A 19-year-old man died when lightning hit an emergency shelter the group built near Mount Timpanogos’ summit in a storm. KSL reported four other hikers descended on their own and were taken to a local hospital for evaluation after suffering minor injuries.
The Utah County Sheriff's Office said its search-and-rescue team received a call around 6 a.m. Friday after the group reached the summit and encountered the approaching storm. Rescuers could not safely climb to the location at first but stayed in contact; when they arrived, they tried lifesaving measures on the critically injured man, who was pronounced dead.
The sheriff's office advised hikers to check the weather before setting out, avoid exposed ridgelines, peaks and elevated terrain, and seek shelter in buildings or hard-topped vehicles if possible.
