Lightning Strike on Half Dome | The Storm | 1

Lightning Strike on Half Dome | The Storm | 1

From Against The Odds by Audible

March 24, 2026 · 39 min · Season 71 · Episode 1

About this episode

A group of friends faces a deadly decision while climbing Half Dome during a thunderstorm.

On the evening of July 27, 1985, a group of friends decided to ignore gathering storm clouds and warnings as they climbed to the top of Yosemite’s famous Half Dome. Climbers Adrian Esteban and Tom Rice reached the summit first, soon joined by three others as a thunderstorm raged. They decided to shelter in a small cave-like enclosure — a decision that would prove deadly.  Audible subscribers can listen to all episodes of Against the Odds ad-free right now. Join Audible today by downloading the Audible app. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

Topics covered

  • climbing
  • Yosemite
  • thunderstorm
  • friendship
  • danger
  • decision making

Keywords

  • Half Dome
  • Yosemite
  • climbing
  • thunderstorm
  • July 27, 1985
  • danger
  • decision making

Mentioned in this episode

Places: Yosemite, Half Dome

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