EL PASO COUNTY, Colo. — A hiker who died climbing the Manitou Incline over the Memorial Day weekend has been identified by the El Paso County coroner.
Nickolay Jogolev, 48, was hiking the trail just west of Colorado Springs Saturday morning when he collapsed after experiencing breathing problems about halfway through the trek, according to a spokesperson with the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office.
Hikers nearby provided first aid until search and rescue was able to reach the area. Jogolev was immediately taken to a hospital for treatment but later died from his illness, the sheriff’s office spokesperson said.
His cause of death has not been released.
The trail was closed to the public for about two hours while officials responded to the medical emergency.
A GoFundMe account set up in Jogolev’s name shows he was a father to seven children, some of whom require complex special needs and medical care.
"He was a fit guy. It's why it's such a shock"
Coral Jogolev, Nickolay's wife, told Denver7 Monday her late husband was a stable and grounded presence who was "very much your introverted IT guy" with a peculiar sense of humor who loved studying Latin.
Having met in 2012, Coral said that while both were the outdoors-y type, "we both had a very strong, different definition of what outdoorsy was."
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She recalled their first date being a hike, and remembered another date in which Nickolay tried to teach her how to fish, even though she already knew how.
Her life changed Saturday, when Nickolay and their 9-year-old son went to hike the Manitou Incline — a hike, she said, they did every year with a Cub Scouts troop.
"It wasn't something new, and they prep for it, you know?" she said. "They do the Castle Rock incline in the park to prep for it."
Coral said that while on their climb up the Incline Saturday, around the 900th step, a hiker stumbled upon Nickolay and their son. She was told Nickolay looked really pale.
"They had offered him a Gatorade. He drank the Gatorade, and he went to stand up, and that was it," Coral said. "He was a fit guy, so we're still not sure (what happened). I think it's why it's such a shock."
Coral said Nickolay was the sole provider of the family since caring for their special needs children is a full-time job on its own.
"I have to figure out the finances, because unfortunately, he took care of all of that," Coral said. "We more than likely are going to have to move, which is hard because Douglas County has the best resources for a kiddo like mine."
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.
Denver7's Ethan Carlson contributed to this report.
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