A man has died after being struck by lightning while hiking with his brother near the summit of American Fork Twin Peaks in Utah. Craig Nelson, 59, was killed on July 18 during the incident.
According to the Salt Lake County Sheriff's Office, Nelson and his brother, Mark, were on a familiar hike when they noticed the weather change. While stopped to eat, they assessed the conditions and saw no immediate lightning, deciding to continue their ascent. As they approached the east peak around 11:45 a.m., Mark decided to head back down due to worsening weather.
Nelson continued forward and was struck by lightning approximately 20 feet from his brother. He collapsed at the scene and was pronounced dead by responding crews. Salt Lake County Search and Rescue and a Department of Public Safety helicopter were dispatched after the storm cleared.
The surviving brother managed to reach a location with cell service about 20 minutes later to contact emergency services. The Sheriff's Office received the call around 12:01 p.m.
Sheriff Rosie Rivera noted the unpredictable weather in Utah and advised hikers facing such conditions to seek lower elevations, stay at least 300 feet from bodies of water, and put down trekking poles.
According to the National Lightning Safety Council, Nelson's death is the fifth recorded lightning fatality in the United States this year.
Mark Nelson was safely escorted off the mountain by ski patrol. The investigation into the incident remained open as of July 20, with the medical examiner determining the official cause of death.