Officials on Monday identified Levi Strobel, a 15-year-old Erie boy, as the hiker killed when lightning struck near the summit of Mt. Blue Sky on Sunday afternoon. His younger brother, Jace, was injured in the same strike and airlifted to a Denver-area hospital.
The Clear Creek County lightning strike hit around 1:22 p.m., turning a hike into a rescue scene in moments. The brothers were part of a five-person hiking group, and two adult men in the party suffered minor injuries but were not hospitalized.
The Clear Creek County Sheriff’s Office said emergency crews arrived soon after reports of a lightning strike involving hikers. Denver Mountain Parks rangers began lifesaving efforts on Levi, but he could not be revived. The family said he spent his final moments trying to protect his younger brother, and they said they are devastated by the loss.
The details underscore how fast conditions can turn in Colorado’s high country, where lightning is a recurring danger. NOAA data show that over a 10-year period, Colorado had the third-most lightning fatalities in the country, a reminder that a storm on open ground can split a group in seconds and leave one child dead while another is fighting to recover.
What remains unanswered is Jace’s condition after he reached the hospital. A fundraiser verified by GoFundMe has been set up for the family, but the immediate focus now is on his treatment and on the family’s attempt to absorb what happened on the mountain.
