Lightning strikes hikers, prompts record rescue on Colorado mountain

Torreys Peak is one of the tallest mountains in Colorado, and on Friday, rescue teams scrambled to save two hikers who were struck by lightning near its summit.

A hike up one of Colorado's tallest mountains almost turned deadly last week following a lightning strike, requiring a record-setting rescue in the middle of the night.

The Alpine Rescue Team was alerted of two hikers who became lost while climbing Torreys Peak, a 14,267-foot-tall mountain about 45 miles west of Denver, on Friday, June 13. The team helped the pair find the trail to the summit, where they could safely descend on an easier route, when the weather turned and caused the hike to take another dramatic shift.

"While on the phone with an Alpine mission leader the pair was struck by lightning with one reported unresponsive," Alpine Rescue Team posted on Facebook. "5 ground teams were sent into the field to perform an evac from the summit, while simultaneously a hoist was requested."

The team ascending the mountain reached the hikers at 11 p.m., local time, when one of the critically injured lightning strike victims was airlifted. The second was airlifted one hour later.

Friday night's rescue is believed to be the the highest helicopter rescue on record in Colorado, according to The Associated Press.

Both hikers survived the endeavor thanks to the work and coordination by local officials.

"This call illustrates how quickly situations change in Colorados high country, and the importance of having your 10 essentials and being prepared for a lengthy evacuation," Alpine Rescue Team said. "We’re always happy to help those having a bad day in the mountains, day or night, rain or shine (and sometimes all of the above)!"

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