The Manitou Incline reopened Saturday at 12:30 p.m. after being closed earlier in the day while law enforcement and first responders handled a medical emergency on the climb in Manitou Springs.
The El Paso County Sheriff’s Office said the incident began as a medical response and rescue for a person struggling to breathe, and that the person later died. During the closure, climbers were told to avoid the 1,000th step area while crews responded.
The shutdown had been expected to last until about 5:30 p.m., according to the city of Manitou Springs, but the trail reopened hours earlier. The sheriff’s office thanked the citizens who called 911, helped the person before responders arrived, and the first responders, including Search and Rescue, who came to the scene.
The timing leaves the incline open again, but Saturday’s response also shows how quickly a routine climb can turn into a life-threatening emergency on one of the region’s best-known workouts.
