"I have a cunning plan..."
Posted on 07/01/2025 7:49:41 AM PDT by BenLurkin
Two New York men struck by lightning while hiking a Colorado peak were airlifted to safety in what is believed to be the highest-altitude helicopter rescue ever recorded in the state.
The duo — who haven’t been identified — called for help around 5 p.m. Thursday after getting off course while attempting to climb Torreys Peak, one of the state’s highest summits at 14,300 feet.
“It didn’t sound like they had a ton of experience,” Alpine Rescue Team spokesperson Jack Smith said, noting that the pair decided to summit the peak during a road trip through the Centennial State.
Emergency crews had just steered the men back on course when they were zapped by lightning minutes later — leaving one hiker unresponsive and in critical condition.
About 30 rescuers ascended the mountain while a Colorado National Guard Black Hawk chopper hoisted the injured man off the peak at 14,200 feet.
He was then rushed to the burn unit of a Denver hospital, where he remains in fair condition.
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
Yikes! I was caught above the tree line on Mount Washington when a thunderstorm rolled in - lightening cracking all over. Just hugged a large bolder and prayed like crazy.
Cousin went extreme skiing with a couple friends at high altitude and hit his head on some rocks. They had to board him to immobilize him and then take him down several thousand feet for a helicopter rescue. His concussion was so severe he became combative & it jeopardized the rescue operation.
This time of year in CO, you should be starting back down by noon. Unless you like being zapped by an afternoon storm.
Wondering whether your cousin recovered over time?
I spent too long at the summit of a 14er in Colorado and had to hustle down the mountain ahead of a storm. I can’t remember experiencing anything so loud as that lightning, it was like multiple cannons firing off right behind me. A hiker about 10 min behind me was blasted off the trail by a lightning strike and another group behind him found the guy because his dog went down to him and started barking.
I got to the trailhead soaked and freezing. About 30 min later the group behind me arrived carrying the guy with a head wound and they relayed what had happened. Guy didn’t remember getting stuck, just waking up in a small ravine with his dog and hearing people calling for him.
Scary stuff.
I have read many stories over the years about people getting struck by lightning and surviving. Those few and their family members all said that those individuals survived but were never the ‘same’ again. The high voltage or current, take your pick, because no one knows the answer, does something to the brain.
Yes, they do. Voltage pushes current. It is the current that delivers the punch. At a given resistance, a higher voltage pushes more current.
Cooks it.
A friend broke his foot near the top of Mt. Washington summit on a trail when it got stuck between two rocks. He slowly hobbled, and we helped him, all the way down. Probably took about 7 hours for us to slowly come down.
New Yorkers?
Send 'em the bill, they can afford to pay it in full.
He did but it changed his personality. Its probably all of 20-30 years ago but I see him every couple years because he’s on the east coast and I’m in the Midwest.
Life is so uncertain.
Yep. Voltage can be innocuous depending on resistance. Current? That’s the danger.
For reference the 1972 Uruguayan rugby team survivors famous for eating their dead were rescued by helicopter at 12,020 feet in the Andes.
"I have a cunning plan..."
Right after the meth kicked in.
“Life is so uncertain.” I do not remember who said it: “No one is promised a tomorrow.” Life is tenuous at best.
And about hour four you feel like your knees want to explode out of your knee caps.
Happens every year.
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