EL PASO COUNTY — The Barr Trail and Incline will be closed Tuesday, August 13th, and Wednesday, August 14th so Forest Service crews with Pike National Forest can remove part of a massive boulder that slid across the trail earlier this year.
The boulder is a little more than a mile up Barr trail and the location is on the exit route for incline hikers.
The boulder is a safety issue for the many trail users and it has been causing concern for the upcoming Pikes Peak Ascent and Marathon.
“There's been a lot of chatter about the boulder on Barr Trail. We've had emails from all around the country. We've had locals coming into the office asking, are we going to mitigate? Are we going to move the boulder,” said Pikes Peak Marathon and Ascent, Managing Director, Kathy Hubel.
Because race organizers have no control over the removal, they had contingency plans to reduce racers backing up at the blocked part of the trail.
“We're just happy to know that the Forest Service is ready to take charge,” said Hubel.
“Barr Trail is a very busy trail, and we want to make sure this trail and all Forest Service trails are safe and maintained for generations to come,” said Pikes Peak District Ranger Carl Bauer.
The Forest Service describes the plan as a partial removal of the boulder.
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