Men hit by lightning saved from mountain in record-high Colorado helicopter rescues

ByMeadGruver,AP RescuersfetchedtwomenstruckbylightningfromaColoradopeakinwhattheybelievewerethehighesthelicopterrescuesonrecordinthismountainousstate. OnemanremainedhospitalizedinfairconditionFridaywhiletheotherwastreatedatahospitalandreleased. TherescueshappenedlateThursdaynearthesummitofTorreysPeak,a14,300-foot(4,360-meter)mountainabout40miles(64kilometers)westofDenver.TorreysPeakisrankedvariouslyasthe11thor12thhighestsummitinColoradoandislessthan200feet(60meters)shorterthanthestate’shighestmountain,MountElbert. ThemenfromNewYorkstate,whoseidentitiesweren’treleased,haddecidedtosummitthemountainduringaroadtrip,AlpineRescueTeampublicinformationofficerJakeSmithsaid. Theyfirstcalledforhelparound5p.m.aftergettingoffcourseontheirwayupatechnicalroute.Adifferentroutedoesn’trequireclimbinggearorexpertise. “Itdoesn’tsoundliketheyhadatonofpriorexperience.Ithinkitwasprobablyjustalackofawareness,”sa