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Photographer Taylor Ehat Captures Lightning Strike on Mount Timpanogos During Storm That Killed 19-Year-Old Hiker

other · 2026-09-21

On Friday, a 19-year-old male hiker lost his life, and several others sustained injuries when lightning struck the peak of Mount Timpanogos in Utah County. As a thunderstorm approached, the group took refuge in the "Tin Shack," a prominent metal lookout at the 11,752-foot summit, as reported by the Utah County Sheriff's Office. Photographer Taylor Ehat, positioned several miles away near Mill Canyon, captured the lightning strike around 6:20 a.m. He had arrived before dawn and noticed headlamps on the mountain at approximately 6 a.m. Ehat expressed his sorrow, stating that the tragic news gave his earlier photograph a poignant meaning. His thoughts are with the victim’s family and the injured, noting the personal impact of the event. Ehat's work is available on Instagram and his website.

Key facts

  • A 19-year-old male hiker was killed and several others injured by lightning at the summit of Mount Timpanogos in Utah County on Friday.
  • The group sheltered inside the "Tin Shack," a metal lookout structure atop the 11,752-foot peak, which was struck by lightning, per the Utah County Sheriff's Office.
  • Photographer Taylor Ehat captured a lightning bolt striking the mountain at about 6:20 a.m. from near Mill Canyon, several miles from the trailhead.
  • Ehat arrived before sunrise and saw hikers' headlamps on the mountain around 6 a.m.
  • Ehat told KUTV he showed the photo throughout the day before learning of the death, which gave the image a heartbreaking significance.
  • Ehat said his daughter is around the victim's age and had recently considered the same hike before canceling because of the weather.
  • Ehat expressed condolences to the victim's family and the injured, saying the event shows "how powerful nature can be."
  • Ehat's photography can be found on Instagram and his website.

Entities

Artists

  • Taylor Ehat

Institutions

  • Utah County Sheriff's Office
  • KUTV
  • PetaPixel

Locations

  • Mount Timpanogos
  • Utah County
  • Utah
  • United States
  • Mill Canyon

Sources