Lightning (19E to Damascus)

[Rmcpeak]

I'm planning to knock out 19E to Damascus early next week. The current weather forecast is calling for 80% change of t-storms monday, and lower chances of scattered T-storms later in the week.

I'm not afraid of getting wet, but I'm feeling a bit timid about dealing with thunderstorms. It took almost 700 miles of sections before I had my direct encounter with a thunderstorm earlier this summer, up on top of Highcock Knob. It was a pretty intense blow with a fair amount of nearby lightning -- no direct hits in my immediate area but enough electricity in the air that I could smell it and my hair was standing up.

The next day, the moment I heard thunder I pulled into the first shelter and spent about 5 hours laying around waiting for a storm that never really materialized. I could have hiked on.

So, I'm asking for some advice about thunderstorms and in particular any advice from those familiar with 19E to Damascus in regard to exposure, ease of getting off the ridges, shelter, etc.

I know the lightning safety rules of thumb (30/30, seconds-since-thunder/5, 30 minute wait, lightning crouch, get away from metal, un-grounded shelters aren't really "safe", etc.) What I'm really looking for is advice from highly experienced hikers on the reality of dealing with thunderstorms, and any detailed experience about that specific section (19E to Damascus).

Thanks!

[Dan Roper]

Nearly all of us outdoors folks love thunderstorms....and then one day lightning strikes nearby and we're never quite as sanguine as we were before. IE, your experience is one that many of us can relate to.

19E to Damascus involves a lot of woods walking (with a couple of high peaks) through Watauga Lake, the open expanse as your cross Watauga Dam, then lots of wooded ridge walking all the way to Damascus, interspersed with some farm fields. You are not really atop isolated high mountains like Roan (with the exception of the summit of Pond Mountain). Instead, you are walking the crest of the long, narrow ridge that is Iron Mountain.

Thunderstorms are my biggest fear in hiking - far more than bears or vipers - but 19E to Damascus wouldn't get me as worried as Max Patch, Big Bald, Roan Highlands, Grayson Highlands.

[Rmcpeak]

Nearly all of us outdoors folks love thunderstorms....and then one day lightning strikes nearby and we're never quite as sanguine as we were before. IE, your experience is one that many of us can relate to.

19E to Damascus involves a lot of woods walking (with a couple of high peaks) through Watauga Lake, the open expanse as your cross Watauga Dam, then lots of wooded ridge walking all the way to Damascus, interspersed with some farm fields. You are not really atop isolated high mountains like Roan (with the exception of the summit of Pond Mountain). Instead, you are walking the crest of the long, narrow ridge that is Iron Mountain.

Thunderstorms are my biggest fear in hiking - far more than bears or vipers - but 19E to Damascus wouldn't get me as worried as Max Patch, Big Bald, Roan Highlands, Grayson Highlands.

I've been through Roan and Grayson, so that's a good point of reference. Thanks.

[MuddyWaters]

Stay off exposed areas in t-storms, is good advice

Its often impracticle

Ive risked it more times than Id like to admit

As you say....if you hole up and wait...they miss you
Youll waste a lot of time waiting for nothing if too cautious

[Rmcpeak]

Stay off exposed areas in t-storms, is good advice

Its often impracticle

Ive risked it more times than Id like to admit

As you say....if you hole up and wait...they miss you
Youll waste a lot of time waiting for nothing if too cautious

Yeah, I just got a little spooked back in June on Highcock Knob. Sounds like my section next week has a lot of cover and I'll be prudently cautious. Thanks for the advice.

[JumpMaster Blaster]

A thunderstorm while walking along the balds is indeed unsettling to me. I clearly remember scampering off Max Patch a few summers ago upon hearing thunder AND seeing lightning strike a far ridgeline.

This summer also featured a race against a storm between Overmountain Shelter and Little Hump. The storm never came and I crossed Little Hump just fine, but was looking for bailout points along the way.

Between 19E and TN 91 the only time you're exposed is coming across Watauga dam from what I remember. There is some intermittent pasture walking to the north, then back into the woods all the way down to Damascus.

