CMC2:
Didn't have the pleasure, but the Pikes Peak region and I go way back (lots of summers in Florrissant) and the Peak is really at the root of my connection with Whitney ( and as it happens with lightning, particularly what we called "heat lightning" back in the day, no rain, no storm, just fire from the sky.) One of the highest lightning strike areas in the world and also one that I keep in touch with over the years for other reasons., and I recalled reading about it at the time, partly because I keep in touch and partly because I was looking at the Whitney incident about the same time,so your post rang several bells.
