A woman struck by lightning in the Vedauwoo Recreation Area near Laramie Tuesday afternoon is currently being hospitalized for injuries. Fire Chief Dan Johnson says the woman was climbing higher on the rocks than her six companions when a fast-moving storm descended. He says after the strike she was able to climb down on her own.
“She was able to come off the rocks to meet our ambulance crew down at the ground level so there was no type of a rock rescue or any kind of a rope rescue that needed to be done.”
Johnson says this is the first lightning strike he’s heard of in the Vedauwoo area, but warns this is the time of year when they are most common. He says climbers should get to lower ground during lightning storms and crouch on the ground or on a backpack. He also recommends not using cell phones or holding metal hand tools when lightning is in the area.