63-year-old man identified in Manitou Incline trail death
The El Paso County Coroner’s Office has identified the hiker who died Tuesday while hiking the Manitou Incline trail.
At about 10 a.m., bystanders on the trail found Oregon resident John Tate, 63, in “medical distress,” according to a joint statement from Manitou Springs fire, police and the city.
When emergency personnel responded, the man was found unresponsive and later pronounced dead. The cause of death is still under investigation, according to the statement.
“We thank the bystanders who quickly intervened and attempted CPR,” said Manitou Springs Fire Chief Keith Buckmiller in the statement. “Their immediate actions are commendable and reflect the compassion of our community.”
The Manitou Incline is a popular and challenging trail, bringing hikers up more than 2,700 steps and 2,000 feet of elevation. The trail is managed by the city of Colorado Springs. The statement said that Colorado Springs officials had been made aware of the death.
“City officials remind all climbers, especially those traveling from out of state, to thoroughly assess their physical condition, understand the difficulty of the climb, and come properly prepared,” read the Manitou Springs statement.
The most recent known death on the Manitou Incline, according to Gazette archives, came in 2019 when a man died of a heart attack.

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