DENVER (KDVR) — On Monday, the coroner announced the cause of death for two hunters who went missing earlier this month, saying they were killed by a lightning strike.
Experts say this is not an uncommon occurrence in Colorado among outdoor recreation activities. According to data from the National Weather Service, since 1980, Colorado has seen an average of two deaths and 12 injuries a year due to lightning strikes.
“Lightning is a really scary thing,” Alpine Rescue Team’s Dale Atkins said. “Anybody who’s been involved in mountain rescue, search and rescue here in Colorado long enough will eventually have to go to help someone who’s been involved in a lightning strike.”
Hunters Andrew Porter and Ian Stasko were determined on Monday by a coroner to have been killed by a lightning strike near the Rio de Los Pinos trailhead. The trail is anywhere between about 10,000 and 12,000 feet in elevation.
Atkins says elevation and lightning are a dangerous combination. So much so, in fact, his best piece of advice if lightning strikes while you’re on a mountain is simple.
“There’s no safe place to hide during a thunder and lightning storm when you’re in the high country,” Atkins said. “Turn around and run away.”
Atkins says the best rescue is one that doesn’t have to happen, so preparation is key. He encourages reading the forecasts and even being able to identify clouds.
“When the clouds start getting taller than they are wide, that means the atmosphere is unstable and good chance of showers and maybe thunder and lightning,” Atkins said.
He says strikes are unpredictable, no matter what you’re doing.
“Whether you’re a climber with an ice axe on your pack or you’re a hunter with a rifle over your shoulder, it’s not going to attract the lightning,” Atkins said.
So his best suggestion is to leave the area immediately.
“The further down you get, you reduce your chances of encountering them,” Atkins said.
Atkins says getting into a metal-roofed car or a well-made building is really the only way to escape lightning. He also encourages people to make themselves easily visible to rescue teams, maybe with reflective clothes or carrying a whistle, in the event that they do need help.
Anthony Sutton is a business strategist and writer with a passion for management, leadership, and entrepreneurship. With years of experience in the corporate world, he shares insights on business growth, strategy, and innovation through management-opleiding.org.
