Boulder crashes down Manitou Springs slope, crossing Barr Trail several times
May 26—A large boulder was recently swept onto Barr Trail in Colorado Springs, causing damage to fencing and trees before blocking the path.
Barr Trail is a steep 13-mile long trail (one way) from Manitou Springs to the top of Pikes Peak. It's also recommended that Manitou Incline hikers use a roughly three-mile section of the trail on their return back down from the Incline summit.
Crews from the nonprofit organization Friends of the Peak, trekked up the trail to assess the damage on May 20.
"This boulder was dislodged up hill and crossed Barr trail a few times, destroying fencing until it crushed a tree and came to rest in the middle of the trail at 38° 51' 18.438" N, 104° 56' 21.228" W. This is 0.9 miles up from the trailhead, just below switchback 9," the group said in a Facebook post.
"We sawed through the crushed and mangled tree trunk, removed it, and made a smooth and level path around the boulder on the uphill side. The path is narrow but passable," the post reads.
According to Steven Bremner, the president of Friends of the Peak, a boulder this large falling in the Barr Trail area isn't very common, but will happen once every three or so years.
"It's hard to know what rocks will move if any, but it's important to keep in mind that if it starts raining hard, its a real possibility, so get off the trail. Common sense has to be used," Bremner said.
Brenmer explained that rain loosens the foundation of the dirt, which is what causes these kind of rock falls.
No closures are anticipated on Barr Trail due to storm damage at this time, according to Bremner.
