A teenage boy was killed and four other people were injured by lightning on Mount Blue Sky on Sunday afternoon, according to the Clear Creek County Sheriff’s Office.
Sheriff’s officials identified the boy Monday evening as 15-year-old Levi Strobel. His younger brother, who was also struck and suffered serious injuries, was airlifted to a hospital in the Denver metro area, according to Jenny Fulton, a spokesperson for the sheriff’s office. Fulton said she did not know the younger boy’s condition.
Three other adults were treated at the scene for minor injuries and were able to hike down the mountain on their own, Fulton said.
The sheriff’s office received the call at about 1:22 p.m. Sunday, she said.
Strobel, his brother, and two men who were injured were hiking as a group when they were struck by lightning on the 14,266 foot-summit, Fulton said. Another hiker with the group was not injured.
A sixth hiker, an adult who was not with the group, also was injured by lightning. Fulton said she did not know where that person was when they were struck.
In a statement, Strobel’s family remembered him as a person who brought “immeasurable joy into the world and into the lives of everyone who knew him.”
“In his final moments, Levi showed the courage and selflessness that characterized his life, seeking to protect his younger brother, who was with him on the mountain,” his family said in a statement shared by the sheriff’s office. “He was a brave and loving brother, and we will always remember the devotion he showed to those he loved.”
Several agencies responded to help the hikers, including Clear Creek County emergency personnel, Denver Mountain Parks, the Alpine Rescue Team, Clear Creek EMS, the sheriff’s office and the U.S. Forest Service, Fulton said.