Thunder Storm experience

[Hawkeye P]

Looking for experience on what to do in a thunderstorm while on the trail. Ussually plan my hikes around the weather, but I'm doing a 4 day stretch starting tomorrow and their calling for some afternoon T-Storms. To much invested to postpone my trip now. :) Thanks in advance.

[Valentine]

Weather can vary greatly in the mountains. Sometimes you can hike from shelter to shelter between fronts. If the lightening is only intermittent and cloud to cloud sometimes you can make it to camp before it gets too bad..ie leave early in the morning and don't plan on going over any peaks during lightning. Enosin I used to live in Pittsboro and I swear the storms on the farm were far worse than anything on the trail I have encountered. So far I have done all of GA and into NC up to Wesser.

[Hawkeye P]

Ha, small world. I work in Pittsboro. We do get some bad storms here at times, but I have a structure to jump into. Thanks for the insight.

[Ender]

If it's only a passing storm, I try and wait it out in a shelter. If it's going to last a while, I just hike, especially in hot weather. Exceptions would be above treeline... above treeline, if I see lightning, I hightail it to treeline.

[bigcranky]

Not really much you can do about it. Most summer thunderstorms are in the late afternoon and evening, so I try to get all my miles in before then. And I try not to camp on a bald -- did that once, and the ensuing t-storm scared the ^$% out of me.

[chknfngrs]

Yep, just be alert to your surroundings and know where your shelters are for man made structures and your topography to know where natural shelters are. Being out in a storm, though on it's face sounds cruddy, some of my favorite hiking memories come from foul weather.

[Rockhound]

It can't always be 72 and partly sunny. Stay below the tree line during thunder/lightning storms. You worry too much.

[Bear Cables]

I have hiked in fairly heavy rain but if the rain becomes too stormy, I carry a small silnylon tarp that I can throw up as a quick shelter til the worst passes.

[Old Hillwalker]

Two of us got knocked off our feet up on Mooselauke two summers ago. We were heading to the summit from the north on the AT as a rainstorm was coming closer. We had rain, but then it started to hail and we retreated to just below treeline near the intersection of the Benton trail. We got off the trail about ten feet under some smallish trees. We had out packs off and were standing crouched as is recommended but didn't have sleeping pads to stand on. As we crouched there among the crashing thunder and pouring rain. KaBlam, sparks shot out from the tree roots at our feet, and suddenly we were on our butts with our legs asleep up to out knees. We sat until our feet woke back up, the storm passed, and we continued on up to the summit. As we continued up, just about a hundred feet away the trail looked like it had been plowed up and just off the trail was a spruce that had been stripped of its bark. After I got home I checked the NOLS website to see what they recommended and discovered that we had done the prescribed thing. This was in July 2007. My co-hiker was a lady from Tidewater Virginia who had been visiting NH to hike. She was scared out of her wits, I was thrilled. She told me that I was a very strange person:D Course now that I think about it I used to stand on the top of our bunker and watch the 122mm rockets come in. Fireworks every night in 1968 and 69:o

[Blissful]

Keep your hat on, your head down and don't look as you hike.

(I had to do that in PA. Nowhere to seek refuge)

[sticks&stones]

while camping my routine was to pop in ear plugs, chuck my fuel bottle out, sit on my air mat, and wait it out. since static discharge was always more of a concern for me than a direct hit, the charge would most likely come from beneath.
while hiking i would use ear plugs, and keep moving afap. i learned that the flash from a close hit can be somewhat blinding, so i'd sometimes wear my sunglasses if it was convenient.

[Lyle]

Was very thankful for the restrooms atop Wayah Bald. Waited out a horrific thunderstorm in them with two other hikers last May. Lightening was striking all around us.

The hike up to the Bald was very surreal in the very DARK, gloomy light of the all-afternoon rain that preceded the thunderstorm. Beautiful in a way, but could have done without about 1/2 mile of the hike just before the restrooms.

