Two experienced elk hunters died in Colorado backcountry on Sept. 11, 2025, from lightning strikes, authorities confirm.

Two 25-year-old elk hunters, Andrew Porter of Asheville, North Carolina, and Ian Stasko of Salt Lake City, Utah, died in Colorado’s backcountry on September 11, 2025, after being struck by lightning, according to the Conejos County coroner. Their bodies were found on September 18, about two miles from the Rio De Los Pinos Trailhead, following a search prompted by their failure to check in after a stormy period. Deputies had discovered their vehicle and gear at the trailhead on September 13. The coroner confirmed lightning as the cause of death, though the official autopsy is pending. Both men were experienced hunters, and the incident underscores the dangers of backcountry travel during severe weather, particularly the risk of ground current from lightning strikes even without a direct hit.