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MANITOU SPRINGS, Colo. (KKTV) – Barr Camp, a pit stop for countless Pikes Peak hikers, will be closed for the rest of the month while its caretakers recover from COVID.
Barr Camp supervisor Teresa Taylor told 11 News she understands the move is an inconvenience for many but is the best course of action, as the caretakers come into contact with hundreds of people a week. She says the goal is to reopen to guests Friday night — provided, of course, the caretakers test negative for the virus.
Both caretakers have minor symptoms and had done everything right prior to contracting COVID, including being boosted, she added.
“Barr Camp apologizes for any inconvenience and appreciates your understanding as we protect our caretakers and the public. Upon negative COVID tests on Friday morning, we will accept guests Friday night. Those with reservations will be contacted immediately and we will post here as well. Please do not inundate the caretakers with email questions unless absolutely necessary so they can recuperate. Thank you for your patience as we work through this situation,” Taylor wrote in a Facebook post on the Barr Camp group page.
Those with overnight reservations for Sunday, June 26; Wednesday, June 29; and Thursday, June 30, will be contacted by email. The camp is closed to overnighters on Mondays and Tuesday, which Taylor said she hopes will give the caretakers something of a buffer in their recovery.
Hikers and runners needing a bathroom break or water from the creek will still be permitted to do so, just not go inside the Barr Camp building. All are asked to let the caretakers be so they can follow quarantine protocol.
At 10,200 feet above sea level, Barr Camp sits near the halfway point between the trailhead and summit on the 12.6-mile Barr Trail. It has been a mainstay for hikers seeking shelter, a bathroom break, or just a few minutes off their feet for decades.
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