Lightning

“alright, I think this will be a little less controversal than the last post...hopefully.. I was just looking for some insight, What do you do when hiking along the summit of a mountian and you have about 5 miles to go on the bald before you even reach a shelter and is starts to storm, thunder, lightning, the works. What does one do? Just haul butt for 5 miles, or seek refuge or what?”

“Not an easy question, it all depends on the terrain and the individual situation. How far are you from the start of the trail and your car, how safe do you think the shelter will be, are you made of metal, what did you do to make God so angry, etc. etc.”

“take off your tinfoil hat!”

“Too funny, strat!”

“Take the first part of the corporal's suggestion seriously.

Depends on whether you can get down off the bald on a side trail or bushwacking. You conceivably would see or hear the storm coming in time to make that decision and put the plan into operation.

But a bald in a thunderstorm is no place to be if you plan to survive. If all else failed, the standard suggestion is to make yourself small. Lie down or crouch down in a low spot and pray like he11. That would be last resort. Getting down off the ridge is the best and smartest course of action.

I was caught on a forested ridgeline in a storm once, but very near my sidetrail which dropped quickly off the ridge. When the boomenbangen got too loud, I moved smartly down the side trail.

Moving targets attract lightning, so running is not exactly smart.

Somebody else might have additional advice.”

“this actually happened to us in WY, although we were already at our destination for the day.we were at 10,700' and a thunderstorm let us have it bigtime! no trees, just rocks. we set up our tents beside a big outcropping for a little wind break & crossed our fingers. it pummeled us for hours. it was really no biggie though, we survived.”

“If you are in a protected area, a thunderstorm in a high elevation can be awesome. On the Dolly Sods, you can actually feel the ground shake while lying in the tent.”

“I don’t know about you, but I usually carry an open-ended controlled lightning bolt rocket tube. It is 20 feet long and 2.5 feet in diameter. When struck by lightning these babies really take off! You can cover 5 miles to the nearest shelter in seconds. A simple mechanical procedure reverses thrust allowing the rocket tube to act as an air brake.”

“Sheesh, and I thought that was a UFO that blew by when I broke my leg!”

“Talking about lighting.Does anyone have any good pics of bolts of lighting?

I just love lighting.

8)”

“no pics here, sorry Mike.
That's one thing I really miss about living in Georgia though, they had some real bad thunderstorms down there.”

“Thunderstorms rock!!!!!

8)”

“I've hiked in storms before. I just keep walking and enjoy the show. If ya get hit & Killed then look at it this way. Ya gotta die of something. It'd be quick and deffinatly easier than Dieing an old wore out detearerating pill of bones & skin in a Nursing home.
Also think of this; Say you do bust @$$ and make it to the shelter, is it a wise idea to sleep in a place that has a Metal roof in a lightening storm?
Think about it.”

“No doubt WD!

8)”

“pill = pile”

“Over 80% of people hit by lightning survive. I've seen a guy who had his brain scrambled by lightning (no, not me) and it wasn't a life I would choose.”

“Am i the only one who hasnt hiked in lightning?”

“yeah, but i can still tie my shoes....”

“I have beeen backpacking in some real cool storms and I always love the light show!

8)”

“The secret to hiking in the rain is to realize your going to get wet and just accept it. It's not that bad. If you let yourself be misserable about it that you've already decided your walk will not be fun and will suck.
Keep your bag & clothes in plastic bags and use a pack cover. If it's warm out then wear as little as possible. If it's cold than use your rain gear. It's very simple.”

“i think hiking in the snow would be cool, pardon the pun..as long as it wasn't like gail forcee winds er sumpthin...”

“That's fun too!!”

“when i was with these girls, say a storm comes up in the middle of the night - we must assume the lightning position, if i lay and try to sleep through it, or enjoy a nice mountain thunderstorm they'd yell at me... fine.

by myself, i'll lay through it and enjoy a nice t-storm. while hiking, i'll just keep going, assuming the conditions aren't too threatning, it all depends, usually i'll keep pushing onward.”

“Being wet is fun sometimes but there are times when it just sucks!

But when you get thunder and lighting then its a ++++

8)”

“Everybody's a comedian, but when that (lightening) happens to me - and it has - I get my @$$ of the mountain STAT. So far I've been lucky.”

“Yeah seriously. I have no problem hiking in the rain – for days at a time if necessary. There’s really nothing cooler than hiking through a moderate snowstorm. But hike along a ridge in a lightning storm? No #&%!$ing way! Like I said – I’m not so worried that I’d get killed (my wife and kids might mind) but that I’d survive in a condition I’d rather not live in.

Get off the ridge. Stay away from single tall trees, squat down with your feet together on your sleeping pad if possible and stay at least 20 feet away from other people so if someone does get struck, there will be someone else to administer CPR and/or go for help.”

“And if your hair stands on end, get off of that mountain as fast as you can!”

“Same goes for buzzing rock, SN”

“But, last summer at my mothers in central FL, a huge electrical storm came in and I (like a fool) walked outside barefoot to watch it pop. I held onto the metal post of the all metal carport when lightning hit a tree in the front yard maybe 50' away. I did not see nor hear the bolt hit. I do remember feeling the pain from my hand to my waist and waking up on the ground with my mother having an absolute FIT ! This was only "residual" current from the main strike, folks. Now, I have much more respect for the sparks..... whether near or far away, it can get you, no matter what. Take whatever precautions you deem necessary then multiply that tenfold and hope for the best.”

“That's some good advice, Violin.

I'd only add that while you're on that sleeping pad, keep both hands in the air in front of you.

If there's a common path between your hands, that could serve as a path of least resistance through your heart. As current travels through the ground, you want to minimize its reach.

And if you're separated from your group that 20 to 30', you might call out your number to keep together so to speak. If someone doesn't pipe up, go there and get started with the CPR.

Besides, it doesn't seem likely lightning will strike in the same place twice. 8P”