[fiddlehead]

I count the seconds between flash and boom. I believe 5 seconds is a mile.
If it is closer than 3 seconds, i take precautions. THey are:
1/ Get off the top of the mountain. GO down.
2/ Try to stay away from metal objects (barb wire fence got me in an indirect hit back in '77 while hiking in TN)
3/ Stay away from the tallest trees.
4/ Crouch on your pack or pad or just sit down but not in a rocky ravine as lightning can follow them. (in other words, try to find a spot that is fairly protected from the rain, lower than the surrounding terrain but not in a channel of some kind.) Under a small fir or spruce tree is good.

[nufsaid]

Looking for experience on what to do in a thunderstorm while on the trail. Ussually plan my hikes around the weather, but I'm doing a 4 day stretch starting tomorrow and their calling for some afternoon T-Storms. To much invested to postpone my trip now. :) Thanks in advance.

Some decent info can be found at
http://climbing.about.com/od/staysafeclimbing/tp/9TipsAvoidLightning.htm

http://sportsmedicine.about.com/od/enviromentalissues/a/lightning.htm

Neither are specific to hiking but some of the info does relate.

[nufsaid]

It can't always be 72 and partly sunny. Stay below the tree line during thunder/lightning storms. You worry too much.

No need to be paranoid, but no need to be foolish either. If you ever really have a close call you will learn to respect the power. I have and did. One thing everyone should be aware of:

As a last resort, assume the lightning-safe position
If you are caught in a lightning storm and if you feel your hair stand on end, your skin tingle, or you hear crackling noises, crouch on the ground with your weight on the balls of the feet, your feet together, your head lowered and ears covered. Some experts recommend placing your hands on your forehead and your elbows on your knees to creates a path for lightning to travel to the ground through your extremities rather than through your core (heart).

[BitBucket]

Hiking Dude also has a good web page on lightning and hiking

http://www.hikingdude.com/hiking-lightning.shtml

[garlic08]

To add one little bit to Fiddlehead's excellent list, do not seek shelter in a shallow cave or rock overhang, either. Ground currents can arc across the opening.

If you do witness a strike, you can use the ensuing fire to warm up or dry off:

[Egads]

Some of you may recall that about 3 years ago a Whiteblazer's daughter & boyfriend were under a rock overhang. Both were struck by lightening. IIRC, she lost sight for a few days and developed cataracts. I believe he had a full recovery.

http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/naomigboas

[Hawkeye P]

Some amazing stories and great experience. I will take all with me tomorrow. Maybe I'll have some good stories and better pics when I return. Thanks for the links and the info.

[Chaco Taco]

Its just rain, it happens, its neccessary. Put on a pack cover and rain gear and walk. Set up your tent fast, but if it gets wet inside a bit, use a pack towel to dry up.

[everyman]

I am assuming that hammock-hangers have been in the hammock when lightning storm rolls through. Are you safe in the hammock during a storm like this? Or do you get out of hammock and seek protection elsewhere?

[vamelungeon]

As far as seeking shelter in a cave or overhang, read "Shattered Air" about some hikers getting killed in Yosemite on Half Dome doing exactly that. It's a good read for anyone who spends time in the outdoors.

[Egads]

I am assuming that hammock-hangers have been in the hammock when lightning storm rolls through. Are you safe in the hammock during a storm like this? Or do you get out of hammock and seek protection elsewhere?

You are safer hanging in a hammock in low ground in the forest than on the ground IMHO.

You are trying to minimize the possibility you become the electrical ground

[garlic08]

I am assuming that hammock-hangers have been in the hammock when lightning storm rolls through. Are you safe in the hammock during a storm like this? Or do you get out of hammock and seek protection elsewhere?

I'd say a hammock would be close to ideal. You might get a little surprise if one of your trees blows up or burns.

