Just before 5pm on Friday, June 13, Colorado’s Alpine Rescue Team received an alert to two individuals off route on Kelso Ridge headed to the summit of Torreys Peak. Mission leaders managed to make phone contact with the parties and provided directions for them to return to the route and reach the summit so they could take the safer summer trail to down.
After around an hour, the two parties had made it to the summit and the Alpine Rescue Team was preparing to stand down. Unfortunately while on the phone with a mission leader, the pair was struck by lightning and one was reported unresponsive.
The Alpine Rescue Team immediately began an emergent response with Clear Creek EMS and Clear Creek Fire. 5 ground teams were sent up the mountain to perform an evacuation from the summer while a hoist was requested. 2 Rescue Techs from Vail Mountain Rescue Group reacehed the summit around 11pm and hoisted the critical patient.
Meanwhile a small Alpine team continued toward the summit to assist with the second patient. The second patient, a Rescue Tech, and the Alpine members were all airlifted from the summit at midnight and the rest of the field teams were out by 3am in the morning.
The Alpine Rescue Team is using this incident to remind hikers of just how quickly teh situations can change in Colorado’s high country. Carry your 10 essentials and always be prepared for a lengthy evacuation.