[jgillam]

I had never been afraid of a thunderstorm (I actually enjoyed them) until I got stuck in a huge storm that lingered over us for 18 hours, back in late April, with hiking with Greenlight in southern Indiana.

At 7am we woke up the pictured storm cell crashing down on us while we trying to sleep. I was 85% sure that I was going to meet Jesus that morning.

Anyway, ever since then, I have been super skittish around storms so, I totally understand the fear but, intend to keep on hiking.

[LittleRock]

Completely relateable experience. I've skipped 3 fire towers (Albert Mtn, Wesser Bald, Mt Cammerer) on my hikes because of thunder/lightning. Also remember a few other times literally running through exposed areas with a full pack, or if I was too tired to run, plodding along chanting the Lord's Prayer. Once decided to cut my day short and stay at Roan High Knob instead of continuing over the balds to Overmountain Shelter because of thunderstorm activity.

That being said, there aren't a whole lot of exposed areas between 19E and Damascus. From what I remember, there are a handful of very short stretches between 19E and Dennis Cove Rd (and most of them are not on ridge tops), there's a short stretch at the Watauga Lake picnic area right after you cross Hwy 321, there's crossing Watauga Dam, and then one more short stretch right after you cross TN Hwy 91.

Another concern, especially since pretty much the entire section from Watauga Dam to Damascus is a ridgeline walk, is high winds. I got hit by a severe storm with very high winds that lasted pretty much the whole way from Double Spring Shelter to Abingdon Gap Shelter. It was really scary - large tree branches were falling everywhere creating lots of obstacles to navigate around/climb over on the trail. At one point, there was a large tree that had snapped in half, the top half was dangling over the trail, and I had no choice but to scamper under it.

Not saying you should worry (and definitely don't change your plans!) just be cautious in severe weather and make rational decisions and you will be fine.

[rocketsocks]

Don't know squat about 19E and I wouldn't call myself an experienced hiker per se. Learn about weather without the aid of a ithingy. Put your back to the prevailing wind and hold your left arm at 90 degrees to prevailing wind (north hemisphere, in southern use your right arm) that's the direction of the Low pressure area, and as the Low moves away so does the percentage of inclimate weather

[Rmcpeak]

Don't know squat about 19E and I wouldn't call myself an experienced hiker per se. Learn about weather without the aid of a ithingy. Put your back to the prevailing wind and hold your left arm at 90 degrees to prevailing wind (north hemisphere, in southern use your right arm) that's the direction of the Low pressure area, and as the Low moves away so does the percentage of inclimate weather

Say what? How do you know if the low is moving away?

[Tipi Walter]

I was 85% sure that I was going to meet Jesus that morning.

This pretty much describes my technique for hiking and/or camping in lightning storms. "Waiting to die . . ." Then again meeting Jesus would be the best thing to ever to happen to me so what's the problem??

** Listen to your radio and if something terrible is pinging plan to get off the ridge on a side trail and camp. Have a good map and know what trails to low ground are available.
** If camping on a ridge or high gap and your radio is sending in warnings with a bad storm coming in the next 2 hours---it's not unreasonable to pack up and do a night hike to lower ground.

** Study your ridge camps for trees previously struck by lightning bolts---a long gouge/groove down the trunk. Every place has a history that can be studied.

** The worst windstorms are often not in the winter during blizzards but during summer thunderstorms. This is why I carry a 4 season tent all year long. Lightning is just one facet of a thunderstorm---think horizontal buckets of rain, tremendous winds, falling trees and limbs, ground water and lake effect (have a good tent floor) and lightning. A good robust tent can withstand some of these things---and you can seek out high ridge campsites and/or open bald areas which have much smaller trees in case one falls.

[rocketsocks]

Say what? How do you know if the low is moving away?

the winds will back around...it may take 2 hours to feel like you've made a good call, but generally prevailing winds are west to east. O'coarse nothing's fool proof.

