Lightning storm traps backcountry skiers in rugged terrain, Colorado rescuers say

Two people skiing and hiking in the Colorado backcountry had to choose between climbing a ridge in a lightning storm or descending into unfamiliar terrain, rescuers reported.

Opting for the latter, they found the terrain unexpectedly rugged and wound up spending the night in a chilly drainage ditch, the Summit County Rescue Group reported on Facebook.

“Sometimes we have to make tough calls in the backcountry and it’s hard to know which is the lesser of the risks,” rescuers wrote.

Rescuers found the two on Sunday, July 17, after they reported overdue in the Gore Range, the group said. They were able to walk out with the rescue team.

The two skiers, described as experienced, told rescuers they should have packed extra supplies and backup batteries for their phones and Garmin InReach, searchers said.

“The important thing is that we do what these subjects did by analyzing our options and the potential consequences as thoughtfully as possible rather than making hasty decisions,” the Facebook post read.

The Gore Range is a mountain range in the Rocky Mountains in north-central Colorado.

This story was originally published July 21, 2022 at 3:42 PM with the headline "Lightning storm traps backcountry skiers in rugged terrain, Colorado rescuers say."