Lightening

[speedbump]

I am planning on cont. my section hike this year. Last year I got caught in 2 very scary T-storms. Now I am petrified. Looking for any advise, stories, experiences that any other hiker has had with lightening. I need to get over this fear!

[flemdawg1]

You more likely to struck by a car at a road crossing than getting struck by lightening (source: my own mind).

Is it possible: yes but highly unlikely epecially if you're smart enough to not camp on balds & exposed ridges when rain is likely, etc.

[moof53]

Knowledge helps fight fear. Here are some articles about lightning at Backpacker magazine. Some of them are not applicable to the subject so just ignore them but there are some helpful listings also. Hope this helps.

Here is the link http://www.backpacker.com/search/?q=lightning&x=0&y=0

[moof53]

Here is a fairly good generic article from Backpacker. Try not to hold onto fear. Just be careful and enjoy being outside.

ESCAPE PLAN: REDUCE LIGHTNING STRIKE RISK

Tips for lessening the risk of lightning in the backcountry.
by: Kristy Holland

• Tags:
• Skills |
• Survival |

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The forecast didn’t warn of lightning within 100 miles of your hike—but that crack was unmistakable and clouds are rolling in. Now what?

Lightning can strike ground more than 25 miles from storm clouds, so blue sky overhead doesn’t mean you’re safe. In fact, there’s no place in the backcountry that is completely safe in an electrical storm, but your first move should be to seek safer terrain. Move off of peaks and ridges, and to the lowest ground nearby. In rolling landscapes, drop into a depression, like a dry ravine. Stay away from water and isolated tall trees or towers.

If the time between the flash and the bang is less than 30 seconds (5 seconds = 1 mile), consider yourself at serious risk. If you hear buzzing, or static is making your hair stand up, a strike is imminent. Assume the lightning position: Spread out with at least 50 feet between you and other people so that multiple people won’t be struck by one bolt, incapacitating the whole group. Crouch or sit with your feet close together on a foam pad or pack (without a metal frame). Standing, laying down, and having your feet wide all increase the potential damage from a direct hit. Removing metal jewelry will reduce the risk of a secondary burn, but not a lightning strike.

If there’s a threat of lightning overnight, use the safe terrain con- siderations described earlier in this section to choose your campsite; tents offer no protection from lightning and may even attract it.

[Ktaadn]

I am planning on cont. my section hike this year. Last year I got caught in 2 very scary T-storms. Now I am petrified. Looking for any advise, stories, experiences that any other hiker has had with lightening. I need to get over this fear!

Lightening? Are you in the third trimester of a pregnancy? If so, I would recommend you avoid any high intensity activities for a few months.

[theoilman]

30 - 30 rule: If lightning to thunder time is under 30 seconds seek shelter, in in open terrain get to a low area, get off the top or ridge, preferrably the downwind side - after the last lightning wait 30 minutes before going on.

[WingedMonkey]

I got caught in 2 very scary T-storms. Now I am petrified.

What was it that petrified you?

[ChinMusic]

You more likely to struck by a car at a road crossing than getting struck by lightening (source: my own mind).

I love the footnoting.....

I also love thunderstorms. I think they are awesome. I just wouldn't want to be on an exposed ridge.

[hikerboy57]

no sense worrying about lightning until after you're hit.how do you feel about hail?its more common.

[Slo-go'en]

Actually, lightning kills a lot of people every year. Golfer's and hiker's are the two groups most at risk.

The most fearful I've ever been on the trail happened last spring during a bad lightning storm. I was camped on the north side of Beauty spot, down where the trail starts to level out again. Thank God I hadn't camped on the bald that night! I spent what seemed like half the night sitting up and holding onto my treking pole to keep my tent from blowing over (two stakes had pulled out of the ground due to the strong wind gusts already) all the while the sky was lighting up with frequent lightning strikes, some which seemed way too close for comfort. And all the while I was holding on to that metal ground rod, aka my hiking pole, I was thinking "this is a really, really bad idea".

Eventually, the storm moved on and I was able to get some sleep, until round two came by just before dawn. This time it wasn't quite so bad, but I had enough and simply packed up and got moving.

The other problem with being caught in a bad T-storm is hypothermia. You can get soaked to the bone in seconds during the inital heavy down pour and that rain can be really cold. If you have to hunker down to wait the storm out, you can get a wicked chill.

