Castle Rock father dies hiking Manitou Incline, family mourns sudden loss

Nick Jogolev’s sudden death on the Manitou Incline has left a Castle Rock family grieving a husband and father they say had no known health problems and had trained for the climb before heading out with his 9-year-old son on a Cub Scout hike.

Coral Jogolev described her husband as a gentle, very smart man who was deeply devoted to the couple’s blended family of seven children. She said two of the children were from her previous relationship, three were the couple’s together and two nieces also were under their guardianship. One child has significant special needs, making Nick Jogolev’s work in information technology an important part of the household’s stability.

The family expected the hike to be routine. Nick Jogolev was in shape, did not smoke or drink and took no medications. He was about a week from turning 49. But around the 900th step, passersby noticed he looked pale. According to the family’s account, he drank Gatorade, stood up and then collapsed. Coral Jogolev said first responders and even doctors who were hiking nearby tried to help, but nothing could be done.

The El Paso County Sheriff’s Office reported that Nickolay Jogolev experienced breathing problems before he died, adding a stark detail to a case that unfolded quickly on one of Colorado’s most punishing climbs.

The Manitou Incline is not a casual front-range stroll. The City of Colorado Springs says it rises about 2,000 feet in less than a mile through 2,768 steep steps. Visit Manitou Springs estimates the trail draws about 250,000 visitors a year. The route began as a cable car track and was later closed after a 1990 rockslide damaged part of the line.

Those numbers help explain why the Incline demands respect from hikers who may feel healthy and prepared. Colorado Springs requires a free online reservation before hiking, and its system has limited start times and group sizes, with sample time blocks allowing up to 65 hikers in early morning slots, 45 at midday and 25 in the late afternoon. The city also says its fire department has specialized high-angle rescue teams for technical emergencies like those that can happen on the trail.

For Douglas County families who head toward Manitou Springs, the warning is plain. Training on the Parker Incline or the Castle Rock Incline can help, but it does not remove the risks of heat, exertion and sudden medical distress on a climb as steep and unforgiving as the Manitou Incline.