Two Hikers Were Struck By Lightning on Arizona's Tallest Peak

A pair of Arizona hikers were rescued on October 22 after being struck by lightning near the summit of Mount Humphreys, the state’s highest peak with an elevation of 12,637 feet, just outside of Flagstaff. The two men, who did not know each other before the incident, both survived the strike.

Rescue personnel received an emergency call shortly after 10:50 A.M. and were immediately deployed to the trailhead near Arizona Snowbowl Ski Resort, the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) said in a statement obtained by local news station Fox 10 Phoenix.

One man’s phone was thrown nearly 100 feet away from him, according to local outlet Arizona’s Family. The second hiker’s phone was still operating, and he used it to call for rescue.

Severe weather conditions, including lightning, hail, and heavy rain, grounded aircraft that would have otherwise been used for the rescue. Because the upper half of Mount Humphreys is above treeline, it’s a precarious place to be in an electrical storm. The U.S. Forest Service describes the 5.5-mile section as “steep and long and extremely rocky in its higher reaches,” and notes that “above the tree line it exposes you completely to the whims of nature.” Lightning struck a trio of teenagers atop the mountain in 2016, killing one and injuring the others.

“Be prepared to turn around and head for lower ground if a thunderstorm is brewing,” warns the Service.

One of the hikers, who was from nearby Flagstaff, descended nearly 3,000 feet, where he met rescuers at 2:45 P.M. The second hiker, a Canadian, was more severely injured and had stopped hiking at 11,800 feet. He was reached by responders an hour later.

“After medical evaluation, rescuers determined that the patient was unable to walk out due to the steep terrain and his condition,” said CCSO. “A litter carry-out was conducted using low-angle rope techniques in sections of the trail requiring additional safety measures.”

By 6:45 P.M., both lightning-strike victims were turned over to medical personnel.

While the rescue teams were on the mountain responding to the lightning strike, a second distress call came in about a pair of teenagers also on the peak. The two had become lost, they said, after they encountered a bear near the trail. Part of the rescue team split up to find these teens, who were located safely and returned to their parents.

Being struck by lightning is rare; the odds of it in a given year are less than one in a million, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Nearly 90 percent of all lightning strike victims survive, but deaths do occur.

Arizona is among the states with the highest number of lightning deaths and injuries. Overall, the CDC says that the Southeast is the most dangerous region of the country for lightning strikes, noting that Florida is the “lightning capital” with more than 2,000 lightning injuries over the last 50 years. Last month, two elk hunters were killed by lightning in Colorado, which also has a high incidence rate, after sheltering under a tree during a storm.

If caught outside during a thunderstorm, the CDC recommends seeking shelter as quickly as possible, but avoid waiting out a storm under trees. (Being underneath trees is the second-leading cause of lightning deaths.) If you are in an exposed area with no shelter, do not lie prone on the ground under any circumstances. A lightning strike sends electrical currents into the ground that can still be deadly over 100 feet away from the strike itself.

“If there are no safe shelters in sight, crouch down in a ball-like position: put your feet together, squat low, tuck your head, and cover your ears,” says the CDC. “But remember, this is a last resort. Seek safe shelter first.”

For more on how to survive a lightning strike, check out this Outside guide.