Record Helicopter Rescue After Lightning on Torreys Peak

Two men from New York were rescued from near the summit of Colorado’s Torreys Peak after being struck by lightning while hiking, in what is believed to be the highest-altitude helicopter rescue in the state’s history. The hikers, who had little prior experience, were being guided by rescuers over the phone after getting off course when lightning struck, critically injuring one of them. About 30 rescuers climbed the mountain, and a Colorado National Guard Black Hawk helicopter hoisted the more seriously injured man from 14,200 feet and transported him to a Denver hospital’s burn unit. The helicopter returned around midnight to rescue the second hiker. Torreys Peak, at 14,300 feet, is Colorado’s 11th-highest summit, and this rescue broke the previous altitude record for such missions in the state. Both hikers survived; one remains hospitalized in fair condition, while the other was treated and released.