Springs and the sheriff's office announced earlier in the day that the Manitou Incline would be closed “until further notice” as search and rescue responded to a medical emergency, potentially closing the iconic location just west of Colorado Springs to thousands of people on Memorial Day weekend.
"First responders indicated that an individual was unresponsive and required emergent rescue at the Manitou Incline," a City of Manitou Springs spokesperson told Denver7 over email.
The individual was near the 1,000 step area of the hike when they became unresponsive. Hikers nearby provided first aid until search and rescue was able to reach the area, a sheriff's office spokesperson said in a social media post. The individual was then taken to a hospital.
"Sadly, the individual succumbed to their illness and has been pronounced deceased," the sheriff's office spokesperson wrote.
The individual's identity was not immediately released.
Shortly after noon, city officials said in a Facebook post that the Incline had been given the "all-clear" and would reopen to the public "earlier than expected," later telling Denver7 the Incline was back open, "about five hours earlier than originally predicted."
Last year, a 64-year-old Oregon man died while climbing the Incline. The man's cause of death was never released.
The Manitou Incline is a challenging hiking trail with over 2,000 feet of elevation gain in under a mile. Officials remind climbers to assess their physical fitness and prepare appropriately for the strenuous route.
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