211: A Lightning Strike Rescue. Yosemite National Park.

National Park After Dark

Audioboom Studios

True Crime, Places & Travel, Wilderness, Society & Culture, Sports

4.8 • 4.6K Ratings

🗓️ 11 March 2024

⏱️ 82 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

On July 27, 1985 a group of 5 people climbed Half Dome, one of the most prominent and known rock-faces inside the park. A summer storm formed over the summit, but despite the dangers, they continued on. By the end of the day, 2 people were dead and three were critically injured after being struck by lightning, sparking an intense nighttime helicopter rescue.

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Resources:
Book: Shattered Air by Bob Madgic
https://www.cdc.gov/disasters/lightning/index.html
https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1985-07-29-me-5124-story.html
https://www.upi.com/Archives/1985/07/28/A-lightning-bolt-killed-two-rock-climbers-at-the/1260491371200/
https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/halfdome.htm

Transcript

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0:00.0	The following are crucial to know for your own safety during a lightning storm.
0:06.0	First, all thunderstorms produce lightning and are dangerous.
0:11.0	Second, the outdoors is the most dangerous place you can be during a storm.
0:16.7	Lightning can strike as far as 10 miles away from any rainfall and can travel sideways for up to 10 miles. If you're outdoors and the air starts
0:26.4	buzzing and your hair bristles, it might be too late. But these next steps are important.
0:33.0	Seek the lowest point.
0:34.5	Do not be the tallest or the second tallest object around
0:37.9	and avoid trees.
0:39.5	If you're in an open area, crouch down on the balls of your feet. Stand on top of a backpack if you can.
0:45.6	If you're with others, stay several yards away from them. Stay away from water and do not
0:50.8	touch anything that is metal.
0:53.0	Stay alert and know your surroundings.
0:56.0	It might be your only chance of survival.
0:59.0	Welcome to National Park After Dark. you're going to do. Is this our third lightning episode? I think it is. I believe so because we have
1:30.9	your Spark Ranger one right and then my Grand Teton one and I can't think of I think that's I can't think of another one yeah right I don't know I feel like we talk about it a lot
1:43.0	I don't know but there might be more in the backlog
1:45.0	that we're just not thinking of,
1:46.0	but I feel like this is the first major lightning story
1:49.0	that I've done since the Grand Teton one.
1:51.0	Which is a fan favorite.
1:52.8	I mean still.
1:54.0	And we did it at the very beginning of the,
	...

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