When I absolutely cannot get below tree line on a long traverse, I'll pitch my tarp and sit on my dry foam pad and wait it out. I feel safe on insulating foam. I'd feel even better off the ground.

[cowboy nichols]

MY MaMA's advice "Go low hunker down" I have always loved storms and tho my Mother tried to keep me from going outin them she gave up and gave me the advice . If I was riding I would strip the tack off and ride bareback(the horse) with a jaw rope . Boy I sure can't do that now. LOL

[Kanati]

Yesterday morning about 6:30 A.M. the thunder storms started rolling in while I was turkey hunting on the TN side of Land Between the Lakes. For 3 hours one wicked storm after another came thru while I was hunkered down in a blind. I had on complete rain gear and a camo umberella and didn't get very wet. Interestingly, my blind was at the end of a long narrow field where I had seen turkeys the day before. While the thunder storms were coming thru there were 3 young gobblers in the field. While the storms were at their worst and the thunder was like cannon fire the turkeys would stand near the edge of the woods about 30 yards from me. They didn't as much as flinch when the thunder, which was constant and was right overhead. Even before one storm would end, the turkeys would go back to feeding. They simply didn't get excited or nervous about it.

[warraghiyagey]

Had a very polite thunderstorm announce itself just after midnight last year while camping atop Saddleback. Had time to pack up and move down the mountain with frequent lightning flash views of the mountains to the west and a perfect clear full moon night to the east. . . . pretty frickin awsome. Thunderstorms just add to the hiking experience to me. . . :sun:sun:sun

[bigcranky]

I am assuming that hammock-hangers have been in the hammock when lightning storm rolls through.

Oh my word yes. Last summer in central VA we had big thunderstorms rage all night long on our last night out. Being in the hammock was great -- I never had to worry about runoff coming through my campsite, since I was several feet above ground. The Maccat Deluxe tarp kept me nice and dry in my hammock.

The only serious concern I had was a lighting strike on one of my support trees, or high winds bringing down a widowmaker. But those would kill me just the same in a tent as in a hammock.

[SawnieRobertson]

No one mentioned spacing yourself and others 20 feet apart so that, in case one is hit, the other(s) can give CPR if needed.--Kinnickinic

[Hawkeye P]

No major lightning, but I did have a few. Got chased off Snowbird Mountain by one that look pretty rough on Friday. Saturday night on Walnut Mountain it got real windy and the rain came down pretty good. Had a great time though. First time on the AT. Done quite a bit of low land hiking, thought I was prepared, but elevation changes like the climb up Snowbird was a real eye opener. Looking forward to my next section hike, but next time I will get the cardio up a little better.

[Hawkeye P]

P.S. I will be getting a pair of trek poles before my next AT experience. I met up with about 20 other hikers and I was the only one without trek poles, and the only one struggling.

[Kirby]

If you're hiking already, keep moving, no point in stopping.

[Hawkeye P]

Already got my next one in the planning. I'm in awe of the experience I had over the weekend. Best mix of people and trail I've come across in my 10 years (off and on) of hiking flat lands.

[PR Man]

We are starting a section hike Wednesday!

The forecast is NOT good.

But you know what they say- "it is what it is".

In an ideal world we could only hike on nice days.

I'm afraid on the AT that would not leave very many days for hiking.

We too have a limited amount of time. We only have three and one half weeks and we plan to go from Springer to Newfound Gap.

I really liked what one person had to say - "some of my best experiences were hiking in bad weather".

FYI - I did some hiking in the Rocky Mountains years ago and some of my friends campsite actually got hit by lightning. It was pretty bad - but you can't live your life (and you certainly can't hike) worrying about the weather.

So what - you get wet and later you dry off! What else is it they say - oh yea "after all it's only walking".

Good luck !

[garlic08]

If you're hiking already, keep moving, no point in stopping.

Hey, Kirby. Good point. Sounds like the saying, "If you are going through hell, KEEP GOING!" (attributed to Winston Churchill, like a lot of things).