A 19-year-old man died after being struck by lightning while seeking refuge from an electric storm on Mount Timpanogos in Utah County, according to a September 22 report.
The individual was part of a group of ten excursionists inside a small metal structure known as the Tin Shack when lightning struck the shelter early Friday morning.
The Utah County Sheriff's Office stated that the young man, whose identity was not disclosed, died following the impact, while the other nine hikers in the group sustained injuries.
Authorities were alerted to the incident around 6:00 a.m. Emergency teams traveled to the mountain peak to attempt to save the young man, but he was declared dead shortly after their arrival. The sheriff's office noted that the rescue operation faced important challenges due to the remote location and adverse weather conditions.
Photographer Taylor Ehat, who was observing the storm on Friday, reported capturing a lightning strike at approximately 6:20 a.m. Ehat expressed sadness regarding the loss of life and noted that his teenage daughter had decided not to climb the mountain that day due to the weather.
The Utah County Sheriff's Office used the incident to remind hikers to check weather conditions before beginning a walk. A spokesman stated that if a thunderstorm is heard, the hiker is close enough to the storm to be hit by lightning. Authorities recommended abandoning exposed areas immediately during electric storms and warned that small structures like blankets or similar shelters do not offer sufficient lightning protection. The safest locations are described as large, completely closed buildings or closed vehicles with rigid roofs.
Mount Timpanogos, known as Timp, is the second highest mountain in the Wasatch mountain range and is a popular hiking destination in Utah. This incident marks the second lightning-related death recorded in the area this year, following the death of a 59-year-old man in July at American Forks Twin Peaks.
