A Utah man hiking with his brother was killed last week after a lightning bolt struck him just steps from the summit of the highest peak in Salt Lake County, authorities said.Craig Nelson, 59, set out Saturday morning with his brother for the summit of the east peak of American Fork Twin Peaks after the pair rode the Snowbird tram partway up the mountain.The brothers had made the hike together several times before, Salt Lake County Sheriff Rosie Rivera said during a news conference on Monday.Rivera said that around 10:30 a.m.
the brothers stopped to eat lunch and noticed the weather was beginning to change.The surviving brother later told investigators they watched the sky and, because they never saw any lightning, decided to keep going.HIKER WHO SET OUT IN WARM SPRING WEATHER FOUND DEAD AFTER SNOWSTORM IN NEW HAMPSHIRE MOUNTAINSCraig Nelson, 59, died after authorities say they believe he was struck by lightning near the summit of the east peak of American Fork Twin Peaks in Salt Lake County, Utah, on Saturday, July 18, 2026.
(Facebook/Salt Lake County Sheriff's Search and Rescue)"As we know in Utah, the weather changes very frequently," Rivera said, later adding that the weather is "very unpredictable."About an hour later, the brother reached the east peak first and turned around to head back down after noticing the weather had worsened, Rivera said.Nelson continued toward the summit.
The brother told investigators that he saw Nelson suddenly collapse about 20 feet away from him and believed he had been struck by lightning.Rescuers responded to a report of a person struck by lightning near the summit of the east peak of American Fork Twin Peaks in Salt Lake County, Utah, on Saturday, July 18, 2026.(Facebook/Salt Lake County Sheriff's Search and Rescue)The brother rushed back toward the Snowbird tram until he regained cellphone service and called 911 shortly after noon.RESCUERS FREE CLIMBER TRAPPED BENEATH 16,000-POUND BOULDER ON OREGON'S MOUNT HOOD IN COMPLEX O...