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Humphreys Peak in Arizona is a favorite for sunrise selfies and snowy panorama shots. But it turned into the set of a survival thriller this week when two hikers were struck by lightning while taking photos near its summit. The Coconino County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that the two men, strangers before the hike, were rescued after a dangerous operation amid heavy rain and hail. The hike started like any other. One man was from Flagstaff, and the other was from Canada. The pair climbed toward the 12,633-foot summit of Arizona’s highest peak, phones in hand, ready for that classic ‘made-it-to-the-top’ shot. But as they were making sure the frame was perfect and the clouds were also aligned, nature photobombed with a bolt of lightning. According to Fox Weather, the strike hit the hikers near the summit, and they then desperately started calling for help. They reported they’d been struck by lightning. The sheriff’s office added that one of them had managed to go at least slightly downhill before rescuers reached him. He told officials the second man had collapsed about 0.7 miles farther up the trail between Humphreys and Agassiz Peaks. He was at roughly 11,800 feet. Rescue teams were dispatched to the Humphreys Trailhead at the Arizona Snowbowl Ski Resort, pretty much immediately. But the weather wasn’t rolling out the welcome mat as there was hail, lightning, and pounding rain that made air support unthinkable. Finally, ground crews made it past the weather elements by using two UTVs and got as close as possible before hiking the rest of the way on foot. Two hikers struck by lightning while taking photos from peak of Arizona mountain https://t.co/DHgVtAKJm6 pic.twitter.com/Aeep5UFO46 — New York Post (@nypost) October 24, 2025 They went there to find one of the hikers disoriented but thankfully able to move on his own. The other one was too injured to walk, so the rescuers had to carry him out on a litter stretcher through a steep and rocky landscape. Both of them were at last brought to the Incident Command Post before being transported to Flagstaff Medical Center. Thankfully, both of them survived! But it was a near miracle as lightning kills around 20 people and injures hundreds more in the US each year, according to the National Weather Service. Lightning strikes about 25 million times a year across the country, though the odds of being struck are roughly 1 in a million. But no one would want to test that statistic, would they? Experts say the hikers were lucky and that photos can wait when thunder starts to roll. If you can hear thunder, you’re close enough to be struck. Lightning safety rules are often ignored. So please note that you are supposed to get off exposed ridges, avoid lone trees, drop metal gear, and if possible, get inside a vehicle or building. Mountains act like natural lightning rods — beautiful, but deadly during a storm. So the next time you reach for your camera under dark skies, maybe hold off — unless you want a flash you’ll never forget. NEXT UP: Missing Hiker Survives 6 Days Alone on Mountain With a Broken Leg