[rocketsocks]

Birds will typically fly away from on coming storms

[Tundracamper]

the winds will back around...it may take 2 hours to feel like you've made a good call, but generally prevailing winds are west to east. O'coarse nothing's fool proof.

And storms in the northern hemisphere rotate counter-clockwise. Put your back to the wind and the storm center is to your left. If you know its travel direction, you can then determine if the center has passed you

[rocketsocks]

And storms in the northern hemisphere rotate counter-clockwise. Put your back to the wind and the storm center is to your left. If you know its travel direction, you can then determine if the center has passed you

also front will generally travel about 600 miles a day. So Chicago's weather today is NYC's weather tomorrow.

[Tennessee Viking]

You should be ok throughout most of that section. Very wooded with low elevation peaks. You have a greater chance of getting hit by a falling branch than lightning. But anytime you are on ridgetop trail and lightning is getting closer and closer definitely seek shelter off the ridge.

I have been at Sugarloaf Gap/Flint Mtn area during a thunderstorm. Lightning cracking down just a couple hundreds behind me. I made a speed record back down to my car to end a short day. That area tends to get more lightning being in higher elevations and more open scape trail on its ridges.

I have weather apps that alert me to lightning strikes within 5miles of my tracked location.

[hikernutcasey]

I awoke to a severe electric storm pelting me near I-26 south of Big Bald one night around midnight and thought I was a goner. I've never been so genuinely scared in my life and that's not an exaggeration. I pulled up the radar on my phone and the storm cell was basically stationary just sitting there shooting lightning bolts at me for nearly 45 minutes straight. The strike / crash was continuously nearly simultaneous. The feeling of helplessness, not able to do anything but lay there and hope and pray a bolt wouldn't hit the tree next to me was frightening. Sometimes you are just at the mercy of mother nature and there is nothing you can do.

As for your walk to Damascus, as others have said I wouldn't be too concerned as much of the trail is in the forest. Just use common sense and if it gets really bad try to find shelter and you should be fine. If I'm not in an open exposed area I just keep walking.

[Tipi Walter]

I awoke to a severe electric storm pelting me near I-26 south of Big Bald one night around midnight and thought I was a goner. I've never been so genuinely scared in my life and that's not an exaggeration. I pulled up the radar on my phone and the storm cell was basically stationary just sitting there shooting lightning bolts at me for nearly 45 minutes straight. The strike / crash was continuously nearly simultaneous. The feeling of helplessness, not able to do anything but lay there and hope and pray a bolt wouldn't hit the tree next to me was frightening. Sometimes you are just at the mercy of mother nature and there is nothing you can do.

As for your walk to Damascus, as others have said I wouldn't be too concerned as much of the trail is in the forest. Just use common sense and if it gets really bad try to find shelter and you should be fine. If I'm not in an open exposed area I just keep walking.

I was in a couple bad bolt storms you describe---really bad. When the white zap and the boom happens at the same exact time you know it's right on top of you. I felt helpless too and even considered a Plan D---put on my rain gear and leave the tent and run screaming off the mountain with all my crap still in camp. But then I thought---I'd just be a moving target and could get zapped anywhere, really.

As far as getting to Damascus---Last year in my trail journal I wrote about a guy thruhiking the AT heading south thru Virginia. He heard on his little radio that "there was artillery shelling in Damascus" and so he got off the trail and quit his hike.

[Rmcpeak]

I was in a couple bad bolt storms you describe---really bad. When the white zap and the boom happens at the same exact time you know it's right on top of you. I felt helpless too and even considered a Plan D---put on my rain gear and leave the tent and run screaming off the mountain with all my crap still in camp. But then I thought---I'd just be a moving target and could get zapped anywhere, really.

As far as getting to Damascus---Last year in my trail journal I wrote about a guy thruhiking the AT heading south thru Virginia. He heard on his little radio that "there was artillery shelling in Damascus" and so he got off the trail and quit his hike.

Sounds like a bright fella.

[jgillam]

Ole Joel nailed it.