The Manitou Incline was closed until further notice Saturday after a medical emergency forced officials to halt activity on the steep hiking trail over Memorial Day weekend. City of Manitou Springs government officials first posted just after 9:30 a.m. that “The Incline is CLOSED.”
Officials initially said the shutdown would last eight hours, but El Paso County Sheriff’s Office deputies later said the incline would remain closed until further notice because of law enforcement and first responder activity helping an individual experiencing a medical emergency. People already on the trail were asked to avoid the area near the 1,000-step rest area.
The closure hit one of Colorado’s best-known climbs at one of its busiest times of year. The manitou incline is a hiking trail with over 2,000 feet of elevation gain in under a mile, and officials routinely warn climbers to judge their fitness carefully before attempting the strenuous route.
Deputies also gave hikers escape options while the trail was restricted. Those on the incline could exit at steps 395, 1,300 and 1,800, then take the Northern Incline Trail or the Barr Trail back down.
The shutdown carries added weight because the trail has seen a fatality before. Last year, a 64-year-old Oregon man died while climbing the Incline, and his cause of death was never released.
That history is what makes Saturday’s closure more than a brief interruption. The trail’s difficulty is part of its draw, but it also means medical calls can turn quickly into full closures, with responders needed on a route that leaves little room for error.
For hikers, the immediate issue was simple: stay clear, use the designated exit points if already on the trail and wait for officials to reopen the route. The bigger question is the one the incline keeps forcing on visitors every season — whether they are prepared for what the climb demands before they start up those steps.
