Chicago man surprises girlfriend with proposal on Camelback Mountain

PHOENIX (KSAZ) - Camelback Mountain in Phoenix at sunrise is picture-perfect.

This morning, the images that valley photographer Amanda Brooks snapped on the mountain were that of a love story.

"He quickly emailed me and said 'we're at the trailhead, I kind of don't know where to go,'" she said. "I said, 'follow me.' I had a head lamp on and up we went."

Chicago resident Frank Batista first emailed Brooks two weeks ago.

"I know she likes hiking and obviously warm weather," he said.

He wanted her to shoot a surprise proposal for his girlfriend, Lisa Ommundson, on her birthday during a hike on Camelback.

"He pulls his bag out and he's going through it," she said. "He gets on one knee and then I started crying."

When the couple booked their trip to Phoenix about two months ago, Frank knew right away he had to propose on top of Camelback Mountain.

"We were up there as the sun came up," he said. "I knew that was my moment and I went with it."

Brooks captured every  moment of the romantic occasion for the couple, who have known each other since the seventh grade.

"I actually was taking pictures of them during the hike and I made it look like I was getting the sunrise behind them," she said.

It was a moment in time neither will forget.

"I can't believe it happened on Camelback Mountain, the most romantic spot ever," Ommundson said. "I'm happy."

The couple says no wedding date has been set yet.