Hiker with poles struck by lightning

“Saw this on the Lighweight Backpacker site. Was published today in the Times Union in Albany, NY.

By BRUCE A. SCRUTON, Staff writer
Tuesday, July 3, 2001

Peter Church got a pair of hiking poles for Father's Day -- state of the art with ergonomic handles, titanium shafts, shock absorbers and an apparent affinity for lightning. Saturday, as he and girlfriend Cheryl Phoenix were leaving the summit of Algonquin Peak in the Adirondacks, they and 11 others were struck by lightning.

"We had the poles, the others didn't,'' said Church in an interview Monday from his home, where he and Phoenix were recovering from burns to their legs, backs and stomachs.

"The others (a group of Canadians) just got hit in their feet," Church explained. "Although one 12-year-old, it melted the soles of his hiking boots."

It was a hot, muggy day when Church and Phoenix got to the top of the 5,114-foot peak, about 4 miles south of Lake Placid. "We had lunch at the top, about 12:30, and then a few raindrops started falling," Church said. "We put on our rain gear and started down."

But within a few yards, it began to pour, so the couple ducked under a rock overhang. "We were there for maybe four, five minutes. It stopped raining and (the sky) got lighter, so we decided to bug out."

The Canadians, traveling separately, had also decided to get off the bare rock summit and were also walking down. "We were passing them and near the front of the line, about 200 yards down the trail," when the lightning bolt hit, Church said.

"There was no warning. No hairs standing on the back of your neck. No smell of ozone. In fact, I had just heard a bird singing and told Cheryl that was a sign the storm was over," Church continued. The shock knocked Church out, causing him to fall and suffer a gash in his head. Phoenix was also knocked unconscious for a short time.

"Some guy (from the group still at the top) came down. He had a cellphone but was not hit. That shocks me," Church said, with no trace of irony. "But he did get down to the tree line before he made the call for help."

The Canadians and others at the top helped Church and Phoenix to their unsteady feet. "We couldn't feel anything from the knees down for quite a while," Church said. None of the Canadians had metal hiking poles, although Church said there were such poles among the group still at the summit.

"We were holding them horizontal, so I'm not sure what happened," he added. They began the long hike down the mountain. Partway down, a member of the Adirondack Mountain Club, which volunteers to patrol parts of the High Peaks, met them and provided first aid for the cut on Church's head, which later required 13 stitches to close.
A mile farther down the trail, they met the first forest ranger. "We went about a mile, and he had to go about 3 miles. He was really moving to get to us," Church said.

On Monday, despite the pain lingering in their legs and sore muscles all over, Church and Phoenix had not sworn off hiking. "Oh, it'll be no humidity, not hazy and blue skies, but we'll go again," Church said.

As for the modern metal hiking poles, Church said, "I told them (the Canadians who had picked up his poles) to throw them away. They're somewhere on that mountain. "When I go again, I'm pulling out my old hiking stick. It's wood."”

“After shopping for trekking poles and seeing the cost, I agree Mr. Church. Use a stave or the like. Cheaper, and apparently safer.”

“"We were holding them horizontal, so I'm not sure what happened,"

hmmm....I wonder if he had them compressed and if his hands were on the metal shaft instead of on the rubber, vinyl or cork grips?

Isn't a rock overhang a bad place to wait out a lightning storm?”

“after actually finding a pair I felt was not a complete rip-off, I wouldn't trade them for all the big sticks in the world! They are great, and I wouldn't let a freak lightning strike change my mind about their value.”

“I think this proves that ”

“impressive!”

“On top of a mtn, eh? Poles or not...they weren't in a safe place anyway.

Speaking of not being in a safe place...
I heard a few days ago a guy was on a beach on the E coast and was struck by lightning...from a storm about 5 miles away!

Some folks just have bad luck!”

“#*%!& Photopoint!”

“I think this proves that
”

“Use hiking poles and you'll fry in HAAIIIIILLLLLL”

“Yikes, what was that. Weird link steve hiker.”