[speedbump]

No where to go, miles from shelter. Worse storm I have ever seen. Bolts all around. And as a child, my house my hit with fire after. Post traumatic lightening syndrome : )

[speedbump]

I see you are from NH. I just finished the Mahoosics, SOBO when a storm came in on me from nowhere, blue sky then in 5 minutes, the worse T storm I have ever seen. That event is why I am now so cautious. I hitched a ride just to get out of the storm. Trail Angel - first car that went by picked me up, gave me food and shelter. NH has wicked storms that can happen in a minute.

[Odd Man Out]

Actually, lightning kills a lot of people every year. Golfer's and hiker's are the two groups most at risk.

So it seems that when considering a variety of risks to AT hikers (scary people, lightning, bears, hypothermia, and ticks), our fears are inversely proportional to the real threat??

I was always a little confused by the lightning guidelines - don't stand in open areas and don't stand under a tree. What other choices are there? I guess the key is find a lot of trees that are not a hilltop or ridge line - should be easy to find in most places on the AT.

[hikerboy57]

always need to watch the forecasts in the whites, which are usually posted in the huts(you can view them for free). its maddening sometimes in the summer, the old rule being if you can hear thunder you can be hit. when you're above treeline, you can usually see the front coming in.
Ive been caught twice where i felt the hairs on my neck rise(not a good sign) but thankfully was never struck.if you know lightening is coming, just try to stay away from ridges and open areas, otherwise make yourself as small as possible.

[Hiking Man]

Do most of you keep hiking if you get caught out during the day and a bad storm rolls in, or hunker down off to the side of the trail? I just keep hiking myself (not sure if that is the best thing to do), but i am more worried about a tree felling on me from the high winds then getting struck by lightning.

[Wise Old Owl]

Yea I got to agree with the thread - Hail, wind bringing down tree limbs.... etc... Its weather prepare, be educated, confront your fear.

[flemdawg1]

I love the footnoting.....

I also love thunderstorms. I think they are awesome. I just wouldn't want to be on an exposed ridge.

Just being truthful. I'm sure there's some actual stats to back me up somewhere.

Back on the subject: I've hiked thru lots of t-storms (and unless you happened to be eating lunch at a shelter when one hits you likely will too). The worst one was south of Dennis Cove when the wind blew a tall dead tree down 20 feet away uphill from me, then it started rolling. Scary 2 seconds there.

[Bati]

When lightning strikes close by, it's frightening, and fear is a good thing. Like seeing a bear up close, a major storm or bolt is scary and can be awesome. I try to avoid lightning by avoiding ridge lines, water, and being too close to the highest thing within 300 feet. I've been taught that's the approximate distance it will travel to find the best spot; in other words, if there's a lightning rod within 300 feet, it's there, if the nearest lightning rod is a mile away, then the bolt will go for the best thing within that 300-foot range. Try to create a short path to the ground through your body that doesn't involve your heart. If you do get hit (and survive), seek medical attention as soon as possible as you can die a day or two later from an electrolyte imbalance. Do not try to take an off day and recover from it- send a buddy to get help or try to phone if you have service.
You asked for stories, so here's an entry from my journal, complete with all the confusing time notes as I lay in my bivy with a bit of ground cloth over my head and waited for the storm(s) to finish.

July 20 Just north of Beartown Road. Bivouacked in pines and its raining now, but I'm still dry. Hope the shelter holds and storm is short. Six p.m. now. That's when the real rain started. Lightening for 45 minutes or more. As I was berating myself for not staying in the last shelter (with no water) I found out why I hiked on. It struck near here- I could see a streak and a ball of light (though no 'bolt'). The noise was incredible. I'll try to find the spot this morning. I thought I was in a safe place- down low, creek a ways back, and the pines aren't the tallest. Perhaps it hit near the creek. Slept better last night than in Tom Leonard shelter.

At the time, I'd never heard of ball lightning, so when I saw a golden- basketball sized glow hit near me I didn't know what it was. After the rain let up and I got up the next morning, I tried to find the spot but couldn't. Truth be told, I didn't look very hard since I really didn't want to know how very close it had been. But that one experience has made up for every rain I've ever spent in a bivy, before or after that experience (and, yes, there have been many rainy nights.) Think of like a bear encounter or a viscous wind on a bald, an awesome taste of the wilderness and a chance to experience the power of nature. Try to avoid it whenever you can, but if not, just experience the power and realize how insignificant you are..

[skylarker]

Here is a scientific study on how lightning kills and how to minimize your risk of being struck as well as how to survive being struck. http://www.wec.ufl.edu/safety/Backco...ningSafety.pdf

[Wise Old Owl]

Really nice find Skylarker! love the picks

When it comes to lightening - clearly the old tents with aluminum poles took out a few people in the past - I wonder how things would be different with a hammock....