Lightning strike kills Idaho woman

GRAND TETON NATIONAL PARK, Wyo. -- Lightning struck and killed an Idaho woman and injured five others as the group was climbing the 13,770-foot Grand Teton, a park spokeswoman said.

The thunderstorm moved in around 3:45 p.m. Saturday while the climbers were on Grand Teton's Exum Ridge.

Park spokeswoman Joan Anzelmo said Erica Summers, 25, her 27-year-old husband Clinton and four others were among 13 climbers who had divided themselves into four groups for the climb. Each group had at least one experienced climber.

"They all felt rain sprinkles and they didn't sense a big storm," she said. "In fact, they only saw two major lightning strikes and one was the one they were struck by."

Erica Summers was struck directly. She was not breathing when one of the climbers alerted authorities by cellular phone.

Rangers were flown onto the mountain, one or two at a time, while hanging from ropes under a helicopter to evacuate four of the five injured. Rangers had to rappel down to the fifth climber before he could airlifted to safety.

Four others in the group were able to climb down from the mountain by themselves.

Summers' death was the third in the park this year.

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On the Net: www.nps.gov